Encens Asakusa

I recently smelled this fragrance on a blotter and I had to have it. At the time i didn't care how long it would last, I didn't even test it on skin. Sometimes a fragrance chooses you and in this instance Encens Asakusa, was like, "u better get me!!!". So i got it and i must say i didn't regret my purchase in the slightest. What makes this scent so special to me? It's far from mainstream but when you smell it, it's so lovable. As the previous reviewer mentions it's extremely Japanese in style. There is a minimalism about the scent which blows me away because the scent is extremely complex. It's a mix of various incenses in the form of Olibanum and Myrrh, which works perfectly with Iris ,white musk and Pink Pepper. I'm a huge fan of Pink Pepper and it greets you as soon as it's sprayed. The pink pepper adds an airy, spicy freshness to the scent which overtime takes a back seat to the mix of florals and incense. There is also a mild sweetness present in the scent but no where nearing toothache status. L'Orchestre is a house with a unique angle. The scents are inspired by music. The music that inspired Encens Asakusa is a traditional Japanese song with that evokes a temple like atmosphere. When hearing the music the fragrance makes perfect sense. The smell and the sounds that inspire it transports you to Kyoto. It evokes serenity and has a calming affect when wearing it. This was an amazing introduction to this house for me. Encens Asakusa is a well blended fragrance that has great longevity for a airy incense fragrance. It lasts 7 hours on my skin with moderate projection. It doesn't scream but it's not weak either. It can be worn all year so if you are interested in a incense fragrance that can be worn on summer evenings this may be a great option. I can dress it up or down and overall it is an extremely versatile fragrance. Women and men can enjoy it as it's perfectly gender neutral. It doesn't smell pretty or overtly masculine. If I were to rate this using my rating system which I call the P.A.G.E rating (P- Poor, A- Average, G- Good, E-Exceptional) I would say this scent is a strong E. I find this scent exceptional. If U compare it to similar styled incense fragrances with a Japanese inspiration it clearly is among the titans of it's genre. It's versatility, longevity, uniqueness and overall lovable smell makes it easy for me to rate it this high. It's not a great at projection but that's perfectly acceptable to me. People smell it on me and it's a comfortable wear. It's not loud but it's present. When a fragrance can transport you to a time or place I'm all for it. To me that is a sign of a successful effort and is worthy of people's attention. Encens Asakusa is without question worthy of more attention than it receives. My suggestion is for all those incense loves out there to grab a sample asap. SIMPLY PUT SCENTS

#1602 in my "Tour de Fragrance" Got this as a decant from scentsplit.com for $3.99. This is my second L'Orchestre scent, the first being "Piano Santal" which I love, and I love this one as well. Both Maxaroma and Scentsplit have this at $180 for 100ml. Jomashop.com has a number of L'Orchestre scents at $95, but not this one unfortunately. This is a great incense and iris scent and one I'd be in for at around $100. I don't find it all that churchy nor oriental leaning thanks primarily to the violet and berries, which give this a more subtle impression, different for an olibanum and myrrh scent. I think if this were more potent it would actually be less wearable. Moderate in performance, more formal wear and date wear than casual. A year rounder. Not likely to offend in any setting. Try before you buy of course. I think this is overpriced where I've found it. There is one eBay listing for $128, but after being burned with counterfeits and eBay's refusal to honor their guarantee on more than one occasion, I'm not touching it. But I am pinging Jomashop.com in hopes they will add this priced the same as they do the other L'Orchestre's they sell. Good Luck and Good Hunting!

I WASN'T EXPECTING what was going to happen with this perfume. i was caught completely off guard, because what i had seen in reviews was that this fragrance is for those who like incense and so on. When i use on me something happen, this perfume in myself is something from other world, i automatically thought, wow what a magnificient smell this is, i let an hour pass and the smell became a very intimate essence that will settle on your skin and literally take you on a trip to japan. At first the note of incense and wood are lood but then as the day goes on it gets sweeter and i just wanted to smell myself all day. it opens and transforms throughout the day , after 4 hours on our skin, it becomes powdery and sweet and it last all day on you until nect day. Its amazing :)

I have it, I love it Beautiful incense, pretty fruity in the opening, slightly earthy and overall pretty fresh, a bit balsamic and aromatic to. That's how I smell it, the iris goes realy well whith the earthy side of the fragrance. On my skin the performance is actualy very good, on me this lasts between 11 and 15h, the projection is average, not phenomenal but decent, about 3-4 feet/1meter. I have to say fragrances are normally long lasting on my skin, so I wouldn't be surprised if the performance isn't that good on other skins. My skin also tends to amplify earthy and dry notes. For me this isn't overpriced at all, as it is long lasting for me, but the value of the price is up to the individual customer and his experience.

