Kingston Ferry

The Pac Northwest has always been my favorite part of the country, and Seattle my favorite city. For me Kingston Ferry is the perfect mix of mentholated evergreen, herbs and briny air and is evocative of a coastal breeze blowing off of Puget Sound on one of those near-mythical warm, sunny days. This is a very “Calgon, take me away” fragrance because I can just close my eyes and pretend I’m there. There is a suggestion of seaweed and ocean water, no icky weird fishy notes, and I do get a bit of a melon vibe from it, but thankfully we entirely avoid Cool Water territory. I also notice a nice driftwood note, possibly the best I have smelled. It actually smells like weathered wood. Thank you to my perfume buddy who gave me a travel spray to try out. I have worn this fragrance for 4 days in a row, a very rare thing for me to do. I will require a full bottle. Update: I’m finding it has excellent performance. I only need a dab, and it lasts all day, staying true to the scent. Now my absolute favorite from Olympic Orchids.

my bf is on the lookout for a new fragrance, so i thought i'd try this out and see if either of us liked it. well, he doesn't and says he only smells licorice, and it is a lot more herb-heavy on him and stays that way. but i really love this. it really does have this strong but not unclean saltiness, and the kind of herbaceousness in this isn't really like anything i've smelled before in an aromatic leaning scent... within a few minutes, it turns to heavenly soft florals with a bit of lingering, almost anise-y tarragon and a little less woods. i don't often go for aquatic types but the saltiness keeps it interesting. the bf never got to the floral stage that i did but i think even if it had it would still be very workable on men. sillage is low-ish, and i think it lasted me maybe 5 hours or so, maybe a little more

I'm not familiar with the Kingston Ferry in the Pacific Northwest, so it was odd that this fragrance brought out such strong scent memories for me. It reminded me of summer vacations spent at a mountain lake, which was surrounded by deep pine woods. One whiff of Kingston Ferry took me back to long days full of laughter and devoid of responsibilities spent out on the water. As far as specifics go, KF is a clever mix of aquatics and greens. Straight up marine fragrances often turn me off, but KF lacks the added citrus and other fruits that spoil those frags for me. Instead, it has a sharp twist of tarragon and chamomile that is much more satisfying to my nose. KF wears close but is quite long-lasting. Made with obvious care, and priced with reason. Thank you, Fragrantica for the sample of this great little gem.

Kingston Ferry is quite simply remarkable in it's structure. The driftwood note here is very distinct, and along with seaweed (not fishy!) is evocative of agarwood or oud in its saltiest and driest presentation. Incredibly, its this note that reminds me of the cystine note in Costume National's Scent Intense. The lavender and tarragon provide a wonderful bracing Pacific Northwest facet, just like wind whipping off the salty grey docks and stinging the nose ever so slightly. Woody, salty, dry, and tasty. I feel like a dog with its head out the car window tasting the air during a grey, overcast coastal drive. Somehow uplifting in a melancholic kind of way.

This is another of Dr. Covey's Scents of Place that really describe the olfactory landscape of a specific location. I have been on the Kingston Ferry too many times to count and this IS the smell of the Puget Sound at the ferry dock on a cool morning. When I first tried this sample I just smelled it in the bottle. That didn't work at all. I could only smell the smoke, salt and seaweed until I applied it to my skin. Immediately the fresh watery element appeared, then the flowers and finally the tarragon, myrhh and lingering woods. I can definitely imagine this as a masculine fragrance. I would wear it in the Fall.

I feel like I'm walking along a beach boardwalk- smelling snatches of the salty sea breeze, but also the dry, grassy dunes, washed-up driftwood, and somehow even the warm sun overhead. I'm not very interested in aquatics, but this perfume is AMAZING! Kingston Ferry is a very unique but accurate aquatic that is easy to wear, unisex (leaning masculine) and a pleasure to smell. A definite must-try for every OO, aquatics, or fine perfume fan.

