Ummagumma

I am a novice when it comes to fragrances. In general, I smell like nothing. I find scents to be overpowering and distracting. My sister, however, is a new collector and introduced me to the world of Fragrantica. I stumbled across FZOTIC, and I appreciated the deviation from department store colognes that give me a headache. The reviews for Ummagumma were so compelling, I couldn’t resist. I had no expectations, only curiosity—and a hope to be disarmed. I’ve always loved vanilla, smoky scents that don’t lean too sweet, and musks that stay grounded, avoiding spices that are too peppery or patchouli-like. I sprayed once on each wrist, and I paused. Not in awe, at first—but in confusion. This did not smell like any conventional perfume I have ever come across, it smelled like a place. I couldn’t name what I was smelling at first, only that it felt nostalgic I had expected mystery—a winter evening in a bottle. Cold nights warmed by a shared flask with friends. But instead, on otherwise unremarkable day in May, Ummagumma offered me something far more personal. Before it settled, it smelled like graham crackers around the memory of campfire. And then it unfurled into the steady idle of a truck cab heated just enough by the midday light, the kind that makes you drowsy, eyes fluttering closed, as paper receipts on the dashboard stir in breeze just enough to keep you from drifting off. This is exactly the scent of my grandmother’s old Chevy—the one she used to haul horses, where I rode in the back seat, legs sticking to the vinyl, heart content. I haven’t sat in that truck for over a decade: the faint sweetness of cherry ChapStick, the worn leather of bridles, the musk of sun-warmed dust, and that ever-present smoky-sweetness I could never place as a kid. When I was older, I recognized that vague, elusive vanilla scent as the faint residue of Swisher Sweets, enjoyed in solitude on long drives when she was finally alone. Ummagumma is a spell. I just have a sample of it but will be purchasing the full size, and I hope it is never discontinued. I am so grateful that I get to experience a reminder of my childhood in a bottle.

This takes the sweet golden incense of Amber Absolute as well as the smoky tobacco leaf of Tobacco Oud (without the dirtiness) and drowns them both in pure cocoa powder. I cannot express how much I love this. The cocoa somewhat fades with time but it's always there in the background, making this fragrance uniquely compelling. I see it has been compared to Slumberhouse Ore - they share a similar cocoa note, but instead of incense, Ore mixes that cocoa with dry woods. They're both great but I find myself more drawn to Ummagumma, perhaps because it's the stranger of the two (though reminding me of two of my favorite Tom Ford fragrances doesn't hurt). It performs a bit ambiguously though: it has great longevity, but it can be fairly airy with sillage that fades in and out. Perhaps I'm experiencing olfactory fatigue, but my impression (unlike some others here) is it has intimate projection after 20 minutes or so. Of course, you can always just spray more - with a fragrance this addictive, it's hard not to. Edit: This lasts for more than 24 hours on my skin, though it's mostly a tobacco leaf accord by that point, very similiar to that of Tobacco Oud's drydown. There's still a touch of chocolate, but it's very faint. And upon further testing, it seems the projection is not as close as I thought - olfactory fatigue definitely plays a role in making it seem that way but others can smell me for some time. I'd say 3ft or so for 4-6 hours, not bad at all. This is an incredible fragrance!

Deja Vu. That's my first impression. I feel I've smelled this before, but I can't remember the name. It is somehow reminiscent of a lot of incense-themed scents (Heeley, Tauer, Mandy Aftel, Sonoma Scent Studio) thrown in with some chocolate Bond-T, and a resinous Serge Lutens. The familiarity however, does not breed contempt. This is luscious. While it is not exactly like any of the above, I'm trying to recall where I smelled something similar. But what do I smell? Chocolate (Boom!) followed by pipe tobacco and flanked with a delicious Vanilla Tonka (not gourmand somehow). This is the 90% chocolate, dark, rich, lush, barely edible chocolate. Within 10 minutes, those three predominant notes comingle beautifully with woods and incense, almost smokey, but not like cade, more beautifully sweet and fragrant smoke. This is a well-balanced, deep dark fragrance that after the first hour lightens into a more amber-incense themed scent, a bit sexy but also comforting. The silage is moderate, not particularly great after that 10 minute opening, but the longevity is moderate to long. This is a hit! I wasn't keen on the name though I love Pink Floyd, but the scent is quite good. Thumbs up here.

Ummagumma is surely Bruno Fazzolari's most delicious composition yet, a mostly-gourmand blend of cacao, labdanum, vanilla, tobacco, and woods. It's sweet, creamy, resinous, and woody. Quite likable for lovers of sweet and gourmand fragrances, similar but not as a sweet as Kyse Perfumes Oui Plus as Ummagumma lacks the graham cracker vibe, it's also a bit like Slumberhouse Ore but without Ore's signature pepper strength. Tobacco gives Ummagumma some character, as well, rounding out the sweet/woody pairing with a slight edginess. Carnation and leather are listed notes, as well, but I don't really detect either. Perhaps the leather just mixes well with the tobacco, though. Performance is very good, strong in both projection and longevity. Based on the performance, the $125 for 30ml price is more warranted for Ummagumma than perhaps for any other of the house's offerings. This very well might be my favorite release from the house to date, along with Five. Very impressive, a gourmand creation that is nonetheless sophisticated and even restrained in certain ways but certainly amounts to an amalgam of interesting notes, expertly blended. Bravo to Bruno! 8 out of 10

I got this a few years ago and it's a TOTAL love. It's so weird, so left-of-centre, so PECULIAR. I get Sahara Noir vibes -- I tried to add this to the 'this reminds me of' section, and it instantly vanishes, suggesting someone else already did this, and it got voted down. Dark, stinky, resinous, balsamic, chocolatey. Love. It's different to Ore -- more resin depth. It's different to Pale Fire -- more umami / gourmand elements. Look, it's not an easy wear, I probably couldn't wear it in the office without getting side-eyed, but I do indeed love it, and it's such a great addition to my collection. Definitely for the colder months, and more of a day use scent -- I wouldn't want to go to bed with this cloud around me, I wouldn't sleep too well!