New Zealand does not have many fine fragrance houses of its own, which is part of what makes The Virtue special. Founded by photographer Brooke Lean and hand-poured in Taranaki, it turns moods and memories into parfum and incense, each scent with its own story and image. Here is the range we carry at Wally, and what each one is about.
The Virtue story
The Virtue is the work of Brooke Lean, a photographer who turned a career spent capturing emotion into a fragrance house. Every scent is designed and made in New Zealand, with the parfums hand-poured in New Plymouth, Taranaki, and the incense infused by hand nearby in Oakura. Brooke's background shows in how the brand works: each fragrance is paired with its own photography and story, an attempt, in the brand's own words, to translate emotion into scent. The result feels personal and a little cinematic, made a long way from the big perfume houses.
The parfums
The Virtue's parfums come in two sizes: 15ml ($89.99) and 50ml ($249.99). If you are new to the range, the 15ml is an easy way in, or come and try them in store.
Holy Smoke
Frankincense and cinnamon up front, over clove, tonka bean and cherry wood. Warm, resinous and a little churchy, the saints-and-sinners scent in the range. Notes: cinnamon bark, clove, tonka bean, patchouli, cherry wood, frankincense.
Shop Holy Smoke (15ml and 50ml)
Narcosis
A dark, spicy rose. A sharp grind of Sichuan pepper opens onto saffron, musk and geranium, with a base of amber, clove and patchouli. Daring and hard to ignore. Notes: Sichuan pepper, white peony, rose, powdery musk, saffron, geranium, ambergris, clove, patchouli.
Shop Narcosis (15ml and 50ml)
Iris
Soft and pretty. A lavender-bright opening with crisp mandarin and rose, settling into sandalwood and vanilla. Notes: lavender, mandarin, rose, sandalwood, vanilla.
Shop Iris (15ml and 50ml)
Castro
A Cuban cigar in scent form. Violet and caramelised rum over vanilla and warm tobacco. Indulgent and a little dangerous. Notes: violet, caramelised rum, vanilla, tobacco.
Shop Castro (15ml and 50ml)
1987
Eighties glamour in a bottle. Tuberose and gardenia laced with white musk: big, nostalgic and impossible to miss. Notes: tuberose, gardenia, white musk.
Shop 1987 (15ml and 50ml)
The incense
The incense is infused by hand in Oakura, on the Taranaki coast, and carries the same scents across into smoke. A favourite is Back Beach, a smoky, salty ode to the wild west coast, alongside incense versions of Narcosis, Castro, Iris and 1987. It comes in 12-stick packs and boxed 60-stick sets, with a Smoke Grey ceramic holder to match. Browse the full The Virtue collection for the current line-up.
Where to buy The Virtue in NZ
You will find The Virtue at Wally, in store and online. Shop the full The Virtue collection, or visit us at 53 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland. Free delivery on NZ orders over $80.
If you like fragrance with a story, also see Stora Skuggan, the Stockholm niche house we are the exclusive New Zealand stockist for.