Ankura

Ankura is a compelling release by Australian perfume outfit, Byermia; brimming with a sense of jubilance and joyfulness. Not only does it break the mould of a resolutely Eastern approach to perfumery, it also serves as an aria to tenderness and playfulness. Its green flight dances in the nose with a cheerful quickstep of brisk citruses and fluffy, warm immortelle. At times the composition wavers in and out of familiar territory (with huffs reminiscent of Bint El Sudan and Carthusia Uomo) and something very complex and singular. It is profoundly layered and meticulously crafted. Even the oud is seamlessly incorporated, offering a whisper of resinous warmth pressing up from below. An absolute joy to wear.

整体非常扣题,青柠打头阵,在皮上刚开始会有一点点酸和咸。慢慢过渡到绿花,最后是广藿。

At first, I didn’t understand Ankura. Why is it so dark and smoky when it is supposed to symbolise youth? But I wore it to work on Star Wars Day (4th May), along with a rust-coloured ewok shirt, and then I understood. Although the narrative on the Byermia website speaks to the depths and complexity of Ankura relating to the different stages and mind-states of youth, for me the olfactory story runs deeper than that. Lime and fresh greens (the website lists mint, but I perceive it more as galbanum) are certainly present and full of youthful exuberance just like a young sapling, but the prominent smoke backbone paints an unmistakable picture of youth being cocooned in the safe embrace of its elders. Maybe Star Wars Day had me waxing overly lyrical, but the scent put me dead-centre of an ewok village in the forest, with the young Ewoks playing happily in the greenery nearby while their elders held the fort around a cosy campfire. So interesting that perfumer Ashek Zubayer explicitly mentions mother earth on his website, because (despite the fragrance leaning decidedly masculine to my nose), it’s giving me a definite triple goddess vibe; maiden, mother and crone. The presence of resins and balsams soften and round out this otherwise very bracing and outdoorsy chypre composition. This scent is strong and super long-lasting. I’m unsure what the note is that I am detecting in the dry down. It is extremely sour, reminiscent of Nuit de Bakelike (Naomi Goodsir), and smells like photorealistic Nerds lollies. Although I don’t love this stage personally, it fits the bill, and I can imagine the ewok village children running off to play skittles and eat tart green weaver ants as a sneaky sweet treat. (I’ve tasted these green abdomen weaver ants before – not entirely unlike Nerds to my very European sensibilities). I will say that I’m not a huge fan of the artwork on the bottle. The silhouette of the children and the butterflies/dragonflies is somehow jarring – not as sophisticated as the actual smell. Visually, I’d prefer a silhouette of a cabin in the woods with a ribbon of smoke coming from a chimney amid the greenery. Small detail, but aesthetic appeal plays a big part in my opinion formation. Yub nub, and May the Fourth be with you.

Ankura nos habla de Libertad inquebrantable, de la dulce inocencia de la juventud, donde las inquietudes no existen y solo es apasionante el ansia por descubrir la vida. Ankura significa "retoño de planta" Imaginad ese retoño joven y lleno de vida. Ankura nos traslada a nuestra niñez, cuando correr por el bosque era apasionante y lleno de intriga. Esa niñez donde solo pretendíamos ser curiosos, reír y descubrir. Ankura es inocencia pero es opulencia, no creáis que, por hablar de niñez y de inoncencia, este perfume va a ser volátil. No, más bien todo lo contrario , yo diría que Ankura está lleno de vida y es descaradamente engreído. Ankura no le tiene miedo a nada y pretende, de manera opulenta y con una fuerza extraordinaria, conectarnos con la pureza original de la madre tierra. Todas sus notas están en estado natural y por ello sin hyper potentes. Un derroche de pureza impresionante. La siempreviva es quien otorga esa nota de infancia a Ankura De la juventud se encarga igualmente la lima y la bergamota. Verdes potentes y descaradas. Una fragancia terrosa, ahumada, húmeda, leñosa y cubierta de musgo, por momentos su fuerza se siente picante con notas de un verdor extraordinario. Estas notas se ven amplificadas por un patchouli desmesuradamente potente, húmedo, terroso, anaderado pero muy verde y fresco por momentos. Las resinas que componen esta fragancia son tan ricas y densas que, junto con la madera de oud, le otorgan a Ankura una estructura y profundidad inigualables. Dios ésto es magnífico! Que pureza! Ankura está igualmente rodeada de notas balsámicas que están maravillosamente bien estudiadas para amplificar las maderas y el verdor. Tenéis que probar ésto.

This is fun. It opens up lemony, green, medicinal, herbal, sharp. There's a bit of mint in the opening but it's more essential oil and not at all toothpaste, so well done there. It dries down into something vaguely vintage but very classy and wearable, I am assuming that's the oakmoss and patchouli, and incense. Oakmoss is an unfamiliar ingredient to me and to be honest this whole scent is something I've never smelled before so it doesn't really fit into my frame of reference. It's NOT floral, the smoke is very subtle and very well done, like a cool, herbal, bergamot with a tiny incense/ smoky kick. Not at all the usual tobacco/ vanilla/ incense/ smoke/ leather type warm combo. The smoky note is more the impression of a kind of bohemian, very cool woman who would choose to burn *expensive* incense at a dinner party hosted in her very chic house. This is very unique and I am very pleased to have the opportunity to smell and wear it! No headaches, long lasting, and a very different opening to drydown, but still seamless. This one takes you on a journey! If you want to smell totally unique, sexy, alluring, mysterious, and tragically hip, this is the one. I am a woman wearing it, and I get the impression it's feminine coded, but couldn't tell you why. Also, a lovely spring-time perfume and daytime perfume in the first spray thanks to the invigorating lemon and mint. There is no incense listed on the official website, just smoke. Also, the official website has mint listed.

This is an incredibly well done 'vintage' style fragrance done in a modern way. Its green, woody, spicy, fresh, earthy. It's very complex but wearable. Ankura translates to sapling of a plant, and this fragrance is aptly named. I get the green spiciness of a sapling, but also the gritty earthiness of having to also be close to the earth to smell the sapling. There's also a slight smoky oud in here that makes its presence known in the dry down. An extremely attractive value proposition here considering the cost vs the raw materials

Citrus, herbal, aromatic, green, earthy, spicy. But in all these aspects it's too sharp and overwhelming and it feels as if it doesn't blend together.