Essence Labdanum

I wonder why Donna Karan stopped making good perfumes and turned to the DKNY line of mediocre (at best) commercial fragrances. Labdanum is one of the older, good perfumes. It actually smells like labdanum - what a wonderful surprise! It also smells like smoky incense-infused leather. The scent starts out mostly as labdanum unadorned and stays that way for the better part of an hour, after which it transitions into a burnt wood and incense scent. I really like the combination of labdanum, wood smoke, and incense. This isn’t the very best labdanum I’ve ever smelled, but it’s pleasant and natural, softened with traces of other notes. I wonder how I would react to this perfume if I didn’t use pure labdanum in my own perfumes. I’d probably love it with a passion. As it is, the DK version seems quite tame, a labdanum for those who don’t like to get too far out there with their perfumes, but do want something out of the box and very different from the mainstream. In my experience, labdanum is a love-it-or hate-it note, so that’s how it likely will be for anyone who tries this creation. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to avoid the usual florals, and especially to anyone who loves the scent of labdanum.

Donna Karan's Labdanum is just a perfect warm, leathery, semi sweet wrapping. It feels luxurious, and as a man, is one of my favorite scents I like to wear around the house. I cant imagine anyone wouldn't like this smell. To me it just rings all the bells for both comfort and subtly sexy. I hope I never run out of this. I wish someone would continue making a perfume this good.

Simply the most beautiful labdanum centric scent I’m yet to find. Cozy, sensual, labdanum with that sense of leather and musk. Feels slightly liturgical in its incense facets and sits kind of close, like a warm hug...gosh I love it. Have since I first smelled it. How it’s discontinued is beyond my means of comprehension really...

Why are masterpieces like DK Essence Labdanum and Wenge always D/C? Desert island bottles without a doubt! Unisex perfection that'll warm you up in a blizzard.

It is what it says it is: lovely (yet not quite legendary) labdanum-leather, all the way through and all the way down. A linear and one-note affair, then, but with a note this beautiful it's no sin to just hold and sustain the same old thing for a good long while. Smooth, warm, discreet, only the slightest possible tang of sourness from the leather, very little sweetness yet without ever losing its gentle, caressing feel. Labdanum that's on the polished and refined, understated side than going more punchy dusty/earthy. Nothing against simple scents per se, but I can't help missing the extra details of spice and warmth from DK Black Cashmere. To me this isn't robust enough to be a real substitute for that lost legend - but still, there is no denying that Essence Labdanum was made to be loved. Minimal, classy and classic. It would never ever be wrong to wear. Yet somehow it doesn't quite light my fire or make me want to hunt it down. Restrained, but reasonably robust, projection; longevity not brilliant, but not bad either. About as completely unisex as any scent could be, in my view, but definitely a gentle whisper rather than a seductive rumble.

I'm not too familiar with particular resins and their scents, so discovering Donna Karan's Essence collection has managed to broaden my horizons in terms of recognizing certain notes. Essence Labdanum is quite an interesting and simplistic fragrance. I would define this fragrance as being very unisex and rich. It has a lovely, smooth and spicy leather quality with a subtle touch of sweetness. Ambery in nature, Essence Labdanum, (while very linear), is beautiful when layered with other amber-based scents or anything really. On its own it smells woody and leathery, however when blended Essence Labdanum has an interesting smoky incense quality that comes to the fore. This fragrance tends to remind me of the Middle East, somewhere exotic and culturally rich. The lasting power is not bad, lasting at least six hours, and longer when layered. The sillage is only moderate however. I do believe this same fragrance was released in a body lotion and a candle, which intrigues me greatly. Having a home that smells like this beautiful fragrance would be breath-taking.

I love it, it's soft and very feminine. The opening is my favorite part, it truly smells like my orthodox church insense. I wish it stayed like that, because this is the most gorgeous phase. From then in it goes down hill a little.... middle is beautiful, resinous, although not as stunning as the opening. The drydown on my skin is a tad strange, pure leather, even sweaty leather. Not bad, only very different than the top notes, not what I expected. I find the bottle very classy and attractive. The silage is rather soft, it should have had more guts, but the perfume compensates with a good lasting power. My overall vote goes for thumbs up, it is indeed unique and gorgeous, I haven't smells anything like it before. And no it has no resemblance with the Labdanum from L'occitane, which is the only other labdanum I am familiar with.

I hate this time of year. Everything is parched. Leaves look dingy, the sky is tarnished with an unsavory haze, my garden is over the hill, the only plants that catch my eye are ugly weeds. The dry creaking of cicadas, my irritability, the sense of pending fire ... even the vultures are sneaking away from here. And the dry, acrid smell of the dusty cistus shrubs next to the pigeon loft. Those shrubs are choked with pitch that smells ... Just like this fragrance, which I own. Why do I own it when I dislike the time of year it so strongly evokes for me? I think that one reason I am so enamored of fragrances is that they bring me in line with primal things, like the change of seasons. I tested other labdanum fragrances which were more pretty by far, but I had to have this one. It represents this time of year perfectly for me.

Hmmm just tested this one. First impression is like others have mentioned quite church-like; it reminds me a lot of myrrh essential oil. It's quite dry, smoky and soft. It's like Black Cashmere stripped of its woods and spices and you're left with the smoky focus point of BC. Sillage is soft, a skin scent. It's quite lovely, but it's too flat/one-dimensional for me. I prefer the more layered BC.

I have a full bottle at a discounted price if anyone is interested PM me on fragrantica thanks.