Musk Khabib

You want to know what happened to Bortnikoff, why none of the newer fragrances last more than a couple of hours and even then they don’t project, and no sillage? And yes I bought my bottles from Bortnikoff. Some major reformulating took place around 2020. It’s not just Bortnikoff, many Niche and designer houses panicked in 2020 during Covid and reformulated their best sellers. They were not making the sales as ppl didn’t know what was going on were not buying unnecessary items. Sales in the beauty industry plummeted. But as things got back to normal, those crappy reformulated bottles are still out there floating around. I try to never buy any perfume made in 2020. You’d think they would reformulate back to the original formula but why should they? People don’t know what they did and the greedy slobs figure we will see the great reviews for the older formulas and buy the reformulated perfumes unknowingly. So many ppl thought they bought a fake. Nope, the only ones ripping us off are the perfume houses themselves. So now u know. It’s a terrible thing they’ve done but they all do it. There’s no Oud in any of your perfumes, just synthetics and accords. Same with rose oil. It’s all accords and cheap synthetics. Oud is VERY VERY expensive and so is rose oil. Now days the chemists who can create the most realistic floral or Oud perfumes using all synthetics are the ones in high demand. Many of the best perfumers sold out to Lauder or Shiseido or the many others. And what is the first thing they do, they have everything reformulated and done for much cheaper. With cheaper ingredients and notes and instead use more accords, more synthetics and very little natural ingredients, if any at all. Oh if ppl only knew the truth. This is why I look for vintage perfumes, and try to buy from small Niche and Indie houses. I love Ensar Oud, he’s got some of the most beautiful and complex smelling ouds and real Mysore sandalwood. And Areej Le Dore. I also love Papillon and Francesca Bianchi, Electimuss, Lorga, Profumum Roma, MDCI, TRNP and many others. And I happen to love Kerosene, I know he uses mostly synthetics but the man is a genius in creating perfumes. I’m not happy with Roja, the quality of his fragrances went down while prices went up. Another over hyped house with a greedy slob owner. But like I said, he’s just one of many many Niche houses who are all doing the same thing. And we keep buying their perfumes and they keep lowering the quality and raising the prices. They only get away with it because we, the consumer allow it. So bottom line we are to blame. Not me anymore. I’ve got enough fragrances to last me a few lifetimes. Any I finish, I won’t be repurchasing. Unless I feel the need to over spend at Ensar Oud.

The magical factor about Bortnikoff fragrances comes not only from the superb quality of natural materials, but also from the harmony of each formula, it feels very special when you wear these fragrances. His newest Musk Khabib is absolutely stunning, and it has taken me up to five wearings to figured it out and be able to build a solid opinion. Musk Khabib unfolds on first spray with a rich futuristic smelling ylang paired to bergamot and cardamom, the introductory floral accord alongside the citrus and spices packs a decadent creamy sweetness that is almost eatable, but within a matter of five minutes the composition goes through a big transformation, the ylang ylang retains its sweet bombastic aroma but at this point the bergamot begins to faint and the deer musk comes to the forefront, giving the fragrance a vintage musky floral quality that can no longer be found in new fragrances nowadays. At this portion of the fragrance everything else works around the musk and the ylang rounding the composition with fine nuances. The subtle jasmine presence further compliments the ylang, and the ambergris in combination with deer musk releases a sensual animalic aroma, while the oakmoss, vanilla and cedar wrap the stunning perfume in a majestic woody chypree foundation with semi sweet powdery contrasts. Musk Khabib reads on my skin as ultra luxury vintage meets modern, with a twist, as it feels perfumy but with that artisanal touch that Bortnikoff fragrances are known for. This is a jewel for fragrance collectors and lovers of legendary vintage masterpieces. If you’re looking into getting your next freshie or aventus inspired release, I say look elsewhere, but if you’re into fine olfactory experiences, and the art of perfumery, than Musk Khabib is the perfect scent for you.

