For perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, "smell and notes [are] words and perfume is literature." The story his latest scent tells is certainly a romance, at once passionate and bittersweet.

Launched by legendary perfume house Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Heaven Can Wait took Ellena several years to draft, edit, and eventually publish. "In the beginning, the idea was to create a perfume with warm, spicy notes," he said. In a twist of fate (or perhaps serendipity), COVID hit soon after he embarked on the project, giving him ample time to reflect on and fine-tune the fragrance.

As its name suggests, the scent was well worth the wait. Warm, rich notes like clove, pimento, and vanilla mingle with powdery iris and soft musk, creating what Ellena describes as a "romantic invitation."

Frédéric Malle

Heaven Can Wait might be a love story, but don't expect a drug store romance novel. While some perfumes are overtly sexual, Ellena's latest is as elegantly balanced as his past creations (standouts include Hermès' Terre d'Hermès and Frédéric Malle's L'Eau d'Hiver). Carrot seed and plum offset the immediate warmth of Heaven Can Wait with a cool crispness that hints at something melancholy — like lovers who've reunited, only to lose touch once again.

"There are perfumes that take up all the space, sometimes shouting, almost to an overwhelming extent," Ellena said. "I like perfume that bring people together, those that invite people to meet, to exchange, to discover each other."

Heaven Can Wait by Jean-Claude Ellena releases at Frédéric Malle's website on August 21 and in-store on September 4.