Trudon Mortel Noir, Nez 1+1 Adorem, Roos & Roos Bel Absinthe and other reviews – 2023

By pure coincidence, an incense theme emerged in a video I recently broadcast over on YouTube, thanks to the inclusion of new releases from Trudon, Nez and Histoires De Parfums. Other materials were present too, as you’ll discover if you click on this link: Trudon Mortel Noir, Nez 1+1 Adorem, Roos & Roos Bel Absinthe, Histoires De Parfums Encens Roi and And Bark reviews. For timestamps and more thoughts on the scents, please keep scrolling.

Trudon Mortel Noir (Yann Vasnier) 3:35
Roos & Roos Bel Absinthe (Fabrice Pellegrin) 15:23
Histoires De Parfums Encens Roi 23:53
Ånd Bark (Simon Constantine) 30:29
Nez 1+1 Adorem (Fabrice Pellegrin) 37:40

My excitement about Encens Roi turned out to be misplaced, because after its promising opening, it succumbed to the lure of those infernally pesky woody ambers. I say ‘lure’ because these materials show no sign of losing their popularity at the tills. But I have yet to be won over by their charms. For the sake of balance I should add that in this particular composition, they’re not used as heavy-handedly as they are in most others, so perhaps some of you will find them more palatable than I did within the context of the central frankincense note. However, in my view, the creators’ attempt to locate the ecclesiastical within the diabolical isn’t wholly successful and gives way too soon to the latter.

Mortel Noir fails for a very different, and much simpler, reason: the incense note becomes too shrill and thin as it develops, leaving the wearer with a drydown that doesn’t in any way live up to the brooding darkness promised by the name. It’s the drydown that’s the most problematic part of Bel Absinthe as well – I suspect it may be relying too heavily on synthetic musks – but the very fact that I remain undecided indicates this is a piece of work worth revisiting. There’s a certain coolness at its core that I’d like to explore further.

The highlight of this selection was, without doubt, the latest collaboration scent from Nez: Adorem, composed by Fabrice Pellegrin, in association with the Michelin-starred chef, Akrame Benallal. A coherent olfactory essay on blackness, it uses a special form of frankincense (see the video for more details) as a hook on which to hang cocoa, pepper and a wealth of other sooty, light-snuffing materials. The effect is haunting, more-ish and surprisingly novel. Grab it before it’s gone.

Persolaise

[Samples provided by the brands.]

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