Tiger's Nest

Tiger's Nest is a hidden, creative gem in niche perfumery & plausibly one of the best from Memo Paris. Contrary to what other commentators have written, i argue it is a playful perfume. It is lost on me how some find the incense to be oriental; it is anything but. I agree with much of what @Maschka had to say below. It has great personal significance for me... Let me tell you why: As for the notes — Occidental, Church-incensy & Spicy-balsamic opening, highlighting the animalic, resinous facets. Aldehydes (Reminiscent of North by Mendittorosa) shine in the middle while the resins tone down and settle. Vanilla and some florals lend a little sweetness perhaps to this otherwise dry monster. Finished with Amber and incense with lurking aldehydic and spicy nuances. Except Lorenzo Villoresi, no one makes such unapologetically incensy perfumes anymore. Definitely not for the faint hearted. Good performance and longevity. "Ladies reaction" not so great. Now the stories: i) Being a millennial who grew up playing video games in the late 90s-2000s, Memo Paris' masterpiece Tiger's Nest olfactively transports me to an exotic chapter in the episodic videogame Hitman: Codename 47, namely "The Colombian Jungle". I'm tempted to share the story: The Hitman Agency presented our hero, Agent 47, with a complicated mission. He was to assassinate the notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Belisario Ochoa who had his drug empire hidden in Colombia's jungle, some of it cutting across the local U'wa Tribe's territory. Several attempts at Ochoa's life have failed in the past, thus prompting the tribe to nickname him "The Man With Nine Lives". Agent 47 was deployed in the north-western end of the jungle and made his way through the thick vegetation trying to locate Ochoa's base. He came across a crashed aircraft which was meant to smuggle Ochoa's drugs, and among the wreckage, he found a golden statue, which represented one of the U'wa Tribe's deities. The statue was hollowed out and used for drug smuggling, and since the aircraft had crashed, Ochoa ordered his henchmen to recover the statue. As such, Agent 47 ran into some of his security while they were taking a tribe member hostage. Agent 47 eliminated the guards and freed the hostage, who was, in fact, the U'wa Chieftain's brother, who led 47 the way to the U'wa Tribe's village. Freeing him and returning one of the tribe's most precious artifacts earned 47 the tribe's trust. The chief informed Agent 47 about a secret passage to Ochoa's base. However, he warned 47 of encountering Tezcatlipoca, their sacred god of death, and advised him to perform a sacrifice if he wanted to proceed unscathed. 47 crossed a narrow rope bridge deeper into the U'wa Camp and ran into Tezcatlipoca, who was revealed to be nothing more than a large jaguar. Nevertheless, 47 offered one of the boars to the "God of Death," and gained access to the secret passage. Case in point, with the Jaguar, focused on 47's offering, 47 escaped into Ochoa's camp. Mission accomplished. ii) Tiger's Nest also reminds me of the pages of Herge's comics, The Red Sea Sharks... When Tintin's dog Snowy was attacked by a tame cheetah owned by Mohammed Ben Kalish Ezab, Emir of the fictional Arab state of Khemed..

