Kumo no Koromo

Some fragrances energize you. Some give you confidence. Others make you think. Di Ser’s Kumo No Koromo is the last of those three. It recalls a pensive state of contemplation held deep within the thread of fabric, woven by poetry and a steadfast commitment to traditional craft. When you seek out this traditional Japanese house, you do not do so for the approval of others. People seek out Di Ser for the lack of pretense. Perfumer Yasuyuki Shinohara doesn’t use power amber or sweet musks, as he believes in loving things in their natural state. This isn’t to say that Di Ser is without complexity, but it is if you only glance at the surface. However, the brand holds a deeply constructed tapestry of nuance once you stop and listen, just as the Japanese “listen” to incense. It’s a story that is told, not a mere aroma just to smell good. Kumo No Koromo is woody, very much so. I saw some people saying that it’s a citrus, but outside of a dried bergamot peel that swiftly fades, it radiates like a warm, woody scent on my skin. The humid heat of an aged hinoki onsen, still crisp with a cracked black pepper kick and pungency, sings with Todo pine’s slightly sweetened, resinous warmth. Wood shavings dance in the background, casting pale woody tones and freshly hewn resin through the air while the sweetened yet slightly bitter warmth of star anise adds texture to the woody notes, almost lifting them into a slightly rough feeling as if you were running your hand down a piece of unsanded lumber. There is a touch of kyara in Kumo No Koromo. It’s a very light touch, and it is not expected to be dominant in such an affordable scent. You can feel that slightly mentholated camphor from it rising through the scent, enlivening the greener side of the cypress with a chilly kiss of conifer needles. Kumo No Koromo is blissful, warm, and cozy. It’s a warming hearth set against a winter forest while a subtle plume of incense smoke rises through to fight back against the frigid air. It’s an old temple nestled deep in the woods, its wall aged but maintained, inviting the world to come into its domain. It’s the warmth of a moment of peace with your significant other, a memory that will echo throughout your life as a reminder to slow down and enjoy simplicity. Simply put, Kumo no Koromo is a wonderful woody scent that is authentically composed as a treatment of the forest as it is, and with the reverence to say that nothing else is needed.

strong dry wood elements accompany an earthy green and herby profile with a slight citrusy floral tinge

Gotta be patient with this one...It's mostly unspectacular, but once the noises wear off, the woodsy serenity outshines some of his other creations.

A lovely but somewhat redundant woody aromatic citrus from this venerable house highlighting a beautiful todo pine note. The perfume opens with this note that stays throughout the wear of the perfume. At first it is surrounded by cypress, hinoki and bergamot. In the heart we get vetiver, star anise and some neroli. The perfume settles on a woody base of slight oud, sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli. Like most scents of this house, this is a natural therapeutic scent that leans slightly masculine and has moderate sillage and projection. But please Mr. Shinohara, do something different. Your last eight or ten scents are just subtle variations of each other.

On me pulls very citrus for whatever reason.