195 a.C.

I’ve now tried several Agatho fragrances and although not all of them are to my liking, I appreciate the artistry that has gone into them and the niche style they represent. 195ac starts very sharp and green. A little too much for me. I get some freshness from the mint, although the mint here is better blended than many other fragrances with that note. The fig is there too but not a creamy fig, rather a raw, earthy fig with twigs and branches. This first phase lasts for a while but slowly the sharpness dies back and everything starts to settle down. This is when I really like this fragrance. As it transitions, it turns into a slightly bitter scent with tea and incense and it becomes a dryer fragrance, although some of the notes stop it becoming too austere or formal. I get an almost earthy musk in the base. It’s very unique to my nose and needs to be smelt by individuals to assess. I love the drydown and it’s uniquenesses but I’m not sure when I would wear it. Possibly it would be better suited to warmer months. I shall have to wait to spring to test it again. Performance seems very good to me with great longevity and noticeable sillage. Reasonably unisex although perhaps tipping slightly to masculine. I really do like these Agatho fragrances for what they bring and the presentation is very unique although you are paying top dollar so not a blind buy. I’m on the fence whether to get this. I love the final smell but the initial spray, which lasts a while, is slightly challenging. Not in a skanky or offensive way, it’s just very sharp, strong and a little in your face. However, the biggest doubt in my mind is where and when I’ll wear it. Perhaps testing again in warmer months will give me a different perspective.

TLDR: Green cathedral. Bitter fig leaf, holy incense smoke. A fragrant, organic tea ritual. Let me start by saying, the journey Agatho Parfum has offered is one of the most compelling I've been on in years. The star of my collection right now is absolutely 195 a.C and it is like none other I have ever smelled on my skin. The opening is a startlingly clear blast of green. The fig leaf is instantly recognizable, grounded by a subtle, cooling citrus and an earthy touch of patchouli. The overall effect? It’s like inhaling the steam from an exquisitely fragrant cup of herbal tea. It has a beautiful, natural quality and the ingredients genuinely smell organic. The bitter element of the fig allows the scent to play with sweetness and darkness at the same time, creating an appreciation for its complexity. Move just five minutes into the dry down, and you feel the fragrance start to shift. That "brewing concoction" gives way to a gentle, smoky incense-y steam rising from the skin. From my experience, this house specializes in crafting incredibly intricate, complex scents. But a final word of advice: you have to try this on your skin, not paper. The full, amazing experience won't translate otherwise.

This fragrance is so fascinating, I have never smelled anything like it. It opens with a sharp vegetalness, bitter and astringent. Crushed fig leaves, tangy pomegranate, and cool mint. The citruses support that greenness, enhancing the sharp, sap-like quality. The effect is something fresh, wild and primeval. It's quite harsh at first and might be challenging, but there is a sense of untamed freedom, a kind of wild joy. After that initial sharp vegetal burst, jasmine begins to bloom, adding a touch of sweet, floral tenderness; fig reveals its fruitier facet, and a subtle incense shows through. It feels botanical, lush green, and somewhat sublime in an earthy way, a wild garden that becomes, in itself, an ode to the sacredness of Nature.

A very striking and unique scent, IMO. The bitter aspect of the tea note combines with the incense to create a strange, inky darkness. Meanwhile, the fig and the herbaceous aspect of the tea note positively snap with an almost mentholated shock of crisp, dewy, green freshness. It ought to be discordant and off-putting, but instead I find it eerily compelling. Imagine you're alone in an abandoned mine with a dead flashlight. For some dream-logic-esque reason, all you have in your pack to slake your thirst is a spiny bundle of aloe vera leaves. You're blind in the dark, and when you bite into one of the leaves, the cool, green crunch bursts on your tongue, slick and unfathomably fresh in the permeating blackness.

#1048 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This is a fantastic figgy incense fragrance that combines everything I love in one scent, so despite the price tag I will probably splurge and get this. It has nice green woodiness, and I am gaining an appreciation for the value of tea's astringent quality in keeping these scents from being cloying. It's long lasting but the sillage is very moderate. I'm sure you can get away with this in close spaces because a girlfriend taking refuge with me from the fires in LA, who sneezes just walking behind someone wearing fragrance, is not reacting to this at all. I typically would not wear an incense scent to the office, but on a date, at intimate range, I think this kills.