Miyako

I was looking to find a signature oud when Antonia at Tigerlily urged me to try this, based on my preferences, despite its not being an oud. It astonished me, and when I took it home and wore it kept on surprising me. Its best elements stayed consistent, the leather has lasted days on my clothes. Never before has a scent that actually smells good lasted as long. The musk in it smells like warm leather and is not at all sleazy. My only critique would be that it is a LITTLE too fruity off the bat; I like darker scents, typically. But I am willing to put up with the volume 9 of the apricot in exchange for Auphorie not tinkering more with it and ruining what really seems like a magical combination. This is the kind of smell I called the boutique I got the sample at (Tigerlily, in San Francisco--what a lovely place with bubbly, knowledgeable, enthusiastic people: I would love to spend my days working or living at a place like that) the very next day to ask them to set one aside and thank Antonia for having me smell it. They were sold out. Apparently the fragrance has won awards and is a fast mover; I am stocking up on it as soon as I get it. Four days later I called again to check on its progress: my early enthusiasm had not been false: the fragrance had not changed on me (I kept sampling it over those days--I don't mean it didn't change over 4 days on my clothes, although certain notes of it have seemed to last at least that long on my sweatshirt cuff, shockingly). It is so hard to write about fragrance; it is like dancing about color, or hearing taste. And I am new to the world of niche fragrances and being really discerning and a fragrance hobbyist, although I have always been more into smells than peers and have worn a perfume since age 12 (Chanel no5--I don't know many other high school freshmen who hang around pefume counters and like old lady fragrances but am grateful to my mom for entertaining, educating, and paying for this interest) and by age 15, amber oil for day and Opium for evening. So while I'm not an expert, I hope my review bears some relation to what might be true for others, especially when I say: TRY THIS OR BUY THIS FRAGRANCE NOW, especially if you like skin or leather. It's not a scent I would have bought blind based on the pyramid nor even tried based on description. I can imagine a hundred other scents with the exact same ingredients that would do nothing for me. This one is unique. I think it may become my signature, though I hesitate to wear it so often that I stop being able to smell it myself. It has a polite sillage and can definitely be worn to work. It works in the evening, too, because it seems like the sillage of the brither, fruitier notes is greater than of the leather, muskier ones (I suppose this is a general truth). It makes a good signature in that way. It is the kind of smell that I have to keep opening the bottle and sniffing every time I pass by the bathroom, or have to discreetly keep smelling my arm at work. Something about it is truly addictive and comforting.

Miyako, a winner of The Art and Olfaction Awards 2016, wows me with it's fruity yet earthy opening of dried apricots, swiftly followed by its fresh osmanthus flowers and its compelling and distinct note of rough, animalic leather. When the base creeps up, there is something distinctly green about it. A couple of hours into the drydown, I get an almost chocolatey effect that I find very comforting. I also notice something that smells like incense, as though it is clinging to the skin and hair after having walked out of a sacred temple. This perfume is like a lesson in abstract art. There are so many notes tumbling around, weaving in and out of one another. You have the darkness of earthy notes and brightness of botanical notes contrasting one another with every fascinating inhalation. Miyako showcases what perfumers can achieve with modern botanical interpretations of "animalic" notes. The leather note is huge and so believable! I did not see the notes ahead of time, but I when I smelled it, I knew it was leather, and I was surprised because I know Auphorie does not use real animal essences. Please try this if you love love love leather but you do NOT love animal cruelty. Miyako takes me back to a memory of a thrift shop I poked around when I was last at Tahoe. Sniffing from a distance, the perfume has this old, worn-in scent about it, like the scent of clothes with just a bit of mildew, old books, and old leather jackets that might or might not have been worn by a smoker, but they have definitely been worn. If I put my schnozz close to my skin, I really pick up that beautiful, clean, fruity and sweet osmanthus. Leather is definitely not my favorite note, but oddly I enjoy the (few) excellent botanical interpretations of it much more than the real animalic stuff. Miyako is one of those perfumes that feels like it becomes part of you, just like your favorite leather jacket. This perfume is beautifully done and cruelty-free. Projection is great. Love it! Edit: Coming back to read reviews since writing my own, it's important to remember that this is an EXTRAIT, not EDP, so it's wise to go easy on the trigger and apply more only if desired. Disclosure: I wrote my review some time ago. I now stock Auphorie at aveparfum.com, and they are my perfumers for House of Gray, but my personal opinions always remain my own.

