Côté Maquis

This fragrance is just wow. Wow. So complex, so enjoyable. So hard to describe. The note that really jumps out at me from the beginning is the incense. But weirdly, its not what you would call a dark or smoky incense, its light, its airy. Cote Maquis is so hard to nail down... its ocean-y, its temple-y, but neither. Maybe a temple overlooking an ocean bluff, the walls penetrated with hundreds of years wood, of wind, of seaside flowers, of prayer and burning incense. I'm really searching for a way to describe this because its so ethereal. It is neither too masculine or too feminine, a true unisex fragrance. I'm not a perfumer nor a long term frag-head (so take that into context), but I've got enough experience to know that Elad Yifrach of L'Objet & Yann Vasnier have really created something, a scent that I, at least, have never experienced before. I first experienced the fragrance with L'Objet's bath salts. I couldn't get enough and then ordered the room spray (which I loved so much that I would actually spray on myself (don't judge). When I heard they were launching the eau de parfum, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It has great longevity, I'm 6 hours in and its still going strong. Sillage is moderate. What a unique gem. Kudos to L'Objet for a true offering to the fragrance world. Additionally (not related to the fragrance but speaks the quality being delivered) L’Objet has some of the best (if not THE best) sprayers/atomizer mechanisms on the market. I’m not sure how much extra goes into this beautiful touch, but you will notice its superiority over any other bottle you are using. It truly is that good.

To say that this perfume "smells like insect repellent" is simply obscene! Let me start by saying that I have smelled and owned a lot of incense/frankincense/olibanum perfumes. CdG's Incense Series, Casbah, Bois d'Encens, Wazamba, Mess de Minuit, Sahara Noir, Cardinal, Royal Incense, Encens Suave, Encens Roi, Free, and much more! Côté Maquis is simply stunning! It's a mildly smokey Incense(not fresh olibanum, but lit/burning) mixed with labdanum(powdery, resinous) and lots of balsam, which I think is tolu. At times, I feel like there's a hint of something fruity, maybe a red apple note, but it's very subtle. It has nothing to do with Cardinal; this latter smells of fresh olibanum, with it's citrusy, spicy notes. CM is woody, smokey. The nearest thing to CM is probably Bois d'Encens, but CM is more ambery/powdery and balsamic. I also think it's more accessible/wearable, and offer a better wearing experience . If the note of frankincense isn't your thing, I get it, I too dislike lots of notes like caramel, peach, pear, Akigalawood, etc. But to compare Coté Maquis to an insect repellent is really not fair. Highly recommended scent for frankincense lovers.

One day, I'd love to be there when the tears are awakened on a Boswellia tree. The exudate is newly expressed, then collected to be part of a ritual or a perfume. In the meantime, I enjoy olibanum in its numerous forms, and I especially love the way the resin smells as it burns and fills the air. Many a cold, winter night has been remedied by a rendezvous with the frankincense. In Yann Vasnier's Côté Maquis from L'Objet, the ethereal sensation of frankincense smoke is captured in a way I haven't found elsewhere in the fragrance realm. It is a cool, almost salty-feeling smoke, with an undercurrent or primeval forest, perhaps one not far from the ocean. Vasnier does not lean too heavily on Aldehyde C12 MNA (2-Methyl Undecanal) here, allowing the natural olibanum resin to primarily breathe on its own accord, while there's just the right, measured dose of Cashmeran fixing the experience, while allowing mostly labdanum and balsams to anchor the incense arc. I do think that anyone with a yen for frankincense such as myself would be quite fond.

I purchased a four vial discovery set of L’objet. This was the last I tried. Without even looking at the notes.... the proverbial choir hit that note! I’ve been looking for a fragrance that smelled EXACTLY like the inside of a church for years , but nothing quite landed it ... candles, incense smoker, wood.... until now! Spot on! It’s a love for me!

Really good, similar to Centauri - Dendera but less potent