I never thought I would like a yellow floral. I've grown massively into a deer musk (and musk in general) fanboy over the last year or two. I kept seeing this come up over and over as one of the best deer musk perfumes and I finally got myself a decant of it. I did my best not to read about the components, the longevity, etc. All I knew is it was heavy on ylang and that slightly worried me, to be frank. The first spray was a revelation. Ylang bomb for sure, with a subtle spiciness... and that musk! Once the initial ylang onslaught tames and your skin warms up and activates the musk (for those who didn't know, musk when cold tends to be "pissy", then your skin's warmth activates it and it tends to become much different), this becomes an absolute sexy bomb. Yet, it manages to keep itself reined in and not push out like crazy, meaning you can get away easily with this in a closed space without getting in trouble, unlike other houses whose musk can fill a room. I love a room filler a times when I want to make a statement but at times I want to be subtle, I want to let others come in close and entrance them. That's what happens with this. People were intrigued, asking me what it was. Yes, it's a shame it doesn't last more than 3-4 hours on skin (especially in cooler weather, this is safe in warm weather, at least the formulation I have) but this is the kind of stuff I'll wear to dinner or to a specific event so I'm fine with it. Heck, I'll just reapply. Now, I've since then read about reformulations and rumors and whatnot, I can't say if it's true or not but I'd love to experience of those "vintage" ones and see. Regardless of longevity, this is a beautiful, creamy, floaty and sexy floral musk. Gorgeous stuff.

Bortnikoff's Magnum opus! I usually try to give reviews from an objective standing, well not today! This masterpiece mesmerized me from the first sniff. Gentlemen and ladies this is how apotheosis smells like, this is the smell of Elysium! This is how you smell when you have drank from the holy grail and your once mortal carcass has ascendent to a higher state of being! Rejoice for brother Dimitri the alchemist has captured the royal succor of the heavens in a moderately priced flacon! On a serios note I would place this scent alongside chypre palatin as a contemporary vintage leaning frag with about that level of detail and complexity. Great quality and good performance. Some have said it turns into a skin scent fast, that's not my experience, it's actually quite strong in the opening hours. I won't bother to describe it because it really does it's own musky, flowery profile and musk can be subjective. But I will say it leans masculine but it's not a "manly man" scent. The price is high so definitely try to get a sample first. Cheers! Later thoughts: considering the foolish pricing of Diaghilev, this could be a great vintage centerpiece for a collection, alongside other not-as-ridiculously-priced vintage inspired fragrances. The quality of course is not on par, but it is no slouch either, especially given the price you are getting a good vintage musk to satisfy the ich.

Musk Khabib by Bortnikoff is not the feral beast that the name might imply... in fact, it would fit more the image of a gentleman in a silk robe rather than an MMA fighter. And before we start, I am not saying that the 2 can't coexist in the same person :D The opening greets you with bergamot’s brightness, spiced by cardamom and light nutmeg. Then comes the heart: a creamy (but not cloyingly sweet) resinous warmth that comes from a balsamic combination of ylang-ylang and cedarwood. The base is where MK differentiates itself from similar more mainstream compositions. The deer musk and ambergris with soft vanilla create a clean talcum-like vibe. Performance wise, on skin if we consider the final musky phase, MK remains easily detectable for around 12+ hours. In terms of projection, it is barely moderate but I suspect that it will radiate much more during warmer months. Overall, this is a well-made chypre with a slight tropical twist and a refined musk accent. I am getting used to Bortnikoff style now, and it is clearly different compared to other "artisanal brands". Dmitry's signature is much more centered on the (often floral) supportive notes rather than giving an overbearing relevance to ouds and/or animalic elements. MK is no exception... those who are yearning for skank and scandal might need to look elsewhere.

This is lovely and I'm so gutted that my sample's atomizer doesn't work properly. Musk Khabib was one of my favorite Bortnikoffs from my discovery set and I loved wearing this yesterday. To my nose this is a very clean and smooth musk accentuated by ylang-ylang and a touch of bergamot. These notes are blended spectacularly well and the scent as a whole gives off a smooth, cotton-like texture. I'm especially surprised by how smooth the ylang-ylang is here as it usually has a sharp creaminess to it, but here it seems to have been dosed low enough to give the musk a floral "tincture" instead of being the musk and ylang-ylang, if that makes sense. As it dried down this developed a light honey note, which I'm not entirely sure where it's coming from but I see vanilla, tolu balsam and tonka bean listed, so probably traces of these in combination with the ylang-ylang could give off a honey note. Clean, supremely refined but not particularly elegant, although it can easily be worn during formal occasions, simply excellent. Once again I'm curious about how the attar version compares.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I think this is the most beautiful and refined fragrance I've ever smelled. Unbelievably smooth. No rough edges. Just absolute floral woody musky perfection. Sweet and creamy with the lightest touch of citrus, oakmoss and musk. The natural musk is blended so masterfully that it's actually hard to pick out as an individual note. Ylang Ylang and vanilla are probably the most prominent notes, but it doesn't overpower. It almost slips into gourmand territory, smelling good enough to eat, like most succulent custard pie you've ever tasted. And knowing that Dmitry uses natural ingredients makes all of this even more amazing. This could be worn year round. Could definitely be a signature scent. My hat goes off to Mr. Bortnikoff on this one. 10/10 Edit: Still stand by my review, but I'm noticing and appreciating the funkiness of the musk, and bitterness of the oakmoss more and more when I first spray. It settles down after a few minutes to the sweet, creamy beauty - but the musk and oakmoss are most definitely there. Such a well done composition!

