Silphium

The story of silphium, a spice that had been harvested to the point of extinction sometime in the 1st century AD, is one that illicits a tinge of sadness and a feeling of wonder in me. The aroma and flavor of this treasured and highly-coveted plant has not be experienced by a human in nearly thirty lifetimes. When reading about this Stora Skuggan release, I was immediately drawn toward the concept. It's an endeavor to recreate the scent of silphium, and while there is no way to prove that they succeeded, the end product somehow both energizes and beguiles me. The elements are in multitudes here: assertively herbaceous, at times medicinal, then bitter, then pungent, verdant and peppery, yet shadowy-woody. I imagine it to be a preparation presented by a medicine man to a traveler, intended as some spiritual entryway once ingested. In fulfilling the obligation of noting whether I discern any notes as presented in the provided pyramid (I jest), I will say that there is something great going on here between the sour-spice of ginger and the geranium. I've mentioned this several times before elsewhere, but I love when two accords meet to create a third tone, like when mixing two pigments results in a beautiful tint or shade. It renders an effervescent, even tangy sensation, accented with a seeming panoply of spices that glint and glimmer. There are even moments that are vaguely allium-like, though not necessarily sulfurous. It just so happens that silphium was in the Ferula genus of plants, like asafoetida and galbanum, which could account for this facet. The dry down smells like the finest cistus-labadnum scented soap and a stirring, cool incense. I live for every moment that its on my skin.

Yes, it has a crazy medicinal opening. Would you not feel cheated if you saw Stora Skuggan's potion bottles and allusions to vvitch history and then it just smelled like a Jo Malone? What resonates when you first spray Silphium is the same thing that made everybody wear Carhartt pants, which is the aesthetic language of functionality (in this case that of poultices and extinct herbs) abstracted and returned in a simultaneously novel and familiar form. Plants used to be *for something*, back in the day. Ironically, nothing about this perfume implies a use case of any kind. An Iso E'd cedar-olibanum base softens the piney geranium note that dominates early on, leaving the scent less standoffish but no easier to classify. It smells like being somewhere else from where you are. You wouldn't wear it "at the office" or "out on the town," you'd wear it anywhere you happened to be in order to focus your sense of mystery like a lens.

Some time last year is was looking what I think was the Art and Olfaction awards and I stumbled upon this house.I was intrigued about everything from the the style, presentation and the note breakdown to point where I felt I wouldn't be happy until I got my nose on all 3 offerings....a few months pass and I realize that theyre carried by Twisted Lilly in the states and I proceed to calmly loose my mind lol. I placed an order and when I recived it I was floored! It's not to often that I love every offering from a perfume house but I must say Stora Skuggan knocked it out of the park. After swooning over all 3 I made the decision to purchase a bottle of Silphium first (will be buying the othe 2 as well) and what I love about Silphium is that it's so open and airy yet so dense. The story about the Silphium plant is very intresting too and I wonder what kind of marvels would've been made out of it today.

🪙 Extinct Plant 🌿 This is an attempt to recreate the scent of a botanical species that vanished two thousand years ago, and it truly carries an intriguing, archaic presence. The opening hits hard with a sharp, tart blend: piercing ginger, black pepper, cloves, and fleshy leaves crushed in your palms. Zero sugar, zero compromise. Just raw, herbal abstraction. The real magic happens in the drydown. As that initial sharp edge yields, the fragrance gains incredible depth. Smooth smoke, cool woods, and a dry, suede-like leather rise to the surface. If you push through those first few minutes of the herbal assault, the base rewards you with a brilliant, dark resin that keeps you coming back to your wrist. Definitely not a safe blind buy, but the atmosphere here is simply unmatched. I love it. TikTok: @the.scent.files

A hedge witch's attic overheated by a long, sunny day, now cooling in the twilight, filled with drying herbs and spices tied with leather straps to dusty, wooden beams. The place seems harsh - in a warm, well-meaning kind of way, just like its owner. Her direct, no-nonsense attitude can put off some, to their detriment. Because when you spend time with her, she adds a little spring to your step, somehow replenishing a well of energy you didn't know you had been running low on; her mere presence a medicinal dose of quiet strength and resolve. Wholesome, willful and dignified. If I don't smell it for a few weeks, I miss this fragrance like an old, supportive friend. Definitely in my top ten favorites.