This really is a meditation. A bit monotonous, mysterious and introverted. Gives a peace and calm. The fragrance is not changeable: it maintains smoky, resinous notes from beginning to end, stays beautifuly warm by olibanum. It isn't disturbing: just solid leitmotiv and base for iris and dreamy violets. The cypress adds nobility and grounds the scent in woodiness. The Japanese vibe is in aesthetic of Encens Asakusa, not in a particular note. I don't enjoy the perfumws which are noisy, but this is just for me: I love its gentleness. So, perfect scent for quiet dreamers, autumn-winter season. Moderate projection and good longevity (6-7 hours).

I love this fragrance in the cold months because the incense and iris are the protagonists, cold and powdery. As the heat arrives, however, everything changes. Above 25°C the sweetness of the violet also comes into play and above 30°C the fragrance opens with a dustiness of red fruits, where the austerity of the initial fragrance is just a distant memory. Needless to say, I prefer it when its soul is colder and more sober.

This is the closest scent to Chanel No. 22 I've had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time. I put it on this morning and a couple times throughout the day I forgot for a moment and thought I had on 22. It has the incense of the original formulation of 22, I think that is why I like it so. It dries down to a soft incense infused floral - I want to say powder but it isn't powder -it is just soft. FB worthy

Overpriced for what it is, but I'd love to have a bottle. Most prominent notes are olibanum (not smoky) with cypress and iris. In drydown it's much sweeter - iris together with myhrr takes a lead but cypress still slightly balances it. Moderate longevity and soft projection after 1-1,5h. Most comforting scent I've ever tried. Currently in my TOP5 favourites (edit 9.11.22 - not anymore ;p)

I agree with the other reviewers here who thought that this fragrance is a bit conflicted. On a positive note: the frankincense is excellent, and even rivals that of Tauer’s Incense Extreme in its quality and fidelity to the profile. That alone makes it a good deal for anyone looking to add an affordable church incense fragrance to their collection. The cons: Hard to find any as the price point for this at the moment is hard to beat (reputable eBay dealer selling for $85 vs Tauers $130+.) However, I didn’t find myself impressed by the supporting notes that act as a wrap for the frankincense throughout the wear. The musks/aldehydes feel muted, and never really take their time to shine and open up the composition as they should. The berries, if they really exist, are also kind of quiet where they would otherwise add more depth and playfulness to a kind of dull/uninspired formula. It’s a shame really, because I see the potential here for a fragrance that could have been considered a reference. Overall not a bad fragrance for the price, provided you can get it sub $100. I think this would be enjoyable for anyone just looking to experience an excellent church frankincense without any fuss over small details. Decent longevity/sillage

Any Frankincense heavy scent will naturally evoke the main reference perfumes like CDG Avignon, Mark Birley etc... depending on which direction they go in. To me this is reminiscent of Reve d'Ossian by Oriza Legrand and that's praise indeed because despite what I see as disparate vibes (which could be prone to clashing) coming together, it works. In fact it makes for a really interesting creamy effect to a highly resinous perfume. I'd say the resins are green, sharp, translucent, fizzy, and citrus tinged. It smells of very high quality olibanum, and elemi or mastique backed by some heavier stuff, even benzoin perhaps linking into what is to me a vanilla type base. There's a really fine line when adding milky/creamy to sharp & angular you've gotta watch it doesn't become curdled and gross like a Cedrat boisee (Puke!) or something. I really like the effect of this and although I can draw comparisons and say this isn't unique, it's not a case of a stock. forgettable incense release which shows no flare at all. It's good, from a good brand which offers some excellent fragrances at a reasonable price.

A curious innovation. I wouldn't envision a floral aldehydic musk with incense and myrrh in these quantities not collapsing in utter chaos. The notes stand for themselves and make some impact, if an obscure and exotic one. Didn't experience a drydown though. It smells exactly the same, just weaker, several hours later. Curious; definitely not for everyone.

