Keman

The best fragrance I have ever tried? Sometimes on the perfume journey, you stumble upon gems. However it is very rare that you become face to face with a real olfactive treasure. Those compositions that affect you on a deeper level. When I sprayed this first time, I got goosebumps. Credit to the creators Rajesh Balkrishnan and Yasuyuki Shinohara. Im not a rose lover. In fact, I usually avoid fragrances with rose. However, for me Keman is a rose dominant fragrance. How can I consider a rose fragrance as the best fragrance ever when I do not like rose? Im not sure. Keman and Di Ser in general is just different. They use a Japanese rose, grown in their own farm and distilled by themselves. It is a different rose type of smell. It is a result of art, genius knowledge and cooperation with the essence of nature itself. Its very difficult to convert the olfactive experience to words in this case. To put it simple. First I get this beautiful, almost herbalish rose playing together with jasmine. At the same time, in another "layer", I get shiso (Japanese mint), geranium and almost a fresh green leafy note. Its a really exciting and beautiful combo. It did something with my state of mind. I became happy and calm. My gf think it smell a bit like natural frangipani flowers falling from the trees. I can understand that, and it is the rose jasmine combo creating that impression. It took 15-20 minutes before I started to get the oud, which is a very pleasant type from Vietnam (Jinko grade from 2005). The scent is very transparent and has that unique Di Ser DNA. Not only do they grow and make their own essences, this fragrance is 100% natural. I feel like the Japanese culture is reflected in this fragrance, especial the minimalist natural approach. It is fascinating how a seed become a flower and ending up in a fluid which has the power of affecting the human mind and soul. These thoughts I do not get with "normal" fragrances, and that's probably why I consider Di Ser to be more than perfume. Keman has a kind of therapeutic qualities. Balsam for the soul. The image I get from it is a otherworldly forest, imagine something like the landscape in Avatar, in full bloom. That is Keman in a nutshell. After the first hour, Keman is close to skin. If wearing this at work I will probably bring a decant and reapply after 3-4 hours. It will create a pleasant cloud around you, and I think the naturals will make people wonder what that amazing scent is- because it does not smell like a typical perfume...which is one of the coolest things by wearing it. Keman certainly represents a kind of milestone on my perfume journey. Not only is it among the best fragrances I have tried and that affected me most, I have opened up for rose and probably got a new favourite fragrance house. When they do things like this, they are in a league of their own according to my taste.

How am I to find a solution to writing about a transcendental fragrance like Di Ser? Most of those who have already written about it have tried to capture the experience of being enveloped in a way that tries to get beyond language and into the mystical realm of the senses and meditation. I wish I had the linguistic tools to match the near poetry they have written in homage to this rara avis (rare bird).I use the bird image because the fragrance takes flight upward into both the fullness of being and the Mu (emptiness) that mysticism attempts to reach. Like most great works of art, it is an oxymoron, both bird and nothing, both natural and exquistely well-crafted. The notes just keep unfolding, whispers and mantras, songs and to quote Hamlet “the rest is silence.” The Rose and carnation are “to live for”, for me, at least, since I admit to not knowing what Shiso and Yuzo smell like in nature. But I really don’t think listing ingredients is what would prove helpful (they are listed after all). It is the experience of it changing subtly over several hours. It isn’t a silage beast, but it is strong enough to make a magnetic impression on those close by. I have to admit that living in self-distancing has made me a flagrant abuser of sprays. If I could live in the world this evokes I would. I won’t keep this a as rara avis. It is meant to be used and to open me up to a new way of sensing scents. It isn’t an epic poem or a melancholy ode. It is among the great Eastern masters, who captured humanity is a few carefully chosen words and syllables. If you can ever sample this fragrance you might be as flummoxed in trying to describe it as I am. It deserves in Olfactory 2020 nomination, and of all the ones I have smelled in this category it is the one I treasure the most. Thank you for creating something that changes me.

3 sample size wearings and here are my thoughts: This perfume is stunning. Crisp and complex. It wears, on me, reverse engineered and full circled. On my skin it opens with a blast of that kyara oud, medicinal, anise like, almost paint thinner astringent. Gorgeous. Then I get a blooming rose jam, austere. Not heavy. This is then followed by bright, tart yuzu. The Yuzu, for me, stays the entire life of the fragrance. The rose fades and gives way to either mint or geranium, or both. The kyara comes back now as everything dries down and the fragrances slowly stays and then fades as a pretty floral, minty, citrus, spiritual oud. The flowers are never heady. The citrus is never synthetic. And the oud is never stinky. The longevity is well above average. I cannot comment on sillage or projection as I wasn’t able to have a true full wearing. But I imagine it’s perfect. This is nearly a perfect fragrance. Completely non gender. I would wear this in a linen shirt on the beach. I would wear it after a hot bath in the depth of winter. I would wear this in a baby blue t-shirt, dark wash jeans, and white sneakers. I would wear this in a fitted black suit with no tie. I would wear this on a first date. I would wear this to family picture day. It is both inviting, and introverted. It can be shared, or hoarded. This is a proper, modern fragrance: clean and bright but deep and complex. Very spiritual in nature, though more of a prayer scent than a meditation scent. This perfume talks more than it listens with a soft soft and seductive voice that politely demands your attention. Fantastic! 10/10

Keman opens with a burst of Yuzu, one of the best uses of natural Yuzu I have encountered, it's crisp like an acidic citrus juice, yet herbal, like the rind as well. Uplifting shisho, and sweet florals round out the top-notes which last for quite a while. In the sun, the citrus and mint radiate off of your skin, lending a rejuvenating quality to this perfume, especially in the heat. This is a perfume born to be worn in the heat. As Keman develops on skin, a rich herbal oud starts to break through the composition, and grounds it. It's in the heart-notes where the jasmine, rose and cherry blossom really flourish on me as well. They lend a spiritual, numinous quality to the perfume, as if my mind is wandering through an endless array of light pink flower petals hanging from the sky, and these notes quite literally enchanted me during my wearing. During the dry down, these notes meld together, and soften into a whisper, supported by a green earthiness, most likely due to the presence of cypress. In all, wearing Keman is an experience unto its self, spiritual and healing. Projection is moderate, noticeable for the wearer, yet personal as well. Longevity is fantastic considering this is a completely natural perfume. Professor Balkrishnan was extremely generous, and gave me the fortune of sampling this beautiful perfume.

This fragrance is an experience! Deep, mind-invigorating, ethereal and meditative is what the fragrance is to me It opens with a refreshing blast of Japanese rose, geranium and shiso (Japanese mint) that for a second reminds me of Tsuki 月 also from Di Ser but it quickly takes a different turn just 5 minutes later. Few minutes pass and now the mid and base start cutting through the mix and begin making this light, airy composition gain incredible depth. You can start smelling a bit of cypress and a green oud start balancing the bright top notes The more it dries down, the more the top minty notes dissipate and the oud starts to shine alongside the cypress note. This oud is very gentle and green, no barnyard or animalics here. If you've ever smelled oud oil you'll know exactly the type of oud I'm talking about, you can tell whats here is 100% authentic oud The deep drydown of this frag is similar to the other Di Ser offerings I've tried. I had high expectations and this met them. This oud fragrance is suitable for warm weather, it's very light and has a distinct Japanese elegance to it. It's not a beast performer but this is using 100% naturals. For what I would say is a light fragrance it has amazing complexity to it! This was a very enjoyable wear! ー🎅