What a gorgeous and sophisticated one! Can't emphasise enough how much I liked it! After drying, this soapy, floral opening gives way to ginger, lime and pepper. For me the main note here is specifically pepper, quite an interesting experience, I usually can't distinguish it so clearly. And it's all on top of a beautiful woody-amber base with hints of cinnamon. Soapy notes are there too, but they are not annoying. Probably I'd prefer to feel them a bit less, but they don't ruin the rest at all. I can see that opinions are divided, but for me, as a lover of fresh and spicy scents, it's a genuine masterpiece. If you are too - be sure to give it a try!

The opening of this one is like a medicinal trumpet blast that settles down quickly into the perfumed and incense-y smell of the interior of a cathedral, or a church library. I wear this at home and at the office when I want to get myself into the proper frame of mind to write or do research. Makes me feel like I'm illuminating manuscripts. Certainly not for everybody, and I can see how for some people it would bring up thoughts of aftershave and masculinity. On me (bookish feminine woman) it might not be sexy, but I don't wear this for other people. I wear it to get work done. Surely everybody's got perfumes for that?

The top two main accords listed - "warm spicy" and "fresh spicy" - as contradictory as they may seem, are incredibly accurate. I bought this last winter, and through the cold weather I had decided it was my winter perfume because of the cozy heat coming from the pepper and ginger. But I recently sprayed it in 72 degrees weather and it smelled entirely different, more like a cool ginger tonic with a citrus twist. What versatile sorcery is this? Can't agree that this is a "familiar" scent. It doesn't resemble any other perfume to me.

Really fantastic and unique, doesn’t really remind me of anything else. Of the stora skuggan frags I’ve sampled so far this is my 2nd favorite after thumbsucker. Not bad in winter but looking forward to trying this in spring. Definitely unisex. 2024 update: this has become my signature early/hot autumn scent. It’s acceptable *enough* at work (and still weird enough for me) so I find myself reaching for it in all occasions pretty much all of September

must have it. initially, it’s a shock of medicinal apothecary coldness. on paper, it struck me as camphorous. reminiscent of aesop spray deodorant (similar to men’s vintage aftershave). as it wears it rounds and warms and softens - baking spices, leather. EDIT: okay not sure what’s going on here but today when wearing it, it’s giving me pure soap. So i guess that’s something that can happen, as well.

Spectacular! A zesty and energising herbal tincture. I get overlays of lemon grass, caraway seed and liquorice root tea. The notes are so beautifully harmonised into a form that smells convincingly natural, yet novel. Truly feels like discovering a new plant species. Perfect for botany nerds. This and mistpouffer are two instant favourites from the Stora Skuggan line.

I love the scent of geranium, and I’m highly satisfied because this perfume captures it perfectly. Summers in Korea are hot and humid, but having just this one fragrance will keep me feeling confident and refreshed. It’s so exquisitely crafted that it could easily serve as an alternative to Frédéric Malle's Géranium Pour Monsieur.

A sort of ginger pepper clove lemony sweet sour vibe. Tangy. Unusual and addictive. I can see wanting to eat this. Reminds me of a spicy lemongrass or sometimes galbanum. More cedar and incense with time... Agree there's a Tauer L’Air du Desert Marocain feel. My nose tingles. But I want a hug too.

This one is the only I could imagine myself acquiring of this line. Beautiful spicy/aromatic labdanum, with incense and woods in the drydown. Overall a structure used plenty of times in the fragrances of the 90's, and it's no surprise I love it. But I'm not paying full retail for that.

Beautiful herbal honey that starts off sweet and dries down spiced. Like a honeyed cup of tea in a witches dusty apothecary with all the dried spices warmed by the sun. My second favourite from Stora Skuggan.

Just incredible. Very unusual, spicy, green and fresh, with some floral sweetness and the incense I so adore. This and Mispouffer are two of my favourites from Stora.

Spicy ginger that's both warm and cool at times. Supporting notes are there but hard to identify. Fresh, good performance, above average longevity.

familiar scent. recalls pharmacy or hospitals. lovely dry down. very interesting white tiger balm from Vietnam, maybe with less menthol.

Starts clean & soapy, becomes a strong old cathedral smell

first spray and this is an explosion on the senses, citrus and pepper LOTS of pepper, with some woody and floral vibes and a bitter note, not unpleasant in any way. After about 20-30min for me the citrus and pepper are less up front and floral, soapy & leathery notes come forward. Its still spicy, warm yet fresh at the same time. I would love to try it on a warm day as i think it would be spicy and fresh on a summer day, but there is something comforting and warm in there too that could also work in autumn and winter. Ill need to use my tester sparingly. I think this is one that I might get one day, but right now Id like to purchase full bottles of Fantome de Maules, Moonmilk and Mistpouffer as they are my current favorites from this house.