03/01/2023
MrHonest
110 Reviews
MrHonest
2
~ ^ ^ ~ The Muad'Dib ~ ^ ^ ~
I'll admit, this one took me a while to understand. The opening is rather brash with a sandpaper-y textured kick of spices, incense, labdanum and a floral that I'm not really familiar with. Never smelled a pot marigold note or linden blossom for that matter, so I can't comment whether those are the main perpetrators, but it's a resinous-floral incense at its core. Luckily, the spices don't quite reach the level of Amouage's Interlude Man - then again, neither does the labdanum. In fact, the fragrance that immediately came to mind the first time I got a whiff was Serge Lutens' Ambre Sultan. Not that they smell the same, but the way the sweetness is blended with the incense gave me a bit of that vibe.
As the fragrance opens up in the mid, the spices become warmer and more diffuse, letting the florals shine and spreading out the base. The main accords remain the same, but are significantly less piercing and more enjoyable. And THIS is where I really began to dig the fragrance. Quasi-churchy incense burns quietly in the background as the more leathery and animalic facets of the labdanum creep in from the depths. The smoke is just a whisper in the sillage but gives the composition a very dry, ashy, desert air feel - beautifully balanced with the sweetness and absolutely unisex.
At the hour mark everything is singing in perfect harmony, and the labdanum that was once dominated by the incense now really opens up and reveals an intriguing skin-like facet - an animalic touch that's often used in popular leather accords. Here, it's closer to something like the leather in Korloff's Pour Homme from 2019 - more dust than hyde. But make no mistake, the churchy incense is still there resting on that floral, now smoothed out on a bed of sweetness and subtle leather. At times it gives me vibes of a temple ceremony, at others the warm embrace of a spice market businessman or the tempting caress of an Egyptian seductress.
Above all, the fragrance speaks of setting suns on a hallowed planet clothed in sand and spices. Cool air descends at dusk as leathery creatures that lay burrowed underground during the day make their way to the surface to explore and feed. All the while, the doors close on ancient buildings that house a haughty nobility, shielding them from a natural world they'll never know or understand. Except perhaps....for one.....
Overall, it's a lovely fragrance, despite not being a particularly complex one, and easily my favourite of the three. If you can get used to that punchy opening and whatever that floral is, the scent is actually rather linear, opening up in stages and getting sweeter with time. Although incense is not officially listed above, to me, it's the dominant note along with the labdanum and both are blended exceptionally well in the mid. A solid like from me and recommended for anyone looking for a simpler take on an Amouage-esque styled scent without going full-on beastmode. Think sunset on Arrakis minus the sandworms and still-suitable for daily wear. Not a bad pun! ;)
As the fragrance opens up in the mid, the spices become warmer and more diffuse, letting the florals shine and spreading out the base. The main accords remain the same, but are significantly less piercing and more enjoyable. And THIS is where I really began to dig the fragrance. Quasi-churchy incense burns quietly in the background as the more leathery and animalic facets of the labdanum creep in from the depths. The smoke is just a whisper in the sillage but gives the composition a very dry, ashy, desert air feel - beautifully balanced with the sweetness and absolutely unisex.
At the hour mark everything is singing in perfect harmony, and the labdanum that was once dominated by the incense now really opens up and reveals an intriguing skin-like facet - an animalic touch that's often used in popular leather accords. Here, it's closer to something like the leather in Korloff's Pour Homme from 2019 - more dust than hyde. But make no mistake, the churchy incense is still there resting on that floral, now smoothed out on a bed of sweetness and subtle leather. At times it gives me vibes of a temple ceremony, at others the warm embrace of a spice market businessman or the tempting caress of an Egyptian seductress.
Above all, the fragrance speaks of setting suns on a hallowed planet clothed in sand and spices. Cool air descends at dusk as leathery creatures that lay burrowed underground during the day make their way to the surface to explore and feed. All the while, the doors close on ancient buildings that house a haughty nobility, shielding them from a natural world they'll never know or understand. Except perhaps....for one.....
Overall, it's a lovely fragrance, despite not being a particularly complex one, and easily my favourite of the three. If you can get used to that punchy opening and whatever that floral is, the scent is actually rather linear, opening up in stages and getting sweeter with time. Although incense is not officially listed above, to me, it's the dominant note along with the labdanum and both are blended exceptionally well in the mid. A solid like from me and recommended for anyone looking for a simpler take on an Amouage-esque styled scent without going full-on beastmode. Think sunset on Arrakis minus the sandworms and still-suitable for daily wear. Not a bad pun! ;)
