M/Mink

I don't find the opening of this to be revolting at all. Perhaps different noses have radically different takes on adoxal. To my nose, the opening is smooth and sweet, a dark and inky floral. Adoxal allegedly smells of lily of the valley in dilution, and I can sense a lily type sweetness and smoothness in the opening that joins forces with the immediately noticeable honey note (a dark and unsweetened honey as mentioned by others) and the equally dark patchouli note. The patchouli deserves special mention in this fragrance because it is very dark and has that typical patchouli earthiness and dryness to it while simultaneously not being so thick and full bodied as natural patchouli oil. The body that is cut out of the patchouli note is filled with the notes of incense and honey, and a pine-like note that I believe comes from the frankincense/labdanum duo(I know it's not listed, but I sense a strong natural labdanum note here). As one who works on my own blends with only natural oils, I don't find M/Mink to be 'disgusting', 'dreadful' or even all that dirty. It's just very natural in a way that few scents are - it leaves intact some of the rough edges of these natural notes. Thus, it's more challenging than many scents around, but I think that some of the other reviewers allegations (eg: worst scent ever) are to be taken with a grain of salt. At least, don't let those sway you from so much as trying the scent. The scent isn't strictly linear but conversely there are no radical shifts in its development. As the sweet, dark and inky opening fades the heart presents more of the incense and labdanum combo. The incense and labdanum are smoldering - warm with hints of smoke. At all times the fragrance has a dark and billowy veil of patchouli and ink enveloping it. The honey/beeswax flits in and out of perception. It too is always there, but at times it is shrouded by the incense, at other times it and the incense unite into a truly beautiful and downright sultry, sexy accord. My only qualm is the pine-like aspect persists a bit longer, or at least a bit more prevalently than I would prefer. I'm assuming this was done to keep the texture from becoming too smooth or gentle, but it occasionally crosses over from being a textural counterpoint into being marginally grating. A minor qualm though and one I can live with. I should note that my girlfriend immediately took to the scent. She loved it on me from my first sampling, and she got a chance to smell it just moments after application - so not everybody finds the opening appalling! There's really no other scent I can compare this too but for a rough idea of what it smells like, imagine a cross between Kouros (the honey/incense elements) and Rive Gauche PH (the thickness and dark patchouli/anise element). I wouldn't necessarily say that M/Mink is barbershop-y, but it has that same kind of thickness to it, and one of my first thoughts on my first sampling was the distant relation to Rive Gauche PH.

What I get is a humid laundry smell. I don't want to say fresh laundry because it's not one of those hateful "dryer sheet" smells. It has a warm-damp human tug, but it's usually not filthy to me. (Sometimes the topnotes have some serious Kouros-y snarl and I happily take some lashings from the funk. But this is a random encounter.) M/MINK is like you got soaked in a summer rain and then ran back to your vehicle, and turned on the heater, and then started making out. Clean dampness, saliva, wet hair, upholstery, warm air. Secretions Magnifiques would be a better name for M/MINK than the Etat Libre perfume. Better yet, "Lover's Spit." (You know that song and music video? Exactly.) This has a clean, warm salivary quality and it does evoke old high-school makeout memories. Clean but human, sexual but not dirty. The genius thing is that one part of my brain is at a loss to penetrate the smell and describe it. Another part implicitly "gets it." And even another part can appreciate with great respect how the notes coexist to make this smell. I do get the incense (a very subtle Messe de Minuit or Mecca Balsam kind of incense, but not quite so mildewy and without *any* citrus), and I get the translucent fattiness from the aldehydes (think Marilyn's neck in those old No.5 ads), a waxy sweetness from the honey, and a Thunderstorm/Dirt/Odeur 71/54 kind of ozonic, atmospheric, hot printer paper smell. Or is that steam from a shirt press? It's weird! With great respect and relief, I say that it's a weird smell. I've been disappointed so much lately by fragrances that have been hyped for their filthiness or strangeness. This one is solidly odd. But I also think it's quite alluring and subtle and a great option for musk-o-philes who are drawn to the sebaceous funk in Kiehl's (but not the bright juicy florals), the shroominess in Bruno Acampora, the costus in Ambilux/Ambiguite, or the drydown of Kouros. BUT! With the dial turned way down, because M/MINK does not perform well for me. If it performed the way I expect something called Eau de Parfum to do, then it'd probably crack into my tops. Really. But it's like, soooo subtle after the first few seconds. Heartbreaker.

