Legal Herb ​Like Nothing You've Ever Smelled Before

Born with a heightened sense of smell, I should conceivably have pursued a path to become a perfumer or just a fragrance connoisseur. I used to sniff anything that I could reach from when I was a child. Wistfully, however, it was a road not taken and with a tender sigh, a tear in my eye and the required sniff, I have come to accept my place as a minor consumer, albeit one with a propensity for the perfumery notes of a connoisseur. I like catching the trail of other people's scents and guessing what they are wearing, or just entering places where the air is perfumed with essences... I go crazy for that!

Now, I don’t expect anyone to understand my obsession with scents and the perhaps not so healthy -from a financial viewpoint- addiction to men's fragrances and perfumes. Even if your sense of smell is not as strong as mine and you don’t have the need of indulging in buying lovely perfume and home fragrances, try to imagine the streets of any major city smelling of nothing but lavender, sage, and vetiver. That is the dream of this man.

I love both mild and mighty perfume and have always been drawn to scents with sandalwood, patchouli, oud, and amber. If you share my taste in strong, powerful scents with a hint of nostalgia here is one of my recent favorites: Nero Afghano. Yet, if you're a lover of light, bright and airy fragrances, then you'll want to stop reading right about... now.

The journey down to the inky heart of Nero Afghano is a redolence trip only for the daring among you. Aiming to capture the qualities of weed, cannabis, marijuana, or whatever you wanna call it, both mystery and intimacy follow this perfume since its inception. Nero Afghano is meant to portray some of the scent qualities and all of the effects of the herb: smoky, lemony, smooth, and deep... a mellow yet deep and distinct fragrance high. The blue colored juice is a study of how to arouse the effects of temporary joy, without all the side effects of a real joint. Rich and hypnotic, with dark and dangerous notes, this is a beautifully ruthless and thoroughly enveloping scent. Nero Afghano is a strong smoke and incense fragrance that is surprisingly never overpowering. I can honestly say, this fragrance is narcotic and addicting.

By the way, I came upon this few weeks ago in Milan, Italy, in the heat of the late spring. I don't know what I was expecting when first getting to try this scent, but certainly not the balance that exists in this dark enchantment. Nero Afghano is an exemplary scent for me. So, I tested it in the shop and it hits home with an opening of smoke, resins, and incense, but never overwhelming. True, it is not for everyone, but I was involved in it like the bees on the blossoms... well, you know. Bought it immediately, could not wait to get back home to purchase it. Straight out of the bottle you’re greeted with a dense aroma made up of weed rounded up with synthetic oud and coupled with an underpinned cedar wood effect, here with a more woodier and smokier feel. Right off the bat, the first initial spray is incense and oud in a very strong way. I don't smell the cannabis since after it has dried down.

After a quarter hour, it turns into a lovely dark oud and tobacco blend that remains within a few inches of the skin and lasts all day long. I can make out some quite prominent vetiver and tobacco notes, adding to the green and herbal accord that the general nose picks up. There is an extremely powerful woody and animal amber note that has a dryness going in the patchouli direction. I also get some coffee beans in the dry down, but the weed and oud are there pretty much all the way. The full aroma has a facet of subtle leathery undertones along with the amber. Whoa, this jewels is like a diamond with its thousand facets!

I’d describe the overall scent as dark, dry, resinous, and austere with a very faint hint of sweetness attributed to a dry amber and incense lurking underneath the beast notes. It gets better with each delightful spritz, especially in the cooler weather... extraordinary and unique. I am wearing it right now, and with office conditioned cool air it works well, albeit it is hot outside. This is one that you will either love or hate, absolutely. Projection is moderate, yet longevity is huge on my skin, and I basically have to wash this off. It lasts on me all day long on my skin, and on my clothes.

That’s how sweet and strong the weed note is in this joint.

-Elysium