North To Poltava

North to Poltava has become a favorite winter fragrance and an ultra pleasant, easy reach. As soon as winter arrives, I always crave a good raspberry fragrance. Not a synthetic, saccharine gourmand, where I'm not even sure what type of "berry" I'm supposed to smell. I want a perfume that is not Tuscan Leather, but something similar--dark, maybe a little bit smoky and a bit more balsamic. We rarely encounter a true raspberry note anymore. I spritz on North to Poltava, and immediately my desires are fulfilled. The raspberry is unmistakable! There are dark woods and creamy balsams. It's a little bit smoky and a little bit powdery. I smell something like frankincense or elemi too, something pleasantly sharp. Compared to many woody niche perfumes that seem like they're all base notes, North to Poltava feels more full, more balanced. The ingredients are excellent. They smell natural. They don't cause the dreaded headaches I get from too many synthetics. BranVargas' review below is spot-on. The bottle is beautiful. The crinkled gold on the cap hasn't peeled or flaked off at all. Disclosure: I received a free bottle from the brand as I was considering stocking this house (I would have done so based on this perfume) at Avé Parfum, my former online artisan & niche perfume shop. Unfortunately I decided to close up, and it took a while before getting around to trying this one. I never write disingenuous reviews! North to Poltava is an awesome reach for anybody who loves woody perfumes. This house really deserves attention, but I fear they have already stopped production!

Wearing a the tail end of summer into autumn (mid March Southern Hemisphere). It’s a warm day and humid day. Opens with crackling and icy whiteness which is lovely. Clean white musk that has a light sweetness and a touch of gentle jasmine. I’m really liking it but it might change up with maceration time and cooler temps. Either way I’m not unhappy. Will edit in winter with updates

Sharp opening of raspberry and rum. ( Yes is felt for few seconds upon initial spray.) Then turns powdery and floral. Not ground breaking but not challenging. Leans more feminine. Woody under tone pop out later after about an hour. Very safe office wear and pleasant to wear

Boozy raspberry opening, but very immediately turns powdery floral, exactly what the review mentions below. Then it goes through a phase where it smells kind of nutty/savoury and also like celery (yuck, very simillar to Insouciance & Allegresse by Cartier in the dry-down). But after that nasty celery/nut/sweet smell, it's a powdery raspberry rose with woody undertones, which is very pleasant. I would have considered a bottle if not for that strange middle phase that lasts at least 2h.

Another bold scent. Opens a little rubbery but leathery, powdery but warm. Very exotic! A little boozy, earthy, woody with just the right amount of sweetness. It also has slight hints of a mature dense rose. A different take on an Oud fragrance. Not so western but not too middle eastern as well.