Well, third time is clearly the charm. I admit, I’m curious about anything Luca Turin rewards with 5 stars and try as many of them as I can. Miyako was the recipient of one of Mr Turin’s glowing 5 star reviews (and an exceptionally glowing one at that) and on top of that it was an Art & Olfaction winner, so I had to try it. Ave Parfum was kind enough to send me a sample some months back but for whatever reason I just didn’t get it. I tried it once again sometime after, and nope, nothing happening for me. Since then, I have developed a real love (almost obsession) for osmanthus so I decided to try it again today just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. And, boy, was I missing something! I have no idea what has happened other than my newfound love for osmanthus but this stuff went from “meh, don’t get it” to “what do I have to sell to get a bottle of this NOW”. Wow, it’s LOADED with osmanthus, and if it’s not absolute it certainly smells like it. I know Auphorie uses mixed media (naturals enhanced with synthetics) and it doesn’t matter to me if it’s “real” or not, it smells real, it smells fantastic and that’s all that I care about. The natural peachy leather scent of osmanthus is enhanced with more peach and leather, and also apricot, and together it’s like this world class osmanthus rivaling almost any osmanthus note I have smelled (including the legendary Nombre Noir). There are delicate and fresh notes added (green tea, yuzu) that give a slight brightness to the otherwise dark notes of osmanthus, leather and patchouli. Together with jasmine and woods, Miyako is this perfectly balanced bliss with such an underlying richness it creates a slight gourmand tone, almost like a blanket of caramel is added to the mix. How I missed all this the first time, even the second time, is beyond me. I don’t know, maybe it was my nose, my mood, or my preferences at the time but I’m EATING MY WORDS. Miyako is worthy of all the praise it has received, it’s magical, mesmerizing and quite extraordinary.

I can't decide if we're friends. First, Miyako's lid wouldn't come off. I eventually removed it after emailing Auphorie for advice as to whether I should twist or pull (not wanting to destroy it in the process). They were swift to respond and told me to "... Fret not, just slowly twist and pull the cap upward with all your might and the cap will come off in no time." My might eventually defeated my fretting and I breathed in Miyako, then reeled as I caught a fleeting whiff of fermented-fish sauce. Fish sauce! It came and went within seconds and seriously startled me before revealing itself as more animalic than fishy. I was immersed in a dusty, wooden shed in the bottom of a wet, lush garden. In this dry, woody shed an animal had been sleeping and left the funky scent of a lair. I took my nose away from my skin and made a cup of tea to refresh my senses. While the steam was wafting around me I picked up a delicious green-tea-and-apricot scent all around me and found it in the room I'd just left a few minutes later. This green-tea-and-apricot beauty had been masked by the funky animalic notes until I'd taken my attention away from them... and now a soft beauty was evolving. The Osmanthus and apricot (with a crushed peach-leaf-greenness) are radiant and sweet, perfectly balanced by a leathery-lair quality most unusual. As it developed on me, luscious patchouli appeared, sandalwood gave everything lustre and musk warmed it all up. Happy days! This is a plush, dense, crushed-green, voluptuous-Osmanthus animal's lair. It's not for those seeking comfort; it's a surprising encounter in a dark, wet place with something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight. I think I could love Miyako, but I have to figure out what kind of creature it is first. 9/08/21 EDIT: I’ve fallen unreservedly in love with Miyako. Beautiful olfactory dance of dark and light, thrills me every time I wear it... Today's haiku: a gardener's shed osmanthus in full flower small creature asleep

