The Scented Hound

Perfume blog with abbreviated perfume reviews & fragrance reviews.

Tag Archives: exotic


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Wazamba by Parfum d’Empire

Wazamba is a hard fragrance for me to review.  It’s exotic nature and unfamiliar notes make for a scent that is for me very distinctive, yet difficult to describe.  According to some information I found on the web, a Wasamba (spelled with an S) is a West African instrument made of wooden sticks that is used during circumcision and initiation rites.  Now the description above is not going to help describe this scent, but I found the definition pretty interesting upon itself.

So what does Wazamba smell like?  When applied its spicy, dry and a little bitter.  To me it has almost has hints of Indian curry with a slight dry fruitiness. As time goes on, this becomes even dryer and closer to the skin and a bit sharper.  I found that as I wore this throughout the day, it didn’t overwhelm me, but would occasionally rise to surround me at various times.  I love this scent, but am not sure how often I would wear it.  I would say that it works for both day and night and leans towards the masculine although it would work well for women as well.

Bottom line:  Hard to describe, lovely to wear, exotic and distinctive!

Wazamba Notes:

Somalian incense, Kenyan myrrh, Ethiopian opoponax, Indian sandalwood, Moroccan cypress, labdanum, apple, fir balsam

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $75 for 50ml EDP


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Indochine by Parfumerie Generale

Intrigued by the name and intrigued by the description of this scent, I knew I had to give this fragrance a try.  Indochine is as exotic as its name.  Sweet in the bottle and initially sweet on the skin, the far east is emboldened in what I would imagine a Vietnamese Buddhist temple would smell like.  Honey, vanilla and incense are the primary notes combined with a smoky haze.  I’m a fan or oriental scents, but the incense, as mild as it is, is not a favorite of mine.  Bold, without being overpowering, I would recommend this to anyone who likes deep and rich almost gourmand incense fragrances.

From the Parfumerie Generale website:

At once sweet, vanilla-scented, resinous, powdery, milky and spicy, Benzoin Siam is a resin of great olfactory richness that is rarely used as a central theme in Perfumery. Drawing on rare notes such as Kampot Pepper, Burmese Tanakha, or Laos honey, Pierre Guillaume orchestrates a luminous, smooth and airy perfume, delicately reproducing each and every facet of the unprocessed balsam.  This sepia-tinged balm infuses Indochine with the radiance of platinum…

Indochine Notes:

Wood, Fresh Spice, Sweet Amber, Powder, Benzoin Siam Resin, Kampot Pepper, Ceylon Cardamom, Burmese Tanakha, Laos Honey.

  • Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
  • Classification: Unisex
  • Expense: $95 for 50ml EDT


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Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens

All perfumistas have gone through the process of making a purchase smell unseen.  For the most part when I have done this I come away with a great product.  A couple of months ago, I blindly purchased Ambre Sultan based on reviews that I read and I am thrilled to say that I love this fragrance.  And as an added bonus, I always receive compliments whenever I have this on.  This is not a fragrance for the timid and shy.  Strong and almost medicinal when first applied, it warms to a nice dry, spicy and woody enveloping scent.  This is amber without the sweetness.  Amber Sultan is perfect for a winter’s day…I can only imagine how it will wear in the heat of the summer!  You can definitely understand the “sultan” in Ambre Sultan thanks to the exotic incense spiciness of this most perfect fragrance. Where’s my magic carpet?

Ambre Sultan Notes:

coriander, amber, oregano, bay leaf, myrtle, angelica root, sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla

  • Bone Rating:   5 out of 5 possible bones
  • Classification:  Unisex
  • Expense:   $100 for 50ml