Arborist

I don't do this very often, but I'm going to start a review with a question: how do you FEEL about this fragrance? This may sound odd. Obviously everyone has their own perspective and opinion about art. The reason why I even ask this is because I find this particular fragrance very intimate compared to other fragrances from this brand. It's almost like an illustration of a relationship between you and the Scottish forest. That's incredibly difficult to do. I castigate myself because I didn't think this house was very good at first. Boy was I wrong! And boy did I waste a lot of time. I will provide myself a lifeline however and say this is for the more advanced noses out there. And I was not ready. I still have a lot of learning to do, but I can at least acknowledge where I am at this point. This is a beautiful and complex forest fragrance to say it plainly. If it is dark and stormy outside, and you put this on, you are in for quite the experience. It's like the forest comes to life inside of your mind. A vibrant imaginative experience. Of course you have to allow it, which is key, but if you do allow it, there is not one stone unturned and not one flower untouched. So much detail! I didn't even know you could do that in an olfactory creation, so that shows you yet again how much more I have to learn. And that excites me! Fragrance houses like this are what excites me and hopefully many other people. I'm not going to go through the description of the fragrance itself because that's not going to do anyone any good. It is so rich and so complex that I could probably paint it better than I can explain it. Just imagine a dense forest toward the evening. The forest has come alive in every shape and form. The ground illuminates in Energy and life. It's fantasy the most realistic environment imaginable. This is a must have for people who are interested in nature, the forest, spirituality, and just literally even connected to the force at all. It is awesome

The outdoors sensuality of Arborist is unmatched: some of what I visualize would be deemed indecent, but they might have to do with Wranglers and boots and the prickle of pine needles and cones against one's back and fundament. The opening is an oily, pungent accord that is immediately addictive. I detect a slug of saffron lifting an omnium gatherum of woods. It's sharp, fuzzy, warm, and something that even reminds me of hiba wood (Thujopsis dolobrata), which I have in my collection of coniferous essential oils. Used for centuries in Japan as a building material for temples and homes due to its resistance to termites and fungi, it has a unique scent profile. It's sharply citrus and smoky, cedar-like, with wormwood facets. Arborist also features spikenard, one of my favorite natural materials, with its sacred history, heavy and deep in its scent profile, sweet calamus facets, starkly woody, animalic undertones, reminiscent of the still water of a marsh on a warm day. It seems to serve to underline the whole effect of the unembellished reality of the woods, as things grow even more coniferous and thickly resinous. There is a blurred line between the surroundings and the excited human body, as if Arborist is a scent poem for merging with nature. Heated skin, hands still showing traces of grease that the Lava soap couldn't quite entirely remove, it was a long day and it's time to retreat, and the protagonist can't decide whether it is meditation or mischief on the menu in his favorite wooded corner. Arborist is one of the most captivating releases I've discovered in the past year.

This is a monstrous concoction top-loaded with base notes which all but smother any and everything else in the note pyramid. It combines the best sides of vintage and modern, very much in the same ilk as Papillon, although it doesn't resemble Anubis to me as much as to others. I can see it's in a similar ballpark but honestly Anubis is 10 times better than this, it's a masterpiece. The Jorum DNA is here; it has the witchy, natural feel and a twinge of whisky, which I perceive in all of their perfumes to varying degrees. On card, the bone dry resins and saffron make it smell like some sort of bland niche fake-oud saffron sludge, but it doesn't smell at all like this on skin. This perfume has to be worn to be understood. The base starts to remind me of Fate Man before long, though there's none of the cumin funk. The edge here comes from the burnt charcoal, forest fire element. This is not an easy perfume to pull off, but I do like it. It's probably best worn in a well ventilated environment for the sake of those not versed in hardcore niche perfumery. Wearing this again, I'm finding it bogged down by the crumbly texture. I wish there were more of the listed florals peeking through. It's definitely not a bad perfume and I can enjoy wearing it, but it does tend to make me start thinking about others I'd rather be wearing. I think the malt here is too strong, it's overpowering everything else and lacks the sweetness that would make it more charming.

I legit thought that there was a soapy-cumin element to this, but BOY was I wrong! I guess the myrrh, fir and labdanum are working to achieve that. Not sure what I think about this, to be honest. It’s a bit dirty, spicy-stinky, which isn’t a bad thing, but it just feels like there’s something missing or left out. I can’t put my finger on it, to be honest. I don’t mind it at all, in fact, I quite like it, I just feel something is missing from it. Definitely need to try this one again, methinks... ***EDIT*** So, on my 2nd or 3rd time around, I'm not sure this will work. There's a stinging urine element about this, it's minor, but it's there. I can't get it out of my mind. It's a bit metallic-animalic, too, obviously an accord between some of the ingredients. I did overspray this morning, mind you, so I'm happy to try again, with only one spray, but it doesn't look good at the moment... ***EDIT*** So I tried it again, and with only ONE spray, and that unpleasant, pissy-metallic element is still there, but minor. It's at a manageable level, meaning it's still on the 'to buy' cards. Next, for me to 'live in it', and see what I think... Generally speaking, it's a dense woody, leathery, resinous scent. It works for a variety of reasons, and whilst I really want to like it, I'm not sure it suits me. But I'm thinking it might be a yes...