The Tragic Tale of the Too-Tame Tiger Once upon a time a workshop of arty French perfume elves dreamed up a magic formula which would marry exotic spicy, medicinal, resinous and herbal notes to make a liquid they could sell at market for almost the worth of its weight in gold. They were a clever, creative team so the precious liquid ended up full of fascinating smells, just like the inside of a hardwood box from exotic lands. They even summoned the Green Fairy of absinthe, who threw a sharp-bitter-green dash of witchcraft into the cauldron to make the smell even more spell-binding. (This green note is truly GORGEOUS - and reminded me oddly of TF Vert des Bois.) The scent was bewitching, bedazzling, smelling of frozen forests and ancient hallways and all sorts of balms and potions. Something about its quirky, old-timey smell, rich with the kind of mellow chewy tolu balsam which knits it all together, makes me think of childhood and antique spaces. It conjures pictures, no doubt. Unfortunately the glamour of the brew simply melts away all too fast, on mortal skin, where it clung close and tingling, warm and cool and ticklish all at once ... like an evanescent, fragile bit of magic, the really good stuff lasts an hour, there are hints of interest for a couple of hours after, and then *pop* the bubble bursts and it's all over. And can't be coaxed to last any longer even if sprayed on textiles instead. At the usual Memo top-dollar, that's just too much sacrifice for too little result at my budget. But if you love the oddball, have patience with performance (or have skin that lets this one live), and plenty of spare cash, this is an admirable if kind-of-annoying experiment. Tiger's Nest, no - more like a tabby cat in a basket, warm and purring, just back from a walk outside and smelling of the outdoors, totally relaxed but showing the odd glint of claw every now and again. As a scent - weird in exactly the way I love, but not feral enough to make it all the way to wonderful. ETA: Well shame on me for being so mean to the Tiger. That absinthe note really did hook me in and I sprang for a used bottle, at *nowhere near* RRP. Don't regret it at all now: the performance improves with proper spraying and that warm, chewy, tolu balsam base is much bouncier and more robust, in a far longer dry down than I got from a sample. Hope the big cat will let me snuggle comfortably in its nest (? or its giant scented cat basket?) through the winter. I purr.

The year is timeless, and the setting is the awe-inspiring Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched high above the Paro Valley in Bhutan. You’ve just made the trek to this sacred place, where the air is thin and pure, the landscape an endless expanse of jagged mountains and dense pine forests. The path is steep, but every step is worth the journey, as you emerge into a serene world of ancient wisdom and natural beauty, far removed from the noise of everyday life. Dressed in a sophisticated yet rugged Loro Piana wool jacket, perfectly fitted for both comfort and style, and sturdy Hiking boots that reflect both functionality and elegance, you embody the spirit of quiet strength and refinement. The scent of pine, fresh mountain air, and the distant smell of burning incense greet you, as you take in the view—the world laid out before you, vast and untouched. This is Tiger’s Nest by Memo Paris—a fragrance that embodies the power, mystery, and majesty of the Himalayas. It opens with a burst of fresh, citrusy grapefruit, paired with the warmth of cinnamon and cardamom, invoking the vibrant energy of the forest at dawn. The heart of the fragrance unfurls with the rich, resinous notes of myrrh and jasmine, adding depth and complexity as if walking deeper into the heart of the monastery itself. The base introduces the earthy warmth of cedarwood, sandalwood, and amber, grounding the scent with a natural, meditative quality. Tiger’s Nest is for the explorer, the seeker, the one who appreciates both the serenity and strength that nature has to offer. It’s not just a fragrance—it’s a spiritual journey in a bottle, capturing the essence of the Himalayan peaks and the sacred, unspoiled beauty of the world’s most remote spaces.

Tiger’s Nest, one of the more recent entries from Memo Paris, is primarily a spicy resinous fragrance. It opens with a very spicy blast, apparently a mix of saffron, absinthe, aldehyde, and lime, and I don’t find it irritating but rather invigorating. The spiciness calms down fairly quickly into a dry down of mixed resins and florals, anchored by a base of vanilla. I don’t detect any florals in particular, though ylang ylang, osmanthus, and rose are each listed. As for the resins themselves, it mainly feels like olibanum, though tolu balsam is listed as well, and in concert with the vanilla, there is a hint of creaminess to the dry down as it smoothens from the initial spicy blast. Still, though, the spiciness remains a part of the fragrance hours into wearing it. I’m really pleased by the fragrance overall, as it kind of comes off like a niche twist on a spicy men’s designer scent that I’ve smelled before, so it’s both familiar and elegantly upgraded at the same time. It performs pretty well, too. Retailing at $300 for 75ml at Luckyscent, Aedes, Neiman Marcus, and perhaps some other US outfits, it’s nonetheless available in the same bottle size on FragranceNet for $162 if a 37% coupon is applied, nearly half off! I don’t regard it as quite as elegant as the Fort & Manle resins (Amber Absolutely, Forty Thieves, Suleyman Le Magnifique) but it comes at a cheaper price, if nothing else. I’d like to try this some more, myself, as I do feel it’s a resinous scent that has spicy quirks that I’m not accustomed to seeing. 8 out of 10

