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.

I'm surprised at all these leather talk... To me this is an osmanthus soliflore, and a damn good one--with a scent profile similar to Olympic Orchids' Sonnet XVII and the syrupy sweetness of Xerjoff's Zanzibar/Najaf. When I first tried it at the Art & Olfaction event, it didn't leave much impression; I simply liked it, but quickly moved on and was more focused on other brands. After seeing all the buzz around Miyako, I decided to give it another chance. Although it still didn't wow me, I can safely say it's one of the best osmanthus fragrances (and my second-favorite) around!

One spray and it explodes like hot oil on the skin. Fruity, with a beautiful ripe peach and floral evolution of real osmanthus. There is a phase with a raw and green tone of tea, patchouli, cedar and musk that captures the attention. Over time it is more accentuated on the sweet, syrupy, leathery and animalic side working in a perfect balance. Feminine, gritty and tenacious. I can hear it an entire afternoon and in traces even after a shower! Focused.

I like this perfume a lot, which is quite surprising. It's a floral musk and smells a lot like eastern prayer houses. It's quite long lasting if sprayed on unexposed skin experiencing minimal friction. It disappeared quite soon from the nape of my neck, but left a splendid trail when sprayed on my hair. In fact it lasts almost a day on my hair and turned more floral than musky.

Someone tells you about a perfume that they think is good. You’re curious and interested so you ordered a sample to try. There is nothing wrong or strange or unreasonable about it. After sampling it, you made up your own opinion about it. You can agree or disagree with the person who told you about it. There is nothing wrong about it either.

I first heard about Auphorie Miyako from legendary perfume reviewer Luca Turin, who loved it. I have to agree. It’s a jammy, sweet-and-sour osmanthus, glowing yellow with apricot, like a stained-glass window hit by the setting sun. There’s a dark leather backstop to the scent that keeps it from being as frivolous as most fruity scents. Miyako is “fruity” like Rochas Femme is; jewel-toned fruit against a shadowy background. About 1.5 hours in, an old-fashioned, sweet waxy note pops out, a lot like the bases of 1920s scents like Zibeline and Knize Ten and Habanita. I’m not sure what it is, but it reminds me of sweetened pipe tobacco or fancy purse interiors. And it stays put; the rest of the drydown is basically this powdery-waxy sweetish note all the way through. I’m not wild about it, to be honest; I wish the leather had gone in a more birch-tar direction.

it's almost not fruity at all, a blast of aromats and sometimes a bit like a cardboard type of smell (like a papyrus note). I'm always between - oh now it's a good osmanthus - and - oh no, it's this weird thing again!. Like if the concentration was too heavy and nothing subtil was able to escape from the sticky extrait. Finally i decided to diluted it in an other excellent perfume around osmanthus (Marlowe - Jardins d'Ecrivains) and it was a needed improvement, I was able to enjoy it. My experience was therefore not the meeting with a masterpiece.

This is patchouli heavy. Immediately from the start. Then you discover the woods plus patchouli. Then after a bit you can pick up the fruitiness of apricot etc which is nice and pleases me more than the usual bergamot of other typical citrus. But I wanted 桂花 to be the star. I couldn’t smell it with the strong dominating patchouli. I love osmanthus. I think I can slowly come around. It isn’t what I was expecting but I can admit it is alluring. I will still be on the hunt for an osmanthus fragrance. I will say okay but I almost disliked it.

If you like this fragrance, lucky you! It's got a strong and distinctive presence that lasts for days. I love that this perfume exists. It has obviously been thoughtfully created and is made with quality ingredients. However, as much as Miyako is unique and challenging it is unfortunately not at all wearable for me. It's a heavy dose of Osmanthus and leather - I think pretty much equal parts both. There is a peach aspect to it, but the fruitiness is not light and fresh. It instead adds density and ripeness. I agree with others who say it doesn't develop to reveal individual notes. To me it's a full-on wall of intensity right out of the bottle - animalistic, floral, syrupy all at once. I imagine it's what a unicorn's armpit would smell like. UPDATE 02/07/21: My husband found this on my swap shelf and nicked it. Turns out, he FREAKIN' LOVES Miyako. It gives me a bit of a headache if he wears more than 1 spritz, but I'm pleased he appreciates and enjoys this unique fragrance so much.

