See Prices

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Ma Nishtana Parfum Prissana 2019

8.2 / 10 126 Ratings

A popular perfume by Parfum Prissana for women and men, released in 2019. The scent is spicy-smoky. The longevity is above-average. It is still in production.
Compare

More

We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Spicy

Smoky

Resinous

Woody

Earthy

Fragrance Notes

Frankincense

Cardamom

Clove

Labdanum

Myrrh

Pimento

Smoke

Aldehydes

Amber

Black pepper Leather

Leather

Norlimbanol™ Nutmeg

Nutmeg

Patchouli

Pink pepper Saffron

Saffron

Sandalwood Styrax

Styrax

Caraway

Castoreum

Cumin

Rose

Perfumer

Prin Lomros

Ratings

Scent

8.2126 Ratings

Longevity

8.1106 Ratings

Sillage

7.4107 Ratings

Bottle

7.588 Ratings

Value for money

6.849 Ratings

Submitted by Maggy4u · last update on 01/08/2026.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Series 3: Incense - Kyoto

Sancti

Nanban

Reliqvia

Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

06/24/2025

ClaireV
969 Reviews

ClaireV

Helpful Review 3

Not genre breaking but nice stuff

Ma Nishtana is probably the easiest and most immediately likeable perfume in either the Prissana or Strangers Parfumerie line. A judiciously-spiced church incense scent, Ma Nishtana splits the difference between the soapy, aldehyded, Coca-Cola-ish airiness of Cardinal/Avignon and the warmer, breadier, more caramelic-ambery thickness of Contre Bombarde 32 by SAUF or Samharam by Arte Profumi. The drydown drones on a bit, thanks to an application of the dreaded Norlimbanol, but even as a No-Limbs-Left-At-All-hater I have to admit that it's applied with an unusually subtle touch here.

I don't know that Ma Nishtana distinguishes itself so much from the stalwarts of this rather cramped incense genre to be worth the price, but of course, this is a deeply personal thing. The most innovative or unusual thing about Ma Nishtana is really that faint whiff of armpitty cumin or turmeric that's half under-proved doughnut and half curry-sweat, but if you own either Grimoire by Anatole LeBreton or Al Oudh by L'Artisan Parfumeur, I think you're covered. Ma Nishtana is very nice, very good - but not entirely necessary, at least in my opinion.

04/24/2024

Frankcrummit
7 Reviews

Frankcrummit

2

A Mystical Journey

Here is a good example of perfume's ability to cross cultures and reinforce the point that what unites us is often stronger than what divides. Prin Lomros introduces Ma Nishtana as a meditation on religious ritual: its title is drawn from the Jewish Passover ritual . But he also points out that many of the notes in this fragrance are part of the lived experience of other Middle Eastern cultures. Incense and precious spices are unifying element in different religious (and gastronomic) traditions.

Ma Nishtana offers an olfactory expression of the search for the numinous which all religious traditions have in common, in three distinct phases. First there is the hubbub of the public space: the spice market, where a succession of piquant notes - cardamon , clove, black pepper, caraway and cumin, - clamour for attention like the tightly-packed contents of an Arabian souk. Eventually they begin to mingle with perfumed smoke: not the solemn liturgical incense of a Gothic cathedral, but the more intriguing Levantine bakhoor with its distinctive fruity, green and slightly spicy aroma. Finally, in the dry down, the fragrance moves into a more contemplative phase, like settling into to an old leather chair, smoked with decades of rosy incense. The location could be synagogue, mosque or chapel, but the instinct to find a place of inner calm and an opening to the divine is the same.

Never has the name perfume - from the Latin 'per fumum' meaning 'by means of smoke', - been better applied. Ma Nishtana takes you on a mystical journey, beginning with the naive religious question (traditionally posed by the youngest participant at the start of seder ritual), 'Why is this night different' ? It then evolves into a subtle and multi-layered exposition of the search for religious and aesthetic meaning that leaves the answers hanging elusively out of reach, like the smoke from the incense stick, denser than air, that gets diffused into the room before fading into nothingness.

Updated on 04/24/2024

05/15/2021

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Monsala
17 Reviews

Monsala

2

Wonderful incense

It symbolizes the first two words of a phrase that means "why is this night different from the rest of the nights? This phrase appears at the beginning of the four questions, traditionally recited by the youngest member, asked in song form on the Passover.
This composition wants to represent these sacred rites based on incense, wood and spices.
Fragrance for lovers of incense and introspective fragrances. The quality level, composition and balance are here sublimely made. One of my favorites from Prin lomros
#nicheparfum #nicheperfumery #mendittorosa #francescabianchi #perfumecollection #fragcomm #nichebrands #perfumesnicho

Updated on 05/15/2021

05/18/2023

8Scent 6Longevity 6Sillage

EnomisCVD
138 Reviews

EnomisCVD

2

One of the best incense fragrance

Ma nishtana is heaven for those who like ecclesiastical incense.
Resinous and a bit spicy (cloves first and foremost).
Very very interesting! I like it because although it is incensed it doesn't give me that sad churchy "moist" feeling.
Prin never disappoint again!
Very high quality at a good price.

02/10/2024

9Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Pized
6 Reviews

Pized

1

Not just incense

I'm often coming back to this, also because of its incredible and constant evolution. Aldehydes are strong in the first half an hour, then they fade into some sweetness, and then some animalic notes (Castoreum) emerge and evolve until they completely fade into incense. This all happens on an ever-changing background of incense and spices.
I'm usually not much into such aldehydic / sweet / animal presences, but this is so well-balanced that I recommend it to any perfume enthusiast. It's one of Prin Lomros' masterpieces, probably.

Updated on 02/10/2024

More reviews