ECSTASY

WHAT I SMELL:  Ecstasy opens with a honeyed pine, quickly followed by a nice hefty patchouli that has a top coat of rose.  It’s a bit spicy and rather golden.  After around five minutes, the pine which disappeared quickly before, comes back to the front.  However, this time the pine is more pine fir, meaning that it’s more woody like that of a fresh-cut Christmas tree.  Then after a couple more minutes in comes a warmer sandalwood.  Ecstasy seems to have a great deal a movement to it which I rather like.  After around the 15 minute mark, Ecstasy adds an almost sweet oudish tinge to the mix, but I think it’s just the pine that is playing some tricks on my nose…or just maybe just the pine and tonka bean combination that feels that way.  After a few more minutes, add a little tobacco to the mix as the fragrance now smells like sweet pipe tobacco.  It’s all rather intoxicating.  In the end, Ecstasy dries down to a sweetened dried wood that reminds me somewhat of the drydown of Cuir Noir by Armani Prive’.

From the Tiziana Terenzi website:

The most intense journey into the “sacred fire”of the soul, in search of total authenticity in the suspended gravity of absolute beauty. It is an encompassing, mystical fragrance: original and with a strong personality. This fragrance was created the day of the death of Padre Evelino, in a kind of creative delirium inspired by the power of eternal and surreal feelings. The emotion and transformation of these moments are captured in an indelible and cathartic memory describing the sudden spiritual transition from boyhood to manhood. It is a fragrance which strikes you immediately and completely, with the same force as a punch in the face. This is thanks to the powerful, rich top notes of frankincense; immediately after, though, it slowly opens in a loving embrace and inner awareness to the chanting of white floral notes, the mystic power of Bakhoor, and fine wood. At that moment, you sense the power of the timeless love of someone dear, a love that merges with our soul in a religion of memory that gives a new sense of security and eternal strength. Your ego merges with the great cosmic one. In your soul there is “click” as in an instant you open up to the full dimension of being “grown up”. 

Top notes: pine, spruce, stone powder

Middle notes: incense, patchouli, rose, violet

Base notes: sandalwood, amber, cistrose, tonka, forest land, ancient wood

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  A cozy cabin in the middle of the woods.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ECSTASY:  woody, comforting, content

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ECSTASY:  I only found a couple of comments on Fragrantica.

• Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
• Scent: Oriental  Woody
• Classification:  Unisex
• Expense:  $125 – 145 for 100ml Parfum Extrait

WHITE FIRE

WHAT I SMELL:  White Fire opens with bergamot and a somewhat artificial green that almost smells to me like I was smelling wax florals sprayed with a faux scent.  Soon enough some jasmine comes in with some clean linen smelling musk.  And there it sits.

From the Tiziana Terenzi website:

The silence of the snow; its dazzling white brought alive and sparkling by the flickering flames. The good,clean fragrance is simple and silvery, like the carefree laughter of a child, and innocent and gentle as a loving caress. The high elevation campfire on a glacier in the Italian Alps; one phase of an adventurous and arduous ascent to the summit of Mount Cevedale; the excitement of waking up at sunrise to the wild and immense silence of the Dolomites. The crisp clean air, the energising fresh smell of snow, the intoxicating oxygen, and the dampened smell of fire on ice, all in the glow of the first light of dawn. This fragrance embodies the unique power and beauty of nature, crystal clear in our eyes, hearts, and our most intimate olfactory memories.   

Top notes: green leaves, fresh ice, oxygen

Middle notes: Chinese jasmine, fern, white amber

Base notes: sandalwood, amber, musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Clean sheets that have been hanging to dry on a clothesline.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE WHITE FIRE:  musky, clean, safe

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT WHITE FIRE:  I only found a couple of comments on Fragrantica.

• Bone Rating: 2.5 out of 5 possible bones
• Scent: Woody Aquatic
• Classification:  Unisex
• Expense:  $125 – 145 for 100ml Parfum Extrait

BOTTOM LINE:  Ecstasy was a pleasant surprise.  I liked it, but found in the end that the drydown became a bit tedious, but for many that probably won’t be the case.   Funny, I was expecting something named Ecstasy to be over the top and outrageous, but instead it turned out to be a comfort scent.  As for White Fire…nice, but boring.  The prices are pretty good for extraits though!