Empyreal

Empyreal, my final sampling of the next-to-latest trio from Navitus Parfums curated by Steven Gavrielatos (a newer trio by Buck of Big Beard Business has since just been released), and certainly the most appealing as advertised, a sweet, gourmand-leaning blend. The standout notes for me are plum, cocoa, tonka, birch tar, and guaiac. It’s mostly, almost entirely a gourmand, with some smoky features, a dessert-like sweetness (but not overwhelmingly so) conjuring dusted cocoa over a semi-sharp, almost liqueur-like base, very inviting. Empyreal does not feel as dark or dense as BBB’s Soir Exclusif or Exalt Nuit but that might be very welcoming for some who found those fragrances to be a bit intimidating. It’s neither light nor dark, and, while not very dense, still performs quite well in its characteristically high parfum concentration, as with other Navitus entries. This is probably my favorite of Steven’s latest trio from Navitus, as much as some of the initial 2019-20 releases (Lautus, Arcanum, Intimus, and above all, Absolutio) remain my overall favorites of his curated releases from the line. Again, it’s great to see the lower price point of $145 for 100ml for these newer releases, and that BBB’s are following suit. 8 out of 10

This reminds me of cocoa butter in the air. Right off of initial spray this is sweet, chocolatey, and smooth. Then it smells nutty afterward which gives the fragrance that cocoa butter vibe. I love this. It's not overly sweet (except maybe in the first five seconds of the fragrance), and it's buttery, and it floats in the air making this alluring. Great scent.

This one is lovely. Honestly, this is like if Dior Feve Delicieuse and Valentino Donna Born In Roma Intense had a baby. It's very smooth and has a face cream type vibe (on my skin, it's almost reminiscent of Pond's Cold Cream). I love it. It's what I reach for when I want a more tempered version of Feve Delicieuse.

The Chocolate orange opening is short lived but truly mouthwatering. Then it gets quite dark. I smell cocoa but really the tonka, suede, birch tar, and guaiac steal the show. This is not a clone of Feve but if you're looking for a more masculine take on that style fragrance you will love this!!

Smooth and pleasant gourmand! I was initially put off when smelling the cap, as it smelled like a baby powder woody bomb. However, on first spray, that sweetened orange was captivating. This quickly dissipated and dried down to something reminiscent of cocoa powder. Very pleasant. Citrus, chocolate, and woods shouldn’t mix - but they do so seamlessly here. Ive been wearing everyday and have gotten a few compliments! I probably wont repurchase given the price, but I don’t see how you could dislike this if you’re a cacao lover!