Le Boucanier N•O•A•M 2023

Men, the jungle is slowly coming into view. After weeks of sailing through the salty sea and numerous battles with other crews, our smoky cannons are damaged and our supplies have run low. We must land in the oudy jungle, procure new supplies, and recover. First, extract the balsamic and moist saps of the agarwood tree from the green, pine-covered forest. Use its cedar woods to ignite a smoky campfire. The animals with leather belts listen quietly in the dark. Gather in a circle for a hot recovery drink. Those in the north call it coffee or tea. However, their drinks are too bitter; sweeten it lovingly with cinnamon and vanilla sticks. All that's missing is the cigar and the rum, and we will have the most relaxed evening ever.

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My first NOAM and what a great one it is.
Tested on skin (1x spray) and paper strips (2x sprays).

Skin:

A very complex start that transports me not to the sea but to land in the jungle. Smoky, oudy, and only briefly citrusy. This Cambodian jungle is already delicious.
A minimal fine creaminess comes through - perhaps the sandalwood.
Suddenly, woody-green facets emerge, something between pine and moss.
Along with a salty-smoky amber.
Towards the end, sweet-spicy facets appear, reminiscent of ambered coffee with cinnamon and vanilla. With the pleasant smoke and oud together, it almost resembles oriental bukhoor, thus reminding me of Agar Aura's Al-Arabiya (whose incense aromas I also enjoy very much). A slightly muted woody cedar with sweet-spicy cinnamon and green-forest pine at the very end as the last remnant -> Agar Aura Yellow Kinam.
The ambers and ouds have something of Agar and Ensar. Smoky, cinnamon-spicy, and jungle-green with high quality -> Khmer Kinams Cambodi. The other notes (cinnamon, smoke, moss, etc.) only enhance their natural incense aromas -> just like in Al-Arabiya.

Paper:

At the beginning, citrusy-clove-smoky-oudy. A drinkable, moist jungle. Quickly takes on an animal-leathery facet, like tarry animals. This remains for a long time, likely due to the 2 sprays + paper. Very dense - like Dixit & Zak's Hindi Tabac.
Balsamic incense, sandalwood, cinnamon, and other spicy notes provide comforting incense aromas with the tobacco.
The green pines and moss take their time but become increasingly noticeable. They bring lightness, relaxation, and a connection to nature with the tea into the otherwise dense composition. Like a large tiger that can retract its claws and cuddle. This makes the composition with the sweet spice of cinnamon and vanilla, along with light coffee-bukhoor vibes towards the end, surprisingly wearable.
If I had to guess where the green-woody pine and jungle come from based on the notes and my experience, it is probably the oud, which I often perceived similarly in Cambodian scents, as well as the earthy drydown.
Now and then, smoky-salty aromas flash, which I would attribute to the amber and tobacco. Could the tarry smoke come from gunpowder? I think it’s more from the little creatures. The flowers take a back seat; they have no chance in this wild party, which I, as a flower-hater, find just great - this is not floral at all :D
You can tell someone tried to mix everything they love into a blend in its natural form. Fortunately, they succeeded absolutely, and it aligns very well with my taste.
Regarding the pirate theme: It’s well captured -> salt, smoke, and rum. Still, I picture myself more in the jungle because of the prominent ouds and green facets (which I love).

I preferred the test on skin more, as it was not so tarry-leathery-animalic and instead more oudy and green-cinnamony like Agar Aura. Perhaps it would have been the same on paper with just 1 spray, as everything took a bit longer. The dosage has a significant impact on what stands out and for how long. Especially with such dense and natural compositions. Moreover, scents develop very quickly on my skin (maybe because I constantly sniff? :D). Then there’s my skin chemistry to consider. Mine was lucky ;) I have to keep sniffing the drydown.

Qualitatively, you can't really get much more out of a fragrance: Many wonderful naturals. As for the blending: Excellent. Complex with development, always pleasant, and very much to my taste.
I would associate it with autumn/winter.
Longevity is very good, sillage is good. It doesn’t shout at the surroundings but rather enchants them invitingly.
The fragrance is unisex for me due to its connection to nature.
Love oud. Love smoke. Smooth with sweet-spicy and green facets made into a harmonious blend. Special and wearable at the same time. That’s how it should be.

A hot-arr Wint-arr candidate-arrr-t. :)