Indigo Smoke

When I first sampled this I fell head over heels in love. Immediately was telling everybody about it. I did it I found it I found what my soul smells like! And everyone agreed even before I said anything my girlfriends said “that’s the most you scent you ever worn!” And I felt so satisfied. But slowly that apricot started weighing on me until I couldn’t escape it. I ended up just putting my decant away and forgetting about it. A shame bc I really needed something to take the place of Mona di Orio Bohea Boheme. And it felt like it might be able to do so. Not that they smelt similar but they occupied the same smokey Chinese tea realm. BB is just far more complex I have to say. However!!! A year went by and I tested a ton of other scents and I’ve started to warm up to sweetness. Another scent that occupies this same realm to me is amouage interlude woman. To me that one is a smokey herbal kiwi black tea scent to my nose. And I was a bit turned off by its sweetness as well but I returned to it and it was stunning. So I thought why not give indigo smoke another try as well. And yup I love the sweetness here now. Sometimes u just need that after months of bitter dark earthy musk bombs something like this is so soothing. Also doesn’t hurt that people wanna eat me up when I put them on. Not a full on gourmand of course but you have to be open to smelling like an apricot jam with a cup of dark black tea. It is what it is and it does it well

I had this sample for many months before I realized how much I loved it. I'd gotten it along with several others and this one definitely wasn't a favorite among them. And yet, on days when I felt like stepping outside of my bottle collection to expierement with my samples, I kept coming back to this one again and again. It wasn't until I'd run through the whole sample that I realized how much I loved it! I've never delved much into tea scents, so my nose isn't particularly attuned to that family of notes yet. So for me, the tea and incense blend together seamlessly into a wonderful, deep smokiness that feels both sensual and cozy. And for me, it's the apricot that really brings this one home. Tge fruitiness of it, along with the bergamot and mandarin, is very subtle but just enough that it balances the smokiness of the lapsang and incense. And the combination is just divine! I bought a bottle during cooler weather and it quickly became a daily driver during that time. It lasts so long! And felt so comforting when I'd catch a whiff of it on my clothes, which happens often. This isn't a warm weather scent for me. But during fall and winter (and foggy bay area days!), this one is FANTASTIC day or night.

This truly is a one of a kind, nothing I have ever smelled. It's a really mysterious, smoky black tea scent that gets brighter when drying down. This is what I would imagine a really good-looking fantasy book boyfriend to smell like who spends most of his time in a mage tower to study. There is so much mystery and calm in this perfume. It starts out quite smoky and almost has an inky note to it in the opening, it makes it almost ethereal. The longer it sits on the skin the more it mellows out and goes into the direction of a mildly sweet iced tea that still retains its black tea signature. It's unisex and works on men and women. To me the big downfall of this perfume is that it seems to disappear very quickly. It already sits close to the skin and after 2 hours I have to actively go looking for it. That's the only reason why I cannot commit to a full bottle as it's quite expensive and difficult to source where I live. Other than that, I love this so much. If you want to give the illusion that you are a wise person, put this on, you will radiate the energy that you're on your 5th reincarnation and know a thing or two.

There are certain fragrances with a pyramid of notes that transport you to a time or place...or activity. This is sitting in an armchair drinking a rare lapsang tea, with a faint aroma of dried apricots in a bowl nearby (this dissipates quickly) and a stick of vetiver incense already burnt out but lingering in the room. As it sits on the skin, I get alternating wafts of vetiver and tea. It’s not a dry/arid scent but I certainly wouldn’t call it juicy. The pine tar, guaic, and mate impart a certain pleasant charred bitterness held in check by a creamy note with just a hint of sweetness, like a sheer curtain. Interestingly, I’m fleetingly reminded in the development of a charred carrot dish at a very nice restaurant- that vegetal roast meets sweet flavor. Is it savory or is it sweet- definitely something you question. The scent later turns more creamy as the top and mid notes disappear with the longevity of an incense stick. If this were incense or a candle, I’d buy it. For me, there’s a dotted line to Bruno Fazzolari’s pineapple and black tea scent Unsettled and Comme des Garçons’ Black inky char.

Ordered a sample of Indigo Smoke immediately when I saw the notes, and eventually got a full bottle. I have a mug of lapsang souchong most afternoons and I'm pleased that I can detect its elements here. Pine-smoked tea, vetiver, incense, that characteristic mate earthiness, all of them are distinct and form a solid base that embodies the name perfectly. I love tea scents, I go crazy for smoky fragrances, the smokier the better; however, it's the apricot that surprises and delights me. It's a prime example of how this fragrance hobby/lifestyle has awakened a kind of synesthesia in me. The best fragrances (for me) convey colors and textures and sometimes even implant a wholly new experience/sensation. Indigo Smoke definitely smells like indigo to me. The composition is balanced as if according to Bauhaus color theory: the yellows and oranges of the citrus and that sweet-tart apricot are complementary to the indigo of the rest of it. Remarkable! Or maybe I'm just new at this! But I'm having a good time and I smell fabulous!