Beautiful left of field scent. Arabian Knight below has a description almost nailing this scent. A quick whiff gives to churchy, waxy, benzoin feel with to me more so a strong vanilla rounding everything off, the lemon opening disappearing on the dry down. A tiny tiny amount of pepper giving a teeny clean kick. But its also so creamy... like someone's just sprayed whipped cream by accident. The creative marketing actually makes sense - I can imagine coming across a Tigers den with straw and dry grass laying around, sweat and dare I say sweet urine high up on a mountain pass with a clean breeze carrying it away leaving it sweet and inoffensive. One minute slightly animalic, the next gourmand, natural then slightly synthetic. Interesting. That's what makes this one again so addictive - like Serge Luten's Fille en Aiguilles, Profumum Arso or Parfum de Marly Galloway - its unusual enough to challenge and just pass mainstream by design, maybe remind you of something good or bad but as a whole becomes something greater leaving you want to smell it more. Whilst exceptionally made the price is what makes me question whether it is remarkable. I'm not sure that I know of anything like it - as such I was happy with a 10ml Travel Spray and would consider replacing it but not a full bottle. Winter scent - Very unisex - very sexy on a woman I think! Happy Smelling

2018 Batch I was already tempted by the name, being somewhat mysterious and sparking my curiousity even before trying it for the first time, where I found it at Vienna's beautiful niche store called Kussmund Wien. I am especially crazy about the headnote, which is is a wonderful mix of spiritual church-y incense notes, adding a sort of zen character to it from the get go, supported by a beautiful fresh note of absinthe and something somewhat tea-like and subtle spicy, safron floral. These accords are done so well, they had me spray this again and again just to experience them one more time. Towards the base, we are moving into a territory quite unsusual for me, which is "warm ambery", something I usually avoid, but not here. At this stage the composition is getting warmer and also sweeter, which for some reason does not bother me in this case, as this scent does seem intense but not cloying, the sweet notes sharing the stage with warm resins, a subtle nod to musk and incense notes. All together this one is something I recommend if you are looking for a different kind of warm amber that does not smell like all the hundreds of others and also want to add some spiritual incense to that. Mysterious as the name, I enjoy the my stay in this Tiger's Nest, lovely one!

This is like the most delicious smelling incense! Frankincense is very strong here followed with saffron and tolu balsam, but soon that ambery vanilla sweetness joins the blend to balance the instant burst of spiciness. Even though it's not mentioned - it seems like there is a hint of a faint leather note as well, so for me this perfume would easily fit into Memo's leather line, it kinda has that same vibe. Maybe it's the absinthe note reminding me of someone sitting in a leather armchair while drinking it... The longer you wear this - the sweeter it gets, so it can be unisex even though the opening is very masculine. It has the perfect amount of projection - this perfume is strong and you will definitely feel it, but you won't suffocate everyone around you and fill the whole room with the scent. Longevity is pretty good as well. This is my favorite Memo fragrance; initially my favorite was Italian leather but that one is more on the "safe" side. Tiger's nest has that same sweetness but all those spices, balsams and herbs give it much more character to make it a perfect signature scent. Sadly, it seems that it might be discontinued since I don't see it on Memo's website anymore...

