Chypre Isli

#1318 in my "Tour de Fragrance" Got this as a decant. This is my first experience with Maison Incens and I am impressed. This is one of the nicest sandalwood scents I've tried, and I am definitely in a for a full bottle. Everything works here, especially the orris and incense. High quality, long lasting, good sillage. Not that widely available, and a bit pricey to buy this from decanters like Scent Split at $150, but you only live once, right? I don't generally consider incense scents appropriate business wear, but this is definitely date wear. However, it's strong, and like any incense scent, could easily be overdone. I'd spare the folks in the car pool, on the plane, any close space. Just a spritz will do for intimate wear. If you like sandalwood and incense scents, as I do, this is a safe blind buy. For women who like Clive Christian's "1872 Orris" (and who doesn't?) this will do the same job for about $140 less. For the guys looking to save a buck, if you check the notes, this is not wildly different from Boucheron "Pour Homme" at $32, or Floris "Turnbull & Asser 71/72" at $70, though this scent is more smooth and cuddly, certainly much higher quality. Good luck and good hunting!

I have a lot of patchouli fragrances, but I have a special place for Chypre Isli by Maison Incens. Neroli Animalis (masterpiece btw) made me realize this house knows what it is doing, but Chypre Isli made me make an order. It is a complex, patchouli - forward fragrance, with an animalic-musky base. On my skin, it is a non linear fragrance which I like because it keeps me from getting bored with it as the day goes by. When I say "complex" I don't mean that the top notes fade after few minutes but that it changes after 3-4 hours and turns from being heavy patchouli to a softer, slightly sweeter sandalwood-floral scent. It says on the website it is a men's fragrance but for me it is totally unisex. Lets say I wear much more masculine fragrances than this one. I love the thought process that is reflected in the manner this fragrance is composed. Its unique, yet not weird. The materials smell high quality and I don't have anything similar although as I mentioned, I own many fragrances with patchouli. It is long lasting, but stays close to the skin (works for me as my other patchouli I own tend to cause some people at the workplace to open the windows...).

Perfume of small and unctuous flowers, creamy, greasy, patchouli making the choruses, spices that I could not define , and what makes these orange blossoms something a little spicy, all of it very well mixed. A perfume that could be spread on someone's skin like a fine cream neither sweet nor salty. It makes you feel somewhat comfortable but elegant, like waiting for someone at home in silk pajamas, with a glass of wine.

it's when a sophisticated man reaches an advanced age of immaculate tailoring, bespoke everything, exuding relaxed power that is quiet and quite beyond physical sex. (oh no!)

A patchypre?!?! Very interesting and I’ll need to revisit.