It may be a good perfume, but not in a realistic sense. This is not a portrait of osmanthus, but an autopsy. The perfumer dissected it into a few elements: there is dried fruit, there is leather, there is sweet florals; then she/he amplify these elements all together, to see how it plays out. The first few seconds I sensed some jarring fermented woody elements, almost reminds me of Zanzibar by Xerjoff; then dried fruit notes take a lead, and gradually other elements settled to their own place, piece by piece, you saw the whole puzzle. To ask if this is osmanthus is like asking if The Weeping Women by Piccaso a real women. It’s up to your interpretation.

A well blended fruity floral musk, this is the fragrance that brought the Malaysian house Auphorie to the limelight. The perfume opens with a fruity burst - apricot surrounded by peach and slight lemon. The heart is mostly floral with jasmine, osmanthus flower, green tea and slight synthetic leather accord. The perfume settles on a base of synthetic musk surrounded by slight hints of patchouli, sandalwood and leafy greens. It’s not particularly ground breaking but there is a warm comforting clean feel to this. Feminine leaning with moderate sillage and excellent longevity. Enjoy!

"Zesty, vibrant yet calming... like a glass of apricot-peach juice within a Japanese hot spring garden in the hot summer." Miyako is a 2015 fragrance by Auphorie, a Malaysian perfume house by brothers Eugene and Emrys Au. This fragrance has garnered a lot of attention early this year because of its nomination at the prestigious Arts and Olfaction Awards 2016. Furthermore, it is liked by many prominent figures in the perfumery world, including Luca Turin who raved about it in his own blog. Seeing as how I live in Singapore, I am lucky to be able to purchase a sample from them directly. Miyako opens on my skin with a sharp, juicy blast of peach, apricot and yuzu. It's one of the most vividly citrus openings I've experienced in a long time; it's as though I can taste them just by smelling! Looking at the note pyramid on Fragrantica before actually trying it, I was worried if the opening would fare. Surprisingly, it's very well-balanced: there's harmony between the bergamot-like tartness of yuzu, and dessert-like ripe sweetness of apricot and peach. The apricot note reminds me a little of Tauer's Phi Une Rose de Kandahar, albeit in Miyako it's much more potent. Also, although not officially included in the pyramid, I get a tiny mentholated hint that I feel is reminiscent of eucalyptus. After approximately 1.5 hour, the vibrant citrus opening shifts to a more soothing, subtle blend of green tea and osmanthus. In this secondary stage, the scent becomes softer and more mellow, where the peach-apricot-yuzu trio subsides and the dry, green tea leaf-soothing osmanthus accord takes over. Osmanthus is perhaps the main highlight of Miyako, for its distinctive identity is what transports wearers to the Far East. Indeed, it does invoke images of East Asia, specifically China and Japan where it is natively from. One thing that surprises me is how I can't sense any leather anywhere here. My skin is particularly sensitive to leather and it's eye-opening how I don't get any of it on my skin while many other wearers have reported how they get a lot of it. As a leather lover, I am a little disappointed by this and I think it's being overwhelmed by the other accords. Transition takes places again after a few hours, and the scent becomes more woody on my skin. I get prominent notes of gentle, smooth sandalwood and cedar. But at the same time, I get a unique note of Hinoki wood, an essential element synonymous to Japanese hot spring baths ("onsen"). It's a highly prized cypress wood in Japan and its slightly citrus-woody accord invokes effects of peace and tranquility, commonly associated with the experience of soaking in a hot spring in the warm summer season. I also notice that katsura leaf is included in the note list, but I am not sure how it smells like. On the official Auphorie website, Miyako is described as "walking down the serene street of the ancient capital city of the Far East Land... notes of Jasmine green tea come from the tea house nearby... finally, scents of precious woods from the nearby Jinja (shrine) shine through." Indeed, these are the images I get while wearing Miyako. Although this is recommended by many people to be best worn in cooler climates such as spring and autumn, because of its strong citrus notes, potency and very good sillage (my decant is an extrait and it's VERY strong), I can see this working just fine in the summer. Luca Turin lauded this perfume and bought a full bottle for himself, and I can see why he loves it due to its sheer uniqueness and distinctive identity in masterfully juxtaposing the lively opening with the calming ending. Congrats to the Au brothers; it's a well-deserved recognition for the masterpiece that it is. Edit: At the end of the day, roughly 12 hours since spraying on skin, I get faint lactonic whiffs of jasmine and coconut-like. It reminds me a bit of Ashoka by Neela Vermiere Creations, and this comes as a lovely surprise. Maybe this is the jasmine note that is at play, although I would expect it to appear much earlier in the day.

