Hinoki

Hinoki blew me away. It's green, lush, and has a little darkness to it in a seductive and mysterious way. There’s a subtle sweetness running through it that keeps the balsams from getting too heavy. I don’t usually go for green scents, but this one feels different. It has a calm mediative quality to it. Think more quiet, moonlit Onsen spa vs fresh outdoors. Performance is impressive too. Admittedly, I balked at the price until I saw the bottles in person. The handblown venetian glass on top of the smooth shiny marble base literally looks like an art piece or conversational sculpture. Correct note pyramid: Top Notes: Bergamote Essence, Olibanum Essence, Black Pepper Essence Heart Notes: Hinoki Wood Essence, Fir Balsam Essence, Eucalyptus Essence, Clary Sage Absolute Base Notes: Agarwood Oil, Patchouli Essence, Cistus Concrete Oil, Labdanum Absolute, Oakmoss Absolute

The first spray feels like stepping into a forest after rain. Cool resin, soft smoke, damp bark. The river nearby moves like ink between dark huts, and a susurration passes through the hinoki. I imagine myself in a small carriage at night, the air heavy with mist and quiet. A flask of aged whisky rests by my side. That calm heat blends with the scent of the woods until I can’t tell where the spirit ends and the forest begins. On my skin it opens bright with pepper and incense, then folds into clear hinoki and fir, cooled by eucalyptus and sage. The base deepens into oud, patchouli, labdanum and oakmoss, dark, resinous and steady. It lingers like a whispered ritual. Among the more than four hundred perfumes in my collection, I believe this is the finest interpretation of hinoki I have ever smelled. Mystery made with mastery, preserved by restraint. 10/10.

To my nose this is the best Hinoki scented fragrance. A lot of hinoki scents are very screechy and strong. This one is mild and blend very well. It’s very calming scent to wear on a daily basis and non offensive. It lasted on my skin over 10 hours. Love this!

I wish I wouldn't like it so much...

This is great but at the same time really perplexing in its composition. It has Ganymede/Bois Imperial’s yellow, saffron notes, and leans heavily into Hwyl’s smoky-resin-forest incense, with a gentle helping of Jo Malone’s Hinoki Cypress. Top notes have an oud like dirtiness too but the dry down is sweeter, praline like. Cartier Noir Absolu also comes to mind in the dry down. I like it but it also confuses me.