Osmanthe Kodoshan

For those disappointed by the subtle performance of Hermessence Osmanthe Yunnan, Osmanthe Kodoshan might be more to your taste. There's a marked difference with the addition of a robust basso patchouli, what my nose seems to be interpreting as an almost truffled, mushroomy, petrichor-y presence - but overall, it's a very similar, refined osmanthus-apricot tea, with an emphasis on the earthy qualities of good black tea, and a delicious one at that! The osmanthus is more leathered in quality than sweet, which adds to the overall earthy effect - good black dirt, deep green leaves, and the shimmering golden suede of ripe apricot skin. While Osmanthe Yunnan was a refined cup in a sunwarmed, laquered wood teahouse - this tea ceremony has been taken into the humid greenery of the jungle outside after a good downpour, set upon deliciously damp river-stones. It's just as meditative and lovely, totally unisex and more-ish in the best way. Ordinarily - I hate patchouli. Hate it. With a burning passion. Osmanthe Kodoshan singlehandedly changed my mind about the use of patchouli in fragrance. It helps that the tea and osmanthus are given equal emphasis - no singular note overpowers the other, making for a very harmonious composition. Just beautiful.

One of the most seductive Osmanthus fragrances in the market, it's not a leather-apricot mix up btw true naturalistic osmanthus flower here (the lucky ones among us, who had the opportunity to smell the true osmanthus flower in botanical gardens would appreciate the difference) and the solid fundament of base notes truely send me to the clouds , I mean what a woman like me, who is obsessed with 80s classics, would wish more than these quartet Patchouli-Amber-Labdanum and gourmand hawana tobacco. Alone these 4 ingredients would have suffized that I bought the full bottle of this jewel, but the mind blowing osmanthus on top, framed so well with liquorish annis and framed so wonderfully with the sichuan pepper, I mean who would have thought to combine a heady candied flower like osmanthus with hot sichuan pepper, the result is absolutely fantastic. It's my first choice for sunday afternoon events in spring and summer. M It's got a marvelous longeivity with a very strong sillage. Bravoo

Immediately after first spray, the entire smoky Osmanthus world that this perfume inhibits hit me at one, but immediately turned into an Osmanthus - Star Anise hybrid. Obviously fragrances behave differently on people’s skin because of their skin chemistry but on my skin this is a pleasant Apricot faceted Osmanthus fragrance with the warmth of amber like Citsus, backed by Black Tea. It’s giving me the images of tea pickers and rice fields, where the workers are wearing their straw hats in the blissful coolness of the early morning. It’s comforting and transportive.

I got this as part of a sample set and didn't expect it to be a favourite as I don't love anise on me. But I really, really like this: it's original, harmonious and subtle. In fact, it's a bit TOO subtle. I can barely smell it on my skin only an hour or so, even after dousing myself in it. (It's not just my nose, others can't smell it on me either). I wish there was a way to sign up to updates from this brand so that if they ever reissued it as a stronger formulation I could be first in line to buy!

Two things seem striking to me. My impression of the Osmanthus note in this is that it is a very fatty scent similar to a natural Gardenia. Perhaps because I've been wearing very heavy smoky ouds recently, the Osmanthus in this dances for hours as the main note. It is beautiful and bright. As a man, I enjoy this on myself, but I probably would reserve it for my days off at home. I get a spa type relaxed vibe from it.