Bloody Smoke

Lorenzo Pazzaglia has accustomed us to the extreme pleasure of his fragrances, a feature that is bringing him great success in Italy and beyond. This characteristic of being very popular perfumes is slightly less in Bloody Smoke, but this is not a negative side indeed. Bloody Smoke by Lorenzo Pazzaglia is a less immediate perfume, which must be tried several times over a period of time before being fully appreciated. The perfume opens with cold, mineral, resinous notes. The incense contained inside is not smoky / ecclesiastical rather it tends to evoke the smell of a sacred place where a religious function has recently been held. The smell of woods and stones imbued with years of celebrations and years of "fumigation" of incense that remains soaked in the environment. This is why I consider Bloody Smoke an excellent fragrance to begin the journey within incensed perfumes, as this fragrance in particular does not have too ecclesiastical scents (characteristics that may or may not please). However, the scent is dominated by these balsamic, cold and incensed notes which are further accompanied by a pinch of sweetness thanks to vanilla and tonka bean which among other things I tend not to notice since on my skin it tends to remain a cold, non-smoky and "marble" incense. I don't know if I have properly described this fragrance but I tried it anyway, since I am passionate about incense in perfumery and for this reason I thought it appropriate to try and review this too. Ah, of course it has a good shelf life like all Lorenzo's fragrances, but in this case I perceive a lesser projection (you won't fill the rooms like with Black Sea, Carbonara and Pax,) as this tends to remain on the skin for many hours ( 8 quietly) but a little more intimately (people closer to you might warn it). After all, for me it remains a beautiful perfume that still deserves to be heard and tried!

Bloody Smoke isn’t a fragrance that plays it safe—it’s dark, dramatic, and utterly captivating. From the very first spray, it instantly transported me back to walking through the Vatican in Rome. There’s something about the incense-like smoke, ancient woods, and resinous warmth that perfectly captures the feeling of centuries-old stone halls, flickering candles, sacred silence, and the quiet reverence that fills the air. It’s one of the few fragrances that doesn’t just smell incredible—it evokes a place, a memory, and an emotion. As it develops, the fragrance reveals even more depth. The smoky opening softens into a luxurious blend of rich woods, warm resins, and a subtle sweetness that keeps everything perfectly balanced. It’s bold without being overwhelming, mysterious without becoming too dark, and sophisticated from start to finish. Every stage feels intentional and beautifully crafted. Performance is exactly what you’d expect from Lorenzo Pazzaglia—nothing short of exceptional. Expect 10–14+ hours of longevity with powerful projection that gradually settles into an elegant scent bubble that lingers well into the next day. Bloody Smoke isn’t simply a perfume; it’s an experience. It tells a story with every wear, surrounding you in an atmosphere of history, mystery, and timeless elegance. If you appreciate bold, artistic niche fragrances that leave a lasting impression, this is an absolute masterpiece. Rating: 10/10 – A hauntingly beautiful fragrance that feels like walking through the Vatican in Rome, where centuries of incense, history, and sacred beauty have been captured in a bottle. One of Lorenzo Pazzaglia’s most unforgettable creations.

Here in Italy Pazzaglia's fragrances have become kind of synonimous with "fragrance that lasts an eternity", thanks to their persistence. Yes, I'm serious, but this one is an exception, lasting "just" 8-9 hours on my skin, compared to the crazy performances of the others, where we're talking about, give or take, 20 to 30 hours. That said, what this fragrances loses in power (but again, we're talking about 8 hours at least), it gains in character. Bloody smoke is a resinous fragrance with the texture of a sweet/acid syrup that opens with a blast of metallic notes, note wich go away in some 10-20 minutes, giving space to an astounding incense, slightly acrid, sour and full bodied. The sweet notes in the base go hand in hand with the olibanum and the elemi, creating an accord that is alluring and reassuring at the same time. One of my favourites from Pazzaglia's work.

A fragrance that enhances one of my favorite notes: incense. The opening is cold, pungent, icy, and then brings out an incense that is not ecclesiastical but which I would define as majestic, as if it were a giant to be contemplated, a magnificent knight clad in metallic armour. It almost seems like you can taste the ferrous taste in your mouth, almost bloody. In my opinion, the use of ambergris amplifies all this scent which gradually subsides thanks to the woody background. More than a fragrance, I would define it as an olfactory experience. It certainly makes itself felt and has an excellent persistence, but I consider it very intimate and personal to wear, for me during cold winter days or summer nights with the breeze that amplifies it even more. plus the aroma. Truly wonderful.

