FRAGRANCE | Hacienderos Parfum by Wren: A solid and noteworthy debut of a fragrance

After creating fragrances for homegrown brand Whiff Artisanal Perfumes and other local clients like Natalya Lagdameo, Filipino perfumer RJ Lopena has finally launched his own brand called Wren. Named after a family of small, chunky, elusive birds, Wren primarily offers bespoke services along with the occasional, limited release, showcase fragrances. Hacienderos Parfum is the first.

The bottle sports a simple, very slightly curved, rectangular design and a basic sticker label that's skewed to the right so that part of it extends to the side. In lieu of a box, the brand opted for a pleather pouch that exposes the cap so you don't have to remove the whole thing when spraying. It's a clever concept although personally I want my fragrances in boxes.

Hacienderos was, according to Lopena, his final project in perfumery school. It was originally centered on rose and supported by leather, hay, and a barnyard accord that excited me. The formula has since been tweaked to consider the feedback he received then.

The Hacienderos he released is essentially a fougère despite curiously missing key notes lavender and oakmoss. That characteristic fresh and creamy character reminiscent of shaving cream is very much present right from the start that I really thought it was lavender. Turns out it's geranium that he used here. The opening also features an aromatic, camphorous, herbal accord with a pronounced rosemary and topped with a squeeze of lemon to brighten things up.

If greens are not your thing, the herbs aren't a cause for concern, though, because they're deftly balanced by the geranium. It simply adds depth to the composition and is far from being the virtual herb garden of Olympic Orchids's Siam Proun. This balance is only reaffirmed by the addition of hay that creeps up after several minutes. The hay is not too dry when it starts out (although I wouldn't mind if it was), as there's a small amount of sweetness that lends it a bit of moisture to make it more appealing to most people.

After about an hour, the hay sheds some of the sweetness off and ends up drier than when it started. It's still not as dry as the dried straw that's very prominent in Amouage Beach Hut Woman. Furthermore, it's still the fragrance's fresh and mildly creamy facet that's mostly projecting in the air. There's also a faint, animalic leather occasionally peeking although it never fully reveals itself. It functions more as a support to the whole scent structure than as a showcase note. The hay remains the main base note here, which replaces the oakmoss in traditional fougères. 

Hacienderos is a curious take on fougères and it's great how the same effect is achieved while substituting some otherwise staple ingredients. As Tom Ford went for a spicy direction in Beau de Jour, and Amouage a modern and edgy interpretation with Bracken Man, Wren decided on an aromatic and herbal turn without veering away too much from the customary fresh and creamy. I daresay that this is something rarely seen in local perfumery. All things considered, coupled with its respectable performance that can last a good few hours (with moderate projection in its first 2 to 3) and its affordable price point, Hacienderos for me is worth getting, especially if you dig classy, gentlemanly scents.

Hacienderos Parfum is available in 50ml bottles for Php 1,100 apiece. For the moment it's only sold via Wren's Instagram account (@scentsofwren).