Reliqvia

If you've ever wanted to experience what the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis smells like, then this is the scent for you, because it's truly the most perfect mimicry I could ever imagine. Whether by curiosity, or a genuine search for a new scent to wear, I highly recommend at least picking up a sample of this in your next round of perfume testing. I agree with all of the suggested scent notes, with the small correction that I personally perceive very little sweetness in this, so I would say that instead of an under-note of “Sweet Orange," the initial smell is more akin to the bittersweetness of an orange’s peel, lying under a heavy blanket of dark, smoky wood and pine when it dries down. For those that want a TL:DR, that is my short and sweet review. 10/10 But, for those who want to listen to someone wax poetic about their aesthetic and emotional response to this perfume, here you go: A context for those that may be similar to myself– I am not Catholic. However, I was born and raised within the faith, and my entire family is Catholic. I left the church as soon as I grew old enough to realize that I was different, and could form my own thoughts and opinions of the world. I am queer, both in sexuality and gender, as well as neurodivergent. What I'd initially been led to believe was the feeling of faith in the divine, turned out to merely be a crippling paranoia of surveillance that was thrust upon me by those more powerful than myself, who constantly expected my unquestioning conformity. And yet, because I was ingrained with this ancient culture from birth, I began to feel a comfort in the darker things in life. I found a rebellious sense of power in surrounding myself with horror– the ghastly, macabre, “accursed” things that religious people fear: taxidermy, vampires, the beauty of death and decay, carrion beasts, “haunted” antiques, and frightening art pieces of all kinds. Being that I truly don't have a single spiritual cell in my body, I embrace these things that hold no power over me, and yet ward off those that will make me fight tooth and nail to defend my mere existence. In my journey of self-actualization and self-expression, Reliqvia has found a very natural place in this personal sanctuary that I've built for myself. Having read my prior context, you should know that I'm being honest when I say that this scent will not, nor should it be, for everyone. It creates an air that is dark, foreboding, and subtle, yet refuses to be ignored. Much like an art piece that will disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed, as they say. It makes me feel like that gilded heirloom has been worshipped for centuries, and yet whose truest core modern people seem hesitant to fully acknowledge or appreciate. Wearing this perfume around others may elicit negative reactions, but, I would say that that makes it perfect for those who don't give a damn about what others think of them. ***That being said, a word of warning: For those that have been traumatized by the doctrine and/or culture of the Catholic church, and have not yet built a sturdy mental fortitude and self-confidence, this perfume may cause you to recall painful memories. I'm not kidding when I say that it mimics cathedral incense very precisely. It is also very strong and long-lasting, so it's quite difficult to escape from once applied to your body. For me it invokes the complicated memory of being forced to kneel in a church pew, yet filled with awe when looking up and gazing upon beautifully ornamental art, and the peace of knowing that all pain will fade with the all-powerful passage of time, as long as one has the strength to persist despite the overwhelming pressure of conformity. On a final note, I personally pride myself on my level of androgyny. This perfume leans a bit more masculine, but as someone with a higher level of estrogen, it balances perfectly with my natural skin scent into something truly genderless. However, for those with more testosterone in their bodies, it might create that unwanted smell of "B.O." or sweat that others have mentioned, so you may want to layer this with something sweeter to re-balance it. Perhaps something with a small hint of bergamot, vanilla, or jasmine, for example. Just a thought.

