Rahassanai

This fragrance is truly exceptional. During my testing in the hot climate of Bangkok, I found the initial spiciness unappealing. However, in our current climate, I appreciate it from the very start. I'm uncertain if the spicy element is derived from skunk, as it doesn't have a distinctly spicy scent when you smell it from a short distance. Instead, it presents a somewhat bitter aroma that, upon entering the nostrils, creates a ticklish sensation that can be perceived as spicy. It's fascinating and 3-dimensional. As it dries down, a subtle, high-quality incense note emerges on the skin. I can't quite articulate this perfume with words. After applying my really small sample, I relaxed in bed, experiencing the fragrance from the initial application to the dry down. It is incredibly beautiful and transcendent, featuring floral and animalic notes. For me, it's a really dark perfume, darker than Onthamara. As time progresses, it sometimes pops up a scent reminiscent of fermented Parmesan, despite the fact I will not say the oud is cheesy, along with a cooling camphor note and the warmth of an amber and floral waxy aroma, its uniquely balanced combination. I am curious to know which genre this perfume belongs to. This is a work of art! My only negative aspect is that it transforms to more subtle projection after 3 hours and stays on skin like veil, i feel like i need more time to stay inside and enjoy it more, maybe the reason is my sample was not enough to play it how it should play. But the overall style is very gentle. And now the poetic evocation: People are looking for expensive smell nowadays, they would like to smells like money, marble, diamonds or something shiny what pops in their mind as “contemporary expensive”. Rahassanai smells expensive to me, its almost like you have in the hand 1000 year old dried fragile origami incense from very rare distinct plant, which was made by secret buddhist temple somewhere in high altitudes of Himalaya, and you can’t burn it, because you will destroy it owns beauty. So you carry it in this glass display and time to time you look on it, open the door and smell it and then hide it again, its just for you, you dont understand why it ends up in your hands, but you feel thankful for it. This is expensive for me.

PRIN is a house I follow, along with Strangers Perfumerie. Prin Lomros is the Thai master perfumer behind both labels. They put out scents that really stretch the limits of perfume. Rahassanai is like wind blowing first through a Thai Buddhist temple surrounded by a flower garden just beginning to bud and then through a market of spices and finally through a forest. When I first applied my sample, the myrrh and camphor were very strong, and I couldn't help but think it smelled like the ubiquitous Asian salve Tiger Balm. It made me wonder if I could like this. After half an hour though, the oud became pronounced. The floral notes are quite subtle. Underneath the whole thing, the skunk gives it bite marking this as animalic. I must add the oud is exquisite. This will definitely go on my want list Edit to add: I voted for moderate longevity for this scent. I've worn it all day today. The good projection lasted about an hour, for the next hour there was a bit of sillage e, and then it settled into a skin scent. It's 10 hours since I applied it, and I have a luscious faint remnant on my arm. A hint of myrrh and oud. It's very light, and I'm not sure anyone else would be able to pick it up even with their nose right on my skin.

Skunky in the realest and best of senses, Rahassanai's suggestion of a "hidden code" advocates for a prowling, free form vigor for life that's above and beyond designer-brand logo stamping, virtue signaling, and other loud messaging hell-bent on keeping appearances in 2022. The zesty greens in the fragrance are forward without being legible, complicated by the kitchen-sink note method of Prin, which ends up taking Rahassanai toward a compositional totality without being totalizing, i.e. you can't call any of Prin's work one thing. This is not just an animalic perfume, even though it's definitely so skunky that for the first time in my experience a perfume hits the cannabis note just right. This is holy incense burned by the youth in love who are covered in dirt, eating some fruits, and innervated by their ancestors who have passed on a precious vial of oud. The aroma of place: insert exotic location here.

I bought this because as an apprentice perfumer, I'm interested in using skunk (*not* skunk cabbage ...) in my own perfumes. This is the first perfume I've found to do it - and it's fantastic! But it is also just a great perfume for all the other reasons ... nicely balanced, great substantivity, pretty good diffusion, and most of all *original*. You immediately do *not* smell like everyone wearing Creed, Explorer, Le Male etc. and also not Lattafa/Swiss Arabian and more. I got my 5ml from Scents Angel and am cross that I didn't pick up 30ml while I was at it - that's what I'm getting. No chance of ever finding a dup of this and no need to do so - Rahassanai is worth it.

