Nocturnal Nemesis Nebiru Parfvms 2025

opening comes with a bold hit of cinnamon and pinch of clove, instantly spicy and attention-grabbing. There is a light citrus sparkle and a soft floral touch from hibiscus, but they barely get a moment to shine before a heavy wave of Mysore sandalwood takes over. That sandalwood is rich, creamy, and dominant, quickly setting a deep and slightly sweet woody tone. The mix feels intense but controlled, like a dark spice blend warming up on skin.

As it settles, the fragrance opens up a bit more and starts to breathe. The hibiscus becomes clearer, adding a soft floral that pairs nicely with the smoother, slightly sweeter Ceylon cinnamon. The woods calm down into something more refined, supporting the composition instead of overpowering it. There is a gentle herbal spice running through the background that keeps things interesting, while faint traces of citrus flicker in and out. The heart of the scent stays focused on that cinnamon and hibiscus combo, giving it a unique balance of warm spice and soft floral character.

Strongly tamed oud, which is hardly noticeable with sweet flowers and balsamic resins.
It's hard not to like it.

It starts citrus-spicy and with sweet hibiscus - homemade iced tea.
However, I find the spice a bit loud at the beginning, but that quickly settles down.
Floral, fruity, and sweet notes in the heart further fuel the iced tea character.
Nebiru base accompanies the entire fragrance.
I had hoped for a bit more strength from the listed patchouli, but I only get the typical church base.
As an introduction to Artisan and Nebiru, it's certainly not wrong.
Good balance of spice, sweetness that never overpowers, and balsamic-resinous woods.
Here, it's also rather linear instead of evolving, and be careful when spraying, as the juice is sticky and brown. It doesn't do well on white clothing!

One thing is clear - as a long-time and passionate fan of artisanal fragrances, one cannot overlook this currently, one might say "hyped" brand, especially in Germany. Besides numerous praises from some "influencers," I also sought out samples due to the brand's promotion of high-quality ingredients and extraordinary creations. At this point, many thanks to @MrOud92.



I had the opportunity to test a total of 6 fragrances from Nebiru and chose "Nocturnal Nemesis" as my first review candidate. In the absence of any expectations, which admittedly is quite difficult with such a significant and archaic-sounding name, I sprayed the fragrance on.

The first thing I did was look at the sprayer again, because "nocturnal" was not present at all. Initial impression: Floral sharpness and... CINNAMON. A LOT of cinnamon.
 To all my 90’s homies; does anyone remember "Big Red" chewing gum? 
Exactly the kind of slightly soapy cinnamon sharpness hits the olfactory organ so potently and loudly that I hardly perceive anything else. In the background, there is a very faint mineral animalic note that is the only thing capable of breaking through the fortress of spice bark. At this point, I must mention that unlike in culinary terms, I am absolutely not a fan of cinnamon in an olfactory sense. With this opening, this slightly paradoxical but quite common pattern has been confirmed once again. 



So, I gave the fragrance some time to settle, but over time it became clear that my hopes were increasingly stifled. Not only in a figurative sense, because once the fleeting top notes like bergamot, eucalyptus, and co. had faded, the Big Red chewing gum in my nose grew larger. About as if you used to stuff more and more Hubba Bubba into your mouth because the flavor faded, without spitting out the others first. Please don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean; you all know exactly what I’m talking about. 


In my opinion, the entire fragrance pyramid is swallowed by a huge brown chewing gum bubble. I’ll stick my neck out and claim that my nose is quite refined and that after all these years of fragrance passion, I can metaphorically "dissect" scents quite well, but here I smell neither osmanthus, rose, nor any of the other listed notes. Don’t get me wrong, a fragrance doesn’t necessarily have to be dissectible into its individual components from my perspective. This only applies if the composition creates a harmonious overall picture, and unfortunately, that is simply not the case here. In the sillage, it becomes even more one-dimensional than on the skin. This observation arises not only from my own perception but also from the probably even more objective feedback from my wife.

That the fragrance, due to the high dose of "Cinnamonum Verum" - in English "True Cinnamon" or Cassia cinnamon - would not be a purchase candidate for me became clear quickly, yet I still hoped for a redeeming development in the dry-down. Spoiler: Nope. 



"Nocturnal Nemesis" lacks a classic tripartite structure or an identifiable progression, resulting in a blurred and rather static scent profile.