Miyako from Auphorie. There's a good reason this perfume is a mainstay in their line. Without a doubt, it is their crowning achievement. Art and Olfaction winner and highly praised by Luca Turin (whose rating system eludes me for the most part). Miyako was an instant love for me, and that hasn't changed over the years. If I am to keep one perfume from the house, is this one. They struck a perfect balance here, no doubt. Exploiting the best of Osmanthus as an ingredient while stretching its olfactory profile and keeping the composition on the brighter side of the spectrum, as opposed to the latest release, Osmanthe Oud. Miyako feels like a day walk through a Japanese village during Spring, the scent of tea wafting from the Tea Houses nearby. The opening is bright and invigorating. A blast of juicy yuzu and sweet peach, adorned with green tea and aromatic herbs. It cheers you up and energizes you. The middle phase is all about Osmnthus, already overlapping with the base to suggest the suede leather impression and the woods. Maybe some Orris or Jasmine is being used as well as I sense some other white floral touches and a hint of chalky-earthiness that Orris can sometimes give off. The leather impression is soft, suede-like, and almost dry in feel. The woods are on the creamy side, buttery, and not spicy or sharp as one might expect reading Cedarwood and Hinkoki among the ingredients. Some synthetic musks round up the base, and they fit in nicely. Of all synthetic musks, I feel the Au brothers are among the few who know how to use them to their maximum potential. A solid perfume in my books, and if there is one to try or even blind buy from this house, it should be this one, granted you like Osmathus and East Asian aesthetic and flavors. IG:@memory.of.scents

Osmanthus is one of my most favorite perfume accords. Read some of my past reviews of osmanthus perfumes and you’ll easily note my favorites, yet I haven’t mentioned Miyako in a single one. There is one reason for this: I cannot recommend Miyako as a daily or even semi frequent wear. However, as a special occasion wear I don’t believe I’ve encountered a better osmanthus composition. Luscious yellow tree fruit gives the perfume a cool yet golden glow in the form of a supple and well rounded sweetness. White and pink powdery roses flank one of the best black tea notes I’ve yet to find in modern perfumery as a summation of the florals, fresh suede leather, and earthy woods. The texture comes across as a very luxurious and rich lotion. Divine and gorgeous. The balance and photorealism of these notes is hopelessly addictive to the nose. The base leans heavily on the hinoki and patchouli, giving dry, loamy, top soil earthiness and aromatic dark brown woods. Cedar bolsters the latter, with pleasantly sticky soap musks carrying a lot of the floral theme through to the end. I said that despite being one of the best osmanthus compositions I have smelled, I cannot recommend it. It is an extrait sold in 15mL bottles, it is very expensive and prohibitive for daily wearing (for the overwhelming majority of us). However, there is also another reason: it’s a bit too special, a bit too magical, far too attentive to details and exquisite materials to be worn and simply forgotten about as you go through the day. Attention is deserved; a special occasion is in order. Prepare to be wowed.

Take me down to the Paradise City, where the peach is green and the osmanthus is pretty. Take me home!!! AMAZING juice. Composition wise this is a great work of art, but smell wise this is unbeatable. To get this end result you have to be a genius, but not only, something else needs to happen... call it luck, divine illumination, constellation alignments... I don't know. Put you nose on this scent, and you will see what I am talking about. This is all day, everyday, all genders, all year round. Scent profile could get close to a fruity-floral (something that I normally dislike), but this has depth, super natural smelling, just the right amount of sweetness (fruits in here are not ripe, but more green), and the osmanthus, one of my favorite notes in perfumery, is probably the best one I have ever smelt. The soft musky leather touch come latter, and it's like a smooth blanket holding all the composition together. Uniqueness: high Scent: 10/10 Performance: high Would I buy it: Yes (special place in my collection)

Syrupy, stewed, fruit dominates in the opening against a backdrop of wood and leather. The hinoki/cedar/musk is prominent throughout the fragrance's development—the combination of concentrated sweetness, woods and leather reminds me of antique furniture, the inside of an old desk drawer. Very dark and melodramatic. This perfume is very long lasting—it clings to clothing even after dry cleaning (!) and lasts at least all day on my skin. It has significant sillage—I stick to two sprays max. While it doesn't smell the same—I've really never smelled anything else like Miyako—I think there are some thematic parallels with Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles, another broody, boreal stewed fruit fragrance and all-time fave of mine. If you love that fragrance as I do, I think you'd be a fan of Miyako. I feel a little queasy spending so much money on 15ml of perfume, but now that I’ve added this to my collection, I can’t imagine going without it. An immediate all-timer.

