Istanbul's Soul

It's a very nice sweet (kind of cognac scent) fragrance at the beginning mixed with spicy, peppery notes and turns into a warm woody note after a few minutes but still sweet on the background. Longevity is more than 8 hours but sillage is not crazy.

I love the dry down of the scent much more than the opening. When first sprayed you get hit with a ton of spices and dense, balsamic amber. Over time it mellows out, and you're left with a beautiful woody, earthy base that mingles excellently with the warm spices and balsamic amber, sweet, creamy tonka, and resins living in this scent. What I do not get is smoke, thankfully...there may be incense in here, but I'm having a hard time deciphering it from the spices since I'm not getting that smoke note...maybe it's unlit incense? Overall, Istanbul's Soul is a solid 8/10. It's been 7 hours and I can still smell it on me, and when my girlfriend walked in from work (about an hour after I sprayed myself), she asked what I was wearing. I'd wear this out on date night, since the dry down is very warm, pleasing, and comforting. Definitely give this scent time to bloom beyond the opening, and you will really like it.

Istanbul’s Soul is a bold and distinctive fragrance that embodies the complexity of niche perfumery. With a striking mix of spice, earthiness, amber, and woods, it creates a rich and textured scent profile that demands attention. While these elements work beautifully in theory, the execution is undeniably challenging. The opening is particularly harsh, which may make it difficult for some to appreciate right away. However, as it settles, the fragrance transforms into a deep, warm amber scent that feels far more inviting and wearable. Great projection and longevity. This is not a crowd-pleasing fragrance, but rather one for those who appreciate daring compositions. With its unique character, Istanbul’s Soul is sure to find its audience among niche fragrance lovers. Rating: 3.5/5

To my nose this is primarily a blend of spice, guaiacwood and a bit of cypriol. Not overbearingly masculine, but not feminine either. I find it unisex but it's lacking some sweetness that some women might want. Something about the drydown in this one evokes chocolate to my nose a little... Probably the mix of cypriol, patchouli and tonka. It kind of makes me think of Tauer Sundowner minus the citrus notes. Not sure what occasions i'd wear this for but it's a very comforting, grounded scent for me. Ideal for cold weather.

Spicy Amber. A soft, very warm, spicy amber scent. Calm and charming. Has light woody sweetness from the amber and benzoin. The incense adds a beautiful lightly-smoky woody nuance. There is a slight warm spiciness reminiscent of cumin. Warm, spicy, ambery, soft, incensy, woodly sweet. My main issue with it is develops a sharp smokey gunpowder-like smell. That would be the cumin. It's a bit too sharp & dirty. It reminds me of Dirty English. A good masculine winter wear. Big "Like"