Spell 125

This review is for those who are looking for an ancient Egypt themed fragrance but are confused by the sometimes contradictory (and sometimes nonsensical) reviews of whether a said fragrance is actually Egypt themed or not. There are some fragrance reviews that would have turned me off to the idea of sampling, and that would have been most unfortunate in this particular regard. I hope this review helps and presents a consistent, logical case for those interested. Whether someone likes or dislikes this fragrance for other reasons is entirely subjectively warranted and is not the primary point of this review. Let’s simply start with some of the ingredients one can detect in Spell 125 and see if they have anything to do with ancient Egypt. Frankincense. Used for incense and embalming. Ambergris. Used in incense. Cinnamon. Incense and embalming. Sandalwood. Incense, perfume and embalming. Pine resin. Incense and embalming. The only one that stands out as not having relation to ancient Egypt as far as I know is black hemlock. Perhaps it has another purpose, or perhaps artistic license is alone reason to include it. Papillon Artisan’s Spell 125, while still being its own expression, has the same basic DNA of Sultan Pasha’s Thebes 1, which itself is a direct homage to Jaques Guerlain’s 1926 creation Djedi, as others have noted. Now, without knowing anything else it is obvious from Sultan Pasha’s naming of his fragrance after the city that was the capital of Egypt during the Middle and New Kindgom Eras that the ancients referred to as “Waset” and Guerlain’s Djedi, which refers to the Egyptian sorcerer from the fourth chapter of the Westcar Papyrus, that ancient Egypt is front and center. (Note: Sultan Pasha is also the nose behind Zoologist’s 2022 release Sacred Scarab, but I have not tested this and leave no further comment.) Now, before giving a (short) review of the fragrance itself, it is prudent to ask a few questions. Firstly, when someone leaves a review stating that a particular fragrance either does or does not smell like ancient Egypt, it is helpful to ask, “According to what reference point is the person making this assertion?” Secondly, after this is established it is only natural to move on to an even bigger question— How do we even know what ancient Egypt smelled like, anyway? Thirdly, if one is being a somewhat conscientious shopper, it’s helpful to ask what kind of fragrance house Papillon Artisan Perfumes is. Is it run by a nose who will slap a label on their fragrance for cheap attention and an attempt at a superficial money-grab? So, please allow me to attempt to answer these. Originally being an incense lover, principally of Japan and India, over time I got around to an interest in recipes for authentic kyphi or kapet, the Egyptian word for incense. It’s a long process that takes up to six months, but well worth the effort. One of my favorite recipes that arose from tinkering with what I found online uses frankincense, myrrh, pine resin, cinnamon, sandalwood, juniper berries, cardamom, dammar and a slight touch of jatamansi. At this point, you should naturally be asking a variation of question #2: How do we know this was even remotely like their incense? Well, we have the records of the ancient Greeks, individuals like Dioscorides, Plutarch and Galan. We have the inscriptions on temple walls such as at the complex of Edfu. While there is variation there is also a lot of overlap. And we’re still learning. For example, recently scientists have discovered evidence of ancient Egyptian use of dammar and birch. Dammar is from a tropical Asian tree and is sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus. I've smelled it often in temples in India. Birch resin is from Northern Europe. Obviously, the ancient Egyptians had a much more extensive trade route than previously assumed. Some seem to even think that the ancient Egyptians had virtually no trade at all! Speaking of, I literally read a review of Spell 125 where someone in all their ingeniousness quipped that they highly doubted they had access to pine in ancient Egypt. Oh boy...Yes, pine resin was used in Ancient Egypt and yes they had an extensive trade network. Now, about pine. Personally, I do not experience an overwhelming pine element in Spell 125. It’s clearly there, but is so balanced by the frankincense in particular that it isn’t an issue. Some people seem sensitive to it in reviews. My wife does not find it overwhelming, either. YMMV. (Update: A cool and rainy system has finally moved into this area of the country and with the increase in humidity the pine has moved much more to the forefront. Very interesting, and this may explain some of the discrepancy in the reviews. Warm dry weather seems to favor the frankincense note in particular.) Regardless, some people smell a note of pine and think, “Forest”. Perhaps they should also think, “Mummy.” Allow me to quote Dr. Barbara Huber, a doctoral researcher from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, Germany, regarding her olfactory research on the odor of the mummification practices of ancient Egypt. She reports on the eau de Mummy, “The dominant aroma is definitely a woody kind of pine-like scent.” She arrived at this conclusion from careful research utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and high temperature GC-MS to analyze the contents of jars, flasks, burners and ointment containers. (By the way, this sort of science is a big part of the answer to question #2.) Lastly, from the above question list, Liz Moores of Papillon takes a lot time and care between releasing fragrances, uses high quality ingredients and is a relatively small operation. Not exactly the type to engage in cheap tricks to fool people into buying products by engaging in marketing nonsense. Wow, this has gotten long. One more note for those of you who might be interested in an Egypt-themed fragrance. Papillon Artisan already has another, released in 2014, called Anubis. How does Anubis compare with Spell 125? They’re quite different. To sum them up, Anubis to me has this diurnal, sun-baked leathery smokey amber quality to its resinousness while Spell 125 is definitely of nightfall— dark, heavy and also resinous but in a uplifting, pleasant way that is difficult to describe. It probably arises from the interaction of the frankincense, ambergris, spice and sandalwood. It has zero smoke. Someone described it as referencing some sort of intersection of body and spirit or perhaps the meeting of the relative and incorporeal planes. I would agree. Recommended. (However, I cannot wear Anubis at all as wonderful as it is, while Spell 125 I could wear regularly. Just putting that out there. They are siblings, but day and night.) In summary, this is now in rotation with my favorites and I’ve already bought a full bottle after two months of testing.

