Mohur Extrait

Comparison of Mohur EdP and Mohur Extrait Neela Vermeire loves florals, and with Duchaufour’s hands she’s unquestionably proven that she knows what to do with them. Tuberose and jasmine have been the stars of several of the brand’s perfumes so far, but with Mohur we finally get a red rose. Curiously, NVC has released an EdP concentration and an extrait concentration of it. Why? To be honest with you, I can’t tell you why; having worn both, it’s not really making sense to me why we need both as opposed to just one of them. There are some differences between the two that, perhaps, could be enough for some people to say yay or nay to one over the other, but I’m not convinced. When I ask myself “if I were to buy one, which would it be and why” I struggle for an answer. Starting from the beginning, we notice an immediate difference between the two and really the only major difference throughout the life of both. The extrait is quite a bit more powdery, it’s darker, and the musky and oily ambrette note is larger and far more focused on the outset than in the EdP. The EdP has lighter powderiness and the ambrette is not nearly as intense. In both there is a very big piquant black pepper note backed by spices, and a resinous and green elemi. This difference in light carries into the heart as well. The rose of the extrait rose is a dark magenta, and the rose of the EdP is a luscious red. They are the exact same material, but the supporting characters have had their volumes changed slightly to provide the difference in brightness. The EdP carries more heliotrope and violet leaf, while the extrait dials these back and lets orris flank the rose to greater effect. The final dry down and skin scent of both is virtually the exact same. The sandalwood amber accord puts emphasis on woods that are a bit peppery and spicy thanks to patchouli accents, with a lovely and soft string of leathery animalics running through them. Now that I’ve got my thoughts down on paper, so to speak, I’m a little less strident in my opinion that I started with but I still hold to it. It seems the purpose of the extrait is to be a richer form of the EdP. An obvious, "duh" statement, right? To that end, I get it, but I still don’t understand why we need both. No one is going to smell the EdP and say, “you know, I just wish it was richer,” but that’s exactly what NVC did. When I smell a Chanel or a Guerlain extrait, as examples, the difference between them and their lesser concentration formats is evident and clear; the differences and intentions are not vague. In my final thoughts, I really only have two. One, a reiteration of my point that I don’t understand why we need both or what the difference is truly supposed to be. Two, Mohur, in both concentrations, is absolutely gorgeous. It is a superb red rose creation that deserves to stand with the likes of Nahema, Sa Majeste La Rose, Lyric Man, Portrait of a Lady - that echelon of greats. Just don’t ask me if I prefer the EdP or the Extrait, I don’t have an answer for you. Frustrating.

A beautiful Indian floral dream. This perfume is a delicate, shimmering creation of exquisite but subtle florals, spices and woody notes. The perfume opens with notes of cardamom, coriander, ambrette, carrot seeds, pepper and elemi resin. The heart is mostly floral with notes of iris, jasmine, rose, violet, almond and slight leather. The perfume settles into a powdery base of sandalwood, amber, cedar, patchouli, oud, benzoin, vanilla and tonka bean. In spite of so many notes, the final blended juice is surprisingly light and can be worn almost in any setting or occasion. Unisex (feminine leaning) with moderate projection and sillage, and very good longevity. The extrait version brings out the nuances of the perfume better than the very light eau de parfum counterpart which stays on skin for only half the time. Refined, discreet and elegant. Enjoy!

Love this as a deep dive into sensual yet refined perfume beauty. My favorite of all the NVC perfumes so far. Sophisticated in a very French classical way, crossed with the vibrancy of Indian materials. I do agree that the amount you apply varies the effects considerably.

The coriander in the top is giving me ghormeh sabzi vibes. Ghormeh sabzi is a delicious Persian herbal stew with meat chunks. But I don’t want to smell like it. The drydown is better... but it’s just not working for me.

I get the closest thing to true sandalwood, powdered, in a long long time. Combined with the upper register of a fine rose. Beautifully sophisticated and luxurious. Balanced, very long lasting. Worth it.