(Please bear with me as you read this review, because this fragrance keeps changing, and so does my opinion)... I thought this fragrance would be right up my alley, because it lists so many of my ride-or-dies: blackcurrant, orange, orange blossom, balsamic... and I love pine, cloves, nutmeg, sandalwood, tobacco. Everything I read in the reviews made me think this would be a solid "hell yeah!", so I purchased a sample from Luckyscent. I've opened the vial three times in three days, and had the same impression every time: SMOKE, BURNT, rubbery tar, freshly burnt pine... and sourness. Bitter and sour. Can this be the cat-pee quality attributed to blackcurrant? This is my first time experiencing anything but joy with BC. :( The first two times I opened the vial, I closed it immediately and scrubbed my fingers. But tonight... I got the nerve up to dab it multiple times on both wrists, about 45 minutes ago. Immediately, somewhere in the ether, I heard David Byrne ask, "My God... what have I done?!?" It was like letting a pissed-off genie out of its bottle, after a toddler has given the bottle a good shake. I was pounded with the scents of Smoke, Incense, Mastic/Lentisque, and the tar-like property of the Guaic Wood. I got a fleeting whiff of tobacco, but, alas, it wasn't my Granddad's fragrant pipe tobacco. Instead, it was cigar-like tobacco that I associate with fat old married patriarch-types trying hard to get a little side-action. I could not imagine wearing this, nor could I imagine ever wanting to smell this on anyone I actually like. But wait.... there's more. Shockingly, within about a minute, Sandalwood, that quiet hero, emerged and started mellowing everything out. About 45 minutes in, I was smelling Sandalwood, Pine Tree, and the tiniest hints of Patchouli, Cashmir Wood and Cloves. The incense and smoke mellowed out, and the tobacco has been thoroughly tamed. At the 75-minute mark, I have gone from a hard "NO", to slowly coming around. This fragrance is a Mystery. This is what you annoint yourself with when you need a mental and spiritual focus, to ponder the profound, and define your sacred space. So when the text above states, "Reliqvia is the perfect sacred space", I am in complete agreement. But I don't see this as an everyday sort of scent that you bounce around in. It's what you put on when you need to meditate on bigger things and make a life-changing decision. 90 minutes after applying, the genie has chilled out, the scent is close and mellow, and possibly I could wear this out of the house. Or in the house when my partner is around (I waited until he went out to meet friends, because I'm a good human being). I should note that I have not yet experienced any of the 'juicy' or 'sweet orange' or the fruit of blackcurrant (which I love love love). I may need to put this in a decanter that I can spray, and see if that changes anything. My initial thought was that this fragrance veered towards masculine, but now I feel it's not male or female. It is mystic and oracular. This is not a blind-buy fragrance, but I suspect it is very much a love or hate fragrance. I don't hate it, so I've rated it "love".

As an Irish Catholic child, relics were a part of growing up in a way that I'm not sure may other people have engaged with. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux came to Lancaster Cathedral in 2009, so we made the journey over to see them. If I remember, it was her thigh bone or elbow, in a great gilded box. It looked almost like a victorian terrarium, great gilded frames and glass or rock crystal panes of glass on all sides. Within the box, completely visible, was the bone of the Saint, a red velvet padded bottom, and noticeable cobwebs. The practice was to kiss the relic, meaning the crystal panes. I have no idea how old the relic's container was, but the base metal was very noticeable, it must have started to corrode in some damp environment, in the crypt of whichever French cathedral is its home or possibly in some great cellars during the war, who knows. This base metal was richly gilded, though the corrosion was still noticeable. There was an old, stale clove smell, as if the padded cushion at the bottom of the container was stuffed with a mixture of holy herbs and spices, for sacred reasons or to repel insects, I am not sure of the practices there. Possibly clove oil, actually? Reliqvia made me feel nine years old again, bowing to that relic, smelling the cold, sharp note of the corroded metal frame of Saint Thérèse's relic, the light atmospheric incense of the church, the spices hidden within. Opening: metal, sharp, loud, corroded, and dirty. A relic's metal, too ancient and fragile to be cleaned, it is old and beyond reproach. It lingers, like when one has handled certain metals, or old pennies. It lingers like the perceived blessing or good fortune that we Catholics attribute to worship of relics. Something of it comes away with you. Mid: Similar, but spicier, clove and sandalwood. The sharp metal note dies away, it is more like the smell of hands handling metal several hours ago. It is more atmospheric, it feels like you're in a crypt. Possibly a more pronounced rust element. Close: the clove turns nutmeggy, the metal less corroded. It smells exactly like hands after you have prayed a rosary, with those rose petal powder rosary beads. A cheap base metal lingers, but you do not mind, for it is sacred. Rosewood blends further and further into the direction of a subtle rose. It is transformed. 10/10 for narrative and execution, 6/10 for wearability (though I am obnoxious, so others may find this totally unwearable).