Arquiste’s ‘Indigo Smoke’ is truly art. It is beautiful, moody, complex, original. I love tea notes done well and this is done very well - smoky Lapsang Souchong. It mingles in varying proportions (depending on weather, dry down stage, skin) with sweet resin, spice (cassia but it also has the scent of cloves), a very gentle apricot, an even lighter orange/bergamot. The smoke aspect of the lapsang souchong is composed of a very light incense (not even remotely the harsh chemical bite passing for wood/smoke in far too many scents), pine tar, and sweetened Guiac wood. Indigo Smoke is never bitter or harsh, but also never sickly sweet, or even sweet in a gourmand sense. It’s lightly sugared tea. There is a rich wood touch in the base, but it never hits in an obvious way. I went through most of an 8ml decant then - rare for me - bought a bottle as a birthday present. As Indigo Smoke has had time to settle, it just gets richer and deeper.

Arquiste Indigo Smoke smells like the best tea with cardamom grated on top. I also smell a little cumin but inoffensively. Not sure where those two spices come from in the opening, but the tea is kitchen spiced, not in a peppery way. More aromatic and woody. Indigo Smoke is not even that smoky or smoky at all really. The effect may be caused by the woods, tea, and spices all mixed up. It's more of an unsweetened tea, not a very sugared tea or milk tea. Just water cooled down to lukewarm after being steeped with tea leaves and spices with a little peachy essence for a little sweetness that's not that strong. I think that airy clean "fruity" essence is coming from the carrot seeds. This makes it a completely different tea scent than most of its compared. I actually like this better than Le Labo The Noir 29. If that was this, I would've repurchase. This lasts longer too at 7 hours although projection is low moderate.

This is climbing the ranks of my favorite all time scents. I love tea scents, so I would definitely recommend picking this up if you do too. It has a beautiful citrusy opening that pairs wonderfully with the smokiness. It also get notes of hojicha with the lapsong tea. I personally don't get BBQ notes on my skin, it smells more like the fire sparked by a witch before she goes to bed. This would be perfect in the fall/winter time, but I think if you live somewhere with dry heat and no humidity, this could also work as a summer scent. Longevity's pretty good too. What a fantastic, smoky, and mature scent. The one thing I'll complain about isn't even anything about the smell, but I think the smaller size is a bit too small for the price. If you are interested in it, I would say either buy a sample, and if you like that, just get the regular size (100 ml). Give this one a sniff, not for my sake, but for your own.

It starts with a juicy burst of apricot and orange, and quickly warms to a hot mug of smoky, dry, strong black tea (Lapsang Souchong Tea). If you’ve ever had this kind of tea before you know it is strong and earthy and pungent, and this fragrance really does it justice. Lots and lots of incense floating around, like seeing your breath in cold air. The incense is sweet and thick with a bit of herbal bitterness mixed in, thanks to the mate and pine tar. This is a truly unisex perfume, and I think depending on skin chemistry it will land somewhere between fruity tea and smoky incense. I love this a lot! While most tea fragrances only have an incidental tea note for marketing, this fragrance is truly centered around the Lapsang Souchong note. On me this wears sweet, smoky, very mysterious and extremely compelling - one of my signature scents.

Tea lovers you should keep an eye and nose on this one. I don't want this to sound like they are the same scent and style, they are not (to be clear) but for me this has the tea note that makes Gucci Pour Homme 2 so good, but way stronger and longer lasting. It's a lot smokier note than the Gucci and aside from the black tea there is kind of dark fruity violet style note at the side (probably the apricot mixing with the other notes), so indigo smoke is a good name to match the scent. As it dries it gets a creamy slightly iris tone from the gaiac and carrot seed and slightly hay/grassy from the mate I would think, which veers away from the Gucci style even more which is citrus based and fresh. Masculine leaning unisex I'd say on account of the darker tone. I'd use the Gucci in the day and this at night if I cared about compliments.

This is unbelievably sexy. Added 7/2/2026: I got this in late 2024, it was immediately my favorite, and I don't see that changing. This is perfection to me. Its sillage is perfect, and it has good staying power. One good spray is perfect for the office and other close spaces, two sprays does the trick if I want PRESENCE. It has so much nuance- it is smoky, earthy, sweet, and amber-y. It is simply a masterpiece of balance. It is moody and sexy without feeling like it's trying too hard. Femme, but not in a girlish or precious way. It's a little dark and sultry, but isn't a clone of every other goth-coded fragrance (I'm a sucker for petrichor/smoke/church incense/leather/patchouli, but there are other ways to conjure spooky vibes, and how many more iterations of that profile do we need at the end of the day?).

It's a tad smoky and fruity at opening, light-handed though. But the drydown outshines many fragrances that I own and have enjoyed throughout time. Quickly, that wispy smoke intro is tinged with a fruity suede that leads to a powdery, salty butterscotch that never overpowers. I'm reminded somewhat of a distant cousin of Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau and Costume National Homme Parfum with its slightly sour, yet biscuity aromatic notes at end. Like Bottega Veneta Homme too with its coniferous notes, but slightly less so, yet quite dewy. All in a much softer register yet long lasting on my skin. I also get a baby powder odour in the backdrop that soothes and comforts. Highly addictive, unobtrusive in its scent profile yet distinct. Arquiste has done outstanding work here with Ms. Becker. A huge love and a big yes!

