Aurum Kemi 2016

Kemi Aurum, a fragrance that has been smiling at me for quite some time and one of the more well-known ones from the brand. Now I finally had the pleasure of testing one from the brand, and it happens to be one that I like best based on its notes. Additionally, I had the opportunity to get a drop from the old bottle before it was assimilated by Xerjoff. Surely a happy coincidence.

I was particularly drawn to the indicated blend of chocolate, strawberry, and oud. I was especially curious about the strawberry component with dark influences, which made the "Oud Stars - Indochine | XerJoff" sound enticing to me. However, I seemed to prefer the "Aurum | Kemi / Al Kimiya" a tad more - the chocolate in the combination just wouldn't let go of me.

In the past, I had already had the pleasure of experiencing a strawberry fragrance, namely the "Ishq | Anfas," which came across as very synthetic to my nose and focused more on the sweetness of the fruit rather than the fine earthy fruitiness I had initially expected. This inevitably drew parallels to the "Baccarat Rouge 540 (Extrait de Parfum) | Maison Francis Kurkdjian," which left me disappointed. Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum was primarily synthetic sweet for me, with hints of hairspray. Not a fragrance that could satisfy my complicated perception.

Now, however, to the wonderfully starting Aurum, which welcomed me very seductively. It revealed a romantic love triangle full of harmony and eroticism. In the first whiff through the olfactory organ, there was a delicate sweetness and fruitiness of the strawberry - unfortunately, slightly synthetic undertones appeared - dipped in the finest rose water. Delicate, no heaviness, tender rose petals lying before me. Someone throws the petals into the air while a gentle breeze wafts the aromas towards me. Very subtly pronounced and wonderfully woven into the fruitiness. Meanwhile, patchouli sneaks in, warm, without mustiness and with certain hints of bittersweet chocolate. There are no cocoa beans or even powder perceptible, but the scent of freshly grated dark chocolate - hardly any sweetness. A play of contrasts, strawberries dipping in rose water, then again into the chocolate notes. In the background, a matte wood note reveals itself with dark signs. Oud shows itself in a noble and less intrusive form. No smoke, but a very blunt note that one directly associates with the fragrance ingredient.

Fruity, earthy, sweet - a complex and deep start to a fragrance that unfortunately cannot meet the expectations it builds with the top note in the heart and base.
After about an hour, it slowly drifts away, the notes of rose water are smoothed out, the chocolate disappears into nirvana, and the dark note of oud fades on the horizon of sweetness. For that sweetness is steadily intensified. The pleasant mix of sweetness and fruitiness loses its balance, as everything suddenly feels significantly more synthetic. Everything now wafts towards an undefined sweetness that I already know from the "Ishq | Anfas." The woodiness offers no depth anymore, rather the undercurrent of artificial fruit.

At times, it really smells like fruity hairspray and due to the underlying woodiness even more like "Baccarat Rouge 540 (Extrait de Parfum) | Maison Francis Kurkdjian." Presumably, the note of strawberry is so difficult to capture in its natural form that similar constructs are built here to allow the note to shine for a certain time. It's a shame because from this point on, the fragrance becomes not only monotonous but also quite uninteresting for me.

It's a pity because the start was very promising, and the longevity is quite good. With the initially pleasant sillage, a truly wonderful and unique fragrance could have emerged here. I wouldn't have even minded if the fragrance had monotonously carried the top note through to the end, as it smells very unique and pleasant in the top note, but after an hour, it simply falls off, and the depth and uniqueness are gone.