When we say that Lonesome Rider is a wondrous return to Andy Tauer's roots, we certainly don't mean to suggest that we've been anything less than thrilled with his more recent output, which has seen Andy's abilities and ambitions expand and evolve with stunning consistency. But there's a part of us that will forever belong to his earliest creations, the smoky, ruggedly gorgeous, deliciously idiosyncratic masterpieces that put the Tauer brand on the map, and we're delighted to report that Lonesome Rider, very much by design, is the heir to these early works that we've been feverishly anticipating.

Built atop the skeleton of the long-discontinued Orris, Lonesome Rider is every bit the sensuously smoky, hypnotically dry mix of leather, earth, florals and spices that made us fall in love with Andy in the first place- think of it as the ever-so-slightly smoother offspring of Orris and another all-time Tauer classic, Lonestar Memories. A hefty dose of iris adds buttery softness to balance the smoke, evoking an outlaw poet cruising a desolate desert highway at sunset, the feint scent of gasoline folding into the dusky atmosphere. It's so good, so unique, so utterly Tauer, and we couldn't be more thrilled. From the innovative Tauerville creations to the luscious Sotto La Luna series, it's clear that Andy Tauer hasn't "gone anywhere." And yet, after smelling Lonesome Rider, we think you'll find it hard to disagree when we say: he's back.

Citrus, spice, pepper, iris, rose, incense, leather, vetiver, sandalwood, ambergris