This is just fantastic. Only ordinary fantastic. Had unrealistic hopes for something godlike out of this world fantastic after reading this note list from one of the greatest perfumers out there.

Don't be afraid! A far more approachable and cuddly beast than the mention of skunk tincture and castoreum and all those bristly aromatic herbs might suggest. For me, this one repeats the Tirtha trick of being deeply green and aromatic, yet also a little animalic and furry, with great warmth and depth. Not nearly as intimidating as its price, its reputation or Prin's signature burst of oudy waft at first spray or dab might have you think. With so many of my personal betes noires (aldehydes, lavender, galbanum and that sour, authentic oud) in the mix I'd feared it would be close to unwearable, but no - miraculously, considering that long, long list of hard-hitting herbal ingredients, not to mention the animalic menace of hyraceum AND skunk - yikes! - this emerges from the undergrowth as a positively friendly, even fragrant creature, ready for a light petting session. It won't bite you. Still, not for overspraying - a light hand is the right approach here as it lets the genuinely lovely garland of champaca, myrrh, cypriol and those gorgeous spices shine more brightly. Plenty of camphor, which I love, but that may make it a touch too medicinal for some. Quirky, mischievous, defiantly non-mainstream and probably not for office use, but overall much more unisex and much more lovable than I'd expected. Certainly complex and oddball, but not in an intimidating way, and definitely less snarly than some of Prin's ultra-animals like Arsalan and Eshu. There's open space, sunlight and fresh air in this one, not just the stinky-burrow or smoky-temple ambiance of some of his others. It's definitely A LOT, and as often happens: its initially aggressive sillage dies back fast, though longevity is really impressive and the journey through an ever-shifting drydown is enjoyable every step of the way. The only reasons I rate it as just a strong like rather than a definite love is that it's virtually unobtainable (now discontinued, and crazily expensive even when it was first issued), and that there are so many equally lovely things in the Prin stable which hit just a little more precisely to my own taste.

I thought the skunk was going to be scary but not at all! In fact, it only has a very faint herbaceous armpit smell in the beginning that fades and blends into a general "aromatic muskiness."

This is my second Prin fragrance. Just to set the stage, the first was Varuek. After testing it, I had to immediately get a bottle because it is so good. Rahassanai on the other hand, not so much. First of all, it does not contain "Skunk Cabbage" as listed here in the note pyramid but actual skunk tincture obtained from skunk scent glands. But don't let that scare you off. I didn't detect any skunky smell, but only a general animalic accord. In fact, compared to Varuek, Rahassanai is a pretty mild animalic. What I did get a lot of is florals. At first, it was a generic type of floral scent. As Rahassanai evolved, I started to get whiffs of individual floral notes at different times - sometimes rose, lavender or jasmine. Basically flowers over a resinous/oudy/animalic base. I've only rated it OK because I don't care for heavy floral perfumes like this. However, if you're a guy who does like florals and wants to try something a bit animalic - maybe as an intro to Prin fragrances - give Rahassanai a try. I'll pass though. Longevity was good - got about 8 hours before it was down to a skin scent. Sillage was more moderate after the first hour or so.

Really shocking animalic Oriental from one of the edgiest modern day perfumers. The name refers to a hidden path or code and in this case it is the central ingredient which is real skunk tincture. This is well hidden in a dense cloud of Thai Oud, birch tar, cypriol, a host of floral, spicy and woody notes that could fill a book. This is extremely boundary pushing perfumery only meant for the most initiated. It could make many uneasy so please tread with utmost caution. The masculine leaning scent has strong sillage and infinite longevity so please exercise utmost caution on the spray button. Enjoy!

