“Was I starting to feel evil? Yes, now I was worrying I'd be turned to the dark side by too much crochet.”

― Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education

In this episode, I have an excellent conversation with Benjamin Esposito, the self‑taught perfumer behind New York’s House of Mammoth. I have always admired the way Benjamin talks about his work, grounding it in what he calls radical attention, the practice of noticing the strange, tender and absurd moments that shape a life. His path into perfumery started far from fragrance, but he is someone who loved making things from scratch. That curiosity eventually led him to scent as a way to tell stories and hold space for memory.

We talk about how his fragrances draw from childhood moments, pop culture references and the sensory imprints of his cultural background. Benjamin shares why patience and slowness guide every part of his creative process and how artisanal work continues to matter in a world that moves faster every day.

Fragrances mentioned:

Everett - House of Mammoth & Michael Nordstrand

You & I (Will Die) - House of Mammoth

Voices - House of Mammoth

DinoS’mores - House of Mammoth

Snippid - House of Mammoth

Bad Lily - TALE Parfum

Vetiver - Guerlain

Joy - Jean Patou

Rauque - Roberto Greco/Christopher Sheldrake

Books discussed:

Calvin and Hobbs