As Sawira Penhaligon's 2014

"As Sawira" was released in 2014 as the fourth fragrance in Penhaligon's "Trade Routes Collection." It is supposedly inspired by Essaouira, the first port established in Morocco in the 19th century, from where the precious cargo of spices, woods, and other treasures made its way to the London Docklands.

When I initially only wanted to buy "Halfeti," I recently had the chance to experience it at the Penhaligon's boutique in Covent Garden, and I couldn't get it out of my nose, heart, and mind. In the meantime, it has happily settled in with me.

After "Levantium" had briefly focused on the theme of Oud as the first Penhaligon's fragrance, leaning more towards the alcoholic-creamy-soft direction, Christian Provenzano clearly chooses the deeper, darker, denser tones for "As Sawira." And what one could superficially dismiss as "oh, yet another Oud fragrance!" reveals, upon closer inspection/smelling and getting to know it (like the other "Trade Routes" compositions), a broad, rich, differentiated palette of shimmering facets that I have not yet fully explored.

The pyramid holds more theoretical value for me. Sure, one component might flash at times, and another can be discovered if you read it and focus on it - overall, from the actual sensual experience, this is an incredibly dense, tightly woven fragrance that doesn't really undergo significant development but rather turns slowly like a multifaceted dark brown sphere with thousands of bronze-golden crystal shards, allowing the most colorful reflections and shades to shimmer and flicker around our noses.

The Oud theme is central, in a dark gold-glittering variant that has nothing coarse or overly woody-medical about it, but rather holds back gracefully and softly, aware of its own effect, letting its light play more than its fumes. This is complemented by other very closely related and hardly isolated woody notes that obediently line up and enhance the composition.

The uniqueness, the captivating charm of this fragrance for me is the combination of this dense Oud sphere with deep, dark floral notes. At least I perceive them as dark. In the Covent Garden boutique, we agreed that this is a "floral oud," immediately attractive and seductive. Here, one can certainly recognize rose, jasmine, and clove notes as individual components if one really wants to and follows them, with Davana leading in with its sweet-fruity note right from the start.

Unfortunately, this very constellation, this extremely exciting interplay with swapped roles, with bright Oud woods and dark, deeply fragrant flowers, hardly develops on my skin, as the scent quickly reduces to an indefinable slightly sweet Oud, while on the deep, dense, rich skin of my friend, "As Sawira" blooms unbelievably and expresses itself, unfolding all facets of "floral oud wood" glowing with deep embers and showing me a dangerously fiery reddish-brown shimmer with golden highlights - irresistible. By the way, the longevity is also fitting here. Recommendation: definitely test it on your own skin!