Review: NASOMATTO