Anabasis

THE COMPOSITION
Citrus, Shiso, Birch, Mint, Pine, Cedar, Musk

Anabasis is a long journey upland, a wind through the trees in early spring. Cool and distant, wild and free. Anabasis (from the Greek 'to go upward') is an expedition from the coast to the interior of a country. It is also the title of two great works that describe such a journey, one by Xenophon and one by Saint-John Perse. Anabasis is adventurous and mysterious, bringing the scent of Japanese shiso and mint wafting through a forest of cedar and pine.

"Cyrus now advanced through Arabia, having the Euphrates on his right, five days’ march through the forest. In this region the ground was broken and dark, heaving as the sea. It was covered with pines, and whatever other kinds of shrub or reed grew on it were all odoriferous as perfumes. On the third day Cheirisophus said, “Cast your eyes upon these mountains, and observe how impassable they all are. The only road which you see is steep; and close upon it you may perceive a great multitude of men. The guides whom we have say that there is no other road..."

— XENOPHON

Part of the Apoteker Tepe Collection, by Holladay Saltz