Aroma de Hormiguero

When I was about eight years old, I wanted my very own formicarium to observe ants. Seeing the animated one on Pee-Wee's Playhouse only intensified by want, and by Christmas, I got a measly ant farm with red harvester ants with no queen, so they all died within a few months. However, my fascination with ants, and all insects really, persisted, and when I learned that there was a fragrances dedicated to ants, specifically the scent of an ant hill, I had to seek it out. It turns out, it's fab, and while the opening has this rather convincing smell that is reminiscent of formic acid, the scent ants give off, it quickly evolved into one of the most evocative woodland dream scents. Aroma de Hormiguero ("Scent of the Anthill") begins with a pungent, sour, almost vinegar-like scent of formic acid, softened by a petitgrain and mugwort. This may sound completely unappetizing to many, but stay with me here, there's something about it that feels wearable and pleasant especially within a short time, as mastic, galbanum, and geosmin (well-dosed mind you), evoke the smell of the earth and the forest floor that the ants inhabit. I also smell what reminds me of sappy, citric pine needles muddled with fresh mushrooms. I imagine tiny ants climbing over the needles as if they are logs under their feet, with toadstools towering over them like skyscrapers. It also recalls the pleasantly musty scent of tree bark and the damp understory. I feel like I've smelled something like this by a waterfall. AdH remains bright and aqueous, feeling a sun shower over a forest, until it reaches its base, where it grows a bit drier, earthier, with vetiver and patchouli growing more dominant among the dirt and vegetation. I recommend this to someone, much like myself, who takes great pleasure in examining the minutiae of nature, respects small exoskeletal beings, and who marvels at the myriad creatures that would appear if one were to turn over a large stone. If the mere notion of any of this makes you squirm, do not bother. To be clear, this would not have one smelling like they rolled over ground cover—its sillage reflect that of which is very much woodsy, chypre-like perfume, but it's the intimate details of Aroma de Homiguero that titillate one's inner myrmecophile (that's a big word for "ant lover").

An ant wearing a crown is the logo of Santi Burgas — which I happen to absolutely love. When do ants get any glory? But more than that, I like the mind attached to someone who would not only use an ant as a logo but who would take this admiration a step further by creating a line that spells out the word ANT, and includes a perfume that is an imaginary recreation of the scent inside an anthill. I’m fascinated already....this is a mind I like. But I already knew that because I’m a fan of quite a few of his perfumes. But I’ve always had this strange fascination and fondness for ants. I avoid killing them, and I would cry as a kid if anyone messed up their anthills. (It still bothers me.) Ants are intelligent and very social, hard workers and physically extremely strong for their size. I respect the the little buggers. Okay, back to the perfume. The ANT collection (also known as the Primal Waters Collection) contains 3 fragrances and each are lettered A-N-T. Each I would describe as fresh with a twist (not completely fresh). And I am in love with the caps! They are real wood and look amazing. Everything about this brand inside and out reflects quality in my opinion. My favorite of the three, by far, is this one, the scent of an anthill. “A” seems very fresh upon initial spray but soon an earthy mushroom joins which is supposed to reflect lichen, an ant’s favorite food. A is very earthy and green and there is a brightness to it initially, and a citrus fruitiness that isn’t listed in the notes. It is something I smell often in the base of fragrances by Santi Burgas that I enjoy but I’m not sure what it is, it comes across as a blend. I don’t see any notes listed that reflect what I’m smelling but I swear I do. I am not the biggest fan of “fresh” fragrances as a whole, but I absolutely love this one. There is a fresh rain water quality to it, which is a nice contrast to the mushroom. This is a very complex fragrance that masquerades as being fresh and simple but it is NOT. In the dry down, the watery aspect disappears more and it becomes less wet feeling. At this point I do somehow imagine ants in their tunnels, working away, carrying their giant food crumbs they always look excited about lol. I love fragrances that not only smell good but also make me use my imagination.

