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Dr. Bengal's Spiced Temple Essence 2023

8.5 / 10 36 Ratings
A popular limited perfume by N•O•A•M for women and men, released in 2023. The scent is spicy-woody. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Oriental
Resinous
Earthy

Fragrance Notes

Indian sandalwoodIndian sandalwood TagetesTagetes Australian sandalwoodAustralian sandalwood HennaHenna Indian patchouliIndian patchouli Indonesian sandalwoodIndonesian sandalwood Jasmine sambac absoluteJasmine sambac absolute Malayan oudMalayan oud Pink lotus absolutePink lotus absolute Sandalwood absoluteSandalwood absolute Thai oudThai oud CamphorCamphor CardamomCardamom Champaca absoluteChampaca absolute CinnamonCinnamon Gandhi rootGandhi root Indian night-blooming jasmineIndian night-blooming jasmine Indian rose ottoIndian rose otto Indonesian patchouliIndonesian patchouli Kaffir limeKaffir lime Lemon grassLemon grass OudOud Vietnamese oudVietnamese oud Bitter orangeBitter orange Kahili gingerKahili ginger VanillaVanilla Betel nut CedarCedar Indian amberIndian amber Indian vetiverIndian vetiver LavenderLavender
Ratings
Scent
8.536 Ratings
Longevity
8.232 Ratings
Sillage
7.532 Ratings
Bottle
7.826 Ratings
Submitted by Floyd · last update on 12/09/2024.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The fragrance was part of the collection Essences.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions
BeJot

96 Reviews
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BeJot
BeJot
Helpful Review 15  
Sometimes, images come to my mind
I close my eyes and let the images pass by me, which Dr. Bengal conjures in my inner temple.
At first, there are only colors, dark brown, dark green, a little yellow.
Then it tastes spicy, herbal, bitter.
In the next image, something is burning. What is burning, I do not know. …
Suddenly, an image appears unexpectedly, which is very familiar to me from the early 70s. It is the last stanza of Reinhard Mey's song "Sometimes, images come to my mind"...

Someone puts the LP on inside me. It crackles and pops familiar. Guitar. And then this stanza… Tears roll down…
In this song, in this scent, I find everything:
The shame of not belonging,
The admiration for the greatness of others, who seemingly have everything, can do everything
Finding my way in my little world
The unearned privilege of being born here
The familiar togetherness
The happiness, despite everything, with everything…

"Sometimes, images come to my mind
Of a piece of bread in mutilated hands
Of an old woman, who alone
Pulls them out from crumbling walls
Of burned faces, buried in hands
Sometimes I am ashamed of having been ashamed

I wanted to tell you this, are you still listening to me?
No, you are already asleep, you must be tired from the day
I turn off the light, and I cover you warmer
Sometimes I am ashamed, despite everything, to be so happy"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h87QhohzdRE

Dear Can and dear Floyd, I thank you for these images, the music, the scent that I carry within me today.
11 Comments
PallasCC

17 Reviews
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PallasCC
PallasCC
Top Review 22  
Dr Bengal's Search for Nature's Treasures
Amir Kumar grew up in one of the largest cities in Jammu and Kashmir. Srinagar was his home. As a child, he spent a lot of time by the Jhelam River. During this time, Amir developed an interest in various plants. Often, he would come home with bags full of leaves, which he carefully preserved between the pages of his father's books. But instead of continuing to explore nature, he was sent by his parents to Bangalore to study medicine, as was customary. Amir enjoyed his studies, but he wanted to pursue his hobby. And so, Amir began to take an interest in natural substances for his recipes. Even while studying, he would practice his healing arts under the pseudonym "Dr Bengal."

One day, Dr Bengal was searching for new ingredients for his mixtures. He found it very difficult to source these in Bangalore, which led him to decide on a longer journey. There was a small island near Ceylon (Sri Lanka). It was called Rajapurna, although no one knew where the name came from.

