WHAT I SMELL: Encens Mythique D’Orient opens with an aldehyde and astringent pop, followed by bitter green. It’s initial opening is rather uninspired and kind of meh. So far this doesn’t feel “Guerlainy” to me. After about five long minutes I start to detect some incense, albeit ever so light and discreet. Encens Mythique D’Orient then become a bit sweeter, but sweeter with a sour tinge. Overall its very translucent. So much so, that I can barely smell it when I bring my wrist to my nose. Very strange…after around 10 minutes, I get what smells like a pencil. Actually, it’s not pencil shavings, but instead the smell of a pencil and its lead after you just finished sharpening it. After a couple more minutes, add a light sugar on top of the pencil. Thankfully at this point, the fragrance starts to blossom with the advent of some rose. Again, it’s restrained, but seems to have a bit more projection. After around what seems to be along 20 minutes I actually start to like this. The mix of rose and incense becomes intoxicating and is warm and full-bodied when I lift my wrist to my nose. Behind the sheer is some wonderful musky beef, but somehow with the beef Encens Mythique D’Orient manages to remain translucent. By now, it does feel “Guerlainy.” I like that.
From the Guerlain website:
Notes: rose, aldehydes, saffron, pink pepper, vetiver, patchouli, notes of undergrowth, ambergris, incense
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A veil. You want it to reveal itself, but it keeps you somewhat at bay.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ENCENS MYTHIQUE D’ORIENT: translucent, warming, mysterious
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ENCENS MYTHIQUE D’ORIENT: Kafkaesque, Smellythoughts, The Alembicated Genie
BOTTOM LINE: I like this, but don’t love it as much as the wonderful Rose Nacree, one of the other fragrances in the Les Deserts d’Orient collection. But that won’t keep me from spritzing some more on.
CONFESSION: I was going through my mess of samples and I believe that this came from the wonderful Undina. Thanks Undina. If it did not come from Undina, whoever sent me this with love, I am so sorry for such sloppy housekeeping! New Years resolution number 1013: organize and track my samples!
- Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Oriental Woody
- Nose: Thierry Wasser
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $190 Euros from the Guerlain website for 75ml EdP
The Scented Hound 
August 7, 2013 at 6:55 pm
Dearest Hound
Now this is odd.
I seemed to get much more at the opening than you did: a classic aldehyde and oakmoss opening, though a little more restrained than the big guns of yesteryear.
But beyond that I’m with you, this is a sort of olfactory hide and seek, sometimes you see rose, sometimes you don’t, then it’s oilibanum’s turn to play peek-a-boo.
Initially I found it frustrating, but after a while I grew to be rather entranced by it, though the infatuation is probably more intellectual than emotional, if that makes any sort of sense.
Thank you as ever in this case of reminding me of one to try again.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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August 8, 2013 at 5:52 am
Mr. Dandy – I woke up this morning after wearing this to bed last night. As I was in my morning haze half in and out of sleep, I was asking myself where the hairspray smell was coming from. I am assuming that its the vetiver, but I know that it’s not really how I wanted to wake up smelling! I hope your next experience with this proves to be more fruitful.
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August 8, 2013 at 7:28 pm
Hairspray….. ah, the joys of aldehydes. (Not.) 😀
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August 8, 2013 at 7:27 pm
I had a very similar experience to yours, Mr. Dandy, with all the aldehydes. I’m glad to know it wasn’t just me. 🙂
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August 7, 2013 at 7:19 pm
The more reviews I read about this one, the less I want to try it. It seems like it would be too sheer for my skin.
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August 8, 2013 at 5:53 am
It’s pretty sheer on me, but not so much that it completely disappears, but I look at this as a background scent as it never really pounces off your skin.
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August 7, 2013 at 9:38 pm
Mmm. I sniffed this but didn’t actually try it on. It sounds pleasant, but not overwhelmingly necessary. Gorgeous bottle though. I LOVE that bottle!
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August 8, 2013 at 5:54 am
Pleasant is the key word. The bottle is wonderful I will have to agree!
