Beyond the Pashtun Summit Memoirs of a Perfume Collector 2022

Sherwood is clearly demonstrating his brilliance and deeper understanding of raw materials in Summit, and though I am not crazy about a cannabis accord in perfume, he nails it—and he nails the elusive pomegranate accord here, that quenching sweet-tart-astringent quality of fresh arils. The use of davana oil seems to assist in this affect (it's one of my favorite naturals).

The heart smells like smoking weed while sipping on a Shirley Temple—there's this impression of grenadine (which of course is due to the pomegranate accord), plus there are facets that remind me of raisins, elderberry syr and blackcurrant. The base is more hay and tobacco like than woody/oud, which I can really appreciate, as I feared that I'd be faced with yet another hackneyed oud accord. Overall, this is fantastic.

The most impressive part of this perfume is surely an insane longevity and projection. It'll stay for two days at least through showers and everyday chores. The scent itself isn't bad also, but it's also not something I would wear.

Some time ago I've seen a term "orientalist" fragrance and this one seems to fit the bill. It's Eastern-inspired allright, but feels sort of touristy and stereotypical. Like a vendor on a Bazaar pushing an obviously fake relique into your hand, promising it's a genuine artifact of the past. It feels performative, on the nose.

Beyond the Pashtun Summit begins with a smoky bitter hahish note hanging languidly in the air, slowly transforming into full on opium and synthetic leathery oud that'll stay there throughout wear. This scent heavily reminds me of "opium" incense sticks, that were common in hippy shops along with beedi cigarettes and multi-purposed glassworks. It's not an unpleasant fragrance at all, just seems a bit too eastern-stereotyped.

Generally it's a nice-blended sharp long-lasting oud scent, which I believe I'd like more if it didn't give me teenage edgelord sort of associations.

Beyond the Pashtun Summit — gave this one to my partner, but honestly? Regret.
Should’ve kept it for myself instead of playing the generous card.

Jokes aside, it opens with a cannabis resin note—
not your typical Sensi or leafy green vibe,
but the kind that throws you straight back to those reckless late teens, early twenties.
Hot rocks come to mind.
If you know, you know.

The scent itself?
Like Black Afgano after a spa day—
dark, resinous oud with a surprisingly soapy, smoothed-out edge.
Less “angry incense,” more “brooding but clean.”
Think Laudano Nero, Black Oud, that whole moody gang.

If that’s your thing, it’s a safe blind buy.
If not, maybe test before you roll the dice.
Personally, I think it’s a fresh twist on the dark oud blueprint—
and yes, I’m mildly bitter I gifted it away.

My Queens, my partner, my love section of the fragrance shelf
now holds two fingerprint types…
he he, ha ha.

the warm smoky room needed to be aired out.
from the workshop next door, the smell of fuel wafted through the cracked window.
now it smelled like smoked gasoline.
fresh air refused to come through the window,
it remained cozy and spicy, some might say a bit musty.
today, no sun wanted to rise, the sky was gray and overcast, it stayed dark.
he nodded off while sitting, the ember of his hand-rolled cigarette scorched the leather sofa.
he briefly dreamed of hashish and poppy, but when he awoke again,
he had forgotten it once more.
he searched for the fruits but found none, they must have rolled under the sofa.
didn't he have a pomegranate lying around?
ah no, it was its thickened juice, not fruity at all, rather bitter and slightly sour.
on the table was a small puddle of some spilled alcohol,
perhaps whiskey, somehow syrupy dried up,
so that the ethereal volatility was missing, it was resinous, dry, and herbal.
he still thought about whether he should burn a piece of creamy sandalwood,
to cover the gasoline leather coal, but he had none left,
so it remained gray-ashy and burnt leathery in the room, somehow stony, mineral-like.
he also thought of black decayed wet wood, as it lay still damp in the forest
and the deer had rubbed against it.
yes, today really should not see any sun,
but even such a lazy day he knew,
to enjoy in the contemplation of the exhalations of various shades of gray and black,
to savor.