Yugen

A collaborative creation by Lost Tribe x Elixir Attar

Yugen—a word borrowed from the Japanese aesthetic philosophy that speaks to a profound, subtle grace and an awareness of the mysterious beauty of the universe—is the namesake and soul of this contemplative olfactory composition. This fragrance, part of a limited collaboration between our house and the master artisans at Elixir Attar, draws deeply from the well of Japanese Zen tradition. Every note, every resin, and every wisp of aromatic steam is designed to mirror the quietude of a Kyoto garden at dawn, the stillness of a temple meditation, and the invisible but ever-present pull of the sublime.

The story of Yugen begins with a gentle disruption: a piercingly vivid top note of bitter almond, as if to awaken the senses from slumber. Its nutty, marzipan-like sharpness is quickly softened and brightened by Japanese yuzu and bergamot—citrus notes that are zesty yet restrained, echoing the minimalism of Zen brush strokes on rice paper. Star anise adds a subtle licorice twist, while jasmine enfleurage unfurls a ghostly floral sweetness, as fleeting and tender as a passing breeze through tatami doors. A rare and salty black ambergris—a gift from the sea—grounds the opening with mystery and glimmer.

At the heart of Yugen lies a sacred ritual of resins. Black copal and white copal resins burn like quiet incense in a rural shrine, their smoky sweetness rising in steady spirals. These sacred resins are joined by a refined rose accord—neither lush nor overly romantic, but a tempered bloom full of poise and dignity. Lavender, traditionally known for its calm and cleanliness, provides the structure of a classic fougère, but in this context, it whispers rather than commands. Cabrueva, a Brazilian hardwood oil rarely used in modern perfumery, lends a sweet, almost powdery warmth that binds the heart into a glowing ember of meditative calm.

But it is the base of Yugen where the true weight of contemplation settles. Here, the scent sinks deep into the grounding embrace of Sri Lankan sandalwood—rich, creamy, and antique in feel—paired with a warm and furry touch of Siberian musk, a natural material known for its depth and endurance. The mystical, honeyed smoke of labdanum resin meets the woody austerity of cedar wood, while frankincense resin contributes a crystalline clarity that breaks through the denser elements like sunlight through shoji screens. Sweet hay adds a rural, almost nostalgic softness.

At the foundation of this architecture is the rare and potent Rayong Oud, sourced with great care and aged to perfection. Unlike the more aggressive animalic ouds, Rayong carries a clarity that is incense-like, slightly balsamic, and faintly bitter—elegant and reserved. In Yugen, this oud does not seek to dominate but instead acts as a binding thread, stitching together each layer with invisible harmony. It evokes the scent of temple wood soaked in centuries of prayer and time.

In designing Yugen, we didn’t simply blend materials—we told a story in scent. Each raw essence used has been selected for its purity, age, and cultural resonance. The resins are ceremonial-grade; the bitter almond is distilled for clarity; the Rayong Oud is one of the last of its batch, no longer in production. These aren’t ingredients—they are artifacts.

Only a limited number of bottles have been made.

Notes: Bitter Almond, Japanese Yuzu, Star Anise, Bergamot, Jasmine Enfleurage, Black Ambergris, Rose, Lavender, Black Copal, White Copal, Cabrueva, Sri Lankan Sandalwood, Siberian Musk, Labdanum, Cedar Wood, Frankincense, Hay, Rayong Oud