I’m picky about incense fragrances and have owned and tried many of the top-rated ones but sold them because they were super liturgical. I was looking for something minimalist, in the vein of Czech & Speake Frankincense & Myrrh Cologne, but with a nighttime edge.Bloody Smoke delivers. It opens with a mineral ambergris incense and elemi that works, and works well. A spectrum of resins, with a subtle green-minty heart from elemi. I appreciate that it shows all the facets of incense without being severely interrupted by LOTV or tonka. There’s a fair dose of sandalwood in the base. A scent perfectly made for Halloween 🎃 ××××××××××××××××××××× Scent: 90/100 Performance: 60/100 ×××××××××××××××××××××

When I first got my sample I found the metallic note overpowering and weird, almost too bloody and also mechanical in a way. I've just never smelled anything like it and was put off by it, it kept bothering me throughout the day and I almost scrubbed it off. BUT when I tried it again I grew to like it, REALLY like it. Now it is the best scent ever to me and I can't stop smelling myself whenever I use it. I need a full bottle of it so bad, but it is too expensive for me to buy new and nowhere can I find anyone selling theirs... it is not actually too expensive for such a unique scent, but for my wallet it is. Hope I will be able to afford it some day since it is truly amazing!!

On my skin, Bloody Smoke smells strongly of frankincense -- complete with the piney, balsamic, dry, and green facets that make it such a unique and enjoyable perfumery ingredient. There is a metallic bite to this perfume in the opening, but after it dries down it becomes an ancient blend of frankincense and elemi. The resins are raw, not lit and smoldering. There's a faint tinge of saltiness glistening in the background. I'm not sure if I can attribute it to the ambergris or the mineralic notes. The overall scent is gothic and austere. I am a huge fan of tree resins, so I am enjoying myself, but if you're looking for a smoky and/or bloody scent, keep looking.

Made a very risky blind buy on this and I LOVE it. For such a provocative name, it’s quite polite and inviting as a fragrance. On my skin the projection is mild and stays close. The initial spray is when I get the biggest bloody/mineral hit. It’s crazy and I love every second of it. Then it transitions so something a little more lactonic then ends with a slightly bitter amber and incense. Love love love love love. It’s warm, sexy, inviting, intimate but the metallic bite keeps things feeling bright and more avant-garde. I can’t wait to make another purchase from this brand. Expensive (so it may be a while) but glad I took a chance on this one.

Out of all the 18 perfumes I tried this one stands out the most and the funny part is that I ordered the samples primarily for his gourmand scents. However, to my big surprise, this is my favourite from this brand. I was a bit scared to sample it as I know it will be very irony/metallic representing the "bloody" part of the scent. And indeed it opens up cold and irony, you can almost taste it in your mouth but then it makes a 180 degree change into warm spicy beautiful and strange scent in best way possible. It`s an interesting journey to be on - start with cold bloody smoke and end with almost baby`s head scent.

Simply dazzling. Incense has been re- interpreted With a cut to edge and intruiguing version. It opens up with mineral notes ,initially accompained by a sweeter resinous note. In Its heart metallic notes and a Sharp non ecclesiastical incense that conveys a rusty and bloody aura. I can pick at Times a white floral note. Base notes are more in the sweet velvety side( Tonka beans, vanilla) on a salty, buttery background. As for all Pazzaglia’s creations very powerful sillage and ubelievably long lasting performance. One of my Pazzaglia’s favourite.

Exceptional longevity exceeding 20+ hours, but the projection at the beginning is moderate. Becoming close to skin after 8-10 hours. Amazing, aromatic resins, a little church-like, I would wear it any season. I don't smell any flowers neither vanilla. A bit metallic, but Elemi, Olibanum and Myrrh plays here the most through all the time.

Bloody Smoke Lorenzo Pazzaglia – 9/10 Smells like church in the best way possible, but with a salty twist. It’s an amazing incense scent that gives off strong mysterious, gothic vibes. As soon as I tried it, I knew I’d love it. Deep, spiritual, and really unforgettable. I highly recommend it.

What I imagine a dark, vampiric priest wears. Very churchy and refined. Can be somewhat polarizing, and headache inducing if over sprayed. Perfect addition to a gothic collection. 9/10.