Inspired by Lapsang black tea originated from Fujiang, China, Indigo Smoke brings out the smoke from the very beginning, which is exactly the signature olfactory profile of this tea. The earthy characteristics are unfolded by vetiver, guaiacwood, and maté accordingly. Upon the dry-down, it gets sweeter and brighter by the fruit note, redolent of the tea in your mouth. There have been a couple of quality smoky black tea fragrances launched in the market, such as Russian Tea Masque Milano and Bohea Bohème Mona di Orio, while Indigo Smoke is no less than them by its elegance and the wonderful balance of smokiness and sweetness. It not just meets the tea lover's requirement on the photo-realistic tea scent, but also has the above-average performance as a perfume to wear.

I was able to test a few niche fragrances on skin at my local boutique, and Indigo Smoke was one of them. Out of the six I tried—most of them absolute powerhouses—Indigo Smoke was the one I could still clearly smell over all the others during my drive home. This is a fruity, smoky black tea fragrance that is absolutely full-bottle worthy. The apricot note lingers through most of the wear, beautifully rounding out the sharp edges that tea fragrances can sometimes have, while adding just the faintest touch of sweetness. There’s also a subtle cinnamon-like warmth from the cassia that adds depth without overpowering. The drydown is stunning. If you’re a fan of incense, smoke, tea, or fruity fragrances, this one is well worth trying.

This is the second scent I have sampled from Arquiste and it's another stunner. I would be willing to bet that if you like Dear Polly by Vilhelm that you would at least like if not love this. They aren't sisters but I would say they're cousins. Indigo Smoke is more fall/winter coded and Dear Polly is more spring/summer. They share the same amount of smokiness in my opinion. I think Indigo Smoke is a tad bit more complex and sultry. I really pick up on the lapsang souchong tea and pine tar. The apricot and cassia bourbon in this really elevate it with the sweet spice they add. This is not a safe blind buy at all so definitely sample it first. I'd go as far as to say that this isn't even a fragrance beginner/newbie scent.

This is my experience of fall in a bottle: sipping black tea, burning incense, bagging wet leaves, digging up the last carrots from the garden, breathing the cold air, snacking on dried apricots, browsing at a second-hand bookstore. It is outdoorsy yet cosy, rugged yet formal. When it's between 10 and -5 degrees Celcius, Indigo Smoke feels like the merino undergarment you wear everyday in a nordic climate: a comforting companion. This calls for woolen knits, leather ankle boots and tumbler filled with a high-quality black tea. As a tea lover, I think Indigo evoques the Lapsang Suchong infusion rather than the leaves themselves, which have a distinct "tar" facet. For me, it is a 10/10.

Woody Fruity Tea🫖🌲 I adore this tea fragrance, especially with the mixture of mate and lapsang🤩! This fragrance has more hold and richness than most tea fragrances I've tried for they tend to be more ozonic or powdery. I love how this smokey sweetness come forth on the nose that makes it so sexy to wear during an evening date✨️But even though this perfume is rich, it actually mixes well with my skin without overpowering my own natural musk. Beautifully androgynous, and an absolute delight. Interested in buying a bigger bottle 👀 If you want to capture a memorable goodbye kiss after the first date- this fragrance is your wingman🕺 Zodiac Trio ⬆️Capricorn☀️Aquarius 🌜Pisces

In regard to the smells like - I personally don’t see much of a resemblance to gph 2. Indigo smoke opens with a noticeable pine tar/smoke accord - which sounds extremely heavy, but it’s not. The pine tar and smoke settle very quickly and give way to a citrus/vetiver - almost in the realm of Narciso Rodriguez bleu noir - however, because the pine tar/smoke is still detectable, it very much stays in its own lane. To me, this scent represents what niche perfumery is all about. It’s more of an experience for the wearer. I think this is more masculine than feminine. It’s quite a calming and meditative scent. Love it. 8/10

Very beautifully done. I had been considering a smokey fragrance for some time when I came across Indigo Smoke. Having been a long time fan of tea fragrances and drinking lapsang souchong itself, I was intrigued. Immediate blind buy for me with zero regrets. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Evoking memories of working as a barista on cold, rainy mornings to bonfires on warm, clear summer nights. if you’re a fan of Thé Noir 29 but want something a little bolder, I would definitely recommend giving this a try.

I think this is probably one of my favorite perfumes ever. The first time I smelled this I fell in love. I found it so beautiful, enchanting, and unique. It is well-blended, balanced, and complex. It has a beautiful depth and smokiness to it. This perfume has great performance. It is one I like to wear for myself because I love smelling it when I wear it. The apricot and tea notes are very prominent. I find this scent is completely unisex as well. Every time I come back to this one I find it more endearing.