If Anubis feels like a ritual chamber hidden deep within a hot, dusty desert, then Spell 125 feels like its temperate counterpart beneath ancient coastal pines. Of course, ancient Egypt had no forests, so where Anubis smells of desert sands and temple walls, Spell 125 imagines the same ancient spirituality transplanted to the lost port of Thonis-Heracleion, where the scents of imported Aleppo pine resin, precious woods, balms, and other resins mingled with the incoming Mediterranean sea winds. The ritual remains; only the scenery has changed. This is potent, raw, and unapologetically atmospheric. From the first spray, dense frankincense takes center stage and never really leaves. But this isn't incense smoke. The resins here smell unlit—sticky, woody, and fresh. There are no church vibes or clouds of ecclesiastical smoke. Instead, it smells of resin itself. Pine and black hemlock quickly join the frankincense, creating a green, coniferous accord that feels almost startlingly natural. And the choice of pine here feels deliberate. In my own interpretation, it's Aleppo pine. Why Aleppo pine? Aleppo pine resin was used by ancient Egyptian priests as both a weatherproofing sealant and an important ingredient in the embalming process. Beyond the familiar coniferous smell, this resin carries a distinct cooling facet that resembles camphor. When raw—or burned too hot—it can develop a sharp, acrid edge reminiscent of turpentine or gasoline. Suddenly, those strange medicinal and fuel-like nuances in Spell 125 start to make perfect sense. This camphoraceous, balsamic edge runs through it all, along with something faintly medicinal. At times, I even catch that strange gasoline-like nuance lurking in the background, adding to the feeling that something ancient and mysterious is taking place. Ambergris brings a salty, airy muskiness that reminds me of the sea somewhere beyond the trees. Wind carrying salt inland. Waves crashing in the distance. Like Anubis, there is also that distinctive waxy smell of old candles that have just been extinguished. Not smoke, but warm wax lingering in the air after the flame is gone. The overall atmosphere is haunting and deeply evocative. Not a ritual in progress, but the lingering traces of one. The scent of resin-stained storerooms, imported woods stacked along ancient docks, and temple offerings waiting to be carried inland. Pine resin, frankincense, salt air, old wax, and precious balms drifting together on Mediterranean winds. There is something grounding about it, yet also strangely otherworldly—as though the lost port of Thonis has briefly resurfaced from the depths, carrying with it fragments of forgotten rites and vanished worlds. Not for everyone. But if you enjoy fragrances that feel more like places, stories, and experiences than perfumes, Spell 125 is truly something special.

Behold, I have come before you bringing to you Truth, having repelled for you falsehood. Papillon's Anubis is my favorite fragrance I have smelled so far, head and shoulders above the rest, so I had very high hopes going in. Unfortunately for me, Spell 125 was a different scent and it did not change what I thought was possible like Anubis did (there can only ever be one first), so I put away my tester and forgot about it. Today, I took it back out to figure out what exactly I liked and didn't like about it. It seemed entirely different this time. I have not killed. Comes on spicy and woodsy, but blended & complex, not one-note. There is soft mystery. I have not diverted water in its season. The only hard edges it has fade quickly. If I were to analogize Spell 125 to a sound, it would be a tonal, resonant, heavily pitched-down casette transport - a deep, insistent, textured drone. Think like a deeper version of the first few seconds of Ethel Cain's Perverts. It is deep green in a field of black with pinprick stars. I have not extinguished a fire at its critical moment. It is much gentler than Anubis. It is sinuous, multilimbed like a fungus, it props up and pushes forward without overasserting itself. It has a distinct magical body (one that I didn't feel at all in Coven). I have made divine offerings for the gods, invocation-offerings for the blessed dead. Save me, then. Protect me, then. It is the maturation of what I see in Anubis, but it is not time for me to mature in this way. I see the echos of that vigor, not subdued or diminished, but knowing what they want and having gotten it. Self-assured, effective, moving the world and moving in the world. I think that in a few years I will return and find that I have become someone who this scent fits like a glove. I am one who provides assistance in the presence of the gods, who knows the requirements of their bodies. This scent conjures, to me, snakes moving backwards and forwards through time. I think of the first time I smelled it and how disappointed I was. I think of now, when I can approach it as itself, and I appreciate it much more. I think of possible futures where this is something I wear often. I think of those future selves I dream, reaching back through this scent and guiding me. I think of the magic that went into its construction and the magic worked by those who wear it. I think that if you know the flows, weave the net, liaise between our world and others, then you should try this. "Proceed, then. Behold, you are announced. Your bread is the Eye of Horus; your beer is the Eye of Horus; your invocation offerings on earth are the Eye of Horus," so says he regarding me.