This is not for the uninitiated 😂. I wanted to try this one for a very long time but could not find a sample (discontinued) so I was lucky enough to win an auction for a full bottle. Before I tell you my impression, I want to preface my opinion with pet peeve of mine. I am not one of these people that think every perfume they try smells like bathroom or kitchen cleaning products. It irks me when someone smells well composed perfumery and compares it to 409 or Ajax because that's the only other time they've smelled these notes, and the only way they can relate. Now that that's out of the way, I'm going to compare this perfume to cleaning products 😄. Men will relate to my impression of the opening. Full disclosure: I have no idea what a block of Japanese calligraphy ink smells like. You walk into a freshly cleaned mens restroom. You walk up to the urinal, and there's a brand new urinal puck. You start pissing on this puck and you are hit with the overwhelming smell of the fragrance within, and some piss. That is exactly the opening of M/Mink. The aldeydes, patchouli and sea notes combine to almost mimic a strong, pine tinged citrus. You get a bit of piss from the honey and possibly musk. In the mid it starts getting animalic. The urinal puck morphs into the chemical used in boat and RV toilets, but now it's fading. The feeling of being in freshly laundered clothes at the zoo. It's clean and dirty simultaneously. Into the full drydown and the incense comes forward with animalic clean musks and pinecones in the background. The incense is unburned and has a crunchy, granule texture. Very interesting perfumery and a bit of a rollercoaster ride but I don't find it as challenging as others. There's a passing resemblance to the opening of Amouage Myths Man, but otherwise it's completely unique. If you can make it through the opening and mid, the drydown is excellent. Strong like from me. Scent 7.9/10 Performance 6.8/10

I got worked out for nothing hahahaha.... So I tested this once when I was in Singapore, and I got the inky vibe right from the start, but I was using blotter when I tested M/Mink.... Then I read all the negative reviews on fragrantica, I was like, did it smell like a banyard??? did it smell fishy??? because those are not the feelings that I got when I sniffed it on the blotter. Fast forward, I happen to know that this one is already discontinued, and there's an online shop that still had this perfume, the last one... I struggled months to pull the trigger and get it.... And when I saw the perfume was just sitting there unloved, I was like, I've got to get this, even if it's only to satisfy my curiosity.... And I was prepared for an olfactory assault when I got this... instead what I really get is the smell of ink, an expensive and vintage ink... The one Japanese uses on their calligraphy.... It's a wonder, it's exactly the feeling that I got the first time smelling it, it's not disgusting, it's not repulsive, and it's not really strange, well at least for me.... And I don't understand the barnyard reference, or the marine or saltiness in here, or blood for that matters hahahaha.... I think the difference on how we perceive M/Mink depends on our memory and the place we live. I don't mean to be racist, but I think Asian people will be able to appreciate M/Mink more, because we actually use the ink that becomes the inspiration of this smell... The smell is spot on. It's inky, it's vegetal, it's dark, it's medicinal, it's industrial, and so on.... For me, it could also be the scent of vintage vinyl records, something that could be released under Marc Antoine Barrois line... And if I love Ganymede, I don't see why I can't love Byredo M/Mink, so there it goes. I win again.

Well M/Mink is one of the best surprises I've had this year. I blind bought it, almost as a dare, to see if it was really as shocking and strange as the hype made it out to be. I'd have to say, it is, and it isn't. Don't get me wrong - This is certainly not your average fragrance. It is however, still perfectly wearable, masterfully crafted and utterly enchanting. M/Mink opens with an inky matte sweetness, animalic, metallic, incense, salted black manuka honey and shimmering cold aldehydes. As others have noted, it's quite linear, not a lot changes. The first half is dominated by a slightly sour incense playing out over velvety, dry, dark honey and patchouli. Patchouli is a note I often struggle with, but here it is simply stunning. Black-green and tarry, thick and rich. As time wears on the incense softens and the dry, dark honey comes into play bringing with it a surprisingly dirty animalic note. This animalic honey is what keeps M/Mink grounded in reality, offsetting the otherwise industrial feel and tying the whole shebang together wonderfully. Overall, the impression is one of cold, dark grey velvet. Classy, slightly gothic, a little aloof and austere. I don't know what all the fuss is about honestly, I've smelled fumes from Kerosene and even Slumberhouse that are far more 'challenging' than this. Performance is excellent. Sillage is loud for the first two hours or so and settles nicely to the lower end of moderate for the rest of the wear. Longevity is outstanding. It hums away for an eternity as a bizarre skin scent. Worth a try if for no other reason than to experience a heavily animalic frag that isn't based around musks. An eccentric genius of a perfume. Completely unisex. Enjoy on cloudy, brisk days, when dressed in black and feeling arty.

