D.S. & Durga is entering sweeter territory with its latest fragrance, “Ain’t That Sweet,” an amber gourmand inspired by the rush of young love, late nights and the restless energy of New York in the early aughts.
Founded in Brooklyn in 2008 by self-taught perfumer and musician David Seth Moltz and architect-turned-creative director Kavi Moltz, D.S. & Durga has built its reputation around fragrances that are more like stories than traditional perfumes. “Ain’t That Sweet” continues this approach while taking the house into gourmand territory, a category known for its dessert-like compositions.
Rather than creating an overtly sugary fragrance, David Moltz set out to make a gourmand for people who typically avoid them. The starting point is a dark, malty date cake paired with golden milk, imagined as part of an intimate late-night scene between two lovers. The result is warm and sensual, with enough spice and depth to keep the sweetness from becoming overly confectionary.
The fragrance opens with myrrh and Sri Lankan cinnamon before moving into a heart of date, praline and lily. Condensed milk, bourbon vanilla and nutmeg form the base, giving the composition its creamy, spiced finish. Moltz also worked musk, patchouli and real vanilla absolute into the formula to add depth and a more traditional perfumery quality beneath the gourmand notes.
Moltz drew on memories of New York’s early-2000s DIY culture and the particular intensity of being young, newly in love and surrounded by the possibility of what might happen next. The fragrance is meant to capture those first stages of romance, when a simple gesture can feel outsized and a night in the city seems to stretch indefinitely.
Moltz also created an original party-soul track specifically for the “Ain’t That Sweet” campaign, continuing D.S. & Durga’s practice of treating sound as an extension of its olfactory world. Kavi Moltz brings the same sensibility to the packaging. The new bottle and box push the brand’s signature “peach concrete” colour to the forefront, with a more image-driven design intended to reflect the richness of the fragrance itself. The box was also designed to have a life beyond the perfume, with a durable construction that can be repurposed for storage.
“Ain’t That Sweet” arrives August 25 in 50 ml and 100 ml Eau de Parfum formats, priced at US$225 and US$300 respectively available through D.S. & Durga and select retailers.