I received a leaking bottle that was completely sticky and missing at least 5-10ml of product. I emailed Auphorie and they said it was normal because where I lived (in Canada) was so "distant". I'm sure many of us on this website order perfumes that travel by air mail regularly and I can say with confidence that this was the first time I ever had an issue with leakage and it is absolutely not "normal". How many times have you received a leaking bottle? I have ordered close to 100 perfumes via airmail and this was the first. I thought the only issue was the leaked perfume, but it turns out the bottle has a fault with it and the remaining perfume leaks when the bottle is tilted. I have to keep the bottle totally upright or else it just pours out and spills everywhere, the bottle has clearly been damaged and whatever loss of perfume that supposedly happened due to the pressurization of air travel wasn't really the problem, because the bottle is completely defective. I took the bottle on a short trip with me where it was stowed in my bag and because it wasn't totally vertical for the entire trip it leaked more liquid, at this point I have lost more than 50% of the perfume I payed for. I emailed once again to Auphorie about this and received zero response. Despite all this, a faulty product that leaks the liquid I paid for, I attempted once again to purchase Miyako from Auphorie but was saddened to see they no longer ship to Canada. I emailed them once again (despite never receiving an answer to my last email) about why this was and what I could do to purchase Miyako from where I live. No response. I asked them on Instagram the same questions. No response and either they deactivated their Instagram or they have blocked me. There is clearly some kind of problem at Auphorie, a complete lack of accountability and a very cavalier attitude to customer support. I think that despite my product arriving damaged and the bottle ruined, the fact that I still tried to re-purchase speaks to my confidence in Auphories creative output, but the fact of the matter is that something is wrong with their customer service, and most importantly their ethos as a brand if they can check their email and see that customers are receiving less product than they payed for and defective bottles that leak and do nothing, ignoring the people who buy their product. Buyer beware. *UPDATE* I can confirm now that Auphorie has indeed BLOCKED me on Instagram after I contacted them there about the problems I experienced above. Remember that I only reached out on Instagram because they failed to answer my inquiries via email.

