Fragrance Review: Comme des Garcons Incense Series Avignon

Comme des Garçons Incense Series introduced in 2002 explore incense scents from different parts of the world from Zagorsk, Russia to Kyoto, Japan. Avignon calls to mind exploring religious architecture, which has always been a favourite pursuit: wandering through the abbey of St. Denis just outside Paris on a hot summer day; studying Magna Carta at Salisbury Catherdral; exploring the altar of Santo Stefano in Bologna on a damp December evening and really wishing to be home drinking tea under a warm blanket. The resinous and rich scent of incense accompanies each one of these recollections and is to be found in Avignon.

The fragrance opens up with a surge of myrrh and frankincense--dark, balsamic, somber, with an underlying resinous sweetness. I can almost hear Gregorian Chant as the balsamic smoke swirls out of the resinous accord. After the fragrance dries down it becomes much softer with the bitter sweet notes of camomile dispersing the darkness of incense. It still remains a rich fragrance with smoky, warm notes swirling over the resinous base. The dry down is reminiscent not of a cathedral during the High Mass, but of a ruined Cistercian monastery--the rich incense scent still clinging to the stones but softened by the breeze carrying the herbal scents from the surrounding countryside.

Photo: David Heald, Nave Looking West, Longpont (Cistercian abbey).

Comments

[~clearing]

I love this one. I wore it yesterday, sprayed on my skin and on my blouse, and I enjoyed it all day. I don't remember who sent the little spray sample to me, but I think it may have been Mireille. I would buy this, but the bottle stops me. I am whining. I want a pretty bottle with exotic designs, or a medieval design; perhaps a vine filigree, a complicated William Morris tapestry to accompany this wonderful essence. We must do something about the cdg bottles, V.

[Robin]

I need to revisit the incense series. I smelled them all from test strips and none of them really captivated me, but I should try on skin.

[Victoria]

Clearing, yes, let's petition CdG about the bottles! I am also tired of their plain designs.

R, these definitely must be sampled on the skin. On paper, they are sort of flat.

[James]

I had to try these based on the reviews. A fragrance enthusiast in Australia also suggested them because I like the oud incense in 10 Corso Como. I was just in San Francisco and chased down one of the few stores in the US that sells the Comme des Garcons Incense series and tested them all. I bought a bottle of Quarzazate, and whoa! So very spicy, rich and dry and with excellent sillage. I could smell it on the neckline of my t-shirt when I woke the next morning. Vvverrry nice.

[dooch]

I have been looking everywhere for the Comme des Garcons Incense series. Can somebody point me in the right direction please? Online stores would suit best as I live in Ireland. Thanks

[BoisdeJasmin]

Luckyscent carries them, and I believe that they ship to Europe.

[iodine]

I tested it for the first time two days ago and never stopped thinking: It must be mine! This afternoon I dropped in the shop and doused myself abundantly, just to make sure I still want it. I do, even if my mother, who was with me, told me it reminded her of her local church priest!
I completely agree with your description, for me it conjures up images of a small Romanic church on a hill in Central Italy countryside,cool and dark, filled with the balsamic breeze from pines and cypresses... I must have it, I think it will be great in summer.

[Victoria]

Surprisingly for such a dark fragrance, it does wear nicely in the summer. There is something chilly and uplifting about it.