En Svensk Parfym 2017

I'd like to first thank Svensk Parfym for the opportunity to test their first six fragrances.

On my skin, En is a fragrance entirely centred around the noble, timeless pinewood. A brief passing of camphoraceous and metallic greenery is present in the opening, like silvery threads running through the minty pine needles. The fragrance then settles very soon into this deep, balsamic yet dry woody sweetness, with a pinch of peppery and fleshly metallic spices and a mossy earthiness stirring in the base. There is also a subtle bright aromatic quality which reminds me of certain incense fragrances, such as Oriza Rêve d'Ossian, when combined with the balsamic woody aspect.

Although En behaves mostly linear on my skin, it would grow more and more resinous with time, as if the tree is becoming more and more enriched with resins. The sillage of En is moderate, while the longevity can stretch to 9 hours.

En shares the common style of the six Svensk Parfym that I tested so far, that the fragrances focus heavily on one particular accord but are rich in nuance. They may appear lack of drama, but are never really boring while being easy to appreciate. I especially appreciate the careful details to render this pinewood accord natural and alive, contrary to a few modern clean woody fragrances that are so streamlined that they feel almost like the pale remain of a dead tree. If you happen to enjoy resinous woody fragrances with a naturalistic style, I think En is worth a try.

The workday begins - in the wintry forest. A few juniper trees are being felled - that was clearly announced. The bitter-herb, somewhat cumbersome scent of the freshly cut wood hangs in the air and challenges us. After felling, during the debranching, splitting, and stacking, resin seeps from the wood and mixes with the gentle aroma emitted by the scattered needles. The overall scent becomes more forest-like and spicier. It's lunchtime, and to pass the time, a wooden pipe is carved. The fragrance seems to gradually dissipate. To see if the pipe fits well in the mouth, it is stuffed with a spicy tobacco. The now tobacco-infused juniper forest scent has become warmer, albeit subtle and quite close to the skin in character. But every now and then, when we think there's nothing more to smell, a light wave comes back. The pipe is not lit. Later at home, in the evening, the scent mixture is still detectable. I now crave a snack, followed by a sloes schnapps by the fireplace. Overall, a very appealing fragrance composition, unusual, restrained, not necessarily light fare. The bitter-woody contrast with the warm tobacco-resin base note can certainly impress me. The scent feels authentic and natural - simply well done. I have nothing in my collection of woody fragrances that resembles this one. A lovely workday with En from Svensk Parfym comes to an end, one that I would gladly repeat.