Irisfauve

This take on Russian leather leans into a Shalimar-style vibe : rich, heavy on the vanilla, and rounded out with a dose of castoreum. Fun fact real luxury vanilla ice creams actually use castoreum too, giving them that subtle, animalic twist without ever going over the top.

The blend here is gorgeous. My only small gripe? I don’t really pick up much leather, if it’s there, it’s very soft and understated. Instead, you get a whisper of delicate florals in the background and some bright aldehydes right at the opening. But really, it’s the vanilla and castoreum that steal the show, wrapping everything in this warm, sexy allure.

And the performance is Absolutely outstanding.

Cuir Fleurissant is a wild ride. It’s one of those fragrances that completely transforms on your skin like, every time you wear it, it feels different. The first time I tried it, I was in love. It hit all the right notes for me, honestly better than a lot of Cuir de Russie-style scents, even ones like Great Britain. The violet was front and center, the aldehydes danced around gently, and the leather sat quietly in the background. Everything just bloomed beautifully.

But then… the next day, it was like a totally different perfume. Out of nowhere, this huge blast of birch tar took over, smoky, almost like a backyard barbecue. Way too much for my taste. It took a good two hours before that settled down and I finally got back to that lovely, vintage-style Cuir de Russie I fell for in the first place.

It kind of reminded me of the opening of Hyde by Hiram Green intense and smoky. If you’re not into that burned, charred vibe, you’ll need some patience. But then it shifts again. And again. And again. It’s a nice perfume, I just wish the floral side had a bit more spotlight throughout.

An exquisitely sophisticated fragrance, one I returned to after exploring many others from the same genre. With time and a bit of maturation , I’ve come to appreciate it even more. Now, a year later, I can say that it’s the finest Cuir de Russie I’ve encountered.

It shares a kinship with Chanel’s Cuir de Russie, but this rendition has its own distinct charm. The violet and orris lend a soft elegance, while the leather leans suede, supple rather than stark. The animalic notes are present yet refined, and the aldehydes add a beautiful vintage glow.

In short a stunning composition. Easily one of Roja’s best, right up there with Diaghilev, Fetish, and Musk Aoud Absolue.

Not your typical fresh scent, not your average leather either; Ganymede is like a mineral asteroid wrapped in saffron and smooth suede. It’s sexy, clean, a little metallic, and completely mesmerizing. You can tell a real perfumer crafted this, Quentin Bisch nailed something that feels both futuristic and elegant, unique.

It’s complex but wearable, synthetic in a good way, and seriously addictive. People notice it, They lean in. It’s one of those rare scents that’s hard to describe but easy to love. A quiet revolution in a bottle.

This fragrance hits hard from the start with an intense cumin blast, raw, culinary, and unapologetic, it could also be named cumin extreme. It’s not for everyone, but if you wait, it transforms beautifully.

As it settles, the wildness fades into a warm, spicy blend of sandalwood, musk, and neroli, while the cumin is still the star of the show.

The late dry down is really different, it’s like smelling a musk / sandalwood infusion, whit slight pissy animalistic nuances from the hyraceum.

Siber extreme has an incredible evolution, blessing us with multiple stages throughout the wearing, but the opening is too unbalanced unfortunately.

No sweetness, no “sexy” musk, just a rugged depiction of Siberian wilderness.

Challenging at first, but worth the wait.