Demon Dancer Ex Nihilo 2026

I wore this ultra-hyped Demon Dancer at Harrods and honestly, it’s not for me.

It’s similar to Blue Talisman (which I also don’t like) but much sharper, with some very tart green and citrusy notes that hits you the whole time (hours and hours). I’m starting to get annoyed with that rhubarb note in perfumery, it smells like celery to me. Like nuclear, radioactive green. So tart and sharp.

It will probably appeal to a lot of people. But I don’t think it’s among the best creations ever made. I see it more as a twist on Blue Talisman rather than a different, new, and original creation.

Somehow, it's funny what names people come up with to launch a new fragrance into the world: "An ode to the inner self that knows no boundaries..." is what the promotional copy says. Working in the product marketing department of a house like this must be fun.

Admittedly, I like the French brand EX NIHILO and its creations. Thanks to two comprehensive sample test boxes as well as full bottles of BLUE TALISMAN (both EdP and Extrait) and THE HEDONIST (ditto), I have smelled my way through the portfolio over the past 24 months and can personally say that there was hardly a fragrance among them that I would conceptually rate below an 8. Somehow, the Parisians have got it: You can sense a basic, recognisable DNA in every creation, leaving my nose with a very balanced blend of elegance, nobility, familiarity, likeability and innovation. And Jordi Fernández, the nose behind this new addition among others, is a true master - anyone who has created such extraordinary fragrances as LONDON, GENETIC BLISS and BLUE TALISMAN definitely belongs in the perfumer Olympus in my book.

Unfortunately, EX NIHILO's juices aren't cheap, but here's a tip: Many of the creations are available in travel boxes containing 5 x 7.5 ml, which are quite attractive in terms of the total retail price, since you don't also have to pay for the very beautiful but production-wise expensive bottles.

Anyway; after I was sent a sample of DEMON DANCER, it was already clear five minutes after spraying it on that I would be getting a bottle. This stuff speaks to me just as much emotionally as it does olfactorily, much like BLUE TALISMAN, to which a certain kinship cannot be denied (but it is definitely not a flanker of it). If I had to compare it quickly and simply to something familiar, I would say it smells like a blend of a fruity rhubarb homage to BLUE TALISMAN with the vibe of Fugazzi's ORANGE CRUSH EXTRAIT or Florian Pontier's UBUNTU. Please don't hold me to that, but somehow that's the association I get from my first impressions while wearing it. It is "sweeter" and somehow creamier than BLUE TALISMAN, which plays more distinctive notes on its fragrance stage. In any case, when I smelled it for the first time, a deep, blissful sigh of contentment escaped me - I find this new Fernández creation that beautiful.

The rhubarb in the top note smells photorealistic to me. Not sour rhubarb but a wonderfully refined, slightly sweet one, as if it had been cooked down and was just about to be turned into jam. Nevertheless, it is not a confectionery bomb at all and in no way sticky; the "demon" then slowly dances out of its exceedingly ethereal opening of citrus, fruit, creaminess and a touch of mint into a wonderfully fresh bed of a blackcurrant-orange blossom combination (yes, you can associate a little "Bal d'Afrique" vibe here) and finally into a warm, clean-person base balanced between synthetic and natural, with light woods, musk and plenty of radiance (this is where the aforementioned ORANGE CRUSH associations come to mind). Unisex par excellence - but not for men who expect bitterness and spiciness from their fragrances.

What can I say: Of course, there will be people here who don't like fragrances with a more or less pronounced "fresh laundry" accord and who will already wave them away in annoyance at the mention of Givaudan's Ambrofix. For me, however, this overall combination is a sweet spot between synthetic and natural, between modernity and classicism; I absolutely love it and - especially on hot summer days like the ones we're currently experiencing - could practically bathe in it. This stuff also works wonderfully well at significantly above 30 degrees: Despite the sweat-inducing temperatures, it doesn't just make you smell fresh, it practically makes you glow. Anyone who has fallen for BLUE TALISMAN and its noble but rather "blue" freshness may well find DEMON DANCER, with its, shall we say, "pastel-coloured" freshness, a blind-buy candidate.

This stuff is also excellent for layering to create your own twists: With VIBRATO or BUONGIORNO (superb combination!), with Fugazzi's ORANGE CRUSH (freshness explosion!), with IMAGINATION (wow!) and also with GENETIC BLISS (fantastic drydown when the bone-dry woods meet the clean freshness!). In other words: The demon creates a wonderful ethereal space in which, despite its pronounced fragrance profile and remarkable sillage as well as good longevity, there is still enough room for your own skin character and for other, supplementary fragrance accords.

"Dancing with the demon" is actually a mantra from cognitive behavioural therapy and acceptance and commitment research. You're not supposed to fight your own fears tooth and nail ("Don't believe everything you think!") but rather accept them "radically", observe them, understand their message and grow from them. And then, through actively letting go, the lightness of being emerges. DEMON DANCER certainly creates great feelings and a wonderful lightness when worn. And the fact that this fragrance, figuratively speaking, practically "dances" on the skin also fits. Perhaps the name does make sense after all. For me, beautiful olfactory cinema!

