Top Notes 
Palo Santo
Bergamot
Pink pepper
Heart Notes 
Frankincense
Milk
Jasmine sambac absolute
Base Notes 
Fir balsam absolute
Sandalwood
Suede
Vetiver
02/16/2021
Elysium
866 Reviews
Elysium
2
Maharaja The Great King Hindu
How many types of incense resins do you know? Penhaligon's Agarbathi contains two sorts, according to the official olfactory notes, namely frankincense and olibanum. Frankincense is a very high-quality resin that oozes from the trunks of Boswellia trees. There are several subspecies of that tree, for example, Carterii, Neglecta, and Sacra, to name a few. So, don't be surprised if you continuously smell incensed in this cologne, from opening up to dry-down.
But what does Agarbathi mean? Agarbathi is named for the brightly colored incense sticks used in Hindu rituals. They are an integral part of the traditional Hindu practice of offering prayers in temples and other worship places. India is the largest agarbathi producer in the world. The origin of agarbathi production as a craft industry can be traced back to the northeast, from where it spread to the neighboring state of Assam, Tripura, which is currently the largest producer in India.
That said, not later than yesterday, I wrote a review of Amouage's Epic, a perfume based on an incense with greenish hues, somewhat woody and fresh. However, I discover a scent based on an incense with milky shades, somewhat creamy and warm.
I waited for a wintry day in Italy to test this fragrance simply because I wanted to try the scent's incense cord. Agarbathi opens with smoky citrus bergamot, spicy pepper, and a handful of minty Palo santo. It is a transparent cloud of balmy incense on the first spritz, brightened with a berry-peppery note for added cheer. It's got more of an exploratory feel to it, like being lost in the middle of a vast market, filled with antiques, leather tanneries, vast arrays of spices, dried florals, and incense resins. Palo Santo is an aromatic holy wood with gorgeous fruity, balsamy, spicy, citrus, and incense aspects, and I get hints of them all here. Pink pepper amps up the spicy, herbal characteristics of the Palo Santo while also adding a rosy nuance. I seem to catch a dry and milky nuance typical of the fig. Perhaps that is the milk accord presents in the receipt. The milk notes turn out to be a synthetic fig aromachemical.
As it heats up, it glows with a warm, resinous accord. The heart is rich, dark, and structured, but it is raised and illuminated by jasmine flowers, the skin-nuzzling milky tone, and the unmistakable traces of the aroma of incense. Despite its characteristic smokiness, I don't get too liturgical incense, rather something more smooth and creamy. Try to imagine a glass of warm milk in which you dissolve a handful of olibanum grains using an incense stick to convey the idea. Here, this is the incense that I perceive. The jasmine here is sweet, plentiful, and indolic. It's seductively fragrant and surprisingly fitting in scent made for men.
The base is hot, dry, with the grounding manfulness of the woody notes. Neither earthy vetiver nor a balmy fir tree, the last trail is just all too creamy sandalwood and smooth suede, nothing too woody or leathery. The suede accord adds a velvety, soft sensuality to the base. It dries down to a faint, spicy, incense, woody scent that stays close to the skin. It is a fragrance that takes its time to develop fully, revealing itself over time, but the reward is so worth the waiting.
Agarbathi is in every way a personal scent, moderate in sillage, projection, and longevity. Smokey wooden incense burning with a distinctive Indian spice to it. It's close and subtle, not for clubbing. It's softly woody, spicy, and yes, fumy in a purely meditative and calming way. It won't garner much attention, except those who venture close. So perfect for brief ceremonies. It also has an excellent connection to weddings by using subtle jasmine flower, which often features in the floral garlands that adorn guests at Indian weddings, and incense, a regular temple-and-church scent. Light incense and light suede combine to create a masculine but not heavy/macho scent. Agarbathi would be great in colder weather; late Fall and early Spring are better than any other season.
This review bases upon a decant I own since February 2021.
-Elysium
But what does Agarbathi mean? Agarbathi is named for the brightly colored incense sticks used in Hindu rituals. They are an integral part of the traditional Hindu practice of offering prayers in temples and other worship places. India is the largest agarbathi producer in the world. The origin of agarbathi production as a craft industry can be traced back to the northeast, from where it spread to the neighboring state of Assam, Tripura, which is currently the largest producer in India.
That said, not later than yesterday, I wrote a review of Amouage's Epic, a perfume based on an incense with greenish hues, somewhat woody and fresh. However, I discover a scent based on an incense with milky shades, somewhat creamy and warm.
I waited for a wintry day in Italy to test this fragrance simply because I wanted to try the scent's incense cord. Agarbathi opens with smoky citrus bergamot, spicy pepper, and a handful of minty Palo santo. It is a transparent cloud of balmy incense on the first spritz, brightened with a berry-peppery note for added cheer. It's got more of an exploratory feel to it, like being lost in the middle of a vast market, filled with antiques, leather tanneries, vast arrays of spices, dried florals, and incense resins. Palo Santo is an aromatic holy wood with gorgeous fruity, balsamy, spicy, citrus, and incense aspects, and I get hints of them all here. Pink pepper amps up the spicy, herbal characteristics of the Palo Santo while also adding a rosy nuance. I seem to catch a dry and milky nuance typical of the fig. Perhaps that is the milk accord presents in the receipt. The milk notes turn out to be a synthetic fig aromachemical.
As it heats up, it glows with a warm, resinous accord. The heart is rich, dark, and structured, but it is raised and illuminated by jasmine flowers, the skin-nuzzling milky tone, and the unmistakable traces of the aroma of incense. Despite its characteristic smokiness, I don't get too liturgical incense, rather something more smooth and creamy. Try to imagine a glass of warm milk in which you dissolve a handful of olibanum grains using an incense stick to convey the idea. Here, this is the incense that I perceive. The jasmine here is sweet, plentiful, and indolic. It's seductively fragrant and surprisingly fitting in scent made for men.
The base is hot, dry, with the grounding manfulness of the woody notes. Neither earthy vetiver nor a balmy fir tree, the last trail is just all too creamy sandalwood and smooth suede, nothing too woody or leathery. The suede accord adds a velvety, soft sensuality to the base. It dries down to a faint, spicy, incense, woody scent that stays close to the skin. It is a fragrance that takes its time to develop fully, revealing itself over time, but the reward is so worth the waiting.
Agarbathi is in every way a personal scent, moderate in sillage, projection, and longevity. Smokey wooden incense burning with a distinctive Indian spice to it. It's close and subtle, not for clubbing. It's softly woody, spicy, and yes, fumy in a purely meditative and calming way. It won't garner much attention, except those who venture close. So perfect for brief ceremonies. It also has an excellent connection to weddings by using subtle jasmine flower, which often features in the floral garlands that adorn guests at Indian weddings, and incense, a regular temple-and-church scent. Light incense and light suede combine to create a masculine but not heavy/macho scent. Agarbathi would be great in colder weather; late Fall and early Spring are better than any other season.
This review bases upon a decant I own since February 2021.
-Elysium
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