Written by Zachary Vouga
In a forgotten, unsung part of the desert, we set sail. We’re down in the low elevation, sandy washes of the desert country that stretches from Northern Baja to Anza Borrego. With only olfaction for our map, we navigate the aromatic gorge, determined to capture its scented spirit.
“It’s much further south than what people typically imagine when they think ‘Mojave’ - it's hotter, it's close to sea level and was underwater as recently as 10,000 years ago” says Hall,
“The heat matters because you have a totally different set of plants growing down here.
Guided by noses, we reach Tahquitz Canyon, an enigmatic realm of folklore and beauty. Tahquitz (pronounced Taw-kwish) according to legend, was a malevolent shaman who ruled over the region, consuming the souls of the wayward. Maybe there’s truth to the myth, for our souls were certainly consumed. Consumed not by an irate shaman, but by the prevalent emanation of the fruitful flora unique to this area, and the exclusive life force pulsing through the veins of wild perennial shrubs, some booming with minty violet-blue blossoms, others naked, but still glandular and fragrant. As wilderness perfumers, we’re enchanted. We just sit back and breathe, as their bright, sunny and sweet flavors sweep through the spring canyon, almost candy-like with a slight desert resin-y tone.
This place is pure magic.
After a long spring of wild-harvesting sweet minty biomass and using old-world perfuming techniques, we’re excited to share this place with you. Travel with us to this bizarre and transcendental part of the desert with the Tahquitz Canyon Desert Spray.