I got a sample of Miyako based on Luca Turin's five-star review. I approach his recommendations cautiously, as I have learned to my sorrow that 80% of what he loves smells (to me, of course) like smoked brisket, burnt rubber, or incontinent elderly Frenchwomen. It's the other 20% that keeps me trying--he's introduced me to fragrances that have changed my life (Chinatown, Apres L'Ondee). I was hoping that Miyako would be the latter; instead it fell into an entirely different category. Sampling it was literally the strangest perfume journey I have ever taken. At first, I thought it was among the loveliest things I have ever smelled. I am not a big fruit-forward fan, but the apricot was delicate and floral and gorgeous. There was an incense note that called to mind L'Heure Bleu, which is my desert island fragrance. Then, the wild advenure began. Miyako started changing so fast that for a while my left arm, to which I had applied it first by a second or two, smelled markedly different from my right as it struggled to catch up. It became profoundly citrus-y, almost like lemon Pledge, which was much nicer than it sounds. Then there was an awful hour where it turned hyper-masculine (my preferences lean heavily to the femme side)--maybe the leather? It was a nice masculine--I would absolutely make out with a man wearing it--but it's not how I like to smell myself. Once again it transformed, this time to a dead ringer of the first hour of Mitsouko. This is not my favorite phase of Mitsouko--I've always thought it smelled like a Lush bath bomb. An hour or so later, it veered again: this time into, I swear to God, pre-drydown Bois des Iles. I felt like I was going a bit mad, that this was some practical joke being played by the Au brothers simply to torment me. Finally, just before it died out (presumably from exhaustion), it gave out one final riff and for five minutes did an impressive Bvlgari Black imitation. And then it was gone, leaving me wrung out and a little traumatized. The whole experience was a bit like listening to a 1970s K-Tel greatest hits compilation album while riding a roller coaster. I am not sure what to think. I will definitely try again once I have had some time to recover.

@morkant thanks for the review. I'm seriously unimpressed with this brand. The perfume is lovely and very high quality, however, they jacked the price to almosy 4x what it was (130 usd for 30 ml) to 195 usd for 15 ml! I thought, this is off-putting. Then they stopped selling samples. I emailed them and actually did get a response, which kind of surprised me, considering their very loud and clear proclamation that they would accept no responsibility whatsoever for any product issues and no refunds would be given even if there was a lost parcel! So I was surprised they responded but you can imagine my disappointment when they simply replied that they do not sell samples. So basically they expect the customer to blind buy a 200 usd perfume from Malaysia with a clear commitment on their part to provide ZERO customer service??? Arrogant. I had a sample from the perfumed court from back when the company deigned to grace the great unwashed with the ability to try this, imo, masterpiece of perfumery. Of course along with jacking the prices they are now EXCLUSIVELY selling from their own site, yes, the one that promises to take your hard earned money without any responsibility on their side for damaged or lost items. I'm not surprised at all to read Morkant's review and I'm glad I came here today because it validated my previous decision to avoid this company and spend my money elsewhere. What a disappointment for Morkant! Today I put on the last of my small sample and because I find it so enchanting, considered once again saving up for the expensive and risky purchase of this perfume. But no. I think I'll cherish the memory of wearing this beautiful fragrance and leave it at that.

I adore osmanthus and I've never found the perfect osmanthus perfume so I was really looking forward to trying this. Usually I test samples by spritzing a small amount on a wrist when I'm winding down at the end of the day. If I don't like the opening I can just tuck that arm under the covers, ignore it and see what it smells like in the morning. OK, so the opening of this one was not something that I enjoy. I would describe it as the dirty, in your face leather note from Cuir de Russie with some weird, watery, Asian fruit note. Dana_sandu_pro thought it was Asian pear because of the booziness. I was thinking more lychee. But I dislike those kinds of fruits so I'm no expert. And it was strong! Tucking my wrist under the covers accomplished nothing. I thought about getting up to scrub but it was cold and I was tired so I just went to sleep breathing this boozy, aquatic, leathery funk. And then, I woke up, about four hours later, to the osmanthus of my dreams. At this point, it was absolutely beautiful and true to the osmanthus flower, sweetened and rounded with apricot and dirtied up with smoke. I went back to sleep for a few more hours and when I woke up there was just a trace of smokey osmanthus with maybe a bit of musk. My first conclusion was that, as much as I loved that middle, there was no way I was suffering through that opening again. But, having written this, I'm thinking I have to, if for no other reason than to be sure it wasn't all a dream.

