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Berkanlenck
Top Review
22
Between fog and incense - Empiryan and the magic of the Como winter
It was December 2024 in Como, one of my favorite places, Lake Como lay still as a mirror, framed by mountains whose peaks glistened under a thin layer of snow. The air was cool, clear, and carried that unmistakable smell of winter water and wood fires in the chimneys of the villas on the shore.
I strolled through the narrow streets of Como, looking for a warm coffee or perhaps just a moment to remember. Then my eyes fell on a small but elegantly shining store: Campomarzio70, a very popular perfumery in Italy. The name alone promised me that no ordinary fragrances would be waiting here.
It was warm inside, the light was subdued, the shelves were like little treasure chests full of bottles. And then there he was, Empiryan by Xerjoff. The consultant just smiled knowingly as I sprayed the fragrance onto a test strip.
The first breath: like an old library in a cathedral, warm tobacco leaf, incense, wood, an almost sacred depth. But underneath pulsed something softly vanilla, sweet but not playful, like a secret warmth in the middle of winter. Outside, I could see the breath of passers-by in the cold air; inside, Empiryan enveloped me like a precious cloak.
I knew immediately: this was not a fragrance you just wear. It was a signature, at least for this place, this winter, this part of me. In the days that followed, I wore it every time I walked by the lake, in the fog, in the dim light of the cafés, in conversations that became long silences while simply looking at the lights on the water.
The next few days in Como became something of a ritual. In the morning, I would spray Empiryan, step out into the clear air and let it mingle with the city: with the smell of fresh pastries in the cafés, with the smoke from the chimneys, with the damp stone of the old walls. In the evening, when the lights of the city were reflected in the water and the lake looked like a black mirror, it was still there, softer, rounder, but unmistakable.
Empiryan has been my Como fragrance ever since. Every time I spray it on, I'm back there: the December sky, the smell of smoke and cold stone, the sparkle of the lake and me, with a bottle in my pocket that captures an entire landscape.
My conclusion:
For me, Empiryan is an atmospheric companion that captures memories. Its tobacco and incense opening is like the first breath of cold winter air, intense and clear, yet never piercing. The warm woody notes and the deep, noble vanilla in the heart give you a feeling of security, as if you were wrapping yourself in a heavy cashmere scarf.
What particularly fascinates me is the balance between grandeur and intimacy: Empiryan is majestic without being aloof and tells a story that works both in festive moments and in quiet hours. The longevity is outstanding - a single spray can last all day, sometimes even longer.
For me, it is not just a fragrance that I wear, but a piece of Como in winter, preserved in a bottle, my olfactory anchor to a time and place that means a lot to me.
Berkan
Top Notes 
Tobacco
Nagarmotha
Heart Notes 
Omani frankincense
Atlas cedar
Singapore patchouli
Base Notes 
Amber
Bourbon vanilla
Labdanum
CivetOnly
Merlotsupern
Omnipotato
NicheOnly
PianoTones
TheDunkPapa
AngelEyes
