Sulawesi Island is the HQ of iconic Indonesian patchouli, one of the fundamental building blocks of perfumery, with its earthy/humid/woody profile. Inspired by the forests of the Indonesian archipelago, this perfume is a multi-sensorial mix of Indonesian plants: along with patchouli, there’s nutmeg and clove, along with vetiver Java for darkness and benzoin Sumatra for plushness. Elegant yet untamed, this genderless creation is the perfect signature for evening wear—chic, confident, and utterly captivating.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Sulawesi suits close evening settings where a darker, more textured presence feels natural: a room with low light, warm air and people who appreciate a scent that reads polished at first and then slowly turns earthy and sensual. It projects confidence without brightness.
How to wear
Best worn in cooler weather or after dark, Sulawesi benefits from a light-to-moderate hand so its patchouli, spice and benzoin can unfold without becoming dense. On skin it feels warm and resinous; in the air it leaves a woody, slightly humid trail with good depth and presence.
Who it’s for
For wearers who like woody-spicy compositions with real depth, earthy patchouli, resinous warmth and a sensual, slightly rugged finish. It will appeal to those who prefer character over prettiness and enjoy fragrances that feel dark, polished and unisex.
Release year
2022
The nose
Nicolas Bonneville is the perfumer behind Sulawesi, a composition that reflects his ability to shape natural materials into clear, textured structures. Here he works in a woody-spicy register, letting patchouli, vetiver and benzoin feel dense and polished rather than heavy. Bonneville is known for composing fragrances with a strong material focus and a modern, restrained balance between richness and transparency. In Sulawesi, that approach supports Nissaba’s single-origin concept: the scent feels rooted in place, but composed with a contemporary, refined hand.
Collaborators
Sébastien Tissot, Nissaba’s founder, shaped the house’s ingredient-first concept and sustainability-driven brief, building the brand around traceable sourcing and direct support for farming communities. His role was to define the framework in which the perfume could express a specific origin rather than a generic style.
Nissaba’s story
Nissaba builds its fragrances around origin, traceability and support for farming communities, treating raw materials as the starting point of the creative brief. The house pairs high-dosage naturals with a streamlined, lower-impact presentation, aiming for ethical luxury rather than decorative excess.
Sulawesi’s concept
Sulawesi is inspired by the Indonesian island known for its patchouli and by the forests of the archipelago more broadly. The composition gathers patchouli, nutmeg, clove, vetiver and benzoin into a tribute to the land and the harvesters behind it, as part of Nissaba’s debut collection of single-origin fragrances.
Extra info
Sulawesi is named after the Indonesian island associated with iconic patchouli cultivation. It is part of Nissaba’s debut line of fragrances built around single-origin natural ingredients and is presented in a refillable, FSC-certified wooden-cap bottle.
Sulawesi Island is the HQ of iconic Indonesian patchouli, one of the fundamental building blocks of perfumery, with its earthy/humid/woody profile. Inspired by the forests of the Indonesian archipelago, this perfume is a multi-sensorial mix of Indonesian plants: along with patchouli, there’s nutmeg and clove, along with vetiver Java for darkness and benzoin Sumatra for plushness. Elegant yet untamed, this genderless creation is the perfect signature for evening wear—chic, confident, and utterly captivating.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
Sulawesi suits close evening settings where a darker, more textured presence feels natural: a room with low light, warm air and people who appreciate a scent that reads polished at first and then slowly turns earthy and sensual. It projects confidence without brightness.
How to wear
Best worn in cooler weather or after dark, Sulawesi benefits from a light-to-moderate hand so its patchouli, spice and benzoin can unfold without becoming dense. On skin it feels warm and resinous; in the air it leaves a woody, slightly humid trail with good depth and presence.
Who it’s for
For wearers who like woody-spicy compositions with real depth, earthy patchouli, resinous warmth and a sensual, slightly rugged finish. It will appeal to those who prefer character over prettiness and enjoy fragrances that feel dark, polished and unisex.
Release year
2022
The nose
Nicolas Bonneville is the perfumer behind Sulawesi, a composition that reflects his ability to shape natural materials into clear, textured structures. Here he works in a woody-spicy register, letting patchouli, vetiver and benzoin feel dense and polished rather than heavy. Bonneville is known for composing fragrances with a strong material focus and a modern, restrained balance between richness and transparency. In Sulawesi, that approach supports Nissaba’s single-origin concept: the scent feels rooted in place, but composed with a contemporary, refined hand.
Collaborators
Sébastien Tissot, Nissaba’s founder, shaped the house’s ingredient-first concept and sustainability-driven brief, building the brand around traceable sourcing and direct support for farming communities. His role was to define the framework in which the perfume could express a specific origin rather than a generic style.
Nissaba’s story
Nissaba builds its fragrances around origin, traceability and support for farming communities, treating raw materials as the starting point of the creative brief. The house pairs high-dosage naturals with a streamlined, lower-impact presentation, aiming for ethical luxury rather than decorative excess.
Sulawesi’s concept
Sulawesi is inspired by the Indonesian island known for its patchouli and by the forests of the archipelago more broadly. The composition gathers patchouli, nutmeg, clove, vetiver and benzoin into a tribute to the land and the harvesters behind it, as part of Nissaba’s debut collection of single-origin fragrances.
Extra info
Sulawesi is named after the Indonesian island associated with iconic patchouli cultivation. It is part of Nissaba’s debut line of fragrances built around single-origin natural ingredients and is presented in a refillable, FSC-certified wooden-cap bottle.