Das Huffer hit the nail on the head. I own and obsess over Salome and Dryad (heck, pretty much every release from Papillon, if I’m being honest, but Salome in particular is my signature) and the magnetic undercurrent of sensual skin musk shared across these perfumes instantly ensnared me. My enthusiasm for Spell 125 cannot be understated - I’m springing for a full bottle of this as soon as I can. The lush “skin but better” DNA throughout all her works is potent and naturalistic and gorgeous and addictive, but Spell 125 takes this familiar musk and imbues it with transcendent purpose. It is hard to capture. Liz Moores continues her artistry of weaving an olfactory tapestry that defies convention and transcends language. It’s witchcraft. It’s worship. It’s pure exaltation of materials blended with intent, though if you were to ask me to expound on individual notes, I’d have a hard time. The ambergris is subsumed into herbal, incensy splendor leaving a veil of slightly salty, cuddly, good human smell, with a touch of the what I can only describe as subtle vanilla and gently sweet, buzzy honey that grounded Bengale Rouge after the exploding lush florals subside (is that the Ylang? Maybe - it feels so entirely abstract). It’s soothing in the way a walk through lush forest and over ancient glacial stones might be, hand in hand with your love, kissing their neck, dewed with a little calescence, a little salt sweat. The pine in this is unbelievable. Inviting, naturalistic, and ephemerally woven with the other ingredients in an extraordinary, diaphanous dancing symphony. I simply can’t convey a proper approximation of it beyond that. It’s everything good about a wild and dark and fragrant forest tempered with the flame and fine materials and refinements of civilization. It’s the stuff of Faerie - a testament to the source and energy of things, held in supreme, joyous balance. Harmonious, above all things. Spell 125 speaks to Papillon’s compelling legacy of olfactory storytelling and supreme alchemy. This is art. And it is beautiful to behold.

I have been wearing this a lot lately, via a decant my wonderful friend has traded me for my bottle of Papillion's Bengale Rouge. A nice situation where he preferred what I had while I preferred this. Within 30 minutes this enters a long phase where all I smell is Fred Soll's Frankincense & Myrrh stick incense. Fred Soll makes his incense with a thick base of pinion pine collected in the Southwestern United States. The sticks are huge and cling to the package and each other and create copious amounts of exalting smoke. I love his incense and recommend purchasing, if only to compare to Spell 125, as they exist in the exact same territory for several hours... it is a beautiful place. Later, perhaps two hours after application, other notes emerge but they are much harder to identify for me. Perhaps the ambergris twisting around pine and smoking olibanum. I'll keep exploring it. While I'm still trying to figure out if I need a full bottle, I can report that it is enchanting, evocative, spiritually uplifting stuff. I think Liz Moores' creative palette centers around spirit, which I personally appreciate. One last thing: below there is this sarcastic and negative review that is well-written enough that it might turn you against this perfume. I know as well as most that one bad review here can convince me to close the tab. I took a look at their other reviews and stopped reading after the 30 most recent were all negative. It is somewhat funny that the person wrote it on Christmas Day. There are people in this world blessed with the gift of gab but cursed with bitterness, and they are very good at showing you what they see: an ugly world full of disappointments. Rumi advises us, "When you go to a garden, do you look at thorns or flowers? Spend more time with the roses and jasmine."

Spell 125 is probably the most wichy fragrance I have ever tried. This smells like the woods. When I put this on I am heavily reminded of a trip my family took when I was young to a cabin deep in the woods. This cabin was old, dusty and FILLED with taxidermy. There was a cave system near by that we went exploring, there was a light stream that flowed out of the cave. We stuck our heads under a small waterfall back inside the cave. This fragrance encapsulates the memory of this trip. This fragrance is dark green and spicy especially right after application. There is a strong coumarin presence in this fragrance but it isn't overwhelming or too reminiscent of body odor for me. As it dries down it mellows out and becomes smoother and more wearable. I have only tried Spell 125 and Dryad from the house of Papillon and they're both amazingly vintage feeling. They are very evocative fragrances. If I go a long time without smelling either of them, Dryad will remind me of Spell 125 when I apply it, but testing them both within the same day they are very different. Both are green and foresty. I am just stuck and can't really decide which one I want to upgrade to a full bottle of. Dryad is more glamorous and pleasing where spell 125 is more atmospheric and weird. Weird in a very cool way, I love putting a little of spell 125 on the back of my hand just to sniff over and over. Though I am not quite sure how this perfume would work once it's atomized over a large area of the body. Spell 125 is very enjoyable for me. It is the dark fantasy fragrance of dreams. Definitely try this out if any of this sounds interesting, this is high quality perfumery that is very different from anything else that I have tried. This is artistry.