Aromatherapy in a bottle! Without looking at the notes I could not tell what is in it... It is so different from anything I smelled before. However, with help I recognize tarragon, lavender, cedar and aquatic component. Kingston Ferry is such a serene and tranquil scent and so pleasant from opening to drydown. I love it and will order a full bottle.

Ok, I am fully convinced that I am at the dockland area, moreover, in Kingston. This fume is just more than a perfume. It is more like a video projection to me. That impressive.

Oh god, I'm just too amazed to write anything intelligent. I just sampled thin on my skin moments ago and I'm just in love. It's so uplifting, fresh and invigorating!

This surprisingly new marine scent, I expected something salty aromatic, but it's green and great, even warm... and aquatic.

Aquatic scents is usually not my cup of tea. But this isn't bad. It's not a favourite of mine, but there are moments when this scent really takes me places and makes me feel comforted in a way. It's a very atmospheric and evocative scent (like many of the perfumes from this brand). And it is extremely well made. I usually find aquatic perfumes to be too thin and watery smelling, too fresh - but this scent has a lot of substance and a certain kind of thickness, like a foggy feeling, to it. It starts off a bit harsh. I can smell salty, wet seagrass, engine oil from a ship and something very patchouli-ish, that in this particular blend smells a bit like guano (sea bird droppings). It's a very natural smell. I can feel the sea breeze in my hair and hear the seagulls crying when I sniff this perfume. The saltyness lingers, but the harshness goes away, and leaves room for softer, floral notes. It smells like a meating of ocean and land. Like you're on a boat (a ferry if you will), and heading for shore. The salty sea breeze is still prominent, but when the ship comes closer to port, whiffs of sand, driftwood and green hills filled with wild flowers starts to emerge, slowly and softly. I'm taken back to the time when I travelled from Calais to Dover by ferry, when I smell this. It's a lovely memory for me, and I love this scent just for reminding me of that trip again. I can detect chamomile, which really softens the saltness in this perfume, and in the heart of the scent a very mild and well rounded lavender blooms. I'm not very fond of lavender in perfumes, but it works for me here. It just gives the scent a cool, almost moist, foggy feel, that still smells floral. Sillage is medium, and longevity is 6-8 hours. I'm tempted to buy a small size (5ml) of this, just to sniff it now and then. The scent has atmosphere and a sense of movement, which I really like. :)

Kingston Ferry captures the smell of a dense forest carried by a crisp sea breeze. The marine notes form a hefty base that really allow the biting tarragon and herbaceous chamomile to shine, with a subtle but imminent florality smoothing out the transition between the top and the base. I really am impressed by how this fragrance eskews the citrus typical in other modern aquatic compositions, and still manages to smell crisp and fresh for hours on end. It's hard to immediately identify any woodiness on the nose, but I can kind of tell it's there bolstering the more plant-forward aspects of the scent. though intially, Kingston Ferry is powerfully herbal, almost leaning medicinal. I chalk this up mostly to the chamomile listed in the notes by the perfumer. However, I have noticed this medical-herbal element in many of Olympic Orchids other formulations, but I think this signature blends in the best in this fragrance.

Initial spray is LOUD. I yelled “holy black licorice” before peeking at the notes. I’ve grown Texas tarragon in my garden and that’s exactly what smacks you in the beginning. After about 10 minutes the tarragon pulls back slightly to reveal a smooth mix of light salt and seaweed. Not heady and thick like the real thing, but like what a photo of a PNW beach might smell like in a small gift shop. After an hour it is a smooth, clean marine flower. While the first sniff had me thinking this was going to be a beast to wrestle with, it dried down into a unique but clean and inoffensive green aquatic. I think it will be gorgeous on cold fall and rainy spring days. I grew up in Kitsap County and tested this to see if it was something to add to my shelf for when I’m feeling nostalgic or homesick. While it is a beautiful fragrance, it doesn’t trigger any scent memories for me.