Arborist is like Kilian’s Sacred Wood on steroids. I’m not a huge fan of the opening on my skin because it comes out very turpentine-heavy, but once that sharpness burns off, the whole composition settles into something hypnotic. It’s as if someone took Sacred Wood’s creamy, meditative sandalwood DNA and dragged it into a damp Scottish forest - roots, resin, sawdust, and all. After the first 40 minutes, the aggressive varnish notes melts into this gorgeous blend of mossy wood chips, milky sap, and the impression of freshly split logs. It feels textured, almost tactile, like running your palm along a rough cedar trunk. There’s a hum of earthy sweetness beneath it too, something that keeps the whole thing from going full lumberjack cosplay. "I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK; I sleep all night, and I work all day." - Michael Palin from Monty Python for those under 40. PS: Since it’s late November and still about 27°C here in Southern Arizona, the base opened up a strong body-odor accord that really peaked while I was mountain biking in the Sonoran Desert. It came across as a distinctive, masculine, almost pheromone-like note. Surprisingly attractive, actually.

My partner and I were in Edinburg recently and decided to visit Jorum studio because I have always been intrigued by the their work. We were warmly welcomed and assisted with testing the whole line of their beautiful perfumes. Each perfume have their own character but Arborist for me is the most unusual, most intriguing of all. I understand the narrative that it evokes heated skin, of sweat, machinery, dampness, green and resin in one. Some may ask.....'do you really want to smell like sweaty machine oil in the middle of the forest?' I honestly say - 'YES, why not?' I think there is something intriguingly natural but unique from Arborist which is something that I am drawn to. Perfumery today is the same old formulas recreated in different forms and packaging which for me can get boring. Arborist is something out of the box and very creative which is why I love it! I agree test this first because this is not for someone who prefers perfumes to smell 'good' because Arborist to a certain degree is a rebel and being 'nice and good' is not part of the narrative of this perfume......and I love being a rebel and Arborist fits the bill!

Truth in advertising here. Arborist evokes everything they say it does in the brief, and it is firmly on my want list. Rugged nature and rugged humanity portrayed with depth and realism. Beautiful, and in no way glossy or shined up. It is a really well done composition that makes me contemplate my place in nature. I chose to wear Arborist on a very difficult day this winter after a record breaking ice storm mangled the oak trees on my property- those venerable elders that were there before I was born and will be there long after I die. I had never seen such damage inflicted upon them. We removed their torn and broken limbs and tended their wounds as best we could, knowing that our work was important but also insignificant- only time measured in generations will bring true restoration. Arborist was a salve for me during that physically and emotionally exhausting task. I felt so small against nature that day, and Arborist helped me focus on the beauty of my place within it. *a month later I could no longer wait and it is now mine :)

While watching The Sandman on Netflix, a scene caught me with Lord Morpheus standing in the dark, rain-slicked streets of London. Something shifted. In that black wet trenchcoat, he could only have smelled like Arborist. A piece worn close to the skin, then set aside for a while; now alive again with the fruity, dreaming sensuality it always carried. These days I move through light and dark hours wrapped in this scent. And sometimes someone stops mid-conversation, reaches for my arm, looks from one eye to the other, not to compliment, but to ask: ‘What... is it?’ Hats off to Euan. Arborist is phenomenal, and I look forward to meeting its siblings. * Footnote: I actually do grow exotic trees at home.

Woody Mossy Musk🌿 This is definitely for someone looking for a masculine second skin fragrance✌️Whoever is wearing this, has sexy lumberjack vibes🪓 This fragrance somewhat reminds me of Sloth by Zoologist, but more resinous🦥 It has a unique powdery quality that feels silky on the skin rather than pungent(which is common in moss/malt perfumes)☁️ This can be due to the tuberrose and rose accords aerating the earthiness🪴 And as weird s it sounds- this combo of herbacious earthy Scottish accords, made a variation of oud😱 Overall, I really enjoy how natural this fragrance feels on the skin with great longevity✨️ Zodiac Trio ⬆️Capricorn☀️Aquarius🌙Scorpio

Saffron chokes me right off the bat, then the scent turns into the whole pine woods. Soft leather accord and myrrh portray the forest ground. Dewy, green, fresh, and aromatic as you get this aroma from crowded rain-washed pine trees, although this one has a hint of the bright, bitter facet of quince (which I love). Very still, serene, introspective, and meditative in a way as though you take a week off to have a quiet short stay at a bothy sitting amongst the Scots pine trees. Arborist is the most straightforward (and most long-lasting, projecting) one out of their scent discovery Vol. I. Awaiting to try it in winter.

