Rhizome 03

Very unique scent. On my skin I can smell basil with some lemon and I can imagine myself sitting in the courtyard of a restaurant on a cobbled Roman street and through the window I can smell the smell of raw pasta wafting from the kitchen.

Upon first spray, Rhizome 03 might not seem to be setting the stage for anything special or other than your regular citrus-green freshie. It's immediately friendly, it's approachable, yet beneath it all, if you know how to look for it, you'll find more character in Rhizome 03 than in the vast majority of today's fresh compositions that fill the shelves. The opening is undoubtedly all about citruses, almost candied-like for a second, led by yuzu in particular to take things further into the zesty, bitter direction, while also introducing a herbal undertone that its counterparts do not possess. That is where the nice part about Rhizome 03 begins. Because it sets the stage for the basil to perform, and it doesn't disappoint. You get a mix of minty-green herbaceousness with subtle sweetness, assisted with gentle spice from the clove in particular, which do not be afraid, stays as an undertone rather than a front-row player. The ginger keeps a fizzy attribute alive for an uplifting sensation, working in tandem with the small bits of elemi that adds a soft piney whisper to no avail; basil is at the center here. Everything else just revolves around it... ...up until some base notes push through. Particularly the vetiver, which is not the earthy, rough kind of vetiver many have come to expect. There's no earthiness here, only a very pleasant and very natural-smelling grassy facet that the vetiver brings. Simultaneously, while not very prominent to my nose, an ashy accord can be sensed settling down over that grassy facet. It's not smokiness, just soft ash that further adds a layer of depth to the scent. Along with some dampness derived from the patchouli, Rhizome 03 ends up punching above its weight, and I very much respect it for it. In terms of "punching above its weight", it doesn't really apply to performance too. Longevity did show great results on my skin (~7 hours), although in fairly ideal testing conditions, while projection met my expectations, maybe surpassed them a bit. The first two hours were a little stronger than I initially assumed, leaving a prominent sillage and pushing fairly decently off my skin. But that's largely all Rhizome 03 gets - 2 hours. It would settle rapidly afterwards, so overspraying is most welcome here. Now, I know that basil doesn't sound like something someone might want to smell like. What do we look like, chefs? Every time I tell my mother about some sort of aromatic herb that is both used in fragrances and for cooking, she finds it unusual and odd. But believe me, it's oftentimes that these exact aromatic herbs bring depth and character to many fragrances. Fair, basil is just a component here in Rhizome 03, but do not make the mistake of thinking that versatility/wearability is in any way reduced by it. Quite the contrary, I find Rhizome 03 an outstanding pick for everyday wear during the warmer months of the year, and that's in part because it's more distinct and doesn't fall bland as many others. What's responsible for that? The basil, the clove, and the ginger, and the ashy-grassy vetiver, of course! The parts that might not sound all that appealing to the regular user, but make the biggest difference. And since it retails for around €100-€110, it's hard for me to not recommend it instead of the soulless, basic freshie fillers that you get shoved down your throat by social media influencers and Sephora salespersons. Get Rhizome 03 instead. Add some character, some depth to the fragrance you wear. Fresh/green fragrances can be interesting and not just "a refreshing citrus"; Rhizome 03 proves it. And I promise you, I'm not sponsored by Rhizome or anything like that. I'm just tired of seeing so much characterless slop being praised and worshipped and hidden gems like this remaining hidden. Presentation: 5.5/10 Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 6/10 Projection: 4.5/10 Versatility: 9/10 Value for Money: 7/10 Overall: 6.6/10

as others pointed out, the pyramid is wrong above. in any case, this starts of as a gingery citrus, the drydown is greenish, mostly getting basil. nice aromatics, esp. in searing hot weather.

For me, a 1:1 dupe of Pledge Lemon furniture polish. I wish I was kidding. I actually pulled my can of it out from under the sink and sprayed it on a rag to compare. Unless you're going as a Mid century modern coffee table for Halloween, I'm begging you to reconsider your interest. There are thousands of fantastic citrus -forward fragrances out there to choose from. And if you want to support the brand, they have a lot of other good ones, so I'm not trying to hate on the label. I'd recommend 01, 04 or 08 instead. Actually thinking of fb the 04, it's a charmingly pleasant oud. This, however, is an unfortunate catastrophe.

Has a wonderful opening, but drydown is a very minimal wood. Notes say it’s sandalwood but Im getting something more like Iso E Super. It’s not bad, but there are way better options at this price point like Bois Imperial or Loewe 001