This opens with idolic florals and maybe hyrax like a mens urinal trough at a baseball game. But, this is indie niche perfume, it's an adventure sometimes so I waited through it. After that it gets aromatic with chamomile, tarragon, vetiver, and a dusty heather. Then I get a brilliant driftwood, seaweed, and a musty, slightly smokey nuance. This is one of those fragrances when I read the inspiration brief, it fits perfectly with the description. You can picture a foggy beach in the morning with the faint smell of driftwood embers from the fire the night before. I love artistic fragrances, and this fits the description perfectly. I'm not sure where I'd wear this, but it's awesome perfumery nonetheless. It reminds me of camping on the beach. 🏕️ 🌊 Scent 7/10 Performance 8/10

this is quite the masculine fragrance on me, herbs herbs herbs! and salty air is all I get. If you love the aromatic smell of everything about the seashore, the herbs and flowers, driftwood, and seaweed; get it. you won't be disappointed. Not quite my style, but wow is it ever a great deal, and unique! It is so fresh, flowery, and woodsy in the drydown, like the smell of warm salt air baking on the rocks in the sun. oh my... this may call for a FB! I've never smelt anything quite like it. Very unique, dry yet salty and wet! The myrhh is a turn off for me, it just overwhelms on my skin. but it does round out the fragrance and give it a lovely resinous base.

Herbal, ozonic, salt, floral, strong anise and slight mint from the tarragon (I guess). Gasoline. Really marine, wet blue green. I didn't sniff much in the open because I was relatively repulsed, but that was only when up close, and the sillage isn't far, so I wouldn't worry about offending others. I keep sniffing out of curiosity and entertainment, but certainly not for pleasure. A little anise and floral. For some reason I get morning vibes with this. I'm wearing it at bedtime now, and it's weird. Feel like I belong on a ferry, starting my day. As it's drying down, it's growing on me. A little lavender, pepper, and wood.

So much bracing salt and seaweed with a hint of charred wood underneath it all. It’s nearly unpleasant, vulgar. With a little time, the seaweed takes on more of an inky marine quality. Like water rushing down an ice cold stream. You can smell the sea life and the foamy greenery the stream has accumulated over time. It’s like a force of nature washing up against a pile of diesel fueled burning wood, like a ritual to the sea gods of modern day. The herbs add an almost sacred quality to it. It’s a weird one. A little too bracing on first application but it dries to something meditative and almost, almost lovely.

Olympic Orchids’ Kingston Ferry is meant to evoke the windswept beaches of the Pacific Northwest. It’s a powerfully herbal scent; at first bitter and earthy, then dominated by an odd, unfamiliar, cooling scent, not quite anise but somewhere in the neighborhood — I’d guess the tarragon, which is after all an Artemisia. It’s a strangely blue-green scent, cleansing without at all evoking soap. The myrrh and chamomile sing a pleasantly earth-toned backup. It’s a unique addition to the genre of unisex nature-evoking scents, and I enjoy it.

Tarragon ! It is strong and natural like the one you would pick from the garden. Then I can sense the chamomile and some abstract florals on a woody (driftwood) base. It has a fresh aspect which makes it some sort of marine scent I guess. It is very nice. Completely unisex and I don't smell anything repulsive or weird in this one. Not at all. It is actually quite wearable if you like scents based on aromatic herbs. It is long lasting like most Olympic Orchids perfumes. At the price it is definitely worth a full bottle.

Love this. I just got my sample in the mail and am ordering a bottle. It's the beach in late summer/early fall I have been looking for a scent like this, it reminds of a rainy garden at the same time. I didn't think i would like the green mix with the aquatic but The green is just the perfect amount, not too light but not overwhelming either. You can definitely smell the saltyair, and the spice. The scent made me reminisce, just for that it deserves the sale.

if you have been searching for salty, this is it - it really is the saltiest thing i have ever smelled. it is so pungently sea water; i can appreciate an aquatic that does not, in any way, evoke "clean." when it dries down, it smells exactly like i've been sweating from every pore all day; no body odor, but just the smell of a miniature salt flat on every inch of my skin. it's not something i would ever wear, but i can appreciate the artistry in it.