After the 2 terrible critiques below, I feel I need to point out a couple of things. Miyako is rated by some of the best Noses as one of the better creations from the last 20 years. I love it, not as much as some other fragrances, but I do love it. I own a number of Auporie scents. I recently received their latest offering Oud Iparxan,which like all their fragrances except Miyako, has sold out. I received a note from the house thanking me and they also included a lovely creme for free. Their fragrances are expensive. Are they worth it? That depends on each individual's reaction. I have alway received their fragrances in a timely way with no issues whatsoever, no leakage issue. I have read through all their materials since reading the comments below and I have found no evidence that they do not take any consideration of breakage. Read their materials if you do not believe me.

Auphorie Miyako (2015) - woody osmanthus - I don’t think any Osmanthus perfume that I own comes close to how good this creation by malaysian perfumers #eugeneau and #emrysau . Starts upfront with that Apricot vibe from Osmanthus flower mixed with Yuzu. Then, this decadent osmanthus on osmanthus comes into play. Indolic, Animalic, Leathery. This main accord is complimented by a base that is not just a white musk accord, but I get this caramel-like sweetness from Katsura leaf, Cedar-elements from Hinoki, mossy Patchouli and creamy sandalwood. I’m also amazed that the perfume is Vegan, which means the civet or musks I’m smelling are only derived from plants/fruit, which means either they limited their choices or they had to make new essences from scratch. I think the latter. Beautiful, opulent, unique, and elegant - what more can you ask for in a perfume.

Miyako is not a literal interpretation of the tea olive fragrance, but it is a compelling abstraction from it. It unfolds almost as hyperbole- exaggerating each of various aspects of the true flower fragrance, so that the effect is a vibrant, stained-glass rendition of the truth. It opens with a brilliant flash of apricot, followed quickly by strong leather, evergreen, and a low, persistent patchouli note beneath it all. It oscillates for some time between this fortissimo green-ness and a sweet, honey-apricot echo of the opening. As it dries down, the image of fragrant tea olive flower becomes evident, and feels comparatively quiet, but still vivid and gorgeously rendered. This imprint lasts for hours and hours, and fades to burnt-sugar-apricot over jasmine and musk. Not to be missed.

I discovered my love of osmanthus from Lush’s (sadly discontinued) Beautiful shower gel. Yes, I have 1000 kisses...but I feel like Beautiful was MORE osmanthus? It opens with a brutal slap of leather and dust-motes floating through the sun rays inside my grandmothers old storage shed. (Which is surprisingly enjoyable) After about 10 minutes warm apricots and peaches creep in. By 45 minutes the leather antiques are gone and I’m floating in a molten pool of the Beautiful Shower Gel of my dreams. Sweet realistic osmanthus with a touch of creamy sandalwood that manages to maintain a subtle vintage feel that I don't usually enjoy; but is really lovely as a whole.

Like @morkant I have a faulty 30ml bottle of the delicious Miyako and have lost more than half to a slow leak, despite taking every sensible precaution. The problem is one of rapid evaporation from the base of the nozzle, which is a loose fit. I’ve emailed Auphorie twice. No reply. This is a company taking no responsibility for the quality of its products. Their perfume is utterly exquisite, a thing of joy, but they have no interest in customer service or providing a quality product. I’m grateful for the experience of their creative genius but this will be my last purchase from them.

It's a wonderful,meditative and dreamy parfum! This surrounds me, is powerful and sweet with accents of wood and leather, it is complex....! It brings me to a fantastic world where everything is joy and serenity. This is the first scent I feel of Auphorie, and i'm really happy because I just met a masterpiece, this is an unforgettable and unique fragrance! ❤ Sillage: 9./10 Longevity: 10./10 Scent: 10./10 Overall: 10./10

An osmanthus heaven. A Chinoiserie painting. A complex tapestry with thread of osmanthus, apricot, tea, hinoki and animalic musk woven into an exotic Far East garden. ... Definitely worths the award!