I went into this test not expecting to like this fragrance as much as I do. It certainly leans masculine. The saffron is strong, but not overpowering, and balanced by the myrrh and other botanicals. Close to the skin it's resinous and woody, but further away I get a whiff of clean laundry every now and then. There's a quality to this that reminds me of Thin Wild Mercury's Laurel Canyon--in that fragrance, I assumed the note was marijuana, but now I'm not so sure, since that does not appear in this fragrance. Regardless, fans of Laurel Canyon will likely find a friend in Arborist.

Three and a half years ago I last reviewed this one, and I ended up getting it anyway! There is indeed a woody-animalic quality about this -- dirty, stanky and bits and pieces of cumin here and there, so I am surprised none of those elements appear on the note list... Nonetheless, there is also a barbecue element about this scent -- part burnt, part gourmand, part coaley. It's really hard to pin this one down, really it is. I would say I'm glad I went ahead and got this scent as I am a bigger fan of it now than I was back when I got it.

Arobrist is the smell of laying on the forest floor after running from some mythic highland creature. Woods, wildflowers, sweat, and sap consume you as you become one with the trees. I bought this for my partner as a gift from my recent trip to Edinburgh. It's just beautiful. Definitely not for everyone- this is not a "clean" wood perfume. This smells very human, very earth bound. Not animalic, but almost animist in spirit and feel. It's very alive to my nose. Lasts all day, and truly shines around the 6 hour mark on skin.

It really does smell like a walk through a wet pine forest in Scotland. The mild leather with some resin and just a tiny hint of animalic works really well. A very slight bit of sweetness somewhere too. It’s clever and complex but doesn’t cross the line to ‘challenging’ - for me, at least, although I’d suggest getting your hands on a sample. Perfect for Autumn, great for Winter and - in Scottish weather at least - you could wear this well into Spring. I think it’s lean masculine but I’d like this on a woman too. Love it.

Could the primal god who embodies this fragrance (and Carduus) please step forward and claim me already? What isn't to love about Arborist, it's realistic sun-dappled forest greenery, smoky shadows, salty skin and sweet nothings whispered by a bubbling stream. It's fantastic for an unexpected sleep-time fragrance and a solid recommendation for any earth signs.

Body odor! Masculine body odor! This is quite a body odor scent with its sensuality touch of clean sweat. This is around myrrh, saffron, and fir. Maybe a touch of lapdanum, & magnolia, with quince, & honey to lighten the scene freshly. This is quite sensual, and animalic to be specific. Incredibly Beautiful.

Sexy, masculine, resinous, a little funky (in a good way), heavy. Comparable to DS & Durga's Bowmakers, but more wearable with the varnish toned down. Really great. Wear this if you're gonna break a sweat chopping wood in the sun.

Smells like muscled white guys, suited with pleasant body odor and sun-bathed scent on his shirt. For me the smell is soothing and indicative of male hormones, express desire in an elegant manner. Scent: 9/10 Uniqueness:9.5/10

Arborist opens with a potent burnt-tar or smoky-turpentine scent. There’s leathery facets, and I think I get the subtle contemplative smokiness of jatamansi (aka spikenard). It stays pretty much the same throughout: it’s a smoke scent. Dark, meditative, a little bit woodsy-turpentiney, a little bit incensey. Reminds me a lot of the smoky jatamansi of A City On Fire, except Arborist might be a touch more more pungent and bracing. This is dry, dense smoke, without a trace of warmth, but it’s never abrasively scratchy either. Good solid niche/hipster vibes, a touch of ruggedness in a tasteful context. I’m starting to think I like Jorum Studio. McColl tends towards strange and eclectic note lists and high-concept niche branding, but in practice the two scents I’ve tried so far ended up being high-quality executions of now-standard genres (agrestic/hay and smoke).

Arborist smells like a perspiring man welding on a hot day in a workshop surrounded by piney woods. The opening has a spicy cumin-like smell that is reminiscent of male sweat, in a pleasant way. Maybe a slightly sour kiss of fresh citrus could be quince? There is a metallic element that makes this lean even more masculine, but that fades away within an hour. Myrrh, labdanum, and honey blend into a dry warmth. The woodsy tones are akin to hot cured lumber (cedar and fir) rather than live damp forest. Saffron, chrome tanned leather, and sappy woods build a base with lasting power of ~6 hours on the skin. This is a unique and distinct scent. I like it! However, definitely try before you buy.