On the boat, Dr Bengal began to make notes of what he wanted to bring back: tree resins, tree leaves, woods, exotic flower petals, grasses, and more. And now, after a tiring journey, he finally reached the shore of Rajapurna. The sand was hot and smelled unique. Dr Bengal had never experienced anything like it. It smelled of fire. He turned briefly to give the captain his "okay" and set off into the depths of the jungle. Although the trees were very dense, the path Dr Bengal was on was dry and soft. According to his perception, the ground beneath his feet was dark, almost chocolatey. He stopped and took a deep breath. What a scent, he thought and had to smile. Did he say this out loud or just think it? He wasn't sure, but it didn't matter, as no one could hear him. Suddenly, Dr Bengal noticed very finely shaped, dark brown leaves at the side of his path. "Wow! I have to take these!" He bent down and picked some up in his hand. "Curious! I've never seen anything like this." He smelled them, and the aroma was indescribable. He felt dizzy! The spices... one could think that these leaves contained an entire spice rack. Cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, cardamom... but in one leaf. "I absolutely have to go to the library," thought Dr Bengal. He needed to find out the name of this magical plant. After safely stowing "his loot" in his backpack, he continued on slowly. With each step, the scent of the resins grew stronger. But these were not the usual resins... they smelled deep, woody, balsamic. "I have to grab some of these too. I can't get anything like this in India. And I could even use some of them pure! This is a true treasure trove!" Carefully, he collected some of the dark red, sticky resin in his glass container. On his way deeper into the jungle, Dr Bengal was focused on the trees. These resins were also an unusual treasure, which is why he wanted to take as much as he could.

After a few hours...
Dr Bengal approached a temple made of gray stone. Very modest from the outside, but smoke tendrils were coming out of the entrance; its scent was very delicate. It was not the usual incense. Dr Bengal recognized the spices, but it was much more than that. He went inside. The interior was dark, illuminated only by candles and a bit of sunlight that had to filter through the small windows. In the center sat a Buddha decorated with fresh champaka and rare pink lotus. In his hands, he held a small stand with some incense sticks. Dr Bengal approached the sculpture... slowly. With each step, he took a deep breath. The scent was out of this world. It was illuminating... these incense sticks contained both the "curious" leaves and the dark red resins! The whole composition was enveloped by the exotic flowers. The scent was not overpowering, yet strong. The woody facets gave it a reddish hue. Then came the spices framed by flowers that didn't seem so floral, or at least that's how Dr Bengal perceived it. He now knew what he had to do. He had to find out the recipe for these incense sticks... But for that, he needed to stay in the temple longer. Almost hypnotized, he sat down on the wooden floor, took out his notebook, and began to write down various combinations of ingredients. In between, he would take deep breaths... "Mmmm, now the dark woods are coming with a darker smoke...," he thought. "How can one create something so complex?" But he gladly accepted the challenge.

Many days later...
Back in his lab in Bangalore, Dr Bengal began to prepare his formulations. After many days and nights of "trial and error," his masterpiece was complete. However, they were not incense sticks, as processing the resin was almost impossible. Therefore, Dr Bengal had to opt for a liquid. In his hand, he held a vessel with a dark red liquid. The scent was unmistakable... it was him! Now he had to name his new remedy. Through the beautiful memories of his journey, he came to a solution... "Dr Bengal's Rajapurna Treasures"? No, he didn't want to reveal the name of the place. So he decided on "Dr Bengal’s Spiced Temple Essence." Was the name too long? No, it was just right. The quantity of this "Essence" was quite small. Therefore, Dr Bengal decided to prescribe it only in very special cases. It was for a very close circle of his clients who appreciated his work...

Thank you very much to NOAM for this rarity! A true masterpiece!
9 Comments
Caligari

76 Reviews
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Caligari
Caligari
Top Review 28  
Class over Quantity! High-End Botanicals and Artisanry made in CH
It is not often that we encounter a perfumer who pours so much passion into their life lines in their own creations. Knowing the verve and meticulousness with which they select and procure the ingredients makes one doubt whether such a thing is even feasible as a side endeavor. The answer here can only be a clear "YES!" even if it may not seem comprehensible to a layperson.

I can just imagine how fulfilling it must be for the artist when their work, in the truest sense of the word, is "completed" and now all the intellectual, craft, and logistical efforts speak through their fragrance? Such a thing does not happen "by chance." With such a close and personal connection, there is neither "surface scratching" nor is one guided or limited by external constraints. The very thorough and extremely profound engagement with one's own self can only find peace when the projection of memories, feelings, and experiences has fully entered the bottle.

In the search for the right "colors" to depict their own thought world on their "liquid canvas," the creator had to cover distances that were many times greater than the long-ago initial journey. Of course, the alignment between the images in the mind's eye and the ingredients from all over the world cannot be achieved by third parties, through photos, words, or descriptions, but only with one's own nose. Among other things, this part of the creation is prioritized by N•O•A•M like by hardly any other perfumer.