A powdery leaning feminine irisy fragrance with a church background, not much church. Redminds me of a vitamin powdered lemonade for children (called Vibovit in Poland) with an incense background. A powdery iris fruity, not an incense fragrance

Bright, cosy and elegant catholic frankincense, developing into a slightly sweet alluring iris-white musk combo. Minimalistic, pleasurable with moderate projection and acceptable longevity. Mixing possibilities=quite high, unisex.

8/10 On ne sent aucun encens mais c'est un super poudré j'aime beaucoup.

Airy, peppery, ascetic and a little aloof; dry as dust and unexpectedly spicy; with a puff of synthetic sweetness at first that is just well controlled enough not to break the overall picture. It's not quite as deep or spiritual as it thinks it is - it's not weird enough to be a true scent experience of religious spaces. More of a simulated online stroll through a temple complex than a real-life immersion visit. But still, as a modern, understated go at a fresher sort of incense, this is not bad at all. I was (am) absolutely bowled over by L'Orchestre's Piano Santal and while it shares some vibes - powderiness, abstract-ness, nearly minimal and linear - the Encens is a much, much quieter ensemble player. Pretty sheer and see-through, though seductive with it. The olibanum's lovely - fizzy, fresh, greenish, minerally -not the big round punchy aged stuff, but a more free-flowing, less sticky solution of the resin - agree that it's closest to Legrand's Ossian (only much much more wearable, to my nose) though there are hints of Heeley ardinal too. Really papery dry all over. Myrrh nicely sweet and well balanced with the rest. Luckily the violet in this reads on me as a vague slur of slightly fruity, slightly peppery sweetness rather than a specific note(as strong violet just makes me think of powdery sweets and fake flavouring). Speaking of pepper: the 'red berries' listed here is definitely a mistranslation of baies roses aka pink pepper, because that's what's in this - there isn't a hint of a strawberry, raspberry nor redcurrant - it's definitely pepper all the way. Reminded me most closely of Ex Voto by Wienerblut, which I already own and love but which performs a little better than this. On skin Asakusa only lasted 2-3h on me and wearing very, very, very close to the skin after only 20-30 minutes. (That's still more impressive than another scent in this sort of peppery-sacred ballpark, Atelier's Encens Jinhae, which lasts and thows even less.) This stuff is not cheap and I think I'd resent the full RRP. But if you really really love very fresh frankincense and want an incense that's still light and wearable in any weather or context it would certainly be worth giving this an audition. It's all just a little muted for my taste but undeniably well done.

Smells pleasant enough, it's just not quite my style. I was hoping for more red berries when i ordered the official samples. Has the same elegant and smooth blending and feel that all the fragrances i've tested so far from L'Orchestre has. The background violet is beautiful and make the fragrance different than any other incense and myrrh fragrances i've smelled (which is a good thing). It's not for me though. Personal score: 6.5/10. It's above average in most facets, and the blending is top notch, as i've become used to with L'Orchestre fragrances. I'd recommend getting a sample if you think the notes are interesting.

Unfortunately, I think resinous perfumes are just not for me. It's VERY incensey and "dry" when it first opens, in a heavy, resinous, intoxicating way. An hour or so in (in very hot weather), it dries out a little and becomes more of a mostly powdery woody scent with a little sprinkle of smoke. I'm not sure I'm getting any religious vibes from this. It's not my type of scent, but I can definitely appreciate its artistry. I prefer the dry down to the opening, and if the entire scent was the dry down, would like the scent much more. Soft projection, average longevity.

For incense lover. I can smell incense with a touch of iris, myrrh and musk. To my opinion, it is warm --> more for fall and winter, and 100% unisex. For me, I am in a temple or a church... It creates a mystical cloud. 5/10, not my type of scent, but the atmosphere is very well done In this brand, I like... -> for me: rose trombone (fall & winter), Electro limonade (summer), Bouquet Encore (spring & fall) and Flamenco Néroli (summer) -> for my husband: Ambre cello (fall & winter), cuir kora (fall & winter) and Thé Darbouka (all seasons)

Smoky (churchy and oldschool), resinous, powdery iris with a touch of spice. Its ok but nothing groundbreaking. Try before buying.

