Aethi Opum

Genuinely don't even know where to begin with this fragrance. Endlessly nostalgic to me, the smell of rain when it just hits the earth in a hot climate, the smell of a house made out of clay or the inside of a wooden church in the north. The smell of trying to tell your own future by looking at streaks of coffee on your small plate after flipping your cup upside down. These are all very personal assocations to me, but if there's any perfume that I know I love from the bottom of my heart, it's this one. The incense in this is DIVINE! It also lasts a while on my skin, which is a great addition. Can't wait to own a full bottle ♡

Maya is a genius, visionary, pure soul, and true artist. She is the FIRST to use Gowé seeds in a fragrance. She made history in that aspect and also made history by being the first to win an award, The Art and Olfactive award for Aethi Opum in the Artisan category. Excited for what lies ahead for her and will be cheering from the rooftops as she continues to climb in the fragrance ranks while taking Gambia/Senegal/Sweden to the top with her! 🇬🇲 🇸🇳 🇸🇪

I never had to visit any religion classes nor go to a church with family, but I've always admired the architecture, especially the gothic one, and of course the smell of cold walls, incense and old wood. My gosh, this is the ultimate musty church and I'm absolutely in love and in need of a full bottle asap! I don't smell any coffee nor vanilla, fortunately. The church smell is stable throughout the day on me.

Gowe seeds used, and central to the perfume as part of Njies’ Senegalese and Gambian heritage . Probably the first, if not, one of the first to use this and authentically bring it as her culture to a Western market. Fragrantica please list Gowe seeds as a fragrance material, immediately. She rebuilt the material herself for use in perfume herself. A beautiful deep incense forward, haunting and spicy perfume.

I love Maya’s work but wow this one is a level above, a true masterpiece. On my skin this starts pretty earthy, with a wet earth feeling and then the dusty, old incense steals the show, accompanied by the most exquisite coffee note. I think it’s a very nostalgic perfume thanks to the incense note, kinda reminiscent of an old church in the best way possible

Just when I thought I’ve smelled all variations of incense, along comes Aethi. Smelling of the good things, the damp things, it’s a perfect harmony of sky (incense) and ground (woods, earth, coffee). Truly a marvel that doesn’t shout. Smelled this at a Parfum expo and immediately bought a 10mL that I’ve been wearing for a few weeks now.

Aethi Opum has completely surprised me. This is one of those fragrances that I know is beautiful, but I’m still trying to put my finger on exactly why I love it so much. The iris, leather, incense, and even the damp, rain-soaked earth all come together in a way that feels incredibly textured and unlike anything else I’ve worn. Every time I wear it, I notice something different. I don’t think this is a fragrance that’s meant to be understood in one wearing. It’s one you sit with, and I actually appreciate that about it. The more time I spend with this fragrance, the more intrigued I become, and I have a feeling this is only the beginning of my appreciation for it.

Once again tested only on paper so just a quick note - opulent old cathedral during cold weather, with a coffee in your hand and big scarf of iris around your neck - monster incense that is not entirely black, green hints of papyrus and semi-sweet gusts of coffee. Dry down might be pretty nutty with lighter brown-camel colour. Hard spicy.

On me, the earthy notes are overpowering. Earthy and woodsy. Not at all what I was expecting from the notes listed. It's a very "indie" style of perfumery. It reminded me strongly of a DS & DURGA scent, I think Mississipi Medicine.

@Parfum Parler - I could stand corrected, but Gowé is listed on Fragrantica, with its scientific name - "Cyperus rotundus" aka 'Nut Grass.' It seems to have been used in 1) Blue Fortune by Novellista (2020) and 2) Shennong by Auphorie (2022.) However I would LOVE to experience the masterful award winning "Aethi Opum by Maya Njie" as she seems to emulate the traditional Thiouraye (churai) incense accord, which is supposedly this infusion of dried aromatic woods like sandalwood, gowé powder and floral elements, which are stewed in other essential oils thus exuding a sweet, fruity medley and warm aroma. Perhaps akin to the process of Bakhoor chips from West Asia? Having said that, I am truly excited to experience PURE Gowé extract, using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry etc by Glenn Moran at CPL after over 75 attempts; and how Amouage (Perfumers) will interpret this "molecule" or "captive" in nouvelle compositions based on their extensive visits to the sources and its ethos. I do hope they collaborate on at least one such flanker with Maya Njie on her interpretation of the previously unattainable PURE Gowé concentrate. Perhaps a clearer version, stemming from her occidental Swedish/Nordic Skies and inherent Gambian/Senegalese roots.

Maya does it again! Being a big fan of the brand (proud owner of Voyeur Verde and Nordic Cedar), she is definitely a perfumer with a signature. All her fragrances are very different one from another, but you can clearly identify Maya's style. Aethi Opum doesn't change this and fits the line amazingly well. This time, you get hit right away with one of the most realistic wet earth notes I have ever smelt. Truly uncanny and a bit unsettling for a few seconds. It mellows down quickly though, and those earthy notes are joined by the smoothest iris and a gentle leather (also suede-like). Quickly follows one of the most mouth-watering black coffee note I have ever smelt, and a smooth incense note. This is where it hit me - Aethi Opum is basically what A*Men wanted to be growing up. As a teenager who proudly wore A*Men at the time but also outgrown it in my early adult years, this feels like what A*Men would look like as a more mature, calmer, comfortable in their skin 35's or early 40's year old person. Another hit from Maya.

This is running through the rain to get to the big wooden door of my family's little stone church, then heading to the basement to rehearse the children's Christmas play. The wet clay soil is there, the damp of the basement walls, the ghosts of coffees past, the wafts of incense and the sheets of music. Immensely nostalgic, beautifully crafted, and not something my atheist adult self wants to smell like. I'd burn it as a candle if I was feeling nostalgic, but it's emotionally too heavy for a perfume. Absolute respect to Maya's creation - it's always wild when you can tell from a sniff that a perfumer had a life experience just like one of yours.

Maya is an absolute visionary—a pure creative talent and true genius in every sense. She trailblazed the industry by becoming the PIONEER of Gowé seeds in perfumery(not Amouage), cementing her legacy. She shattered more ceilings by taking home the prestigious Artisan category Art and Olfaction Award for Aethi Opum. I can't wait to see what she does next, and I'll be shouting my support from the rooftops as she keeps rising in the fragrance world.

Coffee after Sunday service in the church basement