Hermesh04/25/2015
Drseid
820 Reviews
Drseid
3
Refined Incense Oud...
Phoenicia opens with dry, stark woody incense, with hints of relatively sharp, slightly smoky vetiver support. As the composition moves to its early heart the stark woody incense increases in intensity, now joined by co-starring smooth, slightly rubbery synthetic Oud, as the composition adds a relatively subtle, slightly sweet jasmine-like fruity accord to the mix as well as underlying natural smelling cedarwood. During the late dry-down the incense gradually recedes leaving the refined synthetic Oud as the initial star before it too vacates, leaving traces of cedarwood to join slightly sweet creamy sandalwood through the finish. Projection is average but longevity is outstanding at over 15 hours on skin.
Phoenicia was a 2014 release that slipped under many people's radar including my own (probably helped by very limited initial distribution). Now that Heeley has broadened the distribution to more accessible outlets it is time to see if this initially elusive composition makes the grade... The first thing one notices when Phoenicia is applied on skin is its high level of refinement. Near immediately the wearer notices the gorgeous focal combination of relatively dry smoky incense with what most likely is synthetic Oud. This is not your normal synthetic Oud, however, as the presentation of this Oud is super-smooth, with only a faint hint of the usual rubbery aspect encountered, melding with the stark incense and subtle jasmine-like fruity supporting accord perfectly. The combination of the three really is impressive and quite pleasant smelling. Joining the focal accord is some very subtle support from underlying natural smelling cedar and slightly sharp vetiver that give just a modest counter to the super-smooth primary nature of the composition. The late dry-down is probably the least interesting aspect of development once the incense and Oud mostly vacate, leaving slightly sweet, creamy sandalwood to meld with the supporting cedar remnants, creating an almost woody vanilla-like effect that is a slight letdown. While surely less interesting, the late dry-down is not in any way a show stopper, with the overall experience quite sublime and extremely polished on the whole. What you *won't* find with Phoenicia is something avant garde or contemporary, as the composition really has a more classical structure, with some twists like its difficult to place well-integrated fruity accord to separate it from the pack. This is a composition that takes chances, but keep the risks minor, smelling pleasant at all times. The bottom line is the $250 per 50ml Extrait strength bottle Phoenicia will most likely not satisfy folks looking for quirky compositions, but those looking for one with sophisticated refinement, high quality materials and enough chances taken to positively distinguish it from competitors are bound to be quite satisfied, earning it an "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation.
Phoenicia was a 2014 release that slipped under many people's radar including my own (probably helped by very limited initial distribution). Now that Heeley has broadened the distribution to more accessible outlets it is time to see if this initially elusive composition makes the grade... The first thing one notices when Phoenicia is applied on skin is its high level of refinement. Near immediately the wearer notices the gorgeous focal combination of relatively dry smoky incense with what most likely is synthetic Oud. This is not your normal synthetic Oud, however, as the presentation of this Oud is super-smooth, with only a faint hint of the usual rubbery aspect encountered, melding with the stark incense and subtle jasmine-like fruity supporting accord perfectly. The combination of the three really is impressive and quite pleasant smelling. Joining the focal accord is some very subtle support from underlying natural smelling cedar and slightly sharp vetiver that give just a modest counter to the super-smooth primary nature of the composition. The late dry-down is probably the least interesting aspect of development once the incense and Oud mostly vacate, leaving slightly sweet, creamy sandalwood to meld with the supporting cedar remnants, creating an almost woody vanilla-like effect that is a slight letdown. While surely less interesting, the late dry-down is not in any way a show stopper, with the overall experience quite sublime and extremely polished on the whole. What you *won't* find with Phoenicia is something avant garde or contemporary, as the composition really has a more classical structure, with some twists like its difficult to place well-integrated fruity accord to separate it from the pack. This is a composition that takes chances, but keep the risks minor, smelling pleasant at all times. The bottom line is the $250 per 50ml Extrait strength bottle Phoenicia will most likely not satisfy folks looking for quirky compositions, but those looking for one with sophisticated refinement, high quality materials and enough chances taken to positively distinguish it from competitors are bound to be quite satisfied, earning it an "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation.
