Thebes

Previously, I found only a passing resemblance between Thebes Grade 1 attar and Djedi (and even less with Grade 2) which led me to conclude that the Djedi sample I have was either not authentic, had gone bad, or was reformulated compared to the version Sultan Pasha smelled at Guerlain which inspired both attars. And yet, to my surprise and delight, this sprayable extrait of Thebes is virtually identical to my Djedi sample, coming even closer in scent profile than Onda, Vetiveria Animalis or the attar versions. As I love Djedi, I also love this, and personally like it a lot more than the attars of Thebes. I'd go so far as to say, hypothetically, if one had a full bottle of this and Djedi were still available, it would be redundant to own both - that is how close they are to my nose. Just like its inspiration Thebes extrait has that "stone-tomb" smell, almost like the scent of an empty garage (or, more romantically, some ancient Egyptian pyramid). From the very first spray I detect a very cold vetiver, powdery unsweetened orris, animalics and oakmoss - a kind of platonic ideal of stone and garden soil, but with a slight smouldering warmth buried deep inside. There's a herbal-inflected floral which haunts the interior of this large and empty space, but the inner soul of Thebes is ever so slightly cooler and more aromatic than Djedi. The floral is less rosy than Djedi and I get less cinnamon, but the olfactory "effect" is essentially identical - a giant empty cavern with a tiny flame flickering in the very centre. Thebes is also one of the least leathery of leather chypres I've smelled, but I'd still throw it firmly into that categorisation. I find when I huff this on my skin I enjoy it very much as an intellectual exercise, but Thebes is at its best when I spray and forget, as not 15 minutes later I catch a whiff of it in the air and almost swoon with irrepressible pleasure. There's something about this profile, which gives the illusion of sweetness and warmth where in fact there is none, almost as if there are so many petrous, lithic-cold elements in the composition that what few good cops there are (e.g. the florals and delicate spices) really shine against the contrast. It's fundamentally abstract, and does effortlessly slide into the press release referring to it as "between light and shade, life and death". All the joy in this scent is to be found in the way the different elements interact with each other, like one of those models of the solar system. On an emotional level, I find Thebes takes me to the same places as Djedi and Onda, to ancient times where people wore animal pelts for warmth, where a lack of modern medicine necessitated the smearing of botanical balms and poultices over wounds, when the frost would invade the living quarters and the handprints on the cave walls flickered in the fire light. If you imagine a cave with an opening to the surface, and winter sunshine shining down onto a primitive bed made of several layers of animal furs, dust floating in the beam, you can imagine the ideal of Thebes. There's something so primordial to this genre of fragrance which really makes them stand out from all the others. A true masterpiece, Thebes extrait brings a final close to the long-awaited resurrection of Guerlain's Djedi, one of the lost darlings of perfume history.

Thebes is the most glorious Vetiver perfume I’ve ever smelt as it opens with a blast of flowers and ancient dirt from Egypt. The attar is more complex and richer but that’s exactly it, it’s an attar and Sultan Pasha has created a stunning perfume in a bottle which is similar to the attar. After about 10 mins this settles slightly to a bright but earthy full on cacophony of the most glorious components with a strong resiny oily background to the citrusy top elements of Vetiver. I trained as an aromatherapist and vetiver was used very sparingly in a blend, it was used to ground a person, to anchor them to the now, to themselves. But a pin dipped into a bottle of Vetiver oil and swooshed in a glass of water releases the most uplifting citrus perfume in contrast to smelling it out of the bottle where it comes across as heavy, earthy and a bit nasty. Vetiver connects the higher to the lower, the spirit to the body. SP has executed a brilliant and complex perfume showcasing the elements of Vetiver which are normally invisible to other so called Vetiver perfumes. I’m not sure I’d wear this, I think it would suit a guy more and I hate stereotyping perfume but here yes, it’s def leaning masculine. But I appreciate the skill, the mastery and the result of this complex perfume. The drydown is softer, I won’t say smoother because it IS smooth but after about 8 hours I just detect the whisper not the aria.

Thebes - Into the Labyrinth of Imagination I find Thebes extremely dry, like a desert wind, dust, and old brick buildings. On the other hand, it is herbal, balsamic, and oily. It evokes the impression of dark, musty corridors with nothing but candlelight showing the way to the chamber where the mummy of a pharaoh rests — an image that has fascinated me since I was a child. I’m assuming the oily/fatty element comes from iris butter, and the dryness from vetiver, which also reminds me of old papyrus rolls, perfectly fitting the theme of the story. I can also feel the scent of waxy candles, perhaps aldehydes, though not the peachy ones you find in Mitsouko. The composition of the materials evokes my imagination, composing an unusual image of a haunted space with a female vocalist dressed in black, humming ancient melodies while being surrounded by x-rays of pharaohs reflected on the walls. The atmosphere is very experimental and mysterious, like an art performance of some kind. Somehow I place this image in the 1930s, making me wonder whether Sultan Pasha’s Perfumes’ packaging has something to do with it, with visuals and typefaces from that era... *Full review can be found on my website

A beautiful compliment to Sultan's attar of similar name, evoking the same intensely melancholy emotions and haunting beauty, through a different lens. I would try to describe this, but putting emotions into words would only detract from their purity and intensity. One can only truly appreciate and understand these creations (Thebes attar and spray) through an introspective and intimate spending of time with them as they develop. Listen to what they have to say, and you may learn something new about yourself. Both have become my signature scents, and I have nothing but the highest regards for Sultan's ability to evoke emotion, inspiration, and personal reflection through a fragrance creation. To everyone considering this, go out and buy some before it's all gone - these extraits are unquestionably worth every penny.

Vetiver has always been a bit of a complicated relationship for me. I love catching it in the air, but wearing it on skin tends to get exhausting fast. This one is a revelation. The zingy vetiver is front and center, no doubt, but it's beautifully cushioned by the most gorgeous powdery orris butter. Rose and jasmine soften things further, keeping it from ever feeling heavy or austere. And then there's the oak moss, adding this wonderful earthy texture that ties everything together. The overall feel is vintage powdery, slightly aldehydic, with that classic mossy depth. Genuinely hadn't been this blown away by a fragrance in quite a while.