A true second skin fragrance; completely balanced, confident, and quietly magnetic. The scent of sun-kissed, warmed skin... The opening is fresh and radiant, where cardamom meets tolu balsam in perfect harmony. I’m usually sensitive to balsamic notes, but here that very sensitivity turns into admiration; the blend is mesmerising, almost enigmatic. As it evolves, a subtly dirty ylang-ylang emerges, adding a soft human warmth, paired with an exceptionally natural amber touched by the faintest hint of animalic nuance; not at all disturbing, simply alive. I feared it might dissolve into a typical vanilla-tonka base, but it never does. The oakmoss grows more distinct without taking over, while the fresh cardamom continues to glow through the amber’s gentle haze. It isn’t sweet, yet it carries the creamy softness of vanilla and tonka, creating an impression that’s both sensual and refined; a clean intimacy with depth and mystery. Tag(s): skin musk, second skin, sun-kissed

This fragrance is unique that animalic notes don't smell as repulsive as you'd usually expect them to be. They add a soft creamy layer to what else is going on with the perfume. This a very creamy smell accompanied by ylang ylang. I do smell slight toothpastey smell which falters as the opening settles. You can definitely tell the ingredients are all natural and top notch quality. Once the smell settles, it turns quite sensual and closer to the skin. Sillage is big but projection is closer to the skin. This will stay on your skin at least a day and few days on your clothes. If you've been smelling "niche" and "designer" fragrances for a while and looking for unique, new smells, Bortnikoff house is spot on. It almost screams this is how high quality fragrances do smell. The evolution of notes during the dry down can be described as art. The natural musk is not repulsive at all, quite magical.

Niche perfumery at its finest. Haven't worn this in a while, after wearing Amber Colonge all day yesterday, decided to put this on in the evening. Was reminded why I picked up a travel decant straight off Bortikoff's website after trying it out with samples from other houses: it quickly stood out from the rest. It's best trait is that it smells all-natural; nevermind the musk, the cardamom, the nutmeg, the balsam, the cedar all smell photo-realistic. After the initial blast full of spices, it dries down to an ambery, musky accord. Some people have said it smells like a custard pie, and while I've never had one, if it smells this good I'll try it. It is on the more mature side, I don't think anyone younger than 25 can pull this off. Don't quite know if it's full bottle worthy yet, but I will try to hold onto my decant for a while. 8.5/10

Yes, as the reviewer said before, "it's very light". I had originally tried a 9 ml sample spray of Musk Khabib. It is quite good, the musk is natural animalic, ambergris natural creamy smooth. This is a warning about the current reformulation. I'm wearing it now, I got a great deal on a bottle, so ok. It's very citrus/ bergamot heavy. It's like one of his Cologne fragrances, like Amber Cologne, but even lighter. It still smells nice and niche. But the natural musk is less or a good synthetic musk is being used. There a slight spiciness. I don't mean light as in projection. Light, as in oil concentration is less, quality of notes, not as rich. The new bottles of Musk Khabib are the ones with rings on the neck of the cap. The smooth neck cap as show here on fragrantica is still a good version. Wooded cap even better.

This fragrance is blended very well. To me, this smells like a 'gourmand musk'.... a musk covered in ylang-ylang and vanilla. This is the DNA designer houses should be copying, it's musky enough to be professional and sweet enough to be pleasing to the masses. If I was a woman I would consider making this my signature scent. I received this sample because I've been looking for the right animalic-skin scent. This is not polarizing enough for me, but it is incredibly beautiful. I would recommend this in almost any setting. I would not recommend this if you're looking for a beastly, masculine fragrance. Edit: the drydown has considerably less musk and the amber/vanilla is what remains. I'm very surprised this fragrance is rated as masculine when it's sweeter than Versace Eros.

