I've never experienced a vanilla that floods the senses with such intense smoky, balsamic, and animalic aromas! It seems I was completely unfamiliar with the real thing until now.
Positive Aspects:
· Historical & Modern: It is a high-quality reproduction of a classic base, offering a vintage, luxurious character with modern applicability.
· Complex Scent Profile: Features a multi-faceted blend of sparkling aldehydes, citrus, elegant florals, woods, and warm, rich resins.
· Versatile Building Block: Serves as a powerful base to streamline the creation of complex perfumes, complete with provided demonstration formulas.
· High Quality & Compliant: Sourced from a reputable supplier (Fraterworks) and compliant with industry regulations (IFRA).
Consideration / Weak Point:
· Requires Perfumery Skill: It is a professional raw material, not a finished perfume, and requires foundational knowledge and skill to use effectively. Beginners may find it challenging without guidance.
Iso E Super is one of the most popular and versatile synthetic fragrance components in modern perfumery, often used as a fixative, enhancer, and fragrance modifier.
I absolutely love this ingredient. It has this indescribable vintage quality and could function as a perfume in and of itself.
Sweet, floral with a gentle dash of green-woody notes. This feeling like a sculpted version of Lavender. I can’t wait to work with it.
This exhibits a creamy white-floral smell reminiscent of Camay soap of the 1960s. On the skin it exhibits great radiance and staying power. Towards the heart a Centifolia-rose petals note appears lending a nice naturalness to the otherwise rather generic impression. This will work wonders giving lift and naturalness to otherwise heavy or spicy florals, but also - in appropriately small dose - to men’s composition, especially as a background to herbal, foresty or woody themes. I can also envision a role in modern unisex compositions aiming at fresh naturalness. I found interesting synergy towards more elegance with beta-ionone epoxide and a hint of saffron.
I love this scent; it smells very close to the original, you get the pickle smell in the opening, and the dry down is woody and wonderful.
I love savoury materials and there are not nearly enough of them in a market still dominated by cloying gourmands and obnoxious woody ambers so I was quick to get ahold of this. While I haven't yet blended with it, one thing I noted is that it transforms quite a lot from the umami opening (savoury, broth/soup like) to reveal a maple-lactone/fenugreek-like facet.
My advice is to make really sure to do a proper odour study with this one over at least a day or two and make note of every facet that emerges at every stage until it completely disappears because if you're adding it to your blend you'll want to understand the specific ways it transforms (dip a second strip after 24 hours to see how different it is from the opening and make note of what is no longer present i.e., 'soupy' facet). I agree with the other reviewer that it's not especially 'earthy' (I haven't tried the new 'white Paris' mushroom but that sounds more earthy). The savoury facets will definitely enliven chocolatey accords - similar to adding a bit of salt to chocolate (which makes it pop). Sniff it against whatever other materials you are evaluating and you'll discover some very interesting effects - I happened to have treemoss nearby and when I smelled these together it reminded me of boxtree absolute.
This is sure to inspire a lot of creative accords!
I so wish I hadn’t ever tried this…because then I wouldn’t have something so good to as a bench mark. This so beautiful
While Pink Pepper is a different plant than Black Pepper, the scent of this material is the scent you get when you think of black pepper. It is essential for a crisp, pepper note in your materials and works well in conjunction with Pink Pepper Oil and Black Pepper Oil to really flesh out your pepper notes.
A fuller, redder rose note than the more common phenyl ethyl acetate. Somewhat honeyed styrax which makes it also a bit trickier to use at the same level but a small touch gives that redness from the top.
Good fixative for florals and citrus. However not as good for gourmand or woody, the "diffusive" aspect flattens those molecules.
The first spray is a standing ovation of citrus and fruits, lemon and bergamot crackle over blackcurrant and apple, then that unmistakable pineapple glides in like a spotlight. Minutes later the suit & tie backbone shows up, birch and oakmoss with a clean, musky polish, and a cedarish, ambroxan trail that signs its name in the air.
What I love most is the mood flip, bright and juicy to poised and woody, optimistic at the top, composed at the base. It’s the rare fragrance that gets compliments from people who “don’t like perfume,” yet still feels put-together enough for a boardroom.
When I wear it: client meetings, dinners that matter, and days I want my posture to fix itself.
Season/versatility: all-season, but it shines in spring and autumn and on cool summer nights.
Age & vibe: ageless, leaning vintage classic and confident without shouting. This creation by Fraterworks is better than the original. It’s extremely balanced and a lot stronger than what I remember.
Performance on my skin:
• Longevity: 8/10 (7–9 hours with a graceful drydown, a day or more on clothes)
• Sillage: 7/10 (present, then a magnetic aura rather than a fog)
What I actually smell vs the note list: juicy pineapple over lemon, bergamot and blackcurrant, a whisper of jasmine that keeps things airy! Then birch, oakmoss, cedar and musk for a crisp, tailored finish.
People talk about batches; I talk about context: skin prep, spray count, and occasion. Two sprays for daytime, three at night—and it turns handshakes into conversations.
Verdict: If “confident, polished, and quietly charismatic” had a smell, this would be it.
Professionally prepared better than I could do by far. I know it must be his raw ingredients. All you have to do is decide on the concentration that you want by adding alcohol.
Great job to Jamie and his staff.
Upon opening the bottle, I knew I was in for a treat. This is by far one of the best, most beautifully balanced, reconstructions of ambergris to grace my senses. I immediately had to apply this to my skin and let my body heat do the rest. Delicate and seductive. Animal, without being animalic (ambrinol overtakes so many other reconstructions I’ve smelled). A soft, salty kiss of sweetness. Like being enveloped by a pristine wave of an amber sea. Bravo.
I had Mefrosol purchased from a different vendor but, as I was running low and Fraterworks' prices are very attractive, decided to order here. I am now wondering if there are different qualities of this AC... what I got from FW is gorgeous! The rose facet is beautiful and fresh, with a hint of green/muguet facet and a geraniol tendency. Delicately honeyed (not sweet) even though it's almost imperceptible. Astonishing quality! Beautiful!
It's a lovely, fresh, and delicate white musk. It has a sort of "transparency" that enhances and litterally elevate light floral notes. For some reason I can't pinpoint, it gives me a kind of sweet nostalgia.