"Aroma de hormiguero" is a different scent, which in my opinion smells like a nice indoor garden in a rainy day. This fragrance would be perfect for a good day outdoors, maybe walking through the woods. Very green, a bit intoxicating during the opening, but amazing once it dries down. A bit sour maybe, but special. Performance is really good, and sillage is perfect for this kind of scent. Santi Burgas has focused here on creating a scent that evokes that of anthills, and while I don't particularly know that smell, he certainly does (he has studied them for years). The smell is unique, and I recommend trying it before buying, since maybe it's a bit pricey. That is actually the biggest downside I found: 120 euros for this is just too much. While the presentation is fine, especially the cap which looks like a log, the rest of the packaging is nothing deserving of that price. 7.25/10.

I have been able to try this perfume in some samples Possibly for many this perfume can be complicated and very different, because it is. When we put it on we get a balsamic, herbal and woody aroma. A set of aromas completely different from what I have tried so far, they are surprising aromas but that set works very well. Its resins, its aromas of earth when it rains, of forest ... because all this makes it a very personal, original and unique perfume. Perfect for anyone looking for something completely different. Within the originality of its aromas there is a lot of harmony and it is as interesting as it is original.

For anyone who missed their Spanish lessons, this fragrance is called "Anthill Scent", which is not a terribly fitting name since it could've went with a heavier earthy profile. Instead, what you get is a rather quirky but pleasant citric-green summer scent, more as if the anthill is having a summer party serving sharp Lemon Drop Martinis. Now, be warned, this opens VERY acidic due to the Formic acid, which is a sour, lemony, citric type of acidity, with even some reminiscence to vinegar. Some might find it a little off-putting; personally, I love it. That doesn't last too long at its peak intensity, however, as bitter-sweet touches start enveloping the scent. The petitgrain contributes with this sparkling green crispness, while the artemisia adds a refreshing herbaceous accord, intertwined with some musty, damp soil-like facets from the Geosmin and (maybe) the algae. The gentle balsamic tones from the Mastic and fir balsam add this slightly warm mix of pine and citrus, with the tiniest touch of cedar wood lost around the blend. The galbanum also aids with that lightly aromatic pine kind of scent, but it mostly just leans on a clean, bitter-green accord, not too sharp or "fatty". There's hardly anything here that shares resemblance to the smell of mushrooms, but I suppose it is attributed mostly to the earthy undertones of the blend. Closer to the base, the oakmoss settles with its typical damp, earthy facets, while the patchouli offers some help in that regard while also appending some muskiness. Not really any vetiver to speak of. It really is a very likeable scent; very playful and easy-to-wear, but it's not exactly the kind of scent that even seems to try to imitate the scent of an anthill. For that, I guess a much earthier and less citrus-green focus would've been fitting. I was not expecting Aroma de Hormiguero to last any longer than 4-5 hours on my skin given the fresher profile. But to my surprise, it lingered for close to 9 hours, which is quite the achievement on my pretentious skin. Unfortunately, that doesn't translate to excellent projection. Frankly, it was quite soft, not doing much more than like 1 foot of projection after the first hour, reaching a skin scent somewhere around 4 hours in after which is just refused to leave for nearly 5 more hours. A bit unfortunate. Even if you find that acidic opening challenging in any possible way, or better said, just too acidic for your taste, if you wait like 15 minutes you'll be left with the rest of the composition that is very difficult to hate, and very easy to wear, especially in the warmer period of the year. Not exactly a formal occasion type of scent, but it is a little more distinct than your average freshie, so bonus points for that. But then, I feel that that acidic part is largely what made the whole composition more interesting, and unfortunately that doesn't last very long. Ultimately, you're left with a nice but not really special fragrance, which impedes me from giving it a higher rating. However, given the price tag of €130 for 100ml, it's still pretty decent value, especially when you consider that there's literally designers nowadays that offer notably worse compositions, both quality-wise and originality-wise. So I believe that Aroma de Hormiguero is definitely worth a sniff if an acidic citrus with a bitter-green structure and mild balsamic, earthy undertones sounds like something you might enjoy. Presentation: 8/10 Scent: 7.5/10 Longevity: 7.5/10 Projection: 4/10 Versatility: 9/10 Value for Money: 6/10 Overall: 7/10