Monday 5 September 2022

MACHRIE by Arran

Arran Machrie Perfume Bottle
There are times when you probably wish that you could step off the mad roundabout of life for a few moments to catch your breath. We’re constantly pushed and pulled in so many directions that finding time for ourselves can often be difficult. This search for that magic “pause” button is something that gets harder as we get older, and that is when fragrance can really come into its own. The thought of being in open countryside surrounded by symbols from previous centuries would be most people’s dream. However, the dream just became a reality thanks to the windswept and aromatic Machrie from Arran.

Arran was founded back in 1989 on the Isle of Arran, which is an island off the west coast of Scotland. The area is steeped in history, from Brodick Castle to the King’s Cave, and the varied landscape has rightly earned it the nickname of “Scotland in Miniature”. It was here that the company’s first products were manufactured and where they’re still made today. With such a rich legacy of stories and breath-taking scenery, it’s easy to understand the attraction and the inspiration that the island offers. Landscapes are often translated into fragrance, but they’re rarely done as well as this.

The philosophy of the Arran company is that they want the fragrances within their products to represent aspects of the island, whether that’s a location or a feeling, and that’s why they spend so much time getting the fragrance just right. Testament to this is that their first fragrance, After the Rain, is still a bestseller and still conjures “the scent of a summer garden on the Isle of Arran following a rain shower”. With a little touch of water from their own freshwater spring also finding its way into each product, you really are getting to experience something very special.

Arran Machrie Perfume Box
Machrie, which is the fragrance I have fallen for, takes its name and inspiration from the town on the west coast of the island. The scent was originally intended to capture the windswept feeling of the rocky coastline but, while it certainly does this, it also pulls in aspects of the famous Machrie Moor Standing Stones. These ancient burial markers have weathered over generations and, alongside the windswept wearing down of their surface, have also firmly embedded themselves into the expansive terrain. That's why, if you’re looking for a scent to help you switch off and reset, it’s time to discover Machrie.

Opening with a sharp mandarin and bergamot alongside an aquatic salty note, Machrie instantly transports you to the shore location, but there’s also a flint-like quality that draws you towards the famous standing stones. The unexpected appearance of iris gives a subtle powdery edge to the scent, pairing beautifully with the herbaceous and slightly floral clary sage to give an expansive effect to the fragrance, before a carefully balanced resinous labdanum and earthy patchouli provide an almost ceremonial tone. With a final note of lavender-imbued moss, you're placed firmly on deserted headland overlooking the sea. While originally created as a men’s fougere fragrance, Machrie will also be perfect for women who like their chypres.

Machrie is available from the Arran website at arran.com priced at £42.50 for 100ml. The fragrance is also available in a variety of other products. [Sample provided by Arran]

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