Frankincense and Myrrh Cologne

My bottle is from way back in 2011ish (and still going strong), so newer editions may have weakened - but for me the 'classic' C&S Frankincense and Myrrh is a large, heavy, hugely aromatic, gorgeously gold-glittery smell of Christmas. It is intense and big - on the verge of bullying, compared to many other incense/resin-themed scents I've tried - so many of the reviews below just baffle me, because I don't recognise the scent they describe. This was one of the first fragrances I ever smelled which evoked wealth and real sophistication; a truly complex oriental. For me it genuinely evokes exotic camel caravanserais laden with everything aromatic from the East. Certainly smells way more luxurious than it needs to, and at a price point comfortably between mass-market mediocrity and high-end niche pretension. Completely unisex IMHO but you do need to really like both frankincense and myrrh (well, doh....) ; this is a hugely resinous, radiant, almost-bitter incense thing, not at all shy and surprisingly un-sweet. I get a little citrus and floral at the opening but not nearly so much as others describe; so this scent (like many other Czech and Speakes in my experience) may be have been reformulated as a much milder beast. I usually loathe lavender, and it's unmistakably in here, but it's a discreet amount of the sharp fresh kind, and the other strong aromatics are more than robust enough not to let the lavender boss them. This is a precious gift from the East indeed. It's Magi(c).

Well for starters I don't associate this with Christmas! Having said that I will concede that this is a fabulous winter snuggle-scent. Soft, snuggly and smokey with a refined powdery drydown that reminds me a little of lavender and chamomile baby talc mixed with some (and I mean this positively!)past-its-use-by-date dried sage that you might find in the back of the kitchen cupboard. I find very little citrus here which is surprising as lemon notes usually project loudly on my skin. The frankincense is very enjoyable and never tips over into that slightly medicinal smell. Sillage is discreet, I find this one wears quite close to the skin, but my oh my, it's special. Again and again I find myself raising my wrist to my nose. A cold winters night with a crackling fire, a slightly rough tartan wool blanket and a hot toddy. Oh yes. A full bottle is calling....

Starts off very citrus forward with aromatics for about 30 minutes. Begins to get spicier, after that and you can sort of sense the next transition is coming. It does a complete 180° turn and dives into incense and woods. The incense is more pronounced than the woods, but with an aromatic freshness which is suitable for heat. Projection is strong for the first hour. I'm not a huge smoke fan, but this isn't smokey incense. Herbs stick around into the drydown. That paprika gives it a nice little kick of adrenaline similar to how cloves would but not nearly as intrusive. It feels like a daytime incense because there's a uplifting freshness to it. Church on a bright sunny day, and vintage in a way, which is characteristic of the house of Czech & Speake. Very easy to like, and every time I wear it, I love it more. Scent 9/10 Performance 6/10

J'adore! I definitely want this! Love at first sniff! Like the other frags I've tried by C&S, "does what it says on the tin" (or rather, 1ml sample bottle); true to its listed notes. Simple, elegant, soothing. Was pleasantly surprised to discover it is an EDC, as it performs as well as an EDP on me. Longevity is very good, 2-3 drops per pulse point on neck and inner elbow/wrists lasted all day and into the evening, easily. Obviously as it is a sample I'm not spraying but dabbing. Sillage is rather subtle and moderate, but I like that. I do believe this wouldn't be overpowering even with a slightly heavier application; but will have to wait and see when I get myself a full size bottle; which, for the price, is rather a commitment, but one I'm happy to make.

This is not at all what I was expecting! I was wearing Creed Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie last night, so naturally this morning I was looking around for a rich oriental to segue into. Czech & Speake Frankincense & Myrrh is not really that at all! I was thinking that this would be, well, a spicy oriental with a Christmastime vibe. So it just goes to show you that the names do build expectations up quite a lot... What did I find? To my nose, the lavender is up front and center, as are the herbs: basil and clary sage are listed in the note pyramid, and to me they are far more dominant than the frankincense and myrrh and olibanum (also listed among the notes). The wood (cedar is listed) smells natural, not like aromachemicals, so this may even be the original recipe from 1984. What a surprise: this is a powerful woody aromatic cologne! Smells good and natural and I'd definitely recommend it to gents. For myself, this is more of a warm weather scent. Quite likeable, despite defying all of my expectations. The longevity is very good thanks to the substantial basenotes to which the aromatics are able to cling.

