Zara Exclusive N°01 - Incense Sunset Zara 2021

The new Jo Malone fragrances from Zara had to join my collection as a blind buy (I am a Jo Malone-Zara marketing victim and fan). First came Universal Oud as an absolute Oud charmer of the really good kind. Then the scratchy-biting Leather Jardin (oh dear, that one is intense, let’s see) and this one here, the mandarin incense. I am always on the lookout for incense fragrances and also found one in the metallic-bright L'Orpheline by Serge Lutens (bought at full price and never regretted it).

But this one, I had to write something: Great church incense mixed with zesty grapefruit, not so mandarin-like, but rather pink, fruity, sporty. The incense comes through extremely strong right away, but the fruit competes well, and they work wonderfully together. The Zara website initially listed musk, but the English site mentioned incense. Only two notes reach my nose here: the fruit and the incense. While the smoky note initially competes strongly, the fruit becomes stronger and more bitter (a mandarin would somehow be sweeter, I think). I am shockingly in love and still blown away after hours. I really like Universal Oud, Leather Jardin not so much; UO is more unisex, LJ is quite scratchy for me as a woman. This one, I think, is sporty unisex. I love it. Great incense note on the skin. For comparison, I really only have L'Orpheline as a metallic-bright tone. I find this one clear and bright yet with that slight incense note that is so extremely present in oriental powerhouse fragrances. Lasts long on the skin. So beautiful!