I'm a sucker for a unique scent, and this is a real banger. Abstract floral índole and pissy honey mix with aldehydic shimmer and dirty patchouli providing an otherworldly, crazy, whimsical affair. Something about the sci-fi audacity is remniscent of Uncle Serge's more whacko scents (Fils de Joie for example, due to the crepuscular honey-índole haze). Oh, and the incense is very Lutens-y, and provides a smoky base for the mostly high-pitched opening to settle onto. Does it smell like ink? I'd say it does as much as Encre Noir does, but from a totally different angle. Honestly, they both serve some sort of inky element, but if it weren't suggested by the name and copy, I'm not sure it would occur to me. But that's fine, I think they've done a stellar job with this perfume. It's by far my favourite Byredo and the only one of theirs I could be bothered to seek out. I'm not sure when/where/if I can wear this, but I'll definitely rock it for myself of an evening, and perhaps will apply delicately in advance of going out to let it dry down before I take the metro! Side note: this is the same sort of crotchy wee smell as in Sadonaso, but here it's a lot more bold, so for all those who complained that Sadonaso wasn't shocking enough, maybr this could sate your thirst. Another side note: I'm starting to suspect that the sillage smells like actual urine with a little dash of urinal cake juice. Still love it though. More thoughts... Amazing on scorching hot days when you're outside! This is definitely one of the weirdest perfumes I have come across, and that's saying something as I'm a total fraghead and sucker for weirdness.

Absolutely outstanding. This is the ugly duckling in my collection that I view as a swan! It's the "dare to be different" fragrance that isn't conventionally pretty or pleasant but..I'm a huge fan and this is very special. The biggest tip I can give you is...WAIT!! If you spray this on your hand in a shop, don't sniff your hand immediately or...at all. Let this develop and come to you, then you may see the beauty I do. It opens with a very powerful animalic note, very unpleasant most of the time, but that's not what it's about. Wait for the magic of adoxal to weave it's spell. It has an incensey animalic tone, and it feels dry in texture. It's slightly waxy, otherworldly and addictive. The adoxal in this scent does it's job wonderfully on me. It's meant to make things smell like fresh laundry and when this settles, these are the wafts I get. It's like clean laundry, infused with incense, a floral tone I cannot describe at all, and just a whole bunch of weirdness. The other trick with this is not to over spray. it works it's magic if you don't over do it. Again..a little bit...and wait! The drydown unfortunately for me is not so great (only because I hate honey in perfumes). This takes all the worst parts of honey (clover honey in this case) and it smells like an unpleasant honey that's slightly verging on urine. YEP! Sounds absolutely awful doesn't it? But thankfully by this stage it isn't radiating off of your skin like a beast. Still...get to know this fragrance and appreciate it for what it is and it's MAGIC! I've had more compliments on this than people saying it's horrible!

M/Mink is fascinating to me I don't find it that odd or weird like a lot of people do. The opening of M/Mink is where it smells like ink the most the blend of honey, patchouli and incense are responsible for that ink accord to my nose it's very strong as if you were to stick your nose into a bottle of ink. After about two hours the incense note fades into the background leaving the honey and the patchouli behind. The mid part of the fragrance is where the sea notes and the aldehydes emerge to my nose here is where M/Mink show two opposite sides to it the dirty, dry side that comes from the honey and the patchouli and the clean, sparkly side coming from the sea notes and the aldehydes. The base mainly consists dry honey it's the the driest honey you will ever smell nothing sweet here with a slight touches of patchouli, sea notes and smoke. Both projection and longevity are huge. M/Mink is one of those fragrances that works as a protection shield to those who wear it (meaning people won't bother you) not because it smells bad but because it's hard to understand since it's full of contradictions where sometimes it's super nice and clean and other times it's dry dirty. I think if M/Mink was a person it would be a very misunderstood one but it would also be more than happy with the few who understand and love it. Just because someone is different doesn't make them bad.