I mentioned at the beginning that the name "Nocturnal" does not fit the DNA in my view. I stand by that. There is actually nothing "dark" about this fragrance. What makes more sense to me is the Latin term for "archrival" or "downfall." This translation of the word "Nemesis" is much more fitting in my case than the reference to the Greek goddess of retribution and balance. That sounds harsh, but due to the fact that a super authentic celery note lays beneath the brown powder in the dry-down, it makes the fragrance exactly that for me... "My Nemesis." The only logical conclusion regarding this base note in the official note breakdown for me is ginseng.


In the eponymous song by the heavy metal band "Five Finger Death Punch" (I refer again to "My Nemesis" since the band does not have a song titled "Ginseng" or "Celery"), it says:


"I'm pushing away from you
And all the things you are
Don't need the memory
Already wear the scars"


Admittedly, that may sound hyperbolic, but it describes this fragrance experience quite well for me. In my opinion, nothing fits together here. Neither the name of the fragrance nor the supposed story behind it - not to mention the composition itself. You can clearly tell that no perfumer was at work here. That a potentially good idea failed in execution.

As a representative, I would like to share my impression of the fragrances from this brand that I have tested so far in this review. It is important for me to say that this is merely my personal opinion, which is certainly not universally valid.


However, one thing has been clearly reaffirmed for me during the testing of these fragrances:
The use of high-quality materials and individual concepts are NOT AN INDICATOR of good perfumery. 

The true art of perfumery does not lie in gathering and intuitively mixing high-quality ingredients. It lies in the alchemy. In creating accords and harmoniously bringing together materials. The ability to bring the image in your head into the bottle. Anyone can buy a good instrument. Being able to play a passionate melody on it is a whole different story. 



The fragrances are experimental, yes. Different, yes. But also very "amateurishly" constructed. Unfortunately, I just don’t see any talent in "blending" here and cannot understand the hype surrounding this brand, especially considering the pricing, based on the six fragrances I have tested so far. 



I generally find it commendable when new players have the courage to start their own brands. At the same time, however, it shows me once again that enthusiasm for a topic and a solid knowledge of it do not automatically equate to the ability to implement it craft-wise at a correspondingly high level.



To all fans of Nebiru: Please don’t take it personally, I can only share my impression and that of some good friends I have met here over the years on Parfumo, hoping that honest but not ill-intentioned criticism will be received just as well as praises.

With the "Nocturnal Nemesis | Nebiru Parfvms," I have the third tested horseman in front of me - and probably the (beginner-)friendliest of the second Elite XQ release! Sweet flowers and citrus fruits meet subtle spice and dense non-animalic oud.

The scent progression on my skin:

• Upon spraying:
Citrusy hibiscus drenched in sugar water, rounded off with cinnamon and clove and a splash of bergamot.

Very very friendly, "yes-affirming" opening. Strong sillage, overspray risk definitely present.
Crowd-pleaser. Suitable for daily wear.

• After 20 minutes:
Still a dominant sweetness with flowers, but they become a bit drier/dustier. Dark, spicy wood with a hint of civet? on the edge. Dark, yet airy rose nuance paired with blood orange instead of bergamot.

• After 1 hour:
Rose-jammy drydown for me. Lightly sweetened. Oud only very subtly with a slight fresh breeze.

• After 2 hours:
We have moved away from the sugar water - arriving at a more resinous sweetness.
Dark rose jam.
Myrrh and a very dense oud now come to the forefront. The oud is dark but not fermented. No comparison to "Rahmanis Ravage | Nebiru Parfvms," for example.

• After 3 hours:
Significantly airier and weaker.
It is now very floral, accompanied by a sweeter wood base.
The last hour was indeed rather uneventful. A bit unspectacular, but all the more wearable and suitable for everyday use :-)

• After 5 hours:
The "dark" in the "rose jam" is gone.
Imagine a rose jam with a slightly sweet "tip," accompanied by light, creamy wood. I even get slight clean vibes.

There is no trace of "sillage" left. The longevity has also diminished significantly - there won’t be much to smell in a few hours.

• After 6 hours:
Sweet floral compote on creamy young wood. (sounds kind of *sus*, lol)

• After 8 hours:
The Nocturnal Nemesis is officially "done" for me. A light, sweet floral veil remains on the skin.

You were very beautiful!

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Conclusion:
An Elite XQ release that combines high-quality ingredients with beginner-friendliness and daily wear suitability. Those who have struggled with strong "oud-breakers" or animalic artisans up to now will find their floral-sweet source of calm here. Embracing, unisex, positive.

Only the price keeps me from the "buy" button ...