The best fragrance in my collection... Scent: 10/10 Sillage: 8/10 Longevity: 8.5/10

It's true the higher the expectation, the bigger the disappointment. Given how Luca Turin raves about it in his 5 star review, I got a sample. However I fail to understand this critical acclaim. I mean it’s not a bad perfume at all. It's actually quite nice. But there’s nothing stunning, special, breathtaking about it. Maybe it’s because westerners know little about osmanthus, so they are intrigued by this “exotic” flower? To me, a Chinese who’s familiar with the scent of osmanthus, this is just an ordinary fragrance that captures the (according to me) sickly cloying sweetness of osmanthus. There's the sweet juicy fruity note of apricot, peach, and there's the leathery aspect of osmanthus. As it goes on, the fruity aspect disappears and the woody base becomes more visible. There's also a smell I can't quite pinpoint, slightly skanky, musky, milky and woody (which somehow reminds me of the so-called "deconstructed sandalwood" in CdG Concrete which is actually just synthetic molecules - but don't quote me on that, I've only smelled that in passing so it's just an unreliable memory). The osmanthus-sweetness never disappears, and I can often catch a whiff of it here and there. But for osmanthus, I'd prefer it in food (desserts), rather than as something sprayed on myself. It's not a bad perfume at all. It's actually quite a nice osmanthus-themed fragrance. But it’s in no way as great as Mitsouko, as Turin leads me to believe.

Miyako is bubbly, fruity and sweet. I've met MANY Miyakos in my time, both here and overseas, and whilst I don't know how she works, I am aware of the effect she has on people. I've seen her carve grown men's hearts just by calmy walking on stage -- like a mathematical formula that yields total surface area, it works ALL the time -- she knows what you like, you don't even need to show her. I've seen it with my own eyes -- your whole 'taste' becomes what she is, and what her empire represents. Not just a small part of it, or a brief, general summary, but her ENTIRE empire. You're unable to think anymore -- no reasoning, no negotiating, no bargaining. This is now your taste. It helps to be aware of the process and the step-by-step procedure, and even then... She's a Japanese siren, she really truly is. Soft, gentle leather provides the spine you're looking for; the strong, supportive structure that makes you feel secure. The fruity top and middle, along with the booming floral provides the siren song that keeps countless ships steering towards her, but, essentially, I need something that shows flaws on first application. As beautiful as Miyako is, I recall her face, her empire. I know what she's like.

I do appreciate this perfume - it's honestly, solidly made, and is phenomenally long-lasting. If only mainstream perfumes had this kind of quality. It opens with an incredibly dense, thick, jammy apricot, which seamlessly transitions into an equally fruity, jammy osmanthus, which sits on a mossy green bed of woods and patchouli. I personally don't smell much leather here at all, apart from in the (stunning) opening, but what I do smell is a very robust, 21st-century take on the classic chypre fragrance, which has been amplified and made unique by the extraordinarily viscous osmanthus note. I can easily see how people would fall in love with this. Having said all of that, it's not for me, unfortunately. Yes, it's dark and grown-up, but just way too fruity for me. I like my osmanthus a bit more floral and mysterious, as it is in Hermes's Osmanthe Yunnan. This fragrance I find to be a bit too technicolour, when what I want from osmanthus is a sepia watercolour. Just personal preference, but can't say anything bad about the construction of the perfume - it's very clever.

Miyako. The success of this really hinges on your preference for Osmanthus. If you adore Osmanthus, you wont be disappointed as its heart emminates a strong osmanthus heart, which is rarely seen in perfumery. The trademark honeyed apricot, the leathery nuances all come together here dressed up with a exotic tart yuzu opening and a jasmine that creeps in for a nuance of white floral. Katsura leaf gives this a caramel twist and the hinoki wood and musk grounds this scent. It leans rich and heavy. The sillage is large in the beginning then settles down closer to the body. Excellent longevity.