Benjoin 19 Moscow

Released in 2013 as an exclusive fragrance for Le Labo’s Moscow boutiques, Benjoin 19 is available exclusively in its city of origin except for the month of September when the brand releases these city exclusive fragrances world-wide, albeit at a much higher price point. The opening of Benjoin 19 is characterised by a fleeting ecclesiastical olibanum with pine-like and citrusy freshness. The rather austere opening lasts but moments as the olibanum is quickly enveloped in a balsamic and resinous cloud of benzoin. The interplay between the coolness of olibanum and the warmth of benzoin that in many ways are the olfactive antithesis of each other adds a dynamic edge to the fragrance that I find rather interesting and breaks up what would otherwise feel monolithic. While Benjoin 19 makes little transition in its dry-down, what does become discernible is that unmistakable Le Labo signature of cedar, amber and musk’s that melds beautifully with the benzoin and olibanum. For me Benjoin 19 is a mollified Ambre Sultan with equal parts of Diptyque’s Benjoin Boheme and Armani’s Encens Satin throw in the mix. It’s balsamic, resinous, warm, and comforting. It’s beautiful really, but rather linear. Notwithstanding the quality of the raw materials is apparent, for its simplicity it’s hard to justify its price point at $740 AUD/ 100 mL but of course price is entirely subjective and you’re paying more for the exclusivity here. If you are a fan of Le Labo and haven’t yet had the opportunity to smell this one I can almost guarantee you will like this as it does have that typical minimalist edge that the brand does so well. In terms of performance. Benjoin 19 sits closer to the skin with a softer sillage, but does so for a solid 8 hours on my skin. IG: Nathan__Jamesj

I'm kind of surprised by the lukewarm reception that seems to be proffered for Le Labo's Moscow exclusive Benjoin 19. I guess in a way, one could level some criticism for it being perceivably 'pedestrian' to an extent, and whilst it might be argued that this is true, it is also far more than that! Benjoin is a wonderful take on the increasingly crowded resin theme. Frankincense and Benjoin are expertly entwined in delicious balance, sweetened slightly by a kind of vanillic amber accord that smoulders away and helps mitigate the austerity of the incense. A coniferous cedar note serves to provide a lovely 'outdoorsy', natural feel, which prevents the scent from developing a liturgical feel. This seems more a holiday in a forest cabin with some hipster friends than an alter boy tending his duties in the cathedral. It seems to finally mellow nicely into a soft, musky base with the amber becoming more dominant and this occurs over 3-4hrs, but the dry down certainly continues to abide far longer than that. Initially this stuff billows and rolls to your nose nicely, but after a couple of hours on me, it retreats to the skin and wafts around gently, so it's polite enough to wear in most company. Suited to the colder months, I find Le Labo Benjoin 19 delightfully comforting, versatile and undeniably classy. Shame about the astronomic pricing! I say keep an eye out for decants. You won't be disappointed!

The more I wear it, the more I love it. Elegant sensuality in a bottle. The start is quite sweet and almost a bit diabetes. However, this fades very quickly and styrax, waxes, benzoin, with musk and cedar come in. That is pretty much how the perfume remains for the rest of its life. I don't find this has "incense" but I can understand how the amber notes can hint at this aroma/scent profile. But this isn't churchy at all. Neither too sweet nor cloying, can be worn all year round (at least in the evening). It's very versatile. But, Benjoin 19 is akin to Le Labo's answer to "By the Fireplace" for colder months, if you catch my drift. Longevity easily reaches the 12 hours line. The best part about this perfume is that it does not scream at all. It is not beastmode in sillage, but it has a nice finesse.. the sillage trail (and perhaps cedar/iso E note) draws people in. Not the scent cloud. Quality 10 Versatility 9 Price to Quality 9 Longevity and Performance 10 A true masterpiece, 9/10. Add Benjoin 19 to the "I Want It" list... Benjoin 19 is an ode to Moscow. Its elegance, understated character, its quiet whisper and character definitely embody Moscow and the upper-crust oligarch lifestyle.

Benjoin 19 Moscow is another cold weather-leaning entry in the Le Labo City Exclusive line and much like its closest friend in the group, Poivre 23 London, it is a powerful fragrance with a decent overall composition. I'm not an authority on resins, but the combination of benzoin and olibanum is a powerful combination that seems to be at the forefront of the fragrance from start to finish---it's a resin-dominant experience. The drydown is mainly sweet amber---a pleasant, slight departure from the resinous opening. I started off thinking this was complex like Poivre 23 but it ultimately was simplified in the manner described above---resin and amber. The projection and longevity are both above average, even for the EDP, but as with the other works in the City Exclusive line, the most damning aspect of the fragrance is the price, at (when Luckyscent offered it in September) a steep $290 for 50ml. And I've come to the same conclusion as with other fragrances in the line---it's not worth the price. At a lower price, I might consider it since I certainly like (not love) Benjoin 19 as a winter option. It feels appropriate for this time of year. An interesting entry, for sure. 8 out of 10

For me to talk about notes when describing how I feel about Benjoin 19 would be a disservice to my love for this fragrance. This perfume is all about sentiments for me, and while I could write paragraphs about the magnitude of it's emotional weight, nothing encapsulates my feelings better than this line: "Любовь... Я оттого и не люблю этого слова, что оно для меня слишком много значит, больше гораздо, чем вы можете понять." - Лев Толстой, Анна Каренина "Love.... Why I don't like this word is that it means too much to me, far more than you can understand." - Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina