For a Kazakhstani, the smell that embodies happiness and freedom is the scent of a boundless steppe. It is the wind that smells like wormwood, rough and sweet herbs. Stones heated by the sun and soil cracked by the heat. Subtle smell of leather horse harness. Sundried clumps of saxaul. Give yourself away to the wind and soar above the steppe that goes beyond the horizon. Great and blissful.
Perfumer – Sarah McCartney
Year – 2019
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a scent for open air and movement, when the body is close to the elements and the atmosphere feels dry, bright and expansive. It suits a wearer who wants something spare and expressive rather than polished or sweet, with a quiet, wind-burned presence.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its herbal dryness and leather facets can stay crisp without becoming harsh. Apply lightly to let the mint, wormwood and violet leaf open first, then allow the vetiver and leather to settle into a smoky, dry trail that sits close to the skin.
Who it’s for
For those who like aromatic-green fragrances with a dry, earthy edge and a distinct leather accent. It will appeal to wearers drawn to naturalistic, landscape-inspired scents that feel spare, textured and slightly smoky rather than smooth or sweet.
Release year
2019
The nose
Sarah McCartney is a British perfumer known for vivid, character-driven compositions that often feel intimate, textural and slightly offbeat. Her work tends to balance clarity with personality, using distinctive materials to build scents with a strong sense of place. For Wind of the Great Steppe, McCartney translates a landscape into smell rather than a conventional perfume structure: herbal wind, sun-baked earth, leather tack and dry grass. The result fits her talent for turning an idea into something tactile and immediately legible on skin.
Aura of Kazakhstan’s story
Aura of Kazakhstan builds its identity around Kazakh nature, history and cultural memory, treating perfume as a way to encode the spirit of the Great Steppe. The house’s compositions are rooted in local imagery and materials, with a clear emphasis on landscape, heritage and national character rather than generic luxury codes.
Wind of the Great Steppe’s concept
Wind of the Great Steppe was conceived as an olfactory portrait of the Kazakh steppe: wind carrying wormwood and herbs, sun-heated stones, cracked soil, leather horse harness and dry saxaul. The fragrance frames that landscape as a symbol of happiness and freedom, turning a vast horizon into a wearable aromatic-leather composition.
Extra info
The bottle is reported to feature hand-polished glass and a Bronze Age coin pendant from the Sak burial mound, with packaging styled in ethnic motifs. The fragrance is part of a house built around Kazakhstan-specific themes, and its name directly references the Great Steppe.
For a Kazakhstani, the smell that embodies happiness and freedom is the scent of a boundless steppe. It is the wind that smells like wormwood, rough and sweet herbs. Stones heated by the sun and soil cracked by the heat. Subtle smell of leather horse harness. Sundried clumps of saxaul. Give yourself away to the wind and soar above the steppe that goes beyond the horizon. Great and blissful.
Perfumer – Sarah McCartney
Year – 2019
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a scent for open air and movement, when the body is close to the elements and the atmosphere feels dry, bright and expansive. It suits a wearer who wants something spare and expressive rather than polished or sweet, with a quiet, wind-burned presence.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its herbal dryness and leather facets can stay crisp without becoming harsh. Apply lightly to let the mint, wormwood and violet leaf open first, then allow the vetiver and leather to settle into a smoky, dry trail that sits close to the skin.
Who it’s for
For those who like aromatic-green fragrances with a dry, earthy edge and a distinct leather accent. It will appeal to wearers drawn to naturalistic, landscape-inspired scents that feel spare, textured and slightly smoky rather than smooth or sweet.
Release year
2019
The nose
Sarah McCartney is a British perfumer known for vivid, character-driven compositions that often feel intimate, textural and slightly offbeat. Her work tends to balance clarity with personality, using distinctive materials to build scents with a strong sense of place. For Wind of the Great Steppe, McCartney translates a landscape into smell rather than a conventional perfume structure: herbal wind, sun-baked earth, leather tack and dry grass. The result fits her talent for turning an idea into something tactile and immediately legible on skin.
Aura of Kazakhstan’s story
Aura of Kazakhstan builds its identity around Kazakh nature, history and cultural memory, treating perfume as a way to encode the spirit of the Great Steppe. The house’s compositions are rooted in local imagery and materials, with a clear emphasis on landscape, heritage and national character rather than generic luxury codes.
Wind of the Great Steppe’s concept
Wind of the Great Steppe was conceived as an olfactory portrait of the Kazakh steppe: wind carrying wormwood and herbs, sun-heated stones, cracked soil, leather horse harness and dry saxaul. The fragrance frames that landscape as a symbol of happiness and freedom, turning a vast horizon into a wearable aromatic-leather composition.
Extra info
The bottle is reported to feature hand-polished glass and a Bronze Age coin pendant from the Sak burial mound, with packaging styled in ethnic motifs. The fragrance is part of a house built around Kazakhstan-specific themes, and its name directly references the Great Steppe.