I loved Spell 125 from the first second i tried it, but decided to live with it for a bit before writing a review. It is a dry, dark green, smoky, woody fragrance that deserves the hype. It is deceptively simple from the first glance, but its genius is in the exceptional placement and balance of notes. 2 images that it paints in my head would be: Orthodox Church during Christmas, when the natural wood is mixed with light smoke from olibanum and freshly cut conifer tree. The conifer note here is the most natural and pleasing anywhere you look. 2nd image is the smell of european pine forests during summer. Again, conifer aroma that is somewhat dry due to hot weather, but even though its hot, you can smell a little bit of damp earth and decomposing branches. Someone lit a fire far far away. It is semi rugged scent mainly because of ambergris that brings a touch of "morning breath" to the table, but because of an exceptional balance - it makes this composition a masterpiece that it is, providing unique note and depth. Reading below, rbalkris calls it unfinished, and saying prin does better job - he cant be further from the truth. None of rbalkris curated frags together can touch this piece of art. Prin is fine, norne is fine, soudain l'hiver is great, but none of them reached this level of balance and finesse. Tastes are different of corse, but trust me - this is a benchmark, and i am already looking for a backup or 2, as i am afraid that Liz might run out of ambergris and balance will be lost. Has to be my best purchase of 2021. Projection is good, longevity exceptional. A must try at least. Funny thing, this is my 125th review :D

Green forest + ritual + skin. One of the most impressive fragrances I’ve experienced. This sits in a similar space to DS&Durga’s Amber Teutonic - not identical in scent, but very close in mood: pine, incense, woods and that same ritualistic, almost meditative quality. If you’re drawn to that kind of scent, this is exceptional. This is incense, but alive. Green, resinous, evolving constantly. It doesn’t sit still. It develops over hours in a way that feels intentional and almost narrative. The frankincense itself is striking - refined, almost luminous - and noticeably potent, yet the fragrance remains incredibly well balanced throughout. Spiritual, witchy and powerful, but not heavy in a suffocating way. Despite its intensity, it never turns dense or synthetic, nor does it fall into “campfire” territory. Instead it feels natural, grounded, like being in a forest rather than burning it, or stepping into an esoteric shop filled with resins and incense. The pine note is especially beautiful here - fresh, slightly sharp, and seamlessly woven into the resins. What makes it even more interesting is the subtle floral dimension (ylang-ylang), which I would never have expected in this context. It softens and rounds the composition without making it floral, just more complete. This is not a crowd-pleaser. It’s a presence. A fragrance that feels less like something you wear, and more like something you step into. A GOAT for pine and incense lovers.

it is instantly transportative. this is one of the first things i ordered to sample when i embarked on my scent journey. upon first spritz my mind went “oh shit!” and i was immediately taken away to an internal landscape i had always felt was there but hadn’t returned to in a long time. dense green forest, just where it ends at a seaside cliff. a ritual space only my spirit knew the location of. in this sense it does fit the description liz moores gave for this perfume. forget the egypt association. it’s not about location, but all to do about the soul’s journey during ritual. transporting and transforming from one plane to another. someone on parfumo said this one needs body heat to fully open up and meld with you, and i’d have to agree. for that reason i actually love this on hot days, where that green unburned olibanum + pine combo becomes more camphorous and cooling, and that ambergris enhances your skin’s oils and sweat. filed under one of those scents that becomes a part of you when you wear it; a personal talisman or power source. sillage doesn’t project too far, which is just fine because when you connect with this scent you know it’s for your self that you’re spraying this on for. lasts on me about 6-8 hours.

Spell 125 wraps you in a comforting blanket (or should that be shroud?) from the beginning with its lovely low-pitched opening, both animalic and woody with ambergris, green pine and sandalwood permeated through with dark frankincense. That frankincense note similar in tone to the one used in Papillon's Anubis but Spell 125 is far less dry and cloaked in ambergris. It also has the familiar, rich Papillon house base and I'm wondering if a few more animals might be hiding in here in the style of Salome . There's a warm, old clothes chest note, medicinal and powdery, almost abrasive, from the wintergreen / pine resin and what I'm assuming is black hemlock. I couldn't detect the ylang-ylang. Drying down to a salty, charred cathedral incense note after 4 hours. Absolutely unisex, Spell 125 is dark, mysterious and yes, definitely sexy. I am bewitched Not sure if it's a helpful comparison but I wore it with Areej Le Doré's Russian Musk II — I felt some similarities, both are cold weather perfumes, animalic, ambery with pine resin. RM2 is brighter, daytime, more vivid and extrovert. Spell 125 is nighttime, dark and moody, waxier with ambergris and deeper pitched with incense, but they seem to share something substantial.