the review below mine is spot on, the only difference is that i find it so beautiful that its the second time in my life that a perfume could create such a strong impact on me in litterarily 1 second and then the next 5 minutes, it smells surreal: how can something smell so new, so beautiful, so fruity, so flowery and so interesting and so natural all at once?...and that it lasts for 8+ hours, and that its drydown is not less then the opening. it is perfection in a bottle. I had no idea i am an osmanthus sucker (later i tried osmanthus from the different company. its something completely different girlish and synthetic but nice). I dont like peachy scents like in Visa...but this one has the right amount of fruity, floral and leathery accords (which Visa has too but is too dry too sweet too powdery and far less interesting), so much that for days of wearing it i did not even realize it has the leather part :)...becasue this leather just balances out sweetness and floral parts and gives it this "serious" perfume kind of beauty..so that it doesnt smell banal but well thought and with structure of the skyscraper:) My feeling is the perfection and the review below is spot on just written from the angle of a person who doesnt like any aspect of it that i find stunning :)...

I love reading comments that are well put together. Some criticize this perfume, others love it. Yes, this is not anything Roja, Boadicea or Amouage or Creed or whatever the house that resonates with each of us as most complex. It is not a perfume with multiple stages telling you a story, nor it is a macho/femme fatale type. We sometimes take things too serious and forget why we even have perfume. Who cares what Luca says? He is just a guy with his own view and preference in materials, just like each of us. Use your own nose and judgement. Reviews are just a guide and not a decision made for you. What i like about it - is that Miyako gives me a break from the industry. Its beautiful osmantus beast. Slightly sweet, leathery goodness that is smooth, without weird components/edges. Its a beautiful symphony. Some might like it for just that. Some might appreciate it for proper density that most current perfumes doesnt have. Or great longevity and silage thats around 12 hrs. Or natural, non chemical smell. Personally i cant find a single flaw. I tried their binturong and dunhuang, and its same story - excellent potent non ofencive perfume with great longevity. Is it mindblowing - no. Would i recomend trying - Absolutely.

I don’t get it! - Or am I just not getting it? This is osmanthus with leather. With no disrespect, but I can’t see what all the fuss is about. Yes, it’s a nice scent (if you’re into osmanthus & leather), but to me it’s nothing more than just that: Nice. So how did it get all these raving reviews and an award even? Well, Miyako is from niche house in an (for westerners) exotic location that markets their products cleverly using all the buzzwords: (from website) “...highly original luxury handcrafted perfumes and scent solutions, made in small batches using an eclectic selection of the finest natural extracts and innovative raw ingredients, with meticulous craftsmanship and an obsessive attention to details”. Phew, they got my head spinning - so we’re beyond perfume and in scent solution territory now, I’m impressed. But it doesn’t stop here, of course they also remembered to throw in a dose of emotions (from website) “...at the heart of the brand's business is charitable giving...”, et voilà, customers & judges all wrapped around their little finger. But putting all jokes and cynicism aside. Yes, donating a percentage of your profit is honorable and yes, they do make nice perfumes. The buzzword here: Nice.

I'm usually quite skeptical of award-winning perfumes. I wouldn't blindly follow official accolades but I'm glad I was swayed to get an official sample of this. Miyako features some very unusual woods and greens, Katsura and Hinoki. This has the effect of smelling familiar yet foreign at the same time. It isn't your usual cedar, guaiac or (gasp) santalol. But the aromatic woody base is unmistakeable and strongly evocative. A well-blended and radiantly presented trio of osmanthus-apricot-peach fronts the woods and even lends a piquant animalic touch (not unlike cat pee but very very subtle and understated). The Japanese yuzu at the top completes the structural and cultural integrity of this balanced-to-perfection fragrance of the Far East. The whole thing is extremely well thought out and coherent. Not one element is out of place or dissonant. Overall composition I'd describe as HARMONIOUS, just like the culture it seeks to evoke. And Miyako smells gorgeous. Prize well-deserved.

