Yosh | The Scented Hound

WHAT I SMELL: Zesty is what I call the opening of Konig…like a flash of light of bergamot and sugared apple. It’s very fresh and clean. Soon enough, the bright top layer begins to retreat but the apple remains, although it loses some of its sweetness. Underneath, there’s a layer of vetiver and musk that provides an almost fog or cloud like base for the floraled apple. Add to that some warm amber and Konig starts to become more rounded. After around 10 minutes or so, the fragrance becomes more woody, but still with this slightly candy appled goodness on top. But it doesn’t take long for the wood to turn into more of a firewood as the scent seems tinged around the edges with a lingering burnt wood. What I like about Konig is that it’s masculine, but not stuffy, nor over the top brutish, plus it has nice projection and some real lasting power.

From the Yosh website:

An homage to the king within, perfumer Yosh Han, introduces Konig, a dark charismatic elixir fit for royals of yesterday and mortals of today. Konig takes us to a deep, black Bavarian forest during the time of medieval kings.

Notes: aromatic bitters, sage, cypress, red apple, smoky papyrus, snow flowers, bois d’landes, vetiver, white musc, saddle leather, amber, firewood.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Maybe it’s the name and the inspiration behind it, maybe it’s because it’s quite masculine without being dark, or maybe it’s that I’m not feeling very creative at the moment, but I can’t help but think of Thor.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE KONIG: Semi-sharp, plentiful, confident

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT KONIG: CaFleureBon

BOTTOM LINE: I’ve recently been basking in the glory of feminine florals as of late. Konig is a nice change of pace without going down a completely different and darker path. I think Konig could have some pretty wide appeal.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral Woody Aromatic
Nose: Yosh Han
Classification: Masculine
Expense: $130 for 50ml EdP

I received this sample yesterday and I believe a little of it leaked out of the vial. As soon as I opened the package, I was greeted by this incredible scent… so of course I had to sample it right away.

WHAT I SMELL: Out of the bottle, I got this warm, spicy and smoky patchouli scent. But when I first applied it I was greeted with a smoky incense and a dry woodiness. I thought, this was going to take me down the road via L’Air du Desert Marocain which I know many people love, but is not one of my favorites. Luckily, that dry woodiness was matched with the warmth of the patchouli and pepper. Sombre Negra starts to grow and become rounded; lightly sweet and lightly spicy. The funny thing is when I first started wearing this is that when I sniffed my wrist, I would smell incense and wood…but as I was driving my car, and smelling the scent from a distance, what I was smelling was the patchouli sweetness. I love schizophrenic fragrances! As time wears on, Sombre Negra becomes a warm, close to the skin scent; one that you find entices you to keep sniffing your wrist as the day goes on. Can this really be a vetiver fragrance??

Sombre Negra notes: vetiver, patchouli, cedar, olibanum (Frankincense), pink pepperberry, black peppercorn, clove, juniper, citrus, nutmeg, cumin, tonka and orris root

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: What the beginning of Fall smells like, only a bit more exotic!

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SOMBRE NEGRA: comfortable, metamorphosic, easy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SOMBRE NEGRA: Notable Scents, EauMG, Smellythoughts

BOTTOM LINE: This may be a keeper. I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about this at first, but it’s really growing on me. I just wish my tester hadn’t leaked so I could have more to play with!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Woody Vetiver
Classification: Unisex
Nose: Yosh Han
Expense: $130 for 50ml EdP (2011 reformulation)