Sunset in Capri Jinkoh Store 2025

As a brand, one is always striving to meet expectations while simultaneously distancing oneself from these efforts to maintain integrity.

At Jinkoh Store, they have always pursued an intuitive approach characterized by accurate minimalism, allowing raw materials (primarily Oud) to speak rather than carefully calculated blending ratios. One could also say that the owner (Marius Pana) has so far acted uncompromisingly and without clear guidelines, entirely self-taught, with all the associated pros and cons.

Marius' implementations were wonderfully archaic, the raw materials of astonishing quality, even if in the end they were simply "just" attars filled with alcohol, the blending being only minimally targeted, probably not even well thought out; his understanding of the interplay of raw materials always condensed to the use of Oud distillates, surrounded by some bycatch (floral/animalic). But at its core, it was always one thing: authentic!

With the latest "Sunset offshoot," he has definitely not done himself any favors; it is so far removed from what the line originally stood for that I cannot understand why this is not specifically addressed in consequence!?

Yes, I would even go so far as to claim: with "Sunset in Capri | Jinkoh Store," the door to the mainstream has been flung wide open! Which is not inherently reprehensible, though it is a shame, as Marius has specifically launched a corresponding line at the end of 2023 (Niche Collection) where one would much more likely locate something like this.

What do you get? A slightly spicy, sultry, dirty citrus mix, with a green chlorophyll tint and an amber-woodsy undertone. That's it! The cold-pressed mixture initially appears linearly fresh, flanked by a somewhat sour chassis, but is quickly overwhelmed by a much too coarse bay leaf (too high-resolved), the sweaty-peppery ambrette seed usage is too prosaically integrated, while the woody base is disappointingly flat in dimension.

What is particularly bothersome is the binding amber, which suspiciously burns strongly in the base. As much as I regret it, it smells synthetic in the base; the glaring amber structure is too reactive for my heart (in terms of projection), I have never experienced this in a natural perfume! And even the distribution of the fragrance molecules in the spray mist seems somehow synthetically induced to me. Marius has never claimed to work free of synthetic additives, even if his product descriptions mostly settle for omissions in this regard and at most the general categorization on the homepage suggests otherwise - transparency looks different.

One gets the impression that Marius has been increasingly addressing the question for half a year of what a typical niche DNA could smell like with better smelling materials. Or it is increasingly being brought to him as a wish for implementation from his community. Otherwise, I cannot explain the recent excursions in the Sunset line. The results speak for themselves, and the answer is constantly shouted to him: "not necessarily better!" Perhaps the isolated bespoke inquiries have caused his coordinate system to wobble, who knows.

Whether one should now spend a three-digit amount on a nearly 30ml amber citrus fragrance or rather check out brands like Acqua di Parma, where one can get citrus fragrances in various forms for significantly less money, should at least be posed as a critical fundamental question before any potential purchase consideration.

As a devoted fan of the brand, I can no longer endorse this development; the speed at which the course has changed is astonishingly sad at the same time. The artisan gene is largely foreign to the present fragrance. Thus, Marius shares the fate of other representatives of his craft, such as Antonio Lasheras (Mallo) or Alp Veliogulliari (Katana). For some, this means a consistent evolution, for others, the idiosyncratic decay.

Some may now add that the journey to golden horizons has simply experienced another crash landing, and indeed, it would not surprise me if the next travel destination were some western metropolis as a source of inspiration; as a Central European, I hope the choice does not fall on Berlin, as I can already smell the linden sludge on the heel along with flavored tobacco and dysfunctional waste management.

In conclusion, a pure misstep with the "Noir" lettering wiped away. The brilliant Sunset in Hainan will likely remain Marius' peak, a conclusion, as a different wind will blow since 2025, and in multiple respects. It is going downhill harshly. What a shame - probably the next artisan brand that one should slowly write off, and the next bitter disappointment after Sunset in KSA Extrait de Parfum and "Sunset in Jumeirah | Jinkoh Store," which already deeply shook my artisan heart. I pass!