ASKR

My favorite thing about JORUM Studio is that you have to READ, yes READ, in order to fully understand and appreciate the fragrance. Let me start with the name. Or the title. ASKR has multiple meanings. It refers to the progenitor of the human race. Typically formed from an ash tree by Odin. It translates directly to “ash tree” and sometimes other things like small spear shaft or wooden vessel. All these things come into play as you look through the list of notes. That's why you see driftwood, ash, etc. The word, HAAR, is also brought up in the description of ASKR on the official website. It refers to a dense fog in the northern hemisphere, specifically Scotland in this reference. I am mentioning all of this to help paint a picture of what this fragrance is trying to emulate. It is of my opinion that ASKR is not trying to be an approachable fragrance for everybody and their grandma. I think it is more an artistic painting than it is beauty product. It's not mentioned specifically, but I think the ash is representative of the Phoenix. The aftermath of it, or the aftermath of the new beginning. The new start of life. And that's why it is so authoritative in the fragrance itself. The entire concept is reliant on this key figure. I think ASKR and The Phoenix are interchangeable. That's the fire aspect of this fragrance. Now let's talk about the water aspect. The bottom half of the composition. ASKR also refers to the elm tree. According to the website, the remains of the phoenix are intertwined with the tendrils of the ELM tree. What connects all of these things together is of course water. Now the fragrance becomes a little bit aquatic, but just slightly and not in an oceanic way. Just a slightly fresh fog and damp wood sort of fashion. The Ash and smoke from the opening is almost entirely gone. What develops now is an aromatic and aquatic wooden earth composition. And I personally think it smells fantastic. I think this fragrance is so cool. So interesting. And created so intelligently. I could go on and on about the history and the mythology and the construction etc. There's so much to talk about. This fragrance is not supposed to be an easy grab or mass appealing by any stretch of the imagination. If I wanted that, I would go to a different house. Here's a good analogy: if I wanted a classic tweed would I go to Balenciaga? The answer is no and we all know that. Entirely underrated. You have to give it a try.

like many of Jorum's works, this is a multifaceted composition with very distinct phases and surprises that greet through repeated wears. when reading the notes, my anticipation was that this would be Jorum's take on a blue fragrance. Woods, smoke, resins, and aquatic aspects. ASKR meets these expectations and also, definitely, subverts them. If ASKR is a blue, it's a truly niche blue, taking that structure and iterating something wholly new...not a typical blue packaged by a niche brand. At the start I am greeted by a salty breeze, bitter galbanum and my favorite sichuan pepper note I've smelled. You get the tingly sensation that comes across almost mentholated. I wonder if this will remind some of tiger balm. I love it. As it progresses the woody resinous talks hold and while it softens the bitter herbs and smoke, it remains a dry warmth, never too sweet. The driftwood/seamoss aquatics are airy and wistful. The smokiness is tamed and gives dimension to all the incense and resins. Absolutely wearable and lasts all day, if that concerns you. All of Jorum's creations are robust and complete. I've been exclusively wearing ASKR since I received and I still don't feel like I'm grasping all it's aspects. But with each wear I discover something new. A new favorite.

In Iceland, we have a joke: after the bankers caused a default and Britain demanded money, we said, "we don't have Cash, we have ASH." (since the Icelandic alphabet does not have the letter C). This perfume is a 100% match to the black sands of Reynisfjara beach, when salty and decayed seaweed washes ashore. Or the coast of central Norway, where ash is replaced with summer soil soaked with very salty (to the point of bitterness) seawater or peat. Ash + salt + seaweed. A familiar childhood scent, recreated as realistically as possible. At low temperatures, after a few hours, amber woods appeared, which I usually cannot stand. But in this case, they are VERY different, recognizable only by style, not sharp, but as the perfect complement. Very surprised. I could say this is the perfect fragrance for me, but ... all 10 that came from the collection are PERFECT. Bravo JorumStudio! Of course, such fragrances need to be tested for months, so there will be another review, a bottle outing and a photoshoot!

i’m a stripper and when i work at the club i usually wear perfumes that i consider more likely to appeal to the masses, but i went out on a limb and wore this to work on a humid summer night & not only did i get a bunch of compliments from my coworkers but my first client of the night went for a lap dance with me & kept extending our time cause he was obsessed with the way i smelled. ended up spending two hours pressing his nose into my neck and i wrote down the name of the perfume on a napkin for him. salty & smoky & sexy, the scent of skin drying in the sun after skinny dipping & making a puddle of sweat and seawater on hot wet sandstone. also lasts forever especially on clothes

Wow, my friend sent me a sample and I was amazed right from the first spritz. The opening is the main thing that gets me, not harsh imo, but fresh and definitely not headache inducing (I can tell because I suffer from headaches quite often), then slightly herbal and balsamic. Definitely not for everyone, but if you enjoy natural and/or smoky smells, I can recommend. Instant love!