I'm disregarding my initial review of M/MINK as I did not give it a far chance. To be honest, I way over sprayed it, and this is a fragrance where you have to very carefully apply it. Spray too much and you and everyone around you will hate it. To be fair, this is a very challenging scent and not meant for the average consumer. The notes are polarizing and you either hate or love them. If (and that's a big "if") you like chemical smelling things (i.e. Liquid Paper, Sharpie and dry erase markers, chlorine, gasoline) then you may appreciate M/MINK. It has that certain chemical attractiveness that some will find appealing. Lightly sprayed and when smelled from a distance, this comes across as very unusual, distinctive and somewhat elegant. This has a clean antiseptic feel with a slightly musky animalic quality. Maybe like sweet gasoline if that that makes any sense. I bought a bottle and don't regret it for a minute. Its an original piece of work, and as a fragrance collector, it is a worthy addition to my wardrobe. Not to be worn everyday, but for that special dressy occasion this will make you stand out from the crowd. Thumbs way up, but again not for everyone, but that's what makes this so special.

Not super impressed by other Byredo scents, this one blew me away, potent stuff, very animaistic and to my nose, also a powerful rhubarb, is anyone else getting that? I dont much like sour notes but this one is fantastic! 10/10 Edit: I just bought it today, 3x12 cl (0.4 oz) for 110 USD in Stockholm and love it love it love it love it! It's just a dream!!! I can wear quite heavy orientals so for me this will def be a quirky casual day scent, wouldn't use this for clubbing or dinners. No idea how others might react to it but you know what? I really don't care! :D La Tulipe is supposed to contain rhubarb and I tried that in the shop but that one's too girly to me and in M/Mink I definatelly pic kup lots of r-h-u-b-a-r-b (maybe that's the component some refer to as urine), resin, metal and incense...something god knows what animal, maybe that's the sea notes making it just slightly sweaty-- I'd call it SEXY. Powerful it may be, but still it's clean and very modern. I suppose this might smell like ink, certainly theres similarities with solid blocks of watercolours and it sure is black. Black and dry. Can't see this scent wearing well with girly, bright, flowery clothes. Glorious!

Mink is beautiful and tasty as old school ink for fountain pens ;-) I remember when during classes in the primary school we were using the Chinese blue ink called Hero that have same dirty, incense like smel. But in the Mink the honey is also applied to make fragrance very unusual. From the start to the end it is really different than any perfume I had before so it was must have for my collection. First of all this creations was made for incense lovers. But forget olibanum, Hindu incense or something you can categorize as church or temple smell. This is extremely dry already burned resins or herbs that are a litle sweetened by wild honey. In my opinion perfume don't evolve to much, so the same aura stay around you unchanged for many hours. However this is extraordinary fragrance that can be categorized as niche in the niche group - same as incense by Sonoma Scent Studio. If I would to compare to something I know from the past the closest is the Diptyque L'eau Trois but supported by teaspun of sweet honey. So I love it... Mink will have special place in my collection, hopefully it will never be discontinued as L'eau Trois was unfortunately.

I must say, that I really get a kick out of the reviews for this fragrance! I'm sure it's revolting to many people, especially the initial opening, though I'm not sure why the first wiff is being compared to cat urine? I've had several cats and have spent time around big cats and this doesn't smell like that to me at all. Instead it smells exactly like squid/octopus ink to me, but sharp and dirty. Maybe like spoiled ink from a calligrapher's ink well too? That said, that's probably what BYREDO intended, resulting in a very unique and controversial, musky scent. If you hate the opening, then it's best to leave this fragrance alone. But if M/Mink both disturbs and intrigues you, like it did me, then in an hour or so, you'll be treated to a strange and wonderful sexual, musky, lightly-sweet/skin-like scent. Probably very different than other musk/incense fragrances in your collection, but you should sample this first. I would say this is best saved for sensual encounters and not for regular wear.

Dystopia in a bottle. I... I think I love this. When I tried it at the shop I felt intrigued and repulsed in equal measure. There was just enough ink there (a smell that I've loved all my life) as to insecurely request a sample. I'm glad I did, because this is the type of niche style I've been getting more and more into lately: a modern, wild, non-perfume fragrance. The opening is an unmitigated disaster for me: unsure as to what the actual smell is. For some it smells like urine. I'm not so sure, but it IS pungent. Fortunately it evolves quickly. The evolution and eventual dry down is what I love about M/Mink. It's like an inky AnOther 13 by Le Labo (another fragrance I love). I'm unsure of the sillage and projection of this (probably moderate), but the longevity is great. In case it's not clear by now... buyer beware. It's a bold and unusual, futuristic fragrance. This is what the robots will smell like after they come for us post-singularity. Definitely try on skin, if you dare.