"Essences - Dr. Bengal's Spiced Temple Essence | N•O•A•M" is the image of a distant place from long-ago days, to which no earthly path leads anymore. The extrait takes our spirit to this small, remote town in South Asia. From the narrow alleys that lead into the wider main street at short intervals, spicy and sour wafts rise from cooking places over open fires. In the marketplace, these blend with countless aromas emanating from the exotic herbs and spices offered by farmers, hunters, and gatherers from the surrounding area. Some of these we find again in the small temple at the end of the street. Flames and embers extract the last aromas from them here. In contemplative silence, we inhale the vigorous smoke combined with the cool air of the temple, shaded by the large surrounding trees. The reddish-brown altar barely stands out from the clay floor, making it seem as though the golden figures and bowls on it are floating in space. Generations of locals have left their marks here. On the closely standing columns inside the temple, the paint has worn off in many places, allowing the ancient wood to still breathe life into the space.

"Essences - Dr. Bengal's Spiced Temple Essence | N•O•A•M" is the reddish-brown brother of the dark green "Essences - Millefleures Dark | N•O•A•M." Here too, one is greeted by citrus notes that give little hint of what is yet to come and influence. For indeed, "Essences - Dr. Bengal's Spiced Temple Essence | N•O•A•M" is a genuine and not at all reserved oud fragrance with an unusual and unique South Asian sourness. The scent is so deep and potent that it is qualitatively on par with the artisan brands known and widespread here. What it has over them, however, is: innovation and courage. Courage to leave beaten paths and make no compromises in quality.

One can only hope that the spicy journey of N•O•A•M has not yet come to an end. Please take us further to the places of your memory and tell us about them!
13 Comments
Wandelfalke

1 Review
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Wandelfalke
Wandelfalke
Helpful Review 8  
A Masterpiece?
Hello there

I don't write many reviews or statements.
I leave that to people who can do it better.

I am glad to have discovered N.O.A.M.
For a while now, I have been following him, and of course, I have to try his wonderful creations.
Enough of the advertising.

What I found in Dr. Bengal's Spiced Temple Essence is a true delight.
This complexity, intricacy, and depth awakened associations in me to another fragrance. Just as beautiful and multifaceted. "AddictiveArts - Vision in a Dream Psychedelic | Clive Christian"

What exactly does it smell like? Honestly?
I have no idea :)
The professional noses need to break that down.

Let me just say this much..
I had to get a second bottle before it’s gone.. Better safe than sorry.

It ranks at the top for me. Next to Clive Christian and Roja. A fantastic piece in my collection that I would never want to miss. This fragrance does not need to hide.

That doesn't really help much :)
But hopefully, it will give this fragrance THE greatness it deserves.
6 Comments

Statements

25 short views on the fragrance
50
47
Green-yellow lime rays
On a warm amber day in Asia
Sweet spicy smoke in the air
Eagle - flies over - wood
Lands on a hay bale
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47 Comments
49
43
Patchouli shimmer
On dusty oud floors
Dark glow
In the balsam eyes
Of the cinnamon-spiced tiger
Fire limes
Resting on sandalwoods
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43 Comments
45
76
Doc N.O.A.M Medicine
Bengals spit spice flames
Another spirit counts on him.
I see the salamander
walk through every cinnamon_fire.
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76 Comments
42
34
Close the eyelids
There are worlds behind
Bitter flowers shine
Under cinnamon-red dots
Roots in the dark
Wooden shrine
Inner temple
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34 Comments
41
38
thanks to rose gum
I’m racing
with a side stitch-yell
up the stairs to the dark temple
lime oud monk
rewarded with
cinnamon and flowers
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38 Comments
36
53
When Kali devours you! Burned with lotus and night flowers, anointed with the darkest earth, spiced with exalted woods.. Nirvana..!
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53 Comments
33
33
Thunder rumbling and
Lemon flashes
Ethereal beetles
in sandalwood
Spices shine
like paintings
In cinnamon smoke
Wax droplets
with oud core ...
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33 Comments
33
38
In the rustle of the camphor trees
lime moths sway
in the flow of time
light and shadow play
on reddish clay
like clove dust
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38 Comments
32
43
Rooibos smoke
in red clay temples
sandalwood incense
haze obscures
the view of cinnamon-brown floral garlands*
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43 Comments
30
56
Henna softens citronella
Cinnamon patina of a statue
Jasmine bubble of memory
Eastern spices, the call of distant lands...
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56 Comments
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