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August 7, 2013 at 11:46 pm
It did come from me, so you don’t have to feel bad 🙂
I enjoy wearing Encens Mythique D’Orient and I can’t say it’s quiet or shy on me. For example, it’s too strong for me to wear it to the office.
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August 8, 2013 at 5:56 am
Thanks.. I thought it was. I can’t believe that this is too strong for you to wear to work. You must have some skin that’s perfect for radiating perfume off of. It blossomed a bit on me, but never really projected too far off my skin and I slathered it on! Thanks again for the wonderful sample. I keep meaning to ask you, what do you use to create the wonderful labels? Label maker? And if so, what model?
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August 8, 2013 at 1:50 pm
I know that this perfume projected well because I even got a complain from a co-worker (who normally doesn’t mind my perfumes).
For labels I use an older version of this label maker. It’s very convenient and you can buy different tapes – black on clear/white/silver/yellow; white on black and some others.
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August 8, 2013 at 1:26 pm
Lovely write up Houndy – didn’t expect the 180 towards the end 😛 It’s much louder on me too, I was surprised be it, expecting to be bored shitless but it was pretty nicely done!
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August 10, 2013 at 10:30 am
I am always full of surprises Freddie. You didn’t expect me to like Noontide Petals either 🙂
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August 8, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Thank you for the link love, Mr. Hound. This was so Meh to me that I couldn’t remember my review beyond the aldehydes and my disdain for how unoriginal or dull it was. Like Freddie, I didn’t expect your 180 in perspective, but I think the new Guerlains are much more successful on your skin than on mine. Somehow, none of them have impressed me at all. I guess you could say that they’re my perfume equivalent of the way Tom Ford is for you. On a positive note, though, the bottles are lovely. 🙂
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August 8, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Dear Kafka
I’m glad you mentioned the bottles… for they are rather lovely.
I know that may make me sound a little trivial, but if a product aspires to being a luxury or even an example of decorative art, I think that has to be on the outside as well as within (though of course the scent is the star).
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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August 8, 2013 at 7:57 pm
I don’t think it makes you sound trivial in the slightest! Actually, I’m a bit of a minority freak in not thinking or caring too much about the packaging of a perfume. The exception, of course, is when the perfume brand is charging a small fortune for a bottle because, then, one would hope for something elegant and luxurious. The thing for me, though, is that I would often prefer more affordable perfumes in simpler bottles than really expensive stuff that is more out of my wallet’s reach solely because of how it’s packaged. It’s a fine line, I suppose.
Ah, if only money grew on trees….. 😉 😛
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August 8, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Dear Kafka
I’m with you. I’e often wondered why more plain packaging and refill options aren’t available.
Luckily two o my preferred brands, Caron and Guerlain, are amongst the last to go in for giving committed customers a discount.
So whilst Jicky in habit de fete refill may not be a bargain, the saving of around 20% is most welcome.
Ultimately though I would always chose the juice over the vessel, hence not minding if my vintage purchases are a little frayed around the edges.
But yes, if only money were rain, we British would be very happy.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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August 8, 2013 at 8:20 pm
HA! Love the rain bit. If money were mosquitos or humidity, *I* would be very happy as well! *grin*
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August 9, 2013 at 5:27 pm
My dear K – I am hit or miss with the Guerlains (see my next review)…I generally like them pretty well…but they are pricey. But of course, what isn’t. That said, Guerlain can never be mentioned in the same vein as Tom Ford my dear 🙂
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August 9, 2013 at 7:19 am
I was sure this would have come from Undina – knowing what a fan she is – and on cue she popped up to confirm this herself! I agree with Undina’s take on this Encens Mythique, namely that it is quite strong. I get big aldehydes and big incense, that quieten down after a bit but tend to mask the other notes going on. I would have liked it to have been more rosy, to be honest. Props to the scent for containing saffron, but I can’t say it made itself known to me at any point.
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August 9, 2013 at 5:30 pm
I just think it’s funny that my skin just ate this up. Maybe it’s time I invest in a fragrance free moisturizer and then give this a spritz. I agree, a little more rose would have been lovely, giving it just a bit more of floral sweetness. Thanks for stopping by.
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