Wow, so, at first this reminds of pine trees. Specifically my childhood memories of climbing or hanging out under the white pines in the woods in my backyard; the wet, damp, pine needle blanketed floor, the sticky sap covered branches above. A bit odd as the notes dont necessarily imply a scent profile like this, but I love it. As the opening fades, however, you get the dry, ever so slightly sweet and dusty-powder-amber-resinous profile the notes definitely DO imply, and its gorgeous. I feel like Im in a desert with ancient sandstone ruins and old, dried trees around me. It does give off a labdanum-esque scent, but if you get 'deer pee' from labdanum, dont worry because its MUCH more piney in the opening than.. pee-y. Much more tolerable than TF's Amber Absolute in my opinion. All in all, this is a BEAUTIFUL take on this style of DNA that has been sculpted to be much more palatable than others. It reminds me of the style of fragrance of Petra from Penhaligon's, but that one is pretty intense, this is like a PDM rework. Now, Im not saying it smells like Petra; but they are in the same family for sure. I love it, and my decant isnt going to be enough..

'Tiger's Nest' is a lush, exotic amber-incense fragrance in the same vein as Kilian's 'Amber Oud', or 'Opus VI' by Amouage. The opening is a benzoin bomb - warm, sun-kissed church pews and waxy incense resin, diffused by a cloud of soft vanilla powder. There is a prickly, almost fizzy top note that I identified as aldehyde giving a slight coarseness -I could almost imagine burying my face into the fur of a tiger, albeit a very clean, well groomed tiger -a maharajah's pet perhaps. There is nothing animalic here, or notably leathery and even the listed saffron doesn't have much presence. It really just focuses on resins and vanilla, dusted with some dry spice. It smells plush and expensive, but given the official note list, I was expecting something more unusual. I don't detect any absinthe note, or indeed much in the way of florals, though it lists rose, osmanthus and ylang in the heart. It's all sweet tolu and vanilla on my skin unfortunately, but perhaps others could pick out the more interesting parts of the composition that evaded me. It's definitely a cold weather scent, rich and inviting, but not unique enough to get excited about.

I have sampled and/or owned several Memo Paris fragrances. I love this house. And I love just about every fragrance I've tried. I own 75ml bottles of Sintra, Flam, Lalibela, Red Island and African Rose, to name a few. Now I own a full bottle of Tiger's Nest. Tiger's Nest definitely has the Paris Memo DNA I've come to know and love. Opens as a very strong, powerful and unapologetic incense fragrance with evidence of suede, or leather. I think it's the saffron that gives this fragrance its leathery, or animalic kick. I do detect some florals-rose-in the early dry down. Tiger's Nest is unique as incense fragrances go; it wears as an arid, thick and somewhat bitter-sweet scent (as opposed to uber-sweet). There's a wee-bit of smokiness evident during the fragrance's development on skin. There's vanilla in the dry-down. Longevity is fair at approximately 3 hours; silage is minimal-to-moderate after initial application. I am a woman, who refrains from gender categorizing fragrances. With this said, Tiger's Nest leans masculine for my tastes...but I like it a lot. I'll surely wear this lovely scent 'til the bottle is empty!

EDIT: As someone mentioned, this has a peppery opening, which is how some ambroxan comes across and obviously black pepper essential oil. For me, the opening is quite nice. There's definitely an olibanum note, which is unlisted. It soon dries down to a unburnt incense stick. Aside from the amber, woods, and mild to moderate incense sticks, not much else is going on. Very light on the vanilla and pleasantly, if mildly sweet in the mid. ***OLD If I could give this a 4.5 out of 5 I would, but Fragrantica won't let us vote that way, so I will give it a 4/5, a like. ***NEW EDIT: I sprayed this on my clothes, and I have to give it what it deserves, a 5/5, love. I can still sense the olibanum; this fragrance isn't as simple as I thought. It's so hot where I live that spraying it on skin is useless and distorts the experience of the fragrance. They did a great job.

I’ve smelled quite a few incense fragrances but Tiger’s Nest goes straight to the top of my list for best incense. To my nose it smells more recognizable as incense than anything I’ve come across (including CdGs entire Incense line) and captures the mountain monastery vibe amazingly. The incense isn’t a supporting note, it’s front and centre and the woody accents remind me of an old wooden building fragrant and warmed by the sun. Drys down to a nice warm amber. Only down side is that it is paradoxically a strong scent profile with moderate performance; it drops off to a more intimate scent which I can get light whiffs of only occasionally after an hour at which point it smells predominantly ambery. This also may be a positive because this might be unpleasant if it was super persistent and loud...it keeps me wanting more.