There is something thick, heavy, and quite hifty! Something I have smelled before! Like a churchy smell with some tires, and a bit of balm cream. It has that dried apricots mixed up with patchouli and woody notes. I can smell something earthy (not animalic) that is quite thick and very heavy. I can't detect the peaches, the yuzu, and the osmanthus. It is quite on the Arabian style side with that heavy smell and cozy feel. No wonder it won an award in Europe cause this style is quite new to Europe. Edit (23rd June 2018) retesting it again after 1+ year.. still thick but on the leathery way with roses of apricots and osmanthus. I liked the greenish apricot and fresh osmanthus mix within a raw leather bag that balances the blend quite weirdly perfect! As the fruit factor isn't cloying and neither overly floral nor leathery! It's just amusing to be honest and quite nice. I believe it's fair to win an award.

I was very curious about this line ... seemingly not making perfume in the traditional European tradition, and wondering how that would play out. I didn't think that Miyako would be for me but I added it to my sample order because of the award, just curious! But I was right ..... anything with this type of fruitiness, whether it is from the Osmanthus or not is terrible on me, somehow fermented instead of the lovely frootiness other people must get. As a Vintage perfume lover and wearer for years, I still couldn't get near Mitsouko, Femme or Diorella. Interestingly, trying to speak objectively here, this scent does not seem to have the top middle base note structure, rather the notes weave in and out of eachother and are all present together the whole time .... innnnnteresting, as I had hoped. Just not for the Fruit Phobic!

Imagine you're resting on huge pillows in a temple sanctum. Salmon colored oriental rugs on stone floors, glowing candles flickering in a slight breeze, windchimes sounding in the distance from all directions. You're engulfed in a serene, graceful feeling - like that evoked by Miyako. Mystical delicate blend of eastern herbs, spices, and flowers that has a zen-like vibe. It has a subtle musky accord, bolstered by the leather and apricot. Like clean scented skin sweetened by perfumed oils. Sillage and longevity both tempered, but good. It lasted hours, and had a calming, peaceful aroma that softly floated around me. I can see why this won a 2016 Art and Olfaction Award. Its a perfume experience in tranquility.

I was expecting osmanthus and was instead hit by a wall of a powerful dirty leather with dried apricot. I was slightly disappointed since I love osmanthus and it's quite hard to find a good one. Nevertheless, it is a relatively interesting fragrance for a while, very concentrated and with great projection, and I found myself going back to it a few times just to experience the wall again. After about four hours, it has dried down into a boring if inoffensive sandalwood with a hint of musk, so I'm not sure I'd wear this except for short outings.

I’m on my way to a perfume swap in another city, and my friend is swapping this one out. So I decided to apply a tiny amount not knowing anything about it. What a beast, full nasal assault with incredible performance all around. I spritzed this in the car I’m riding in (with two other women) and I’m choking them both out. I would never have guessed fruit was in it, I can only smell the leather and herbal notes. It’s high quality, but this is a hard pass for me.

I have to wonder if my sample of this was ruined by the unseasonable heat or something. I just sprayed this on about 10 minutes ago and to me it smells absolutely nauseating. I was so excited based on what I had read but I'm going to have to scrub it off before I actually gag. So weird.

Just received bottle from newly released batch & this is super interesting! The fruity opening accords are very intense & transition to osmanthus in the heart is not very smooth. Will be curious to see if this smooths out with additional maceration time in the bottle.

Why anyone puts so much emphasis on Luca Turin's opinion is probably more the question. He's just a guy with an opinion. The same as anyone on Fragrantica. If you start buying because Luca says so you're totally devaluing the pleasure of perfumery.

One month since my earlier review of the newly released batch of Miyako & it definitely seems to have smoothed out after additional maceration in the bottle. In particular, transition from fruit blast opening to osmanthus heart is less abrupt.

I have to agree with DanaRose. To me, it just smells bad, like rotting fruit with a hint of shellfish. My husband begged me to wash it off, but I refused. The sacrifices I make in the name of niche perfumery...

-Initial impression: nondescript oriental scent that I'd rate a 6/10. -This quickly turns into this messy floral blend that borders on nauseating. -Final rating: 3/10 -Not fbw. (-)