No. II Ground

My favorite by Gabar! The fig is smooth and creamy, and it’s slightly spicy but more warm than anything. It feels chic, a little moody, a more polished distant cousin to the noir 29 by Le Labo. I adore this!

Wore this to a cocktail night with my friends and got so many compliments. It gives me a nice warmth in cold spring nights and embraces me with comfort on grey rainy days.

That explains its powdery, powerful anchor, which both suggests lore and centers the mind.

Super unique! Starts off with a sweet wave of spice coming from saffron, pink pepper along with some ginger. The initial slight sweetness comes from the fig note, which in here is more green than fruity. I really love the opening! Wish it would linger for longer. Dry down is very earthy and vegetal, truly smells like wet soil. The name is very fitting! I've seen people make comparisons to thé Matcha & thé Noir which i don't get, the only similarity i pick up on is the vetiver and fig combo, however Ground is much more woody and the fig is definitely a background player, way less juicy and sweet as well. The longer it sits on the skin, the more prominent patchouli and musky woods become. I rlly like that it's something new, a scent profile that i wasn't familiar with but i don't think i necessarily need a full bottle in my collection. Definitely sample before buying!

Performs well between my niche fragrance loving friends. What gabar does really well is producing long lasting scents that don't have the burning alcohol punch in the nose. Wouldn't put it in the intimate category though due to its longevity, 2 sprays are rather 'loud'. I do like it, but it's just a bit sweet in a different way than i personally prefer. Musky-spicy but also somewhat soapy. Unisex. Headache inducing. Very autumn-winter. Maybe more autumn than winter, probably because of all the sweet wood.

I thought I would like this scent the most in the discovery set, but I was surprised that it was a bit to sharp for me- there was a throughline of jasmine and white florals that I was getting somehow even though it's not listed in the notes- that combined with the ginger to produce something a bit heady and grating to my nose. I did pick up the spices from the coriander and saffron, along with a slightly more grounded and woody drydown. I layered this with Lush Chelsea morning which added a nice touch of citrus and sweetness but I'm still not fully sold on Ground, I wish it were a bit softer and more blended.

Was one of my favourite smells until it wasn't. The fig combined with these other notes personally reminds me of banana but that sadly doesn't last and dries into something I don't like

I adore this fragrance. I think I am especially sensitive to fig notes since unlike other reviewers I find the fig to be prominent in this composition. It is woody, and warm and comforting, but also figgy and a bit sweet. As an orris/iris lover, I'm surprised that I barely pick up on that aspect. This feels more like a more grown-up Thé Matcha 26 rather than Thé Noir 29. Ground is subtler than The Matcha, less obviously fruity, and a bit more complex. When I wear it I regularly get compliments despite my lighthanded application.

My 2025 scent of the year! It's my ideal woodsy scent profile, with warm touches, subtle spices, and a soft powdery base. The light sweetness from the fig is so addicting. I ended up purchasing a second bottle as a backup just so that I could bring mine on a 2 week trip to Europe. Total no brainer fall/winter every day pick, and I find that it's pretty difficult to overspray. Some fragrances that share this DNA have an overdose of musks or heavy woods, yet Ground is a lot more considered and well blended.

On paper, this scent has everything I like. I really liked it when I first received it. But I haven’t really worn it for over a year. There’s something sharp, something angular, perhaps even plasticky, it doesn’t feel well blended. Almost like mixing essential oils, when they’re too concentrated and haven’t been balanced well. A similar sensation I get is when I smell some candles. The magic of warm spicy woody perfumes for me, is that they become a part of you, and sadly this isn’t that.

Good review: Nice woody earthy vetiver. My favourite in the Discovery set. All the Gabar perfumes have this very jungly green and pungent common base. There is something regal, ephemeral, and worth the pricepoint in this. Bad review after I changed my mind: Overpriced, smells funky like coca-cola gone off. I almost pre-ordered but canceled because I truly didn’t need this in my collection. And I sold the 2 other samples in the Discovery set because they were not wearable scents.

Super special! It's predominantly a deeper, warm and spiced fragrance. However, there are some really interesting earthy and green qualities to it, notably the inclusion of fig, aromatic ginger and coriander, and a heavy dose of woods (plural). This is a stellar choice for fall and winter, but I can tell it's going to carry me through some cold and rainy spring days too. It manages to be distinct, comforting, deep, and fresh at the same time. Yay dualities!

I can see where people say this resembles Noir 29, but I find this to be heavier on the musk and much more woody. The fig is not front and center. More in the background. Ground also leans a bit more on the masculine side to me. All in all, not bad. 7/10 Edit: This smells like cigarettes on clothes. I love it. 8/10

I think this is my favorite of the gabar scents. Juicy fig and beautiful woods. Sweet yet grounding :) I would consider purchasing a travel size or buying for a friend as I dont think I would wear it enough to justify a full size. I do reallyyyyyyyy like it though. Cozy and comforting.