As asian man who born nearly Buddhism temple over the mountain I have to say “I love it”. This photorealistic old wooden temple feeling vibes that reminded me “Tiger’s cave temple” in my hometown. I often hiking to the top of the temple when I have a time and still feeling the vibes that connect with aromas from incense sticks burning. In my opinion sweetness of absinthe a bit overpowering to me just if it tone down a little bit would be good for wearing under the heat temperature. Longevity is very impressive even after several hours of hiking, and yes I wearing it during journeys to the temple. 9.5/10 for me.

This smells exactly like the new age crystal shop I used to frequent as a kid/teen. So much so that I hear a vivid memory of the delicate wind-chime they had on the door to alert them of a customer. The shop smelled of very fine incense- still in resinous form (never burning- no smoke here), items made of natural fibers and reeds, carved wooden items, and books. I got this at a steep discount- I don't consider it a good value at retail. I have to spray a little more than normal to get the performance I want, but when I do it lasts a long time and keeps me in a soft mystical bubble of nostalgia.

At first whiff it took me straight to the past as a teenager when my mother would drive us to Mexico (Reynosa) for church classes near the hill plaza then afterwards we'd go for a walk to the markets downhill where dry herbs & spices, vegetables, fruits, piñata candy & cultural art was sold, along with paracho michoacan classical guitars, which I was interested in purchasing! All those scents & aromas combined in this fragrance really transports the mind to times past. I also noticed that there's a place called "Tigers Nest" in Bhutan, a monastery...was it the inspiration behind it?!

Good nose for whoever drew the parallel between this and amber sultan! Yup they are extremely similar in the dry-down except this is a bit more incense-like and less vanillic. Also lacks that oregano accord. This was exactly what I was expecting from the house of memo. A very wearable but niche take on incense! It’s a great green peppery dry incense scent with a amber base. Expertly blended and extremely smooth. It’s really nice but not sure I’d ever buy it. I think there are some better option out there I’d go for first...

I am from the Altai region, close to Mongolia and this smells like the nature and the wooden totems sold to tourists and medicinal herbs from the mountains there. In the beginning it smells like a shamanic ritual deep in the woods, lit by a starry sky and a fire, where a magic potion is being cooked. It projects quite a bit but calms down into a nice incency amber after about an hour. I wish the crazy beginning lasted longer.. not sure if I'm going to splurge on a full bottle at this price point, but I love the concept!

Tiger’s nest reminds me of an Indian shop in a western town where you find traditional goods and craftsmanship in clouds of incense sticks. I can understand why someone writes that it reminds of carpets in Middle East places: I agree somehow but to me (a person living in Europe) this perfume gives positive feelings. I like a lot its hot, enveloping and exotic scent. I don’t find any metallic note. The performance is really good, with 2 sprays it lasts over 10 hrs and sillage is strong. ✨

Spicy, cold, medicinal, green in the foreground and sweet, ambery, vanillic, rosy in the background. Just a very unique combination. I love it! It's kind of hard to wear sometimes don't get me wrong but it's an amazing scent. I don't detect much smoky incense here however. I think the other notes just takes over the smoky notes for me. It's also SMOOTH. Silk-like even. Very refined. I am still struggling to wear it out tho lol but wearing it for myself inside is always great.

Beautiful incense (immediately get the olibanum oil+elemi at the top) sitting on a warm, buttery base of tolu balsam. Not smoky at all in the sense of something like Gucci a Midnight Stroll--no birch or cade here, just some nice spices which aren't overwhelming. But the main players is olibanum, yay! Also, instantly reminded of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, which I just recieved today. Im happy--just wish I could find Tigers Nest in the part of the world I am...Southeast Asia