The start is a warm citrus, more like orangey wave that has a little bit of smokiness and balsam into it. Then it is a bit hard to tell the depth you would find through the odor but it gives out nuances of wood, its not very woody but its definitely noticeable. Then after a while you get some of the chamomile and lavendel. The olibanum and myrrh is very subtile here as they are not noticeable in the start. but after a while, say some hours up, the odor trip finishes and gives a clear fragrance of olibanum and slight myrrh, in which throughout the hours you would notice that first orangey smell would converge to the freshness of olibanum. This is a complicated perfume and its hard to like it in the first glance, but i would say just like befriending another fellow, you will get a liking to this perfume and it's a bottle you would spray around your home or your clothes, but not necessarily wear it in every occasion. Suits for probably an elder person or a perfume nerd who wants to be "mysterious", moderate sillage, lasts a decent time, overall rating: 8/10

I smell myrrh, not much frankincense though, if any. That said, a really good scent to layer with others. It can add a subtle soapy spice to any stronger cologne; personally, I think this mixed with something very Oud (such as Tom Ford Oud Wood) is close to perfection. On its own, it’s nice and fresh and spicy, but subtle. Squarely masculine in my opinion.

Now that I joined Fragrantica I re-post my review of Frankincense and Myrrh by Czech & Speake. I'm not into citrusy fragrances, and I love oriental and resins-based scents. The persistence is not so good on my skin, but this fragrance represents for me a valid alternative for summer to citrusy fragrances.

It has a comfortable, warm smokiness, with powdery sandalwood and earthy herbs in the background. A touch of floral and soapy notes gives it an old school vibe in a good way. Very nice fragrance, just It gets weaker in 1-2 hours, I should probably try EDP.

Excellent mixture of myrrh and frankincense that leaves her well-balanced not only enjoying it appears that the lavender mixture of oriental notes. But the fragrance does not disappoint. I classify it thus: Smell: 8/10 Projection: 5.5/10 Longevity: 6.5/10

Far too powdery a fragrance for my liking. It resembles a talcum powder of some sort. Very soft scent.

Frankincense and Myrrh will be a disappointment for anyone looking for either frankincense or myrrh. It doesn't have much of either, very little in fact. It is rather a gentle, soapy aromatic masculine fragrance accentuated by these two notes. There is a fleeting and subtle citrus opening along with lavender. The lavender is soon paired with light frankincense. This is followed by the fragrance getting woodier and ever so slightly creamy from the woods. The soapy freshness is present throughout. Unfortunately, it perfoms a disappearing act very quickly - low sillage and low to average longevity on skin. I would have loved a more substantial rendition of the same theme - a soapy traditional aromatic masculine accentuated by incense. It has pitfalls similar to a few other Czech and Speake fragrances I have sampled - not bad, but thinness of body and absence of any compelling factor in the scent profile. 2.5/5 (neutral)

One of your better late autumn/early winter fragrances. Note separation is suprisingly good, considering this is a fragrance from a house that, well, doesn't specialize in fragrance. The title ingredients are on display, haloed in kitchen spices and subtle woods. It's all very bright, masculine, and festive smelling. Try it around the holiday season. It's not a bad one in the least, although I wouldn't spring for a bottle myself. Perhaps if there was a bit more lavender in the composition, I would consider it, but as it stands, it's a little flat. It goes to show that even with high-grade ingredients and careful blending, this type of scent can come across as uninspiring if nothing makes it sparkle. This fragrance smells as though it takes itself a little too literally, but that might be exactly what Czech & Speake fans want.

The first time I saw Frankincense and Myrrh laying on a perfume shop shelf I expected a dark, bold and meditative composition a-là Avignon, but then I tested it... The main ingredients mentioned in the fragrance name are concocted to a classic musky/citrus cologne with a result that while is not particularly outstanding is still pretty enjoyable and pleasant. If you're looking for your first frankincense/myrrh composition there're many better options out there, but considering this was originally rleased in 1984 and it's still one of the few citrus-frankincense-myrrh combo on the market, it definitely deserves a good rating. Very Nice. Rating: 7/10

The quality here is undeniable, but unfortunately, this was a blind buy for me that just didn't fit my personal style. Since it’s literally only had 2 sprays, the bottle is in pristine condition. I’d love for it to go to someone who truly appreciates this classic! Details are here: https://www.fragrantica.com/board/viewtopic.php?pid=7708751#p7708751

Frankincense and Myrrh does not live up to its name. It opens mainly with lemon and lavender. Even tough the Frankincense/Myrrh combination is there I find the woods to be equally strong. For my tastes it is a bit too mass appealing and not interesting enough. I'd grade it B-

This is one of those fragrances that only get a few wearings every year and it deserves more. I am going to be using this more over this Christmas period. Its a fresh clean and very mature scent and the name speaks for itself. Glad that I have this in my collection.

My very first frangrance was Frankincense and Myrrh and that was during my teenage years. It was a start to develop a passion for frangrances, I come a long way but I can never forget my first perfume.

This review is based on their sample. Reminds me a bit of Epic Man by Amouage. Below average projection and moderate longevity on my skin.

I love this fragrance, there is nothing like it ....... that I have ever smelled anyway, I always get compliments when I wear it.

Is that a mainly male scent or is it good for women too?