As an artisanal perfume lover, I have had the pleasure of experiencing some truly exceptional scents. And I can confidently say that Rahassanai extrait de parfum by Prin, the boundary-pushing animalic Oriental, and the sublime yet adventurous fragrance from Prin Lomros, is one of the most impressive fragrances I have ever encountered. From the moment I first spritzed it on my wrist, I knew I was in for a treat. This rich, warm, and woody scent is insanely rich and complex, in a way that is simply breathtaking. The fragrance manages to be both powerful, yet delicate in the overall composition that makes it perfect for special occasions or for those times when you want to indulge in something truly luxurious. The skunk tincture in Rahassanai extrait de parfum is expertly blended into a dense cloud of Thai oud, birch tar, cypriol, and a host of other floral, spicy, and woody notes. This results in a fragrance that is both complex and challenging, yet utterly unique. The skunk tincture provides a sharp, animalic note that is both intriguing and at times bordering repelling, but it is balanced and kept from being too much by the earthy, woody notes of the oud and birch tar. The cypriol adds a spicy and smoky dimension to the scent, while the floral notes give it a delicate and refined quality. In addition to the skunk tincture, Rahassanai extrait de parfum also features 50-year-old wild oud, which provides a depth and complexity to the scent that is hard to match. The oud is rich and smoky, with a hint of sweetness that is both alluring and mysterious. The camphor adds a cool, medicinal note to the scent, while the blackcurrant bud adds a bright, fruity note that provides a sharp contrast to the earthy and woody notes. To balance out the rich, animalic notes in the fragrance, Prin has also included aldehyde, which provides a clean, fresh note that is both refreshing and uplifting. And to give the fragrance a warm, sensual quality, castoreum and myrrh are included. The castoreum provides a musky, leather-like note that is both sensual and animalic, while the myrrh adds a warm, resinous quality that is both comforting and exotic. Overall, Rahassanai extrait de parfum is a fragrance that is not for the faint of heart. It is complex, challenging, and utterly unique, with a cornucopia of scents that waltz in and out to create a joyous and thought-provoking experience for the wearer. Despite the inclusion of potentially intimidating notes, the fragrance remains polished and refined, making it a blast for anyone with a strong taste for adventure. This is a crowning achievement in perfumery, a testament to the incredible talent of its creator. By pushing the envelope and engaging the Western appetite for a more explorative and novel approach to the senses, Lomros has created a truly unforgettable fragrance that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

I love it, I couldn’t tell you why I love it but I do. The first ~30 minutes are Oudhy, densely floral, with some of the other notes poking through every now and again (Blackcurrant, Basil, Chamomile), with a little bit of a skunky aroma. The opening is beautiful but I can’t imagine it being very popular with most people. As it develops on your skin, the Myrrh and Castoreum warm up and mellow out some of the more disturbing parts of the aforementioned skunk. The florals start to appear - Rose, Jasmine, Chamomile. If I had to describe it in terms of the impression that it gives, it makes me think of a largely dilapidated temple in the swamps, there are oil candles burning that scarcely light the inside of the building, and there are mature Rose and Jasmine flowers trailing the outside of the building, filling the cracks that have formed. Lovely, suitable for most times of the day & seasons, but probably would not recommend in very humid hot weather, office safe if you apply very conservatively, expensive but it really is different than 99% of other perfumes out there. 8.5/10

Rahassani is boundary pushing only in the sense of blending and a completely novel incense composition that smells unlike anything else on the market. The skunk is beautiful and this is the least animalic out of the three new releases. I think it’s easy to get scared hearing about skunk but this ultimately a Smokey incense floral that quickly shifts to a gorgeous Ouddy dried fruit accord which transitions into a beautiful bouquet of white and purple floral aromas in the heart. The heart is just fantastic. This is actually friendly and people seem to love it. I’m not sure how anything could find this offensive. You don’t have to be initiated into animalics to love it either as this is mainly a floral incense offering.

Bought a full bottle. Blind bought. Had to get it. Fan of Prin. Glad I did. Would not blind buy if you’re on a budget. I will wear it for my function or purpose. A must buy if you are into fragrances on a higher level. Very interesting and educational.