Reviewing a bottle of EDP from 2021. Spell 125 was launched in 2021. Spell 125 is a mysterious oddity for those who love cold green foresty fragrances delivered raw and edgy. This opens with green camphorous siberian pine and a brief waft of animalic funk from the ambergris. It then settles into a waxy, green, and resinous Green Sacra Frankincense with a touch of black pepper and ash. The Ylang -Ylang is not noticeable but is clearly there to balance the resins and bridge into the soft sandalwood base. Easier to wear than you might think especially for outdoor activities such as "Forest Bathing". Quality 5/5 exceptional materials and blending typical for Liz Moores Unisex Performance 5/5 excellent sillage lasts 6-8 hours Inspired by the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Spell 125 is supposed to represent a balance of light and dark, life and death. Spell 125 does indeed reflect this balance but to me it is less about ancient Egypt (as Anubis certainly is) and more about the Celtic rituals at Samhain at the start of winter when the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest. It is cold and raw with no comforting notes as you would expect for when you face the ultimate tribunal and judgement of the soul. 9/10

Spell 125 is the longest spell in the Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead, covering the ceremonial process of crossing the underworld to reach the afterlife, including the famous weighing of the heart ceremony. Weirdly enough, I believe the imagery certainly comes through with this scent. It’s dominated by this intensely salty, musky and fleshy ambergris - upon first spray it was almost repulsive but after revisiting, it keeps drawing you in deeper and deeper; like the darkness of the underworld pulling you away from the light. To contrast this is a hefty dose of sharp, aromatic pine which is beautifully woody and green, alongside frankincense which has long been known to be a favourite among the Ancient Egyptians. At first I didn’t really like this scent, I found it very daring and out of my comfort zone. But after repeat testing and wearing I can safely say it’s growing on me hugely. I have always been looking for an ambergris which is intense and musky without compromise - whilst the likes of SilencetheSea was far too much, I believe this could be the one.

I am thoroughly bewitched by this fragrance. I simply cannot stop reaching for it when choosing my scent for the day; it's as if my hand is guided by forces unseen. Spell 125 is the perfect cool weather perfume if you're looking for something a little dirty and very much off the beaten path. You only find this type of scent profile by taking a detour off the usual hiking trail and pushing your way through boughs of pine and gnarled undergrowth, but man, is it well worth the risk. Spell 125 really does wear like a spell. I feel more confident and self-assured when I've sprayed myself with this particular olfactory companion. I'm a fiend for ambergris, and its unmistakable funk is not shy in this composition. The frankincense here is handled deftly, as it does not drown out the other notes in the slightest. I'm absolutely smitten. The inspiration behind this fragrance comes through loud and clear... thanks to this perfume, I am transformed into an ethereal ghoul cloaked in a haze of embalming ingredients. A perfect 10/10.

Liz Moores' creations all share an extraordinary transportive quality and an ability to quickly evoke emotional associations. For me, this one feels like sitting in a warm room under a blanket after a long, late-autumn walk in the woods. The forest here is not sunlit or bright but rather foggy, cold, and damp. The resinous elements lend it an enveloping, almost cozy character, while pine and ambergris bring a sense of austerity. It’s a fascinating play of contrasts. I can easily see myself wearing it more often during a bleak Central European autumn. On my skin, three notes stand out: pine, ambergris, and frankincense. Depending on the day (that is temperature and humidity) it can lean more incense-animalic or more straightforwardly coniferous. Each time, Spell smells remarkably natural and of very high quality. That said, while I personally love it, I would strongly advise against blind-buying. The prominent use of natural ambergris may be polarizing for some.

When I initially tried out Papillon perfumes, I was very torn, but I ultimately chose Salome over Spell 125. Salome was instantly recognizable as the THING I was LOOKING FOR. But Spell 125 was a slow burn, indeed...a spell. Once I had a full sized bottle, it wasn't the 2nd spray that did it for me. It was the 20th. Only then was I captivated, entranced and, in a sense, validated, as I felt complete and utterly myself putting it on. Salome is for special occasions, Spell 125 is a daily wear armor. This also completed a trifecta where I observed a pattern of my deep intense love for pine and olibanum fragrances. Fille en Aiguilles and L'eau Trois are already top tier favorites of mine, and while there is a shared thread between them, they are still distinctly themselves. FeA with its dried fruits, L'eau Trois with its airy herbaceousness, and Spell 125 with the salty ambergris mixed with that dense signature Papillon base. Blissfully bewitched.

I own Dryad, an excellent smoky orange and I understand exactly what Blizzard says. This has some of those same smoke genes. This bad boy however is outstanding if what you are looking for a pure masculine fragrance . I have been badgering Phoenix and Beau to make an EdT of their Spitfire which tries to remind you of vintage fighter plane engines and does an excellent job of this for 6 minutes then disappears in a puff of smoke. Here with Spell 125 we have the niche quality ultra well blended version of that. Flirts with a bit of sweetness which would have made it unforgivably liquorice like instead that flirting without tipping over just makes it superbly well blended. The other distant relative would be Le Labo Patchoul 24. Spell 125 is is more metallic, less charred /smoky. This is one for my own pleasure. Le Labo always gets compliments, I am not sure this will but more importantly I don't care! FBW. Masterpiece.

