02 Owari Odin New York 2009

So sad.Stays only for 30 minutes on my Skin.Hope my review can help.I can tell I have tried a lot of parfum in my young life. Also I worked in a sensory lab for a short time and my nose is mostly very sensitive to some smells and odors. My hobby... compare colognes ;)

I bought it in Germany for 120€ (to expensive!) after comparing it to Atelier Cologne.Those two are damn close but i like the former much more because it is more glamourus.
Try it yourself!Owari is just fresher.Like a sliced mandarin.It itches in my nose every time i try it. It is so damn fresh! Best for hot days.
This could have been my favorite Cologne but no one will notice it after 30 minutes. Just an expensive body mist.Sigh...
Scent: 6/10

Owari means the end of something in Japanese, if I remember well. Truly fitting name for this scent, abstracted from the Owari tangerine as note.
It emits the ennobling aura of meditation about the annihilation, in a very light, fragile, almost sigh-like breath. The nearest similarity offer itself with peach blossom.
But the fragrance is so weak that even with convulsive efforts and my nose closely on my skin can not be detected after an hour. I would tell, that 02 OWARI identify oneself totally with its own name, so I would like to enjoy this tender scent vainly as it is so weak.

Parfumo-Gruftietest! Who still remembers "Big in Japan" by Alphaville? Yes? Great! What is it about? Exactly! About heroin dealers at Berlin's Zoo station. Yesss! Really? Not about Japan? Noooo. And that's exactly how it is (I would claim) here too. As far as it is constantly mentioned here and in other perfume forums that "Odin" wanted to try a "Japanese scent," I consider this nonsense. This is not directed against those who have fallen for this nonsense; it happens (to me too). But the question arises here what could possibly be specifically Japanese about a fragrance that has a concentrated burst of citrus in the top and heart, followed by a lot of wood and other classic base ingredients like amber and musk, along with a pinch of pepper (which is always good). This is actually, if anything, a Mediterranean classic, as others have already noted here. The funny thing is (I would claim, as I may have already said): That is pretty much exactly what it is meant to be.

"Odin" is a New York label for fashion and trinkets and also fragrances, anyway, a New York label. New York is in the USA, and the website fruitmentor.com, which I now consider a reliable source due to lack of other evidence, states about "Owari": "Owari Satsuma is the most common Satsuma Mandarin in the United States and is considered the standard Satsuma Mandarin and one of the finest. The strain of Owari prevalent in California, the Frost Owari, dates back to 1916." To put it somewhat pointedly and concisely: "Owari" is THE typical American, more precisely Californian, mandarin variety. Aha. I am not American, but I suspect that an American thinks of Japan about as much when they hear "Owari" as a German thinks of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent when they hear "Sultaninen."

So let's toss the "Japan" theme in the bin (my suggestion), and what remains is that this is a Mediterranean-Californian citrus scent with a strong wood-amber base and a pinch of pepper for the right spiciness. Is that incredibly original? No. Is it good? Yes! I like such scents anyway, but this one is also extremely solidly constructed and wonderfully masculine-strong-marked. The citrus is very tart, almost a bit bitter; one can think of orange peels or kumquats here. The transition into the more woody-amber base is beautifully flowing, making the scent seem somewhat linear on one hand, while on the other hand, it does show a certain development. Despite all the masculine tartness, the whole thing is beautifully bright, like dark orange, dark brown, and green shades on paper or glass, through which light shines strongly.

That "Owari" is said to have such poor longevity, I cannot necessarily confirm. About three hours after testing (there was some sports in between), it was still just as strong as it was at the beginning; then I had to wash the sprayed body part for hygienic reasons, and even this soap-and-scrub shock the mandarin survived. Whether it lasts all day, I would doubt, but that is not necessarily the norm for citrus scents either.

Before I engage here as an overly clever deconstructor of myths and then end up being wrong, I wanted to check on the Odin website whether there is anything in the "fragrance lyric" about "inspired by the magnificent Japanese tradition blablabla," but oh dear! They don't even list the fragrance anymore. After "Odin 01" comes "Odin 03." For "Odin 02," it seems the mandarin twilight has begun. Before the last supplies of this fragrance (I tested some in the store today, so there are still some in the commercial pipeline) find their way to Valhalla, those who have it on their reminder or wish list might want to consider whether it is time for a cleanup of the directories or for a flash purchase. Given the quality of the product, the latter would not be a bad decision in my view, even if it didn't quite work out for me to buy it for cash today.

Sayonara, Pa aterseende and Byebye!

This recently listed and sold-out fragrance (also online) is the most beautiful and natural mandarin scent I have encountered so far. Before it, already quite unknown, completely disappears into obscurity, I wanted to dedicate a comment to it.

