Nocturnal Nemesis Nebiru Parfvms 2025

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.