Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
11/23/2011
Apicius
222 Reviews
Apicius
1
A Wide Arc
Today is a wet and cold night in November, which I lighted up a bit with roast goose, bohemian dumplings, red and green cabbage, Czech beer and Becherovka. So the question is: which one of the Privés perfumes would be best for after dinner mint?
I was faithful and chose Myrrhe Mystique, although the scent pyramid seems to be quite a challenge. For me, myrrhe is a difficult note, and I do not like it in many perfumes. Sometimes, it is responsible for a displeasing opulence and a certain dirtyness. It then gives me the impression that I could need a shower. Also, the oriental tree resins are not that encouraging to me.
But the first whiff of Myrrhe Mystique silences all scruples. Myrrhe is very noticeable, but it is well contrasted by an ethereal woodiness. It has a delightful sharpness and brings up certain images from childhood: In Germany, mothers smear “Wick Vaporub” on their childrens' breasts when they have a cold.
Don't worry, Myrrhe Mystique is not a perfume for influenza – a grand floral opulence enfolds itself very soon, and together with it the complete beauty of this perfume. Turkish rose, jasmine and orris root have been announced. I even smell tuberose, although, with complex floral fragrances, you never know. Tuberose and Myrrhe remind me of XPEC Original, one of the best!
Indeed XPEC Original, that somewhat controversial perfume is almost a class of its of its own: a flowery chypre with myrrhe for men. Some think that style is old-fashioned, others are fascinated. However, a chypre accord is missing in Myrrhe Mystique – the basic accord is rather woody and resinous. In direct comparison, Myrrhe Mystique is not so dark and rough as the XPEC scent, so it should suit both men and women. Nevertheless, the link is there, and I am glad we now have another fragrance of that class – besides XPEC Original and the very similar No. 88 by Czech & Speake.
I am inspired by the sovereignty that the opulent notes are controlled by the ethereal and sharp parts of Myrrhe Mystique. I suppose the perfumer was well aware of the difficult aspects of myrrhe. The ethereal side is very noticeable when you spray Myrrhe Mystique on your skin – it has a cooling effect!
A wide arc is being drawn: from floriental opulence to ethereal sharpness and chill. Myrrhe Mystique embodies both the tropical night infused by heady flower scents and the sharp coldness of a snow plain in a starry winter night, glowing under full moon.
So, what is the mystical side that the name indicates? Maybe it refers to the fact that Myrrhe Mystique is hard to determine. With the first spritzes I found the floral grandeur close to overwhelming, with an almost candy-like intensity. When I test a perfume, I usually spray it twice – a second time to a different place on my skin after some time has passed. In doing so, I can much better detect the differences between top, heart and base notes. Here, with the second spritzes, I could hardly smell the flowers. They seem to change the sensitivity a little bit. Myrrhe Mystique seems to be a scent that gives you different insights depending on your daily constitution, the applied amounts and probably also your skin. Due to this habituation I am a bit reluctant to comment on the fragrance's development. Maybe, it is only the wearer of Myrrhe Mystique who might feel the desaturation of the floral notes and the upcoming of some resinous notes.
Again, it is quite clear: there are no displeasing notes, only badly made perfumes. In the hands of a gifted perfumer, notes that make you frown elsewhere can be brought to extraordinary beauty.
I was faithful and chose Myrrhe Mystique, although the scent pyramid seems to be quite a challenge. For me, myrrhe is a difficult note, and I do not like it in many perfumes. Sometimes, it is responsible for a displeasing opulence and a certain dirtyness. It then gives me the impression that I could need a shower. Also, the oriental tree resins are not that encouraging to me.
But the first whiff of Myrrhe Mystique silences all scruples. Myrrhe is very noticeable, but it is well contrasted by an ethereal woodiness. It has a delightful sharpness and brings up certain images from childhood: In Germany, mothers smear “Wick Vaporub” on their childrens' breasts when they have a cold.
Don't worry, Myrrhe Mystique is not a perfume for influenza – a grand floral opulence enfolds itself very soon, and together with it the complete beauty of this perfume. Turkish rose, jasmine and orris root have been announced. I even smell tuberose, although, with complex floral fragrances, you never know. Tuberose and Myrrhe remind me of XPEC Original, one of the best!
Indeed XPEC Original, that somewhat controversial perfume is almost a class of its of its own: a flowery chypre with myrrhe for men. Some think that style is old-fashioned, others are fascinated. However, a chypre accord is missing in Myrrhe Mystique – the basic accord is rather woody and resinous. In direct comparison, Myrrhe Mystique is not so dark and rough as the XPEC scent, so it should suit both men and women. Nevertheless, the link is there, and I am glad we now have another fragrance of that class – besides XPEC Original and the very similar No. 88 by Czech & Speake.
I am inspired by the sovereignty that the opulent notes are controlled by the ethereal and sharp parts of Myrrhe Mystique. I suppose the perfumer was well aware of the difficult aspects of myrrhe. The ethereal side is very noticeable when you spray Myrrhe Mystique on your skin – it has a cooling effect!
A wide arc is being drawn: from floriental opulence to ethereal sharpness and chill. Myrrhe Mystique embodies both the tropical night infused by heady flower scents and the sharp coldness of a snow plain in a starry winter night, glowing under full moon.
So, what is the mystical side that the name indicates? Maybe it refers to the fact that Myrrhe Mystique is hard to determine. With the first spritzes I found the floral grandeur close to overwhelming, with an almost candy-like intensity. When I test a perfume, I usually spray it twice – a second time to a different place on my skin after some time has passed. In doing so, I can much better detect the differences between top, heart and base notes. Here, with the second spritzes, I could hardly smell the flowers. They seem to change the sensitivity a little bit. Myrrhe Mystique seems to be a scent that gives you different insights depending on your daily constitution, the applied amounts and probably also your skin. Due to this habituation I am a bit reluctant to comment on the fragrance's development. Maybe, it is only the wearer of Myrrhe Mystique who might feel the desaturation of the floral notes and the upcoming of some resinous notes.
Again, it is quite clear: there are no displeasing notes, only badly made perfumes. In the hands of a gifted perfumer, notes that make you frown elsewhere can be brought to extraordinary beauty.