It is worth a more detailed mention, as it, in my opinion, has an even more naturally appearing mandarin than, for example, Hermes' “Eau de Mandarine Ambree” (warm, ambered mandarin), Altai's “Yu Son” (fresh mandarin with a green tea note), Gaglewski's “L'Amiral” (soft, maritime mandarin), or Guerlain's “Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic” (fresh, green mandarin with a slightly floral note). It can be compared to Chanel's mandarin in "Paris - Biarritz".

Owari is, by the way, the name of a Japanese province from which this special citrus fruit variety originates. The seedless mandarin fruit is known under the name “Satsuma” or “Satsuma Owari”. Owari also means "end" in Japanese, but it is written and intonated differently. In the Latin script, however, both words are indistinguishable. (A heartfelt thank you to Anessa for this note!)

Owari starts with a very fresh, incredibly natural and full-bodied mandarin note with zesty, green-citrus accents. It is a blend of juicy orange flesh and the slightly sweeter and more pleasant mandarin, along with a subtly present virile, bitter-herbaceous grapefruit and soft bergamot note in the background.

As it develops, the very authentic green-sweet mandarin is equally supported by the neroli, gaining that typical soft and radiant orange blossom note (lovely-orange-floral). The fragrance then gains depth and substance through a wonderfully balanced sandalwood-like note (Amyris wood combined with musk), which seamlessly integrates into the round and increasingly softer character of the fragrance. A slightly counterbalancing dry accent from amber and cedarwood keeps it from drifting into too shallow waters. I am not familiar with the bitter-eucalyptus-like scent of cubeb pepper (in dried form) (the undried berries are probably slightly sweet). However, based on its description, it would fit well with the minimal green-citrus note of the fragrance.

All three main components (mandarin, orange blossom, sandalwood) are wonderfully harmonized and intertwined with each other in equal intensity. This combination always puts me in a balanced, optimistic mood. It is a simply structured, but beautifully balanced, high-quality feel-good fragrance.

Due to the quality of its ingredients, this casual unisex fragrance is certainly also suitable for more formal occasions. Its fresh, full-bodied fruitiness makes it perfect for the warm season, but the creamy-woody base conveys so much warmth that it can also be used effortlessly during transitional periods - possibly even more appropriately - and even in the cold season.

Here I see the only drawback of the fragrance. After 1-2 hours, it is only a pure skin scent. It remains perceptible on the skin for up to another four or five hours. The sillage is also quite limited.

Odin New York is a so-called lifestyle brand that, in addition to its own products, primarily clothing and accessories, also distributes other brands. It was founded in 2004 and has been releasing its own fragrance collection since 2009, which is divided into a Black Line (11 unisex fragrances) and a White Line (3 unisex fragrances). Owari is one of the first three fragrances released.

With this fragrance, Odin New York has created a high-quality, very natural mandarin scent that is supported by orange blossom and a sandalwood-like base. For all orange and mandarin lovers, I consider it an absolute recommendation for testing, despite the very limited longevity.

Kellner for the testing opportunity
Zauber600 and FvSpee for the tips on rare sources

I wish all perfume lovers a happy transition into a wonderful and healthy 2019!!

Can this work? Can a US fashion company from New York release a modern, credible "Japanese" fragrance that convinces European noses? It's a complicated matter, because what Japanese people understand by a Japanese fragrance is likely quite different from what Europeans associate with the land of the rising sun, and certainly different from what Americans connect with Japan. Ultimately, one can only rely on their own feelings and possibly ignore the naming.

Due to a strong citrus note combined with subtle green, I would actually smell a southern, Mediterranean fragrance in Owari out of habit. Relatively early on, it becomes slightly woody and thus somewhat dry, which makes the EdP more wearable for men but shouldn't scare off women. In this sense, a successful unisex.

Even though I can't tell the difference between mandarin and Owari mandarin (is there even one?), I can increasingly warm up to the Japan connection, considering that the country is defined not only by technology and concrete deserts but above all by its unique culture and abundant nature in climate zones ranging from cold-temperate to subtropical. And I can certainly recognize that in Owari. Contrary to its Italian counterparts, this is indeed a winter fragrance (clearly mandarin) that can be perceived as festive in the cold season and refreshing in the summer.

The longevity is decent for a fresh fragrance, but it could still be a bit better for a perfume in this price range (130 €/100 ml). (On my skin, about 4 hours.)
The fragrance development is not particularly varied, which can be seen as a weakness, but doesn't have to be. I see it only as a clear statement and a straight line to follow. Unembellished, light, Japanese. Owari is not exciting, but beautiful.