#1769 in my “Tour de Fragrance” This scent evokes abandoned temples, darkened cathedrals and crumbling monasteries, the orange and currants being the last nourishing items in an unkempt garden that once fed a religious order long depleted and buried. I’m kidding! I’m always scoffing at reviews that come off like the author is auditioning for a job writing ad copy for L’Oreal. Just having a little fun. ; ) But seriously folks. This is a nice scent. Doesn’t make me want to run right out to buy a copy of “Seven Story Mountain”, but like every Sorcinelli scent I’ve tried so far, he brings it with a seriously churchy vibe that’s heavy on the heavy stuff, long lasting on the skin, better than average silage. The woody, green, heavy on the incense vibe I always look for is here in all its power and glory. I expected some harshness in the opening, which I don’t mind, but none of that here. It was just very, very smooth. Reminiscent in the opening of Comme De Garcons “Series 3 Incense Avignon.” (the church being run from Avignon historically known as the “Babylonian Captivity" of the papacy, seemed an odd name choice for a churchy scent) but the CDG fragrance is a hollowed out scent, even for an EDT. This Sorcinelli scent is better for roughly the same money. I deem scents like this masculine. I really don’t know any woman who would wear this, but I’ve run into three so far today that really like it on me. This is not for the car pool or any tight space, at least not right after applying. For me it would be something for dinner and drinks at a place with outside seating. By the time the evening progresses this is totally fine at intimate range. Not anything you’d wear clubbing or to a casual office. In fact I don’t think a guy who is still at the age to be clubbing would wear this at all. $220 and up seems to be the range, so you’d want to get a decant from scentsplit.com to try before you buy. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

As an artist, Sorcinelli seems to exist in a netherworld, suspended between the baroque and the brutal. Compare the gilded, incensed splendour of Reliqvia with the brashness of the X Se or Super Fluo? line. The bottles say it all, when the burnished and studded splendour of Reliqvia’s presentation is contrasted with the trashy Dayglo of something like Dolicissimo Sollievo. Although he transits freely from one mode to another, the same aesthetic underpins all of Sorcinelli’s work. Excess is the Way to Self- Transcendence, be that in a seventeenth century basilica or a club or cruising ground. Reliqvia is a gorgeous incense and spice combination, making a nod to both Sorcinelli's deeply-felt Catholic sensibility and his urgent desire for authentic self-expression. In the notes which accompany this fragrance Sorcinelli seems to be saying that it offers to the modern mind, - like the relics of the past, - a tangible sense of the sacred. It is the the perfect antidote to any oppressive fragrances which might have damaged your faith in the power of perfume to uplift the soul and delight the senses. Who wouldn't want to be wreathed in a fragrance like Reliqvia that is, at the same time, deeply contemplative and full of sensory pleasure? Love, love, love.

every time I wear the sample I have of this, I get asked what I’m wearing. If there’s one thing about this fragrance, it’s definitely a beast for performance. Wearing this leaves my clothes smelling like resin and incense for days after, and in the winter I’m sure this will be all the better. I love to pair fragrances with songs as a way of combining artistic visions, and for this I would say the scent pairs very well with the song “Should Have Known Better” by Sufjan Stevens. My catholic mother was obsessed with this fragrance upon first smell and the concept behind it wowed her. As someone who was raised deeply religious and still holds a lot of reverence for catholic art and tradition, even if I myself no longer practice, this fragrance and the body of work that Filippo Sorcinelli has crafted is incredible and feels all at once incredibly sacred and comforting. This piece of art, which is how I believe this particular fragrance should be viewed, is reminiscent of a midnight mass Easter vigil only lit by candles, the smell of incense and smoke and old wooden church pews. If any fragrance could encapsulate my relationship to the divine, I think this would be it.

a church where incense has been used for centuries and centuries. very woody in my opinion, slightly citrus balsamic. the notes that emerge are undoubtedly the amyris resin, the mastic, the pine with its resin, then the elemi. the incense and the smoke travel very well together with the citrus fruits in the background. finally a clerical but different incense. I have some inkling of heeley's liturgie des heurs but this is more citrusy-resinous. excellent performance. the guaico wood is excellent, giving that hint of ancient, damp wood. little disturbing my hated cloves, a touch of patchouli that makes everything a little more earthy and dark, counterbalancing the citrus fruits and the blackcurrant that gives a little that smell (in this case not very incisive) of pee of cat, nutmeg and tobacco sweeten this wonderful composition. pine wood and elemi resin are undoubtedly the protagonists together with sweet orange with orange blossom and a sweet sandalwood. I don't know the cashmere wood but it should give a musky touch that is at the bottom. good philip. you have passed LAVS which for me remains a masterpiece but one-way. 9.5

