Myrrhe & Encens

A milky myrrh potion with persistent (clean) patchouli facets haloed in an "incense", soft & distant - itself embellished by slight nuances of herbaceous pages of papyrus with a cinnamon stick bookmark - nestled in a powdered boudoir sofa... or rather the memory of some such dimly lit chamber. And call me crazy but somewhere in the recesses of this room there's a vase of roses... long since dried out. Therein lies the mystery?? Something about this wants to be naughty but it's still innocent. There is a purity - a certain sacredness. It's uncomplicated but warming enough in a resinous quiet. At long last the hot, humid summer has graciously given way to a rainy October cleansing the earth & senses for the coming cool north wind. I reached for this today and felt the promise of Autumnal delight, holy days ahead, and the fortification of warm (in from the cold) as yet distant winter nights. Wonderful for layering or simply to cuddle up with as sillage is utterly unobtrusive though longevity is quite impressive - I get five hours even after bathing(!) and otherwise all evening through the morning light from the black label "concentre". I appreciate the aesthetic of this brand and that they offer 200ml & 500ml refills, which are an excellent value. My only quibble with this lovely is just how VERY intimate the sillage is; if only it would project beyond an embrace. But perhaps that's just my skin. ★★★☆☆

Myrrhe & Encens does exactly what it says on the bottle, and really lives up to its name. Initially it opens with a contrasting combination of bitter citrus and spicy cinnamon which is a little bit off putting in my opinion, but after less than a minute it starts to transform for the better. This scent is an overdose of myrrh. It celebrates this enchanting resin in all of its beautiful facets. The myrrh here is dark and smoky, dry and thick with an almost chewy element to it. The incense elevates this smokiness in the best way possible - it’s not old and churchy, but dry and subtle as it should be. Combine this with a fantastically earthy patchouli and you’re left with something gorgeously smooth and masculine. I am hugely surprised by this fragrance. It was gifted to me and I had never heard of this house before but I’m very keen to explore more of their offerings after this. The quality is fantastic for the price, it smells incredibly natural and well blended to the point that this could easily be bottled as a ‘luxury fragrance’.

Absolutely stunning fragrance. Which is extremely underrated and I'm surprised that it hasn't had more love from incense and resin aficionados. Whether you want to layer it or wear it alone. This little gem falls into the same category of Estee Lauders old school classic Cinnabar,which is actually a bit too much for me, and I normally love vintage orientals. But Cinnabar would knock me and someone else out at 50 paces. But Myrrhe & Encens Mystérieux Concentree,black label, isn't like that. Is the graceful relative; whom long ago abandoned NYCs 5th Avenue, with its fur coats, Estee Lauder facials and Manhattan's and gave all their money to a good works; heading for a much quieter,simplified and a dignified, spiritual life in a Byzantine abbey/monastery. Taking simple pleasure in quiet contemplation of God and the universe, surrounded by flickering candles, resinous incense plumes and warm fire at night. This scent warms your soul, with honeydewed amber kisses, cinnamon sticks, myrrh wine and the sweetest patchouli one can find.

If you're looking for a perfume that smells sacred and holy in all the right ways, this one is for you. It's the soft and heavy incense that lingers inside catholic churches, mellowed by a warm spice that on first projection gives it a almost damp stone quality. To me, it smells cool while being a beautiful spice and amber blend. I've been looking high and low to find an oriental of such quality and so far, none of them compare. I wish it had a little more projection (sillage is pretty decent on me) but for its price, it feels very fair.

The notes on fragrantica are not the right ones. The notes are bergamot, cinnamon, undergrowth - myrrh, patchouli, papyrus wood - musc, incense, tonka bean. Gorgeous fragrance.