Love this one. I can see why it isn't for everyone. It doesn't contain musk (according to this site) but damn is it musky. It's an animalic honey note that gives it this muskiness. A bit sweet, but not overly so, despite the prominent honey note. Probably the aldehydes balancing the sweetness out, but maintaining the honey smell. It screams honey, and it's for the honey lover (like me). Together with the patchouly, it becomes a little earthy and doughy, which gives it this skanky, sexy, animalic muskiness. Also, in my opinion, this fragrance has a slight gourmand vibe to it. No, it isn't gourmand, but there is something in the honey note that makes me a bit hungry, or craving something. As with the smoke/incense, it's rather spicy than smoky. I love it. And it's a performer. 6 sprays easily give me 6-7h, which is fair enough, since I get really bad performance from most fragrances, let alone a Byredo.

Old catholic church. It's weird... and interesting. I actually really like it but it took a while. There's definitely an animal stinkiness that's offputting but also intriguing. Also salt, metal, calligraphy ink, and a dusty patchouli. As it dries down (yes, the ocean funk can be a bit eau de public bathroom in the beginning) it moves from briny stink to more of a dirty incense. There's something of a really, really old dusty church, unused and pretty much uncleaned for decades if not centuries. While it's reminiscent of some Comme de Garcons ink fragrances it's got a very different feel, more earthy and organic than any CdG's I've smelled. I'd say it has more in common with Salvador Dali pour Homme with it's dirty antique store vibe. It's no surprise that it's so polarizing; if modern fragrances are obsessed with being clean and inoffensive, M/Mink is a big f-you to all that. Antiquated and strange.

I realy want to buy this scent, to wear it and to enjoy in its complexity and overdose of aldehydes (adoxal). But I can't for the sake of the people around me. Literally. This perfume is meant to be enjoyed by other niche perfume lovers (like most of you said, it truly is niche in the niche) and by yourself. To everybody else this is very revolting scent. Only the beggining indeed, but this scent is pretty linear and I personally have to wait a lot to get to the beautiful sweet and gentle drydown that lasts forever. For me, this is pure art in perfumery and that blast of animalistic and strong ink notes (even protein like in Blood Concept +MA) in the beginning is the point of this fragrance. Like I said - I love it but I don't see purpouse in buying it if I can't wear it. :(

M/Mink smells criminally dark. It’s ritualistic, not bloody, but as if the blood has been replaced with ink, thick, black, and cold. There’s a chill to it, something sterile and industrial, almost psychotic in its detachment. It feels like walking into a dimly lit space where something unspoken just happened. Cold, clinical, and unsettling. It even reminds me of the Netflix show Mask Girl when I wear it. That’s how hauntingly unique it is. I find it shares a strange, shadowy link with Ences Mythique by Guerlain, Prada Luna Rossa Black, and Clive Christian Amberwood. They all dwell in that same dark, mysterious space. Also, when patchouli is combined with honey, it gives an uncanny effect that’s hard to describe. You should try it for yourself and see what I mean.

I've got this stuff for guitar playing called Gorilla Snot - it's a gooey sticky mix of pine resin and some other resins, and the middle of M/Mink smells surprisingly like it. Pine resin with a strong lacquer note. Over time a dark honey note emerges which is very enjoyable. The opening is weird, a few minutes of a fruity mix of apples followed by some sea note and yes, a hint of fecal-funk via indoles but it's never so strong - at least on my skin - to register as an accident in your pants. I suspect the indoles help contribute to the animalic quality of the dark honey note in the dry down so this relatively short phase of oddness is worth enduring, as the honey note is one of the best around.

I get this. Its supposed to be daring and different and there is no doubt in my mind that is it. Is it wearable? That I can't say. I get the dirty kitty litter references and there is a strong dirty vibe to this. It starts off pretty shocking, ink with kitty litter and a hint of ammonia. Even the saleswoman who was unfamiliar with it made a face when she asked to smell it on me. Her reaction was natural and her expression was priceless. The dry down is softer and I get a dusty clay, dry dirt mixed in with sweet chalky baby aspirin. I appreciate it, but I wouldn't necessarily want to smell like it. For anyone adventurous, I say go for it. You won't forget it.

I've managed to get my hands on a Swedish produced bottle of this fragrance, so I don't know how it smells right now, but oh boy is this a beauty! Hands down the best Byredo I have smelled, the most complex and non-linear, kind of dirty, skanky even, but it still has that Byredo sterility they kind of go for in every release. Starts with sweetened yolk, skanky ink and a pleasantly thin patchouli, throughout the day the honey shows through, and at that point it becomes a yolk stained fur scarf, very calming, without sacrificing any of the bite. The whole journey has a grounding warm human skin vibe to it. I also love the design of the box!