Preface:
I don't usually write longer statements about fragrances, but this one simply deserves it, as it really touches me deeply.

In my usual evening couch mode, I'm lying there and see the new Ex Nihilo release on Instagram: Demon Dancer - oh, that sounds exciting. So, naturally, I click on it. And there it is: my beloved blood orange. I'm generally a fan of citrus fruits, but this has been an absolute highlight for me since childhood. And with fresh mint ? Rhubarb? This is getting wilder and wilder. So I eagerly awaited the release and couldn't help but order the fragrance blind as a 100 ML bottle right at launch.

So, let's see what this demon dancer can do.
When I spray it on, I first think of those classic hip “house lemonades” you get in all the fancy restaurants nowadays. The blood orange comes across crisp, the mint brings a lovely freshness, and the rhubarb adds a certain fizzy note - just like in a lemonade. The fragrance initially dances beautifully fresh across the back of my hand.

While walking the dog, I notice the fragrance repeatedly wafting up to my nose and flattering me. Lovely and fresh, fizzy, and well-groomed. I absolutely love clean scents like L'Homme or Imagination. They always touch me deeply.

Over time, the fragrance becomes creamier and softer - without losing its freshness. The blood orange lemonade turns more into a blood orange body lotion that you apply after a refreshing shower.

I understand the comparisons to Blue Talisman Eau de Parfum - that certain underlying note is definitely present. Likewise, the fizziness of Vibrato - but I have to tell you that this fragrance is something completely different - and I would describe it as a distant relative at most.

I find the sillage quite comparable to that of L'Homme. Longevity is absolutely top-notch.

For me personally, Demon Dancer is a 9.5/10, and it is definitely making it into my top 3 summer fragrances.

Ex Nihilo is one of the strongest, if not the best niche brands out there in my opinion. If Blue Talisman is the only one on your radar so far: Definitely check out the other fragrances! So when I was recently in L.A., I of course had to head straight to the flagship store to spray the new Demon Dancer on my skin.

The opening is absolutely explosive. It starts off extremely fruity, sparkling and fresh. This distinctive rhubarb note really packs a punch, while a juicy blood orange quickly joins in. The mint provides a wonderfully invigorating freshness kick in the background. The opening immediately caught me! The employees at the store were super friendly, completely doused me in the fragrance and packed up a few samples for me. That’s how my journey through L.A. began.

After just the first few steps, you quickly notice that Demon Dancer shares this characteristic, airy vibe with Blue Talisman (EdP). Both use this framework of modern synthetic building blocks such as Akigalawood, Ambrofix and Georgywood. In the heart, a delicate blackcurrant note then moves to the forefront, while the fragrance remains somewhat woody yet feather-light. Despite the blackcurrant, I see absolutely no parallels to Bal d'Afrique here, by the way.

What probably only happens to you in the USA is having someone follow you through several aisles in the supermarket just to ask, completely enthusiastically, what you’re wearing, saying they could smell me from miles away (no joke!). So the sillage seems to be very good.

It was at exactly this moment that I thought: I need to buy this immediately! But the longer I wore it that day, the more my enthusiasm turned around. Unfortunately, the fragrance loses me in the drydown. It simply becomes a little too unremarkable for me, and on top of that I’m not a huge fan of this strongly synthetic aspect (which you also know from Bois Impérial, among others). That’s why I also own the Extrait of Blue Talisman, because I think this aspect is handled better there.

The longevity is absolutely solid for a fresh fragrance and the sillage, as mentioned, apparently very strong. The regular retail price is quite steep, though. If you can pick it up in the souk at a good price, that’s perfectly okay, but at full price it ultimately wasn’t enough for me.

My conclusion: The opening is extremely awesome and the fragrance is guaranteed to turn heads among those around you. Anyone who is into the Blue Talisman DNA or fragrances like Bois Impérial should definitely test Demon Dancer. Personally, I’m missing that certain something in the end for a full bottle purchase, but who knows, maybe it simply needs two or three more wearings on me before it finally clicks!

Let's keep it short: Demon Dancer is a well-crafted fragrance that I also like - and yet it leaves me with mixed impressions.
Anyone familiar with the house will immediately notice that the DNA here is played extremely safe.

Fragrance: 7.5/10
At the beginning, you get a really juicy rhubarb note, paired with a tart blood orange and a slightly fresh mint note around the edges.
The whole thing doesn't smell sticky - sweet, but rather energetic and sporty.
After about 1 hour, a very subtle floral orange blossom emerges, giving the whole thing a kind of refreshing body lotion - vibe.
Once the Akigalawood and Georgywood become more prominent, you get the typical Ex Nihilo - Blue Talisman and The Hedonist scent.
Basically, if you know one, you know them all.

Longevity: 7/10
The sillage is unfortunately relatively weak, but the actual longevity is still quite decent.

Conclusion:
Unfortunately, the majority of Ex Nihilo fragrances are relatively similar to each other.
For a fragrance at this price, I expect significantly more than just a difference during the first 30-45 min.