Malefic Tattoo

Wow! This stuff is opulent. I got my samples of this when it first came out and inexplicably found this is a bag labelled ‘okay’ which is crazy, because upon revisiting Malefic Tattoo is everything I love about fragrance. The opening is a zingy, uplifting incense vibe which has all the hallmarks of my favourite fragrant resin, labnaum. Labdanum is the perfect catalyst the gelling agent for amazing woody and luxurious notes of saffron and oud which I actually don’t think feature as prominently as the darker resins like styrax. This perfume manages to strike the the perfect balance, cool and cerebral but at the same time dark and alluring without becoming heavy or overly cuddly. A minor criticism could be the performance but a heavy application on clothes and hair will boost that into reasonable territory. This fragrance had me at hello, and then charmed me even more as we got acquainted, not sure what happened the first time I sampled it a few years back? The point is I’m in love with it now so yeah LM have made a great incense fragrance here, basically put labdanum in anything and I’m there.

Yet another gorgeously dark spice wood from Laurent Mazzone (after Black Oud and Scandinavian Crime). This stunning noirish beauty features a central oud note around which dance a variety of spices and Oriental accords including pepper, cinnamon, saffron, labdanum, incense, amber, styrax, musk, cashmere, patchouli, and sandalwood. Pronounced sillage and projection, beautifully blended and radiating like a phoenix, this is for more adventurous perfume lovers and those into exotic Orientals. Perfectly unisex and lasts a whole day on my skin. Conjures up visions of a dark mystical journey in an Asian forest in the opening and as it settles of delicious Indian Rasmalai. Stunning!

How odd! I am getting an overwhelmingly rose note that Fragrantica says is not there. So weird how some scents can triangulate and appear as another scent entirely. With the abundance of rose dominant fragrances, even within this brand, it amuses me that this one also smells of rose despite the absence of it. It is a jammy rose scent. I wonder which combined notes are creating this effect?!

Thick, dense saffron, resinous styrax, and a good dose of oud. No top notes to speak of, just base, and lots of it. I absolutely agree with the reviewer below that this smells like MDCI Cuir Garamante. I also get the Jeroboam Oriento, although that one has a prominent rose note. Overall, well-crafted, likeable, and well-performing.

Good dark spicy amber....the problem with a lot perfumes in this brand is that: is it Ok enough? ...generally everything is in the opening and then it's ok with barelly a simple accord. The quality is there and it seems there is always a good idea but the realisation...really doesn't bring more than the sketch. It could be also the same reflection as it seems to be behind each Tom Ford or Kilian "what is the minimum we can do to create a perfume at more than 250€" So here is the answer ... you have a good amber.