I don’t gravitate to this scent profile for wearing, but for appreciating in my room, contemplating and writing. It brings to mind abandoned tombs, ancient rites passed down through generations. Heavy and timeless, both as a scent and as the spiritual practices it represents. It’s smoky but like ceremonial incense, not burning/charred. Warm cloves, pine trees, contemplation in the pews, chanting and hymns resounding in a low lit cathedral, amplified by the room’s acoustics,. There’s a “human” element - not sweat/skin but a space that has been inhabited for many years before you and will continue to be long after. Ancient relics, faces etched in stained glass appearing to hold eye contact with you, a weighty crucifix, wooden artifacts. The bottle is absolutely perfect for this scent, it smells like it would look exactly like the bottle. Shades of brown, burnished gold and mossy green. It’s a thoughtful, contemplative scent. Lasts for ages and will surely be smelled by those around you. It’s powerful but solemn, the type of beauty that needs to be meditated on.

This was my first ever niche fragrance, therefore I am sorry but this review will be biased. From the first smell in a small perfume store I was enchanted. I could not imagine myself walking out without this masterpiece. The scent is instantly transporting me into the very old catholic churches I used to go as a kid. I have always hated the masses, but I found the churches, and their smell, just so beautiful. This perfume is almost a replica of that memory. The very traditional catholic incense mixed with wood and pine notes, and the blackcurrant/orange up top is just perfection. It gradually dries down into a smokey skin scent, but nonetheless beautiful. Some people have told me that at the end of the day it smells like concentrated sweat on my skin, could be the citrus notes that kind of appear that way. I personally do not have that happen to me. It lasts on my skin for the whole day, but it doesnt project as much. Overall, my forever favorite and cherished scent that opened my journey to this wonderful world of fragrance.

Fragrantica, you are my confessional for this moment: Yes, Filippo Sorcinelli's ink is superb, beard epic, his torso perfection, his phallic fragrance vials playfully defiant, his craft renown, but it was through Reliqvia that he stirred more than lust. Admiration and gratitude...I suppose...and well earned. I have never gazed upon a cathedral built over generations or attended a liturgy. I cannot claim to understand the cultural context, the gravitas of tradition, the faith embodied in this work of art. Nevertheless, Reliqvia emits an aura that transcends my own inexperience, moves beyond religious identity and mere olfactory ornamentation, to communicate something universal, to arouse a calm reverence, to comfort and protect. Is Reliqvia a cynical play to the market, a vestige of old ways, the masterful work of an ancient flame's keeper, or a timeless gift transmitted by the source through a dutiful conduit? Decide for yourself.

I have a sample of this that I cannot bring myself to use because I don’t want to waste it; Reliqvia isn’t a parfum, it’s bottled art, it’s haunting Gregorian chants, it’s a clean punch of something poetic, it’s everything disappearing, it’s catholic spirits entering your body through your fucking nose—in the form of a stunningly paradoxical warm-icy incense—and purging your skull of anything evil, it’s a masterpiece; however, I just can’t justify a 100ml bottle as this is /not/ for daily use; does it fit with my occasional trad goth image? Yes. Would I like to smell like this everyday? No. Would I buy this if a 50ml was available? In a heartbeat. As a side note, it was love at first sight...sniff, and that love only grew stronger the more I went back from time to time and the more I go back, the more I realise the genius of this fragrance. 10/10 for so many reasons, but I can totally understand why the mixed reviews.

strong and understandably divisive but i think i'm kind of in love with it. heady, sweetly metallic and pleasantly spicy orange on the top with a cozy, interesting sort of mustiness to it, heavy on pine and incense and smoke, maybe to its detriment depending on who you ask. dries into lush greens and fresh, clean air without losing too much of its bite. there's even an unidentifiable sweetness in the base that i suspect is the nutmeg and/or orange but to me it doesn't come across as either of those, it's more vague but still very pleasant. it's entirely possible you won't like this at first, like i didn't, but give it another try and it might grow on you. very possibly my favorite sorcinelli scent now, i will always have a bottle in my collection.