This is an extremely atmospheric experience for me, reminding me of visiting a wharf (in a very good, romantic way). I definitely get the seaweed and the oceanic smells, but the herbs offer grounding comfort and keep the scent from being briny. This brings back memories and is a very memorable fragrance at the same time. I keep and savor my bottle at the same time.

Very unusual salty marine fragrance with prominent dry, hay-like herbal notes. Like having a cup of herbal tea and smoking some menthols next to a pile of algae. It's a little sweet and reminds me a bit of melon too, I'm surprised that isn't included in the notes.

I don't know why I immediately think of 1950s New England, car broke down giving a sweet, rubbery smell of old petrol, and then the wildflowers, sweet tea, and an old bed and breakfast. More of an experience than a perfume, as it doesn't seem to last on me.

Black licorice, an odd saffron and some sea salt. I don't really smell anything else beyond that... I'm shocked Anise isn't on the notes. Somehow herbal chamomile and lavender with driftwood funk IS black licorice. The funk here is almost acidic! It's very balsamic and almost spicy? At times it joins with another note here to create some crazy Indian spice... (maybe a super-charged Saffron?). The only other note you can clearly distinguish is the sea salt. It's almost like a salty ocean breeze which is quite nice but doesn't really fit with the licorice. This scent is little polarizing but not bad all things considered. There's something good underlying here but it's all muddy and confused. Eh. I wouldn't recommend this but I don't hate it.

Not an aquatic like AdG or anything, much more herbal actually. Tarragon and lavender mainly for me at first, but the seaweed and chamomile comes through as it goes. Smells just slightly wet dog this combo to me, so not that huge of a fan. It's ok, certainly better than your average aquatic.

Opens quite salty with seaweed, there is some musty quality to it; quickly transform into a herbal remedy scent. Interesting, I think I can see the imagery the creators were going for. However, I do not personally like this scent. I don't dislike it either, it's ok.

definitely one of my favorite aquaphoric scents ive tried!!!!! has a nice combo of sea water and floral notes 7.5/10

182) Kingston flood A truly original fragrance, a composition combining the extreme, hyper-salted watery to the flowery-resinous. it is successful? The opening is so complex and mixed I feel like opening a can of product on which was indicated a red skull + a small animal dropped into it by accident a few days ago. The scent becomes pleasant directly in the heart with a beautiful floral complexity but waves of marine aquatic notes come sometimes overwhelm everything, leaving behind them dead fishes in the middle of the wild herbs. This tidal movement actually ended up giving me seasick. The base is more stable but at this point I've decided to stay ashore. Un parfum vraiment original, une composition mariant des extrèmes, de l'hyper-salé-aquatique au fleuri résineux. Es que c'est réussi? L'ouverture est tellement complexe et mélangée que j'ai l'impression d'ouvrir un bidon de produit sur lequel était indiqué en rouge une tête de mort + un petit animal tombé dedans par accident il y a quelques jours. Le parfum devient directement plus agréable en coeur avec une belle complexité florale mais des vagues de notes marines aquatiques viennent parfois submerger le tout en laissant derrières elles des cadavres de poissons au milieu des herbes folles. Ce mouvement de maré fini par réellement me donner le mal de mer. Le fond est plus stable mais à ce point j'ai déjà décidé de rester à terre.

This was less briney than expected. It smells of strong lavender and licorice-y tarragon mostly. There is a salted / seaweed aspect but it's light. There's a synthetic smelling ozonic oceanic accord like in aurore nomade. Unfortunately this scent gives me an instant headache. Both times I tried it.

right away licorice - or absinthe? - in a urinal. shocking. settles into cleaning product but it’s still covering piss. licorice urinal cake.

