Saringkarn (ศฤงคาร)

The chameleonic delights of Prin Lomros's artistry are on magnificent but somewhat conservative display with Saringkarn, his indomitable take on the now oft-maligned rose-oud genre. If you thought that you didn't need another rose-oud to add to your collection, Saringkarn might make you reconsider things. The popular fragrance uses smoke, animalics, chocolate, and supporting florals to tweak the genre in a way that evokes incense and musk as much as wood (oud) and rose. I'm of like mind as some below: Saringkarn is perhaps the closest approximation to Middle Eastern bakhoor. It smells remarkably oudy thanks to its rubbery and sugary facets that hint at aroma-chemicals while being shrouded in fruity, resinous smoke. The whole experience veers from smelling like high-class powdery makeup to slightly urinous body odor to dusted, chocolate covered raisins and then back and forth again. Whereas some of Prin's more pricey and experimental works teeter on having one too many ingredients and/or embrace the chaos of working with naturals, animalics included, Saringkarn is a formal endeavor, taking inspiration from Thai poetry and a religious-ritualistic-traditional adherence to classic poetics, which suggests that the rose-oud genre still has plenty to proclaim in its old and beloved form.

Thoughts of a sampling... * This is one of the better Ouds. * Immediately starts out with Rose and some of that fermentation associated with it. * Of course the Oud is front and center. And may or may not own some of that fermentation. * Shortly after I notice the sweetness of a ripened Plum. * After a while it all begins to settle. * Then I sense what seems to most likely be Champaca. * Followed by a mellow Chocolate. * And then a smoky Tobacco. * Finally getting a little amberish at the end. * The blending seems a little strange. * That being said, I have tried this over a half dozen times and the results are not at all consistent. This has been puzzling on a couple of levels. * Lasts a good long time as I get occasional whiffs through out the day. But not consistently, as I can get anywhere from 5 to 10 hours from it. * Sillage stays more personal and can sometimes lean more toward intimate. * At any random moment some of the secondary notes can decide to play hooky. Very strange. ** Final thought... I will continue to try this as I decide whether I can get past its inconsistencies to be ready, willing and able to dish out the nominal fee for a full bottle. *** Finally received my bottle as this scent is just to good to pass on. I am very pleased.

Opens with a sweet blast of rose and chocolate, touched by a medicinal edge and a slight camphorous sheen. It's beautiful and carries a somewhat easygoing glow, suggesting a gourmand direction without ever crossing that threshold. After 30 minutes, the cocoa effect dissipates slightly, leaving room for the oud and smoke to fill the vacuum. At this point, it is essentially the perfect Thai oud scent. The champaca and ylang smooth the entire bouquet with a subtle, narcotic melody. Much further into the drydown, the chypre backbone steps into the spotlight: oakmoss and animalics (likely castoreum) create a divine, leathered accord. At every stage, the rose shifts from jammy to airy depending on its mood. I have yet to smell a dark Prin scent I don't love, but this one is especially clever. Under the guise of an accessible, almost designer rose-oud facade, he hid a complex, layered powerhouse. It has very slight fermented and animalic facets, but they remain subdued and coherent. It's a balance that is difficult to hit alongside such sweetness without creating a rotting accord. At no point does it veer into anything self-indulgent or deliberately shocking. A masterpiece, easily the best I've smelled from Prin.

This fragrances contains so many notes that it is a journey through perfumery with top ingredients that unfold and mix and then becomes something stellar that is greater than all those parts. I do not find silage all that strong, but it is fine for what I am looking for. I can smell the oud in a way that stands out among all but a few of the ouds I have ever tried. It's playfully serious and seriously playful. It isn't like any scents I know of created in the US or Europe. It does have the DNA of a few of Prin's other scents, which to me is always a great thing as he is one of the most innovative Noses working in the field -- so far as I am concerned. You will not smell like those who want to show off THE next big thing-another mark in its favor. It lets you stand apart while keeping others guessing just what notes are floating in the air. I am going to enjoy each wearing as it it will take quite some time to enjoy the full symphony of notes.

This is just the 2nd fragrance that I try from Prin and I am just so impressed. The opening has a tiny bit of animalic which may come from the oud but it's mixed with the rose in such a way that it ends up smelling quite sweet. As the fragrance dried down I started to notice the champaca and the dark chocolate which mixed with the initial sweetness just made this even more delicious. I expected an already seen before rose oud combo but this has such a special feel to it. This is such a beautiful small gem in a sea of fragrances in the same vein. On me this lasts and lasts which makes sense since this is an extrait with a really high % of oil. The projection is also decent and I can still notice it from time to time after 9-10 hours. When I finish my sample I'll be surely purchasing a full bottle of this beauty. Thanks a lot Prin Lomros for creating such delightful fragrances I can't wait to keep exploring all these other little art pieces!