One of the best Incense note out there. I don't usually like Sorcinelli's fragrancies but this one is very special. It's like a mystical journey into an abandoned crypt under a church consumed by the time. It's not properly the scent of the burning incense but the smell that could come out from the walls and the objects of a place where the incense was used to be burned for a long time and then the place itself releases the incense smell combined with the smell coming from old items. I don't think I will ever wear it to go out but I will in my house. This is a masterpiece. A pure interpretation of incense capable to evoke deep emotions and visions. Good job!

Я абсолютно влюбилась в него, но к сожалению, остался только тестер, а сами духи закончились - я бы купила. Это идеальная визуализация церкви из игры Диско Элизиум. Это какая то большая старая церковь, в ней давно не было службы, поэтому ладан приглушенный, как будто он просто впитался в стены. Церковь в запустении, поэтому есть ноты сырости и влаги. Ветер заносит внутрь запахи леса и свежести. И еще внутри легкий запах табака, как будто там давно курили какие то хорошие и крепкие сигареты. Мне очень понравились, но они могут быть тяжеловаты для жаркой погоды. Мне кажется идеально для более прохладной, тогда будет мэтч полный

Holy shit the opening is basically rake and ruin but warmer and with incense and fruit!!! This one is super nice. May be treating as a more wearable, less sexy but also less polarizing rake and ruin. a bit more Dry down it looses a bit of super piney and fresh but hella smokey aspects r&r I love and becomes more churchy, but still absolutely incredible. Very twin peaks coded. We chilling in the velvet room with this one It was so nice in fact I looked into a full bottle. However um. Yeah..that will not be happening. Arab perfumers I await your next move. A dupe better be made...

While Lavs is the straightforward incense of the line (like Heeley Cardinal, CDG Avignon, Jovoy La Liturgie des Heures &co), this one is the more complex one, with similariies to Heeley Eau Sacree, but also something of Goutal Encens Flamboyant. I own the latter two,and it would be redundant to own that one also, but for whom looks for a rounder, not too smoky, more complex incense with other supporting notes, that is an excellent choice (even if Eau Sacree is also beautiful, and cheaper, but Sorcinelli's artwork might make it worth for some).

Reliqvia is to me the most accurate ‘church scent’ I have ever smelled in perfume form. As an Orthodox Christian it truly transports me to the sacred space of liturgy the moment it touches my skin. What fascinates me is how after about an hour the solemn incense seems to dissolve into something more alive, a damp mossy forest air, as if the walls of the church have opened to nature itself. It is both haunting and unexpectedly wearable, carrying the weight of ritual yet soft enough for everyday contemplation. Gorgeous.

Oh my goodness, I’m in love. The opening note is a novice to the wise abbot at this perfume’s heart. Smoky wood, woodsmoke, myrrh, pine, oranges - this perfume is winter in a monastic library. It feels timeless. I think I could have worn this in a Pharoah’s palace, a Roman court, a medieval theater, or a New York coffee shop, and I would fit in. I hope my retirement smells like this perfume: a warm fireplace, good books, and heavy wooden furniture. I want to explore the rest of this house now.

Beautiful, peppery and mesmerizing! The opening is gorgeous with a smoky, almost moldy and sweet woody note that I adore, for it to get more peppery and resinous while still keeping that gorgeous woodiness. It really smells ancient and sacred in a dramatical way — almost mysterious and mystical. I really enjoyed gifting my decant to my girlfriend so I'd be able to smell it on her. It’s completely unisex (like every fragrance to be frank), but the scent is especially beautiful on a woman.

Reliqvia is pure encense is a bottle - it's addictive - a swirl of sacred smoke that carries you straight into the dim hush of ancient churches - it feels like a shield - a timeless, solemn cloak around the soul - longevity is outstanding, and projection strikes the perfect balance: present yet never to loud - i need a full bottle (a stunning design btw) - it's the kind of scent i could wear anytime, yet it feels like being clouded in a sacred ritual - the price is steep, though.