DrB1414

Agar Aura, Royal Sumatra. I don't think I exaggerate when I say this oil is the pinnacle of all distillations conducted from Sumatran-harvested Agarwood. Unique profile, check, mind piercing qualities, there, complexity, for sure, and lastly, typicity. As you can see, this oil scores in all aspects.

What I find in this oil, as well as in all other Royal level oils from Taha, is the high-frequency, mind-buzzing qualities, especially in the opening and the stretched profile of the oil, making for a long and complex olfactory journey. King K Nam, Royal Maluku, Royal Malaya, they all have it. These are not oils I crave or wear as a guilt-free indulgence but more as medicative sessions as well as learning experiences and olfactory ventures.

In the opening, you get what I love to describe as the "espresso-shot". Others call it the "mind buzz" or "brain bite". There are not many oils that are capable of doing that. I have found only a handful during my journey. The Royal ones from Taha most certainly possess that quality. It is difficult to describe. It feels like an electrifying sensation that tingles your nostrils and pierces deep into your cortex and down the spine. It sharpens your senses and clears your mind. Maybe, it is due to the high sesquiterpene content these oils possess. Following that, the oil throws a multitude diversity of colors and aromas, assaulting the senses. Zesty lemon peel, aquamarine blues, cooling mintiness, and blue lotus notes. Piercing and vivid, the opening part of this oil is high-pitched and very tangible. Later on, it mellows down in the sense that it becomes more relaxed, and hazy, the colors and flavors mingling together. I get traces of a few Malaysian oils with that fizzy-cola-like facet, the Maluku-Pinoy blue coloration, and the Bornean flair with its creamy-vanilla-nutty qualities. And of course, the Sumatran jungle with its verdant chord. There is a powerful blue color to the oil. Blue flowers, aquamarine facets, and a blue incense note. The greens and the yellows follow. As it dries down, it starts to showcase more of a Bornean profile, and yet, it holds its ground as a unique oil overall while displaying characteristic facets of the Indonesian terroir. A fascinatingly complex journey and a very high-quality oil.

IG:@memory.of.scents

MORAH from Pryn Parfum. This one was one of the first perfumes I tried from Prin Lomros way back in the day. It was an instant love, and not much changed in that regard. I must admit that I prefer it to its successors, Mandodari and Mandodari-Mandodari. The latter doesn't sit well with me, as it feels too sharp and not as diffusively Opiated as the lesser concentrated versions. In contrast, Mandodari lacks the coffee note and the smokescreen accord I love so much in MORAH.

The best word to describe this perfume is "Intoxicating". It plays in the Floral-Oriental genre, yet it boasts a vinous opium accord that defines this composition alongside prominent notes of coffee, sweet resins, creamy exotic white flowers, heaps of cumin and civet, and just that perfect dash of oakmoss in the base. Once it settles down, it reminds me of Diaghilev with that sweaty, chewy, leathery civet combination in the base. That is if Diaghilev would take a trip to far East Asia, drunken on Opium and coffee while sitting in a garden of exotic flowers reading Sanskrit at dusk. But that one is MORAH. His more beautiful and sultry sister.

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Oud Royale 2004 by Ensar Oud.

I'm not a fan of oils hailing from Papua jungles. They rank among my least favorite oud oils. And then, of course, there is Oud Royale 82, which is in a league of its own. This oil, however, is quite good and a great value for what it is. It boasts an amazing profile, is dense and deep while retaining a beautiful crisp quality up top, and has many years of aging under its belt. Deep, dark, sweet molasses-like oleoresin, a cooling jungle air in the top that almost feels like crushing mint leaves between your palms, a serene petrichor smell, and a soft jungle greenness paired with incense smoke. I like the contrast between that cool, minty air and the earthy, resinous base. Luckily, it is not too smoky for my tastes either. A great oil overall, not one of my favorites, but for those who love these Papuan oils, it's a good one.

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Oriscent Pinoy LTD. Of the few Filipino oud oils available on the market today, I would say this is the best. I would even go as far as to say that it is not much inferior to its predecessor, Oud Royale II, to which it holds up rather well.

It opens up with the Oriscent "fumes" that only last for a few seconds, immediately leading to the body of the oil. I find this oil to be a bit of an abstract olfactory venture, in the sense that I can't pick up individual, tangible accords. It is bitter and resinous while simultaneously showcasing a beautiful, woody facet. In contrast to the Abu Yog oud oil, which felt more resinous than woody to me. It is a bit verdant, with a dense floral creaminess and a soft incense chord playing along the resinous core and the woody base. It has a slight oceanic touch with an overall blue or purple color, grounded by darker shades. The slightest of green runs through it. That Oriscent vaporous signature elevates it a bit, as opposed to Abu Yog, the latter feeling deeply anchored. I love the density this oil bears, the tangible woody base, and the medicinal bite it delivers. Comparing it to OR II, I find them quite similar after the first 1-2 hours. The part where OR II feels like a superior oil to me is not in the base. More in the top and the mid-phase. That oil feels more ethereal in the opening stages. Ozonic, violet-leaf, green ornated, adorned with white florals, creamy top notes compared to the heavy ones in Pinoy. It feels more crystalline and pure, an elevated oil, if you will. However, once they dry down, I find them rather similar. OR II is slightly smokier, a facet I only discovered when comparing them. I would say that Pinoy is just as good, and I can see how some might prefer it to its older brother.

IG:@memory.of.scents

Absolue Pour Le Soir. Experiencing this perfume would be quite a shock for people who endorse this house nowadays. I'll refrain from giving my opinion on their scents and aesthetics. I will say, however, that seeing how Francis wasted his potential by releasing cotton candy synthetic bombs at the expense of works such as this one is rather disappointing.

This perfume has a powerful pheromonal allure that will take one by surprise. I remember back in those days, reading about it and how people said it smelled like stale urine. I laughed it off and pursued it with a blind purchase. After all, I loved, and still love, Orientals. The first thing I did once the bottle arrived, I remove the cap and take a whiff. "Oh my God, it does smell exactly like stale urine!". The rumors were true. As shocking as it came off, somehow, it had a weird appeal that I couldn't place. I sprayed it on. I wore it. And the more I did, the more I fell for it. A deep, carnal scent. The interplay of polarizing notes such as Cumin, Frankincense, and Beeswax, alongside other Oriental notes and accords, created this deep sensuality that seemed out of an ancient Roman or Egyptian banquet. To me, this perfume is all about the frankincense, the honey and the beeswax, and of course, the main course, the one and only, the cumin note. Few other notes play along, such as the rose and the benzoin in the dry-down. I believe it is the combination of the major players mentioned that creates the "stale urine" accord. And oh boy, it is so vivid. At times, the perfume has an almost "churchy" feel in the most Unholy way. But when you stroll at night in Paris, especially on the smaller and less-frequented alleys, you'll realize why Francis chose the name for it. It smells just like Paris at night. And some people will understand where I'm coming from. Years since I got this perfume, the stale urine accord has not left my mind, it just became more tame, or perhaps I learned to enjoy it. In my books, this perfume is a work of art, a carnal use of frankincense, cumin, and honey to exude an Oriental extravaganza like few compositions manage to capture.

IG:@memory.of.scents