Mage d'Orient Comptoir Sud Pacifique 2007

“Everything changes, nothing perishes.” - so Ovid. If that wise man had not been describing the cosmic laws here, I would be sure he was reviewing “Mage d`Orient”.

Herewith a “Warm Welcome” to the changeable and nebulous world of the siblings “Clear & Fresh”, “Lovely & Sensual” and “Woody & Herbaceous”. Compteur Sud Pacifiques Mage d`Orient is so wonderfully vibrant, so unusually adaptable, yet never nervous or even moody - a light-footed and colorful fragrance, whose notes all showcase a perfect interplay of refreshment and calmness.

Immediately after pressing the spray button, a wonderfully fresh spirit from the bottle floods the room and masterfully stimulates the senses. The bergamot is one of the most beautiful and lively I have ever smelled, and the coconut is masterfully and absolutely fittingly integrated here. This deliciously clear top note is killer!

With the conclusion of the first sensory impressions and the top note, the system of the conventional fragrance pyramid simultaneously takes its leave. Its familiar triangle skillfully transforms into a quietly and slowly rotating wheel, bringing individual fragrance components to the surface at irregular intervals and allowing them to gracefully disappear again. Sometimes the coconut greets with a gentle voice and sinks back to make room for the bergamot. An incredibly pleasant jasmine appears and announces a subtle and shy vanilla, which elegantly submerges again with the grand entrance of sandalwood. Despite the separate emphasis on these delightful ingredients, nothing completely disappears from the fragrance progression - on the contrary, this development repeats again, and again, and… the magician lives up to his name!

With a hand held up, I dare to claim that “Mage d`Orient” is the little masculine brother of Yosh Han’s masterpiece “Ginger Ciao 2.27” - no copy, no imitation, not even in the same league qualitatively, but still worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence. Since I can also smell a wonderful jasmine note in Ginger Ciao 2.27, the coconut harmonizes beautifully unsweetened there as well, and the ginger skillfully takes over the role of the bergamot present here, I would at least classify both fragrances in the same category - and this side by side, not hand in hand. Mage d`Orient is a bit more daring, more pronounced, and also more masculine, unfortunately also weaker in terms of longevity (still very good with 5-6 hours). A refreshingly idyllic vacation association to a palm-decorated South Sea island certainly allows for this, and with its acceptable price, one can press the spray button again without a guilty conscience.

CONCLUSION: Those who like coconut notes in fresh fragrances should definitely grab a tester, those who enjoy Ginger Ciao 2.27 might discover its masculine counterpart here, and anyone in the mood for an eccentric fragrance, whose color constantly changes, should open the gates to the magician of the Orient and let themselves be enchanted. Hex Hex!