I have the Attar version of this. Open with a bit of bergamot, very warm musk, and sweet ambergris, this is NOT animalic or skanky at all, with ylang ylang, nutmeg, vanilla, and Tonka supporting in the background. Musk Khabib attar is such a comforting and lovely warm scent, almost smell like roasted chestnut and hazelnut. One swipe on each arm and it projects like a beast, with great sillage too. Usually, I would go anosmic to most synthetic musk and faux ambergris from designers, but not so on this one, I can smell Musk Khabib all day long! Longevity on my skins is a solid 8 to 9hr, one of the best performers and my favorite out of the 7 attar collections from this house. This attar is absolutely stunning, a must-have if you don't want to go for the 50ml perfume bottle.

On my skin this is not animalic at all. Right from 1st spray I could detect soft creamy vanilla coupled with floral aroma. The vanilla fades away after 30 minutes or so but the creaminess remains & then I would like to believe musk takes over. I can Wear this in all seasons anytime. This smells natural. A new found love....so is the case with many Bortnikoffs.I bought this blind & this is my first encounter with natural musk. I had also ordered Oud Monarch Full bottle alongside this & a 9ml bottle of Oud maximus. Received the shipment today & hell...instead of 9 ml oud maximus, Bortnikoff has sent a full presentation. Thanks Mr. Bortnikov

This is the best fougère in my collection, yeah, I said fougère. It wears like the most beautiful barbershop you’ll ever step into. It’s crisp citrus and spice up top, a plush, creamy heart, and a mossy-tonka dry down that feels groomed, clean, and expensive. I own Bois du Portugal from Creed and love it, but Musk Khabib blows it out of the water on richness and depth. I don’t think it’s marketed as a fougère, but it absolutely reads like a modern, musky barbershop. You just left the barbers seat on Mount Olympus, and Apollo gave you a fresh cut and sprayed you down with Musk Khabib.

Bought a sample of this alongside my order of the full Chypre Du Nord bottle. Absolutely fantastic. And I thought Chypre Du Nord was good (it is still my fav) - this is like a less-cola version of Roja Enigma pour homme, and a less urinal version of Diaghilev / Nuit no. 3 masterfully blended citrus musky mossy celebration. it's not extremely dark, it's very lively and opulent. Feels rich and deep. very pleasant, not too animalic. Soft silky texture. the ylang-ylang lends a tropical hint to what is otherwise a very mature, classy, baroque, western-castle-like atmosphere.

Just bought one with the new "cube shaped" bottle, the opening is slightly different from the older version bottle. It's either reformulation or variation of natural ingredients. The opening of new bottle is less bright and citrusy, which is not good for me as i really love it.. feels like it went straight to the mid notes and the musk surfaced much eariler than the older version. Overall Musk Khabib is still a great perfume, with the really enjoyable mid and dry down but just not "perfect" as i hope it should be.

Musk Khabib... Wasn't expecting such a delicate, beautifully blended perfume, it is not very animalic, just a warm and smooth musk mixed perfectly with Ylang Ylang, so sexy...I must admit I'm a little bit disappointed by the performance, but it is unique, very wearable, pure Art like Bortnikoff always does. I introduced this fragrance to my family & friends, crowdpleaser for sure, the were really shocked by its subtlety, as we all thought Deer Musk would be so pungent. 10/10 in my humble opinion.

Musk Masterpiece. This is truly a fragrance champion, true to its name, it delivers a knockout combination. This is a friendly, non-obtrusive fragrance, but at the same time, it is not for beginners. The musk here is not overly funky or animalic. The spices, florals and musk all dance and weave in and out of the limelight early on, with the musk reigning supreme after all the fanfare is said and done and the dry down progresses. Projection is moderate, sillage and longevity are both excellent.

I am surprised that I haven’t done a review of this one yet.Musk Khabib is the one reason I started liking natural musk.Its warm,musky and little sweet.Ylang Ylang is prominent for sure and it’s never overwhelming.Musk is not pissy or challenging at all.Its powdery and warm.If you like musk it’s a must try and one of the perfume you can find easily.Mostly for winter season but it should be ok for evening wear.MY AbSolute favorite musk for a reason.Yummy creamy musk.