I really wanted to like this, but it's burnt liquorice on my skin

A photorealistic forest next to an actual ocean. As someone who can't even stand to eat seafood, this is one of the most disgusting combinations I can imagine. It smells like fish and algea. I usually try a fragrance on my skin at least once before I write my reviews, but with this one, I can hardly even stand to be in the same room as the sample.

balsamic, at times fecal, mentholated, very strange, it often changes. it is not a perfume but a smell that I would not wear without dwelling too much on the notes. more than a sea it is a landfill in the sea. 2/10

I probably should not have purchased this, anything with a seaweed note just smells like nothing else besides seaweed to me. If you like to smell like you're covered in seaweed, this is for you.

WOW, I don't know how I missed this House previously, I've seen it many times but I've never ordered because the prices are not too high, and I thought that for such low price this cannot possible incredible. WOW was I wrong! So far I've tried about 6 fragrances by this House, and they were all mind blowing great quality and just an amazing experience! I'm a total fan now! This one as others had mentioned is something unusual and brings back memories that I can't quite place my finger on. It's hard to describe it, because you cannot pick apart separate notes, but it's a beautiful fragrance and I definitely recommend you trying it out! The packages are beautiful, a lot of thought goes into it, even for the 5ml spray bottles, they also always send free samples ( mind you, other way too expensive companies who I've ordered a full bottle from ( hint hint House of Matriarch ) didn't send me any free samples ). So to see such great quality of fragrance, plus good quality of packaging and thought put into this brand, I'm very very impressed!

To be updated as it wears. The opening is very herbal the Terragin is impressively loud and the camomile is strong. I definately get some heather too and licorice isn't listed but it is one of the clearest licorice notes Ive found. Im curious how it will turn to a beachy scent because it is much more of a spice market at the moment, but an interesting one! As it settles there is a wet salty brine that happens. Definitely not the wanna be water scents of the 90s. More like a damp mineral salty. Really interesting and nonoffensive at the same time. The spice is still present but it has mellowed. I can smell a bit of myrrh blending in now.

This is not what I expected. This is a very heavy floral and herbal scent to my nose. After a minute or two, the driftwood comes through very strong, as it gets amplified by the earthy scents. It also has the dry, warm stone scent that is in Salamanca, which as it fades, does begin to mimic a salty air and warm sand vibe. This scent was recommended to me on the forum in reply to my request for an ideal beach-smelling fragrance, but it's too intense and floral to fulfill my quest for a light airy beach.

Experiencing Kingston Ferry was definitely a journey. During the 3 hours it lasted, it literally felt like i was sniffing 3 different fragrances. This was one of the few times that i wish my cologne was linear and that's because the opening was my favorite. I got to be honest, the heart smelled like expensive bug spray. Take that comment for what it's worth. The woody-floral base definitely saved this scent from being a total disaster.

It smells like that throat coat tea taste like but with extra menthol. Oddly I don't hate it lol. I feel like this scent would really hit when your sick. It smells like an herbal remedy. I do get salt but no Seaweed. I mixed it with woodcut for a boardwalk scent.. which is what I expected from this on its own.

As a few commenters have stated, I also get lots of Anise from this. Really, it’s the most dominant note for me at the beginning. Not quite the intense, straight black licorice of Black Vines by Kerosene, but a similar vibe for sure. Anise, some other spices, and a little bit of an underlying funk.

The salt is a bit too biting on my skin, but wow! what a sensory experience. Truly does feel like a real-to-life ferry ride. Not my cup of tea though. The herbaceous elements do soften it a bit. Leans a little more masculine to my nose.

there's a slight acrid twinge here for the first hour or so that i don't love; definitely get the "acidic" and "balsamic" feel mentioned by previous reviewers. the dry down is nice and woody once the spice becomes less harsh, however!

Interesting concept. I grew up in Washington and fondly remember going on the ferry to the islands. Unfortunately all I get from this is wet towel and chamomile.

Starts off salty aquatic and herbal then goes a bit putrid diesel and seaweed in such a realistic way. I really am transported to a ferry on Puget Sound.

Herbaceous and salty. Very calming scent, but the salt adds a bit of a bite. Well done! Unisex but maybe leans a little masculine.

At the beginning, this smells very herbal. Like an herbal cough drop. The tarragon is surprising.