Black No.1

Blackbird

House of Matriarch 2012 Extrait de Parfum

Blackbird is one of the great incense perfumes and I sniffed more than 50 in search of the best. To my nose, it ranks with the unsurpassed Norma Kamali Incense, with Slumberhouse Norne and on the lighter side with beautiful La Liturgie des Heures and Bois d’Ascese. Apparently, I’m not by myself because it swept the fragrance awards in 2013. At one point the website said it contains, "hundreds of exotic natural aromas, NW conifers, Pugeot Sound seaweed, black leather, rare oud and cannabis.” I promise you, one of those aromas is somali frankincense, so beautiful compared to the starker omani version, that it hardly needs additives. I bought samples of both for my perfumery notes kit and now I’d recognize somali incense anywhere, but it alone can’t account for the depth and richness here. Blackbird is a sophisticated, involving, headily delicious and magical scent not to be missed by anyone who adores incense perfumes. It’s expensive, like most niche offerings, but it’s worth every single cent.