‘O absent presence, Stella is not here’
The fifth and final instalment of the Revenants collection draws inspiration from the Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney. In his Sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’ Sidney develops and captures the essence of a haunting… the presence of one that is always felt but never seen.
‘Now I, wit-beaten long by hardest fate,
So dull am, that I cannot look into
The ground of this fierce love and lovely hate,
Then some good body tell me how I do,
Whose presence absence, absent presence is;
Blesst in my curse, and cursed in my bliss.’
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close quarters and slow attention, where its green lift and leathered drydown can register as presence rather than projection. It suits a wearer who prefers a composed, slightly austere aura: polished, but with something unsettled underneath.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its bergamot, violet leaf, and vetiver can stay crisp before the leather and woods deepen. Use a light hand: one to three sprays is enough, as the high concentration gives it strong persistence and a dense, lingering trail.
Who it’s for
For wearers drawn to green-leathery compositions, literary concepts, and niche perfumes with texture and restraint. It will appeal to those who like fresh openings that turn dry, smoky, and slightly austere rather than sweet or plush.
Release year
2023
The nose
Julie Dunkley. A British perfumer closely associated with Beaufort London, Dunkley has helped shape the house’s Revenants collection with compositions that balance raw texture, smoke, and historical atmosphere. Her work here leans into contrast: bright green openings, shadowy florals, and a dry, leathery base that feels deliberate rather than decorative.
Collaborators
Leo Crabtree, Beaufort London’s founder, developed the concept from his interest in British history and the way perfume can evoke ghosts, memory, and absence; his brief gave the fragrance its literary frame and its haunted emotional tone.
Beaufort’s story
Beaufort London builds fragrances around British history, maritime imagery, rebellion, and the darker edges of memory. The house favors bold concentration, smoke, and unconventional structures, making perfumes that feel atmospheric, tactile, and intentionally uncompromising.
Absent Presence’s concept
Absent Presence is the fifth and final fragrance in Beaufort’s Revenants collection, released in 2023 and inspired by Sir Philip Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella. The scent takes its title and mood from the idea of someone felt intensely but never seen, translating that literary absence into green, leathery, and quietly spectral form.
Extra info
It is the final chapter of Beaufort’s Revenants collection, which began in 2017. The fragrance is presented at an unusually high 30% Eau de Parfum concentration, and Beaufort has described it as using some of the highest natural ingredient levels in the house’s range.
‘O absent presence, Stella is not here’
The fifth and final instalment of the Revenants collection draws inspiration from the Elizabethan poet Sir Philip Sidney. In his Sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’ Sidney develops and captures the essence of a haunting… the presence of one that is always felt but never seen.
‘Now I, wit-beaten long by hardest fate,
So dull am, that I cannot look into
The ground of this fierce love and lovely hate,
Then some good body tell me how I do,
Whose presence absence, absent presence is;
Blesst in my curse, and cursed in my bliss.’
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close quarters and slow attention, where its green lift and leathered drydown can register as presence rather than projection. It suits a wearer who prefers a composed, slightly austere aura: polished, but with something unsettled underneath.
How to wear
Best in cool to mild weather, where its bergamot, violet leaf, and vetiver can stay crisp before the leather and woods deepen. Use a light hand: one to three sprays is enough, as the high concentration gives it strong persistence and a dense, lingering trail.
Who it’s for
For wearers drawn to green-leathery compositions, literary concepts, and niche perfumes with texture and restraint. It will appeal to those who like fresh openings that turn dry, smoky, and slightly austere rather than sweet or plush.
Release year
2023
The nose
Julie Dunkley. A British perfumer closely associated with Beaufort London, Dunkley has helped shape the house’s Revenants collection with compositions that balance raw texture, smoke, and historical atmosphere. Her work here leans into contrast: bright green openings, shadowy florals, and a dry, leathery base that feels deliberate rather than decorative.
Collaborators
Leo Crabtree, Beaufort London’s founder, developed the concept from his interest in British history and the way perfume can evoke ghosts, memory, and absence; his brief gave the fragrance its literary frame and its haunted emotional tone.
Beaufort’s story
Beaufort London builds fragrances around British history, maritime imagery, rebellion, and the darker edges of memory. The house favors bold concentration, smoke, and unconventional structures, making perfumes that feel atmospheric, tactile, and intentionally uncompromising.
Absent Presence’s concept
Absent Presence is the fifth and final fragrance in Beaufort’s Revenants collection, released in 2023 and inspired by Sir Philip Sidney’s Astrophel and Stella. The scent takes its title and mood from the idea of someone felt intensely but never seen, translating that literary absence into green, leathery, and quietly spectral form.
Extra info
It is the final chapter of Beaufort’s Revenants collection, which began in 2017. The fragrance is presented at an unusually high 30% Eau de Parfum concentration, and Beaufort has described it as using some of the highest natural ingredient levels in the house’s range.