The smell of the recently blown out candles/incense sticks in church/temple. There's also dry papyrus which is where the powder comes from too.

Full and right notes of this parfume is: Olibanum Incense, Pink Berries, Cypress, Iris, Violet, Myrrh, White Musk. Any Roses !

Smells awfully synthetic to me, like some cleaner or what. Strong dislike.

another complete mess by this house. i don't think encens asakusa even knows what it wants to be - there's a bright opening, cold smoke, warm amber, all alongside the (imo, horrible) dusty ambroxan-like DNA of this house - and it just doesn't work. the first time i wore this it remained quite bright, airy and clean (yet unpleasantly astringent), but the second time it ended up smelling antiquated, dirty, like old potpourri; it's so inconsistent. it's aggressively powdery and scratchy, and to me, it doesn't make any sense nor is even close to this meditative tokyo scene it is trying to represent. 2/10 bad.

Trying to understand this as an incense centric fragrance is somewhat confusing. I was planning to write about another fragrance first and had sprayed a bunch of incense fragrances on myself for comparison, when of a sudden this one was the odd one out. From the spray I get something similar to Incense: Kyoto by CdG which is to say that the first impression is somewhat cold and austere. It doesn't come across resinous at all, but dry and green. The development takes it to completely different waters, though. Which is to say few fragrances have taken me on a wilder ride in terms of their development. Just as it settles in it takes on a different character (the first in a line). This phase I would liken to Rouge Smoking by BDK. It sweetens considerably as it beging to dry down which offers me something I found lacking in Rouge Smoking. The green woodiness that takes one a sweetness comes across like cherry with camphor/cypress. From there it becomes even sweeter and the scent profile smells to me really similar to Choeur des Anges by Atelier des Ors. The sweet, ripe fruitiness is at once sweet and tart like a red orange. Not a safe blind buy by a long shot. I keep forgetting this was meant to be an incense fragrance.

Encens Asakusa is mostly muted aldehydes and a violet musk which unfortunately does not work for me. It’s absolutely stunning, no questions at ALL with that, that much is abundantly clear, but what it suffers from is not having a basey anchor point – additionally, it’s ALL sweet with little-to-no funk, especially from the frankincense, which was a bit of a disappointment, but that’s an entirely personal thing, so with all that disregarded, it’s too top heavy with not enough base elements, something woody, a strong resin of some sort or even a tobacco or something deep like that. Nothing at all, and about 5 or 6 hours in, you realise how much it needs it... As the scent develops, a luxe vanillic-almond-musk comes out and plays with the violet, but by this stage it’s all been said and done and it’s too little too late. Having said that, if you’re not like me and these things do NOT matter to you, well, then, go for it. I do rate it highly, but I feel the aforementioned qualities preclude it from being admitted into the upper-most echelons of the iris-violet pantheon...

I couldn't pinpoint what it reminded me of, and there you go - Chanel No.22 Many thanks @Nancymae. Considering its good quality and its resemblance with the No.22, it's a great fragrance in itself. I did expect something more interesting or different, however. The name of this fragrance is slightly misleading in my opinion. I understand the marketing point of view, Asakusa being one of the most visited shrines in Japan, but it actually is quite crowded with tourists and therefore not very ethereal as the music behind this scent paints it. When I hear 'Asakusa', I think of a lively vibrant mixture of traditional and modern Tokyo. So I expected something stronger with a character, and definitely a bit more incense. I can smell incense only in the opening, and then the fragrance fades into iris and myrrh. On the practical side, it has a surprisingly good sillage on my skin. It's a very soft pretty scent. I also enjoy this house's aesthetics and the tunes behind each fragrance. A strong like.

Quite delicate and soft incense.the powdery notes from iris smells obvious. It last for a long time.,ending with skin scent and a little bit of sweetness. Actually I forgot its name when I try my sample, but I immediately thought of the Japanese style.Just Quiet, ethereal. As a personal perfume, Iris is not my cup of tea. But I'd like to sense it indoors. Especially in the cold weather. It reminds me of winter vacations in Japan.

Very faint and pale. Little bit of iris and incense. Prominent cedar and musk in the drydown.

For some reason this smells like straight up capers ok me when I first spray it