I just love this, it's like a gothic and vampiric vibe, or like a cold cathedral. Excellent longevity and evolution. I Love to layer with other fruity-floral perfumes

This is one of the most perfect vampire scent I’ve ever been looking for. perfect churchy incense scary dark and dusty

To me this fragrance is incense, amber and balsamic Not getting much metallic/bloody notes

This is amazing. Fresh smoky scent. A more "affordable" version of Frederic Malle's Dawn.

Taking a big step away from the lush green feel of “Green Island” and into something much darker, I decided to try Bloody Smoke by Lorenzo Pazzaglia. It is often described as a battlefield where the clash of steel blends with the cries of warriors and the air is filled with smoke and a metallic hint of blood. It sounds intense, but the real question is whether this is something worth keeping or better left behind. In the opening, it is surprisingly fresh. There is a citrusy brightness that comes off almost "lemon-peppery" mixed with slightly piney elemi. The elemi stands out the most and gives the scent a sharp resinous edge. At the same time, there is a soft salty mineral feel that almost sparkles, possibly from the ambergris. You also get a faint floral sweetness that smooths everything out just enough. After about 30 minutes, the metallic aspect becomes more noticeable and blends with a growing warmth from the incense and woods. The frankincense brings in a dry church-like feeling while still supporting that citrus and pine character from the opening. This is where the transition really stands out to me. The elemi from the opening flows naturally into the incense, and the mineral notes shift into the metallic ones. It feels very smooth, like each part is paired with the next instead of changing all at once. After an hour and a half to two hours, it settles into the base. Here you get more of that salty ambergris feel along with dry sandalwood, soft musks, and a lingering metallic touch. There is also a light peppery spice that keeps it from feeling flat. One thing I have to mention is that this was nowhere near as challenging as I expected. Maybe I am just too deep into the niche rabbit hole (that's probably what it is), but aside from a slightly unusual metallic and mineral phase in the first half hour, this really is not that extreme. At its core, it feels like a dry resinous incense fragrance with a slightly piney and old church character. I actually like it. After the first hour, it becomes a really nice and comforting incense scent. I went into this expecting something difficult and almost unwearable, but it turned out to be much more approachable than I thought. If you enjoy incense or church style fragrances with a dry piney feel, I would recommend this.

Bloody Smoke by Lorenzo Pazzaglia is a strange and polarizing release (by his standards), and a clear departure from his usual signature style. Where most Pazzaglia fragrances are bold, dense, sweet, warm, and almost celebratory in mood, this one feels bleak, detached, cold, and oddly otherworldly. It comes across as ethereal and ephemeral rather than powerful, and its atmosphere is closer to something you’d expect from Serge Lutens than from Pazzaglia himself. There’s a distinctly Lutensian sense of emptiness and airiness here — that stark, grey melancholy Lutens does so well. The opening is sour, sharp, and cold, with an immediately noticeable mineral character that feels almost alien. It’s not cozy or comforting; it feels distant and metallic, like standing inside an abandoned structure made of stone and steel. As the fragrance develops, resins begin to emerge, but the mineral edge never disappears. Instead, it slowly takes on a metallic tone, reinforcing the cold, austere mood. This metallic current running through the composition is clearly the “blood” aspect. Frankincense becomes more recognizable over time, but the resins in general smell raw and unlit rather than smoky or burning. Despite the name, Bloody Smoke is not especially smoky at all. It also doesn’t feel “churchy” in any traditional sense — at least not Christian. If this were a spiritual scent, it would belong to some strange, futuristic, misanthropic cult, steeped in mysticism and the occult rather than love, embrace, prayer, and warmth. It also reminds me of the old, dusty anorganic chemistry labs at my university — as if someone secretly burned incense there over the weekend and you return on Monday to smell lingering incense mixed with aged laboratory dust. Sterile, mineral, metallic incense. A perfect description. Performance is solid, with good longevity and moderate projection. Bloody Smoke won’t be for everyone, but for those who enjoy cold, abstract, and unsettling incense compositions, it is a fascinating and daring outlier in the Pazzaglia lineup.

Something so unique about this scent, it’s almost indescribable. Haven’t smelled metallic notes like these before. It’s weirdly refreshing? Like a menthol type of vibe but there’s no menthol listed, so it’s just this “cold” scent. Couldn’t pick up on any specific notes besides the mineral notes + some incense, the rest of the notes are very noticeable but they are blended well so it’s this indescribable scent... closest thing to it would be the smell when someone sucking on a Black Halls drop passes by. Unlike other reviewers, I smelled no Amber here, to me this is the opposite of warm.