This is incredible, never smelled anything like this, there's so much going on. I just put on a second daub after letting it dry down for about 15, now I'm getting ylang-ylang, which I didn't pick up at all at first. The incense is strong, but not cloying. Conveys a solemn, holy space. This is such a good goth girl fragrance, I'm blown away. I had never smelled ambergris before this fragrance, so I'm not quite able to pick it out, but there is a warm, ambery sweetness. I can smell a fire, but the richness of the incense gives me the visual of a large brass brazier, illuminating a dark underground space. Pine resin sticks to your skin, for use in embalming or contraceptive, the scent lends to either fiction. The animalic note lends to a sort of pleasant sweatiness, humans in un-airconditioned spaces. Fascinating and fantastical, dark and moody.

I’m usually not into perfumes that center Olibanum in such a straightforward manner. I really can’t do the CdG incenses in the manner of Avignon et al— but the addition of a high quality real ambergris tincture along with a bit of pine and faint base of sandalwood does something special to this sacred resin. Out of all the Papillons that I own, this isn’t in my top 3 BUT it’s so unique, so lovingly focused on its few simple but pure ingredients that I can’t seem to get enough of it. I know lots of people who consider this to be her best work and I can see why. Don’t pay $1000 for an artisan release because “it only uses the best ingredients” when you can get this one which has the quality ingredients and a wonderful perfumer at the helm. Sample first but Recommended.

I love Anubis. I love the mysterious feel of it and the essential oil like mood ground effect on me. So I rushed to the perfume shop to try Spell 125 when it is available. First impressions: Open with fresh pine and frankincense, follow with a short phase of animalic note, then turn to smoky, powdery floral smell, clean and intoxicating. End with dark woodsy smoky scent which reminiscent to Anubis. Contrast can be found in Spell 125, clean and dirty, bright and dark at the same time. As expected Spell 125 too have the mood grounding effect on me. I guess good amount of high quality natural oil in it. If you enjoy Anubis, you will probably enjoy Spell 125 too. Unique scent. Love it.

My first impression is that this is VERY cypress forward, with ambergris being less noticeable than expected. The opening is slightly sharp for me (only for the first 5 or so minutes) but when it fades... oh my. It becomes a warm bath of amber and smoky sandalwood. Stretching here, but the patchouli mixing with the other notes is almost marijuana-esque. Very pleasant but not a massive standout. The dry-down might be a bit played out if you're looking for something truly unique but if you want something that's fresh and cozy without overstated depth, this is a great scent to check out.

Probably my favorite or second favorite papillon - fantastic representation dark green or a muddy grey. There is an immediate burst of high quality ambergris, those who know, know. As it begins to develop the ambergris still the star, there is a greeness (likely the pine) and a resinous aspect. This really evokes witchy, foresty imagery and does come off quite mystical and folktale-ish. Fantastic though really, hard to pull off as ambergris is a polarising and usually non-appealing note to most. However fans of ambergris and dark witchy foggy elements are in for a treat. 8.7/10

You are walking through an old and slightly damp tomb, the smell from the ancient pine trees outside is penetrating the space after the cool but reviving rain. You enter the temple circle where the high priestess is burning some sage in preparation for the upcoming ceremony! There is an old book with magical spells on the altar, with a leather cover turned shiny from being touched by generations of hands. The old and frail paper crackle as the priestess turns the pages. This is not perfume. It's a portal, to a different space and time! Simply genius!

The pine note is too strong on me. It’s not for me. I love most of Papillons perfumes but this one is nice, just not for me. So since I blind bought it, I’m stuck with it . I guess I’ll layer it with another perfume. If you like pine forward perfume, u will absolutely love this one . I can see this being lovely on men. Piney and powdery. I can even get the ambergris on the deep dry down. Definitely get a sample. And give it time. It will change on your skin over hours . Imho it’s a beautiful masculine fragrance that I would love to smell on a man.

Opening notes are like fresh pine tar, rather overwhelming, slowly mellowing out to a pleasant fresh forest scent. The pine becomes almost minty and is carried beautifully on woody and mossy tones, like crisp winter wind. It maintains a distinctly masculine base for the first few hours until the mossy earthiness gives way to a delicate but sweet floral. Spell 125 smells like wintering in a pine forest, waiting for the snows to melt and witnessing the first blossoms cautiously unfurl. 10/10

The opening is medicinal, a little bit like camphor. Wearing it in cold winter weather is a waste, because the aroma tends to disappear after that medicinal whiff. However... I got to try it in this crazy February that feels more like spring, and the dry down is beautiful. I wanted ambergris, and it delivers. It is a subtle scent, but all day present. I do get a bit of pine, saltiness and a dash of sweetness (only a hint). It is difficult to describe, and I would say not a blind buy.

I cannot get down with this. An absolute ambergris overdose with so much coniferousness shining through via the Siberian pine that it makes it so bright, so expansive yet too bright. Too gleaming and for me, a little nauseating. I love her stuff and I think Dryad, Salome, Anubis are tremendous feats of niche perfumery and a clear nod to dusty, sensual and brave frags of old but this? This is unpalatable for me.

