Felt

Hendley Perfumes Felt was part of the 2019 Laboratory Series and recently given a broader release on the website (along with 2020’s Cola). It’s resinous and spicy and slightly animalic, a slightly sweeter cousin of my favorite of the main collection, Fume, albeit not as smoky and dark. Felt features a robust resinous mix (opoponax, fir balsam, frankincense, benzoin) with cardamom, nutmeg, rose, sandalwood, patchouli, and musk. There’s some brightness and sweetness that complement the still-present barbecue vibe, but the fir balsam and sandalwood also foster a woody sense. So it’s a less dark, less piney, brighter, sweeter departure from Fume, and a very interesting resinous fragrance in its own right. Overall, it’s quite compelling, and I suspect that the other elements (rose, patchouli) combine with the slight sweetness of perhaps the benzoin, the smoothness of the musk, to be really make the whole blend fit together and feel quite easy to wear. Felt is EDP concentration, performs well (comparably to Cola, but not as well as Fume), priced at $160/105/55 for 50/30/15ml, in line with the current pricing for the rest of the line, all of which has been created by perfumer/owner Hans Hendley. Along with Cola, Felt merits attention and I’d certainly recommend that fans of resinous fragrances get their noses on both. Also, both Felt and Cola have interesting complexity and are fun for amber fans, but are also accessible, I suspect, to everyone, even those who dabble mainly it the designer world, particularly since neither is especially animalic (though Felt certainly leans that way more than Cola). I look forward to getting bottles of both when they’re restocked. 8 out of 10

Beautiful. Spicy. Forest. Fir balsam is the most dominant note in the opening, taking you on this journey into the gorgeous dry down, bringing nutmeg and cardamom forward. This is the smell of a pine forest right after a heavy rainstorm. The air is wet, crisp and clean; a campfire is off in the distance and the sun is breaking through the clouds. Patchouli and opoponax hold this composition together. Felt is a wonderful, lovely scent, and like all Hendley’s, a very natural olfactory experience. File this under a scent that’s hard to forget. Sampling a “new to me” Hans Hendley fragrance is deadly for my budget. And because this is a limited edition fragrance, I feel an urgent need to add this beauty to my collection. Right now this is in stock through his website. Contemplating a buy. Have I already said that I love this?

Oh wow. Very strange and unique scent. Opens up very balsamic and spicy, almost with a food-like quality to it. Dries down to woods and spices. Quality is clearly top-notch. Wonderful!

All too aptly named: soft, comforting, warm - but on me this one was a rare misfire from the generally incredibly great Hendley line. Despite being made of many of the things I love the most, the overall effect was sadly muted. Perhaps a skin chemistry or a batch issue, but its sillage seemed drastically limited (to a radius of 3 or 4 inches from skin) and only faint, tantalising wisps of fir balsam and all those wonderful resins could be detected. Definitely a coddling swaddle, but swathed so thickly within itself that on me it landed with a very, very quiet thud. Tried in several different weathers and contexts but the soft blurriness never sharpened into something more defined. Still lovely, just so so discreet. Will hit the sweet spot with those who have more sensitive noses than me, and who don't want the more bombastic effect of 'bigger', rougher Hendleys like Hewn and Fume ... but in my case, so gently imperceptible I simply couldn't really feel the Felt! (And I coughed up full retail and hefty international shipping charges, so didn't just want, but craved, to love it madly. ) Sorry Hans - and given all the other masterpieces you make, I won't hold it against ya.

There is a balance here between the fir and the nutmeg -- it works so well together, and the symbiosis is CLEAR -- they both function as the one accord as opposed to two different (competing) notes. It's done very well, and it's hard to find any seams or edges on this. Expertly mixed. Hendley doesn't get the props he deserves, I feel. I mean, in niche/artisanal circles he's spoken of highly, but never to the extent that Josh Lobb or anyone else from the kinda realm he occupies. He's an expert perfumer and deserves to have his praises sung even MORE. A few similarities with Hewn (the woodsiness, I imagine), as well as a few with Serge Lutens 'Serge Noire', and even Minditorrosa's 'Id', but these could likely be just my own nose and they may not occur to you and your nose. Overall, another banger from Hendley, though, not one that I would seek out personally...

Returning to the 'Purple Felt' version after a few years, and after all this time, I can fully see the connection to Marrakech by Aesop -- it's right there and I cannot ignore it anymore... Woodsy, spicy-herbal and balsamic. Quite a pleasant scent, I must say, but not one I see myself reaching for (relax folks, I only have a sample). Still recommended though...