Smells very close to pine resin... From the kind of pine growing here in Scandinavia. Almost no sweetness at all, but a little bit of saltiness from the ambergris. Love the smell. This is home and I will buy a bottle if I ever move to a part of the world where I cannot smell this in the nature, as for now I rather smell the pines at the cliffs by my local beach.

Incredíble. And you may look at the notes and think, hmmm ylang ylang? Doesn't seem to belong. Well let me tell you, the ylang ylang is what makes this pop. The little banana-ey twinkle amongst the very serious pine and resin with the skanky-ass ambergris, MWAH!, chef's kiss. And ooooohhhh the olibanum...achingly good, an incense to rival Amouage.

Spell 125, like all the Papillon perfumes, conveys a primal force. I don't get Egypt with this (I dont with Anubis either). I get a scene of a pine forest with animals, smoke, and walking upon an ancient ritual taking place. There is magic here. This is brilliant but not a love. Might prefer to smell this on a man.

A soulful fantasy of a solitary forest bath, the sort of morning hike where you lose yourself in nature & before you know it you’re at the top of the mountain, human cares have fallen away, & for that moment you are one with the world. Calming, a private meditation. Evergreen & ambergris, between earth & air.

Turpentine, burning frankinscense, moss, sweet liquid resin and floral nectar, salty ambergris, soft sandalwood and a hint of something dry and spicy - like cardamom, is what I get. It is not green imo and it smells like a log cabin on a meadow in the forest. Very enjoyable

Obsessed with her recently. Disliked at first whiff but it really does something for me. Beautiful, very ambergris to me. Smells expensive. Has a yuckiness to it which I love. If you like expensive and skanky and unusual then you will enjoy this.

Chilling, haunting, ancient, and magical but in a dark way. I'm in love with this one and the name is so fitting! Not an everyday wear for me but this one is powerful!

embalmed and entombed in the forest by the sea absolutely fantastic. comforting and disorienting, cooling and warming, repulsive and addicting

bitter wax and resins. blended beautifully. brings me sense of comfort and contentment. another treasure from Liz.

Pine sap, mint crayon, candle wax, smoke, a liittle bit of sex...medicinal, sensual, mysterious, incredibly done.

Sultry and deep. More for Fall and Winter. Waiting to wear this one when the weather cools off.

This is incredibly dark and alluring. She uses real Ambergris to create this. Legit ambergris has a very specific smell to it. It cannot be replicated, but attempts are made constantly. It has a very very slightly sweet vain, but is incredibly resinous. The kids these days have had loads of ethyl maltol pushed onto them. It is not masculine. Everything out there must be super sweet. I would really liken this to a darker version of the original Musc Ravegeur, or Ispahan by Yves Rocher. This is perfectly blended. Big brands cannot pull this off, because there isn't enough ambergris to source for mass production. They would have trouble with supply and would be subjected to constant reformulation. Creed Aventis is a great example of this. People are obsessed with batches, but they're all very similar except for pre 2014 before real oakmoss was limited and they had to reformulate to comply and ensure a stable formulation in the future, or they would have had to discontinue it. Well Done Liz! Scent 8.5/10 it's a like for me due to wearability, but a love from me due to quality Longevity 9/10 this will stick to your skin Sillage 8.5/10 it is a slowly degrading formulation due to the materials. Starts of blasting and slowly tones down over the course of 6 hours Packaging 6.5/10. It is important to understand that packaging costs money. A low score does not mean it's bad, in fact it can be good. Saving money on packaging means costs can stay low for consumers. Cost 8/10 for what this is, it is adequate, but it's $220+ which is the upper tier of niche.

ohh yes.. im under the spell.. This is some strong potent outdoorsy stuff. straight into the dark damp forest we go. hautingly beautiful , Damp moss tall dark big Fir and Pine trees sun bearly coming thrue to the forest floor . your out for a walk in the woods with all your senses open , taking in every sound ,every smell ,every instinct open to nature. A bonefire burning and sending small wiffs of smoke into the clean air ,mixing with the smell of forest floor and the fresh pine tree, you just picked some pineneedles rubbing it between you fingers to enjoy the smell .... This is so very beautifuly made unisex slightly incensy woods with bearly a floral touch . This infact reminds me of a scent i have been looking for wich is no longer made Guerlain Winters Delice . This is more dark and damp not as sweet as Delice but still the fir and pine makes this very close at least from my memory , the sligt sour touch of resin and pine is almost the same . Gossh i need a bottle of this one . perhaps not something your wearing to make an impact or out and about at least not for me . This is for personal use to make the memoryes of times gone buy . childhood forest play .Long gone christmas memoryes and so much more. this plays on my memoryes on so many levels . the sense of wellbeing was mentioned in another review and its so true . calming down to earth kind of scent jet dreamy and fairytale like . I need this scent and the like of it .

Another masterpiece rich in elements, following Anubis. Spell 125 is colder than Anubis, fifty percent Salome, close to Dryad, but by no means the same as the before. The smell of animals and the unique moist and rotten feeling of ambergris combine very naturally. The sour taste of turpentine enhances the sour characteristics of animals. You may call it the smell of sweat! Spell 125 extremely salty and extremely spicy. Is rich in metallic luster. Intense smoke that provides a burning sensation. Waxy texture, faintly recognizable green fresh siberian Pine, effectively keeping spell 125 dry. Frankincense is the base, and the cooling properties determine the shade of 125. I guess the labdanum is missing... those mellow resins. I didn't find any warm material. spell 125 is very calm, unlike Anubis, where the elements are changing all the time. As for animals, spell 125 is a good match for Prin. I smelled it and if I didn't know what it was sprayed on, I would really have thought it was Prin's morah! But spell 125 is more green than morah. I have a pack of pine sawdust at home, wait and smell it to see if it's similar. Like handful of black soil that was grabbed in the depths of the underground cave was the medium of incantation just used to perform the ritual, and it contained the spiritual power of the entire earth.

Mostly I am getting pine. If you like pine you will like this. Polo green is one of my favorites. There is no citrus here so they are not identical but the pine that is in green should be replaced with spell 125. This is my third PAP fragrance. Longevity of projection is weak compared to the other two. However one must remember that PAP fragrances are powered by nuclear fusion, even this one, so unless one desires to join Arnold Toht apply sparingly. These are not the easiest fragrances to wear as they are not engineered to be crowd pleasers. But they are very interesting and personally I find them rewarding to wear. So far Salome is my favorite. There are multiple references here to this being inspired by Egypt, tombs and pyramids. I don’t understand the confluence. Pine trees are not native to Egypt so I don’t understand why people are making the association. I am a little surprised by the performance. It projects for four hours than becomes a mild skin scent. I am going to have to politely pass on this one.

This fragrance just makes me sad because from the notes I was fully expecting to love this to death. I do NOT get any pine notes here and it's super disappointing because pine is one of my favourite notes and I am yet to find a fragrance that does it justice. Going past my pine troubles, this is still quite nice. It's very resinous and opens pretty green but not in a fresh way. Maybe a little too animalic for my taste and I think it's from the real ambergris in here. It's quite stinky but a very interesting note. Ultimately a let down and not something I'd wear but still I like to spray it on a strip and enjoy it every so often 7.5/10

Papillon Spell 125 (2021) - smoky pine - Liz Moores, the perfumer and owner of @papillon_artisan_perfumes , creates this unique concoction as a form contemplation when it was created during the Covid pandemic. Smoky and spicy Olibanum is mixed with aromatic Pine (trees). This is balanced by Ambergris that gives the perfume nuance and radiance. This substance creates a soft aura around the wearer and a defined scent bubble. I also get nuances of herbs and florals in the background. This later dries down to a Ambergris-Sandalwood and Musk accord. Divine.

I cannot add much to the already well written and explained reviews on Spell 125, but this perfume does put a spell on the wearer. It’s woody, resinous, I can smell the pine and the sandalwood. This is a very unique scent. It’s truly enchanting. I typically like more “pretty” scents, but I can’t help but like this. I got 4 hours of good wear before it became a skin scent and I immediately reapplied it because I didn’t want the perfume to leave me. Papillon makes some interesting fragrances!

Named after a spell in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Spell 125 opens fine, sharp and piney, with maybe a lemony incense aura. The ambergris comes out in a cloud smelling mildly funky, a little like bad breath; misty or foggy, not creamy like in the Tauer perfumes, with a little bit of resinous sweetness along as well. Beautiful texture; strange flavors, not entirely pleasant but wholly original. Trees and fog. Settles into a comfortable, spicy ambered sandalwood by 6 hours in.

Wearing this makes me feel like a bohemian 20s artsy lady obsessed with Egyptology and the Occult while smoking cigarettes from a holder in an Hercule Poirot episode. Truly vintage scent, I wonder if it is the real ambergris, that makes the difference between night and day with other contemporary perfumes. Opening is quite intense, I get pine and vintage vibes, and drydown is so resinous, smoky and natural. Definitely a great perfume for a ritual burial in an ancient chamber.

Oh Papillon, you are magic! When I first put this on, I thought it was going to be too goth for me to want to wear anytime except Halloween. Dark pine resin right off the bat, then a lot of dry, raw, aromatic frankincense. But as it dries, it becomes ethereal and alluring and even a bit sweet and comfortable, with some of the feel I’ve liked about Knize Sec, Fille en Aiguilles, and Passage d’Enfer. That transformation must be the spell at work.

I tried L'Air du Desert Marocain (Tauer) not long ago. Spell 125 smells like the brother to LAdDM on my skin. It is colder, saltier, less sweet, with loads of pine. Like the air inside a log cabin surrounded by pine trees on the hillside. I don't get Egypt with this, Spell 125 is more 'approachable' than Anubis which gives more of that darkness/death feeling.

This to me smell like.. an old museum with old animals in it. Or walking into an old wooden cabin near the Swedish coast (where im from). So, if that intrest you.. give this a try!

Fragrantica mods you might want to update the listed notes to Black Hemlock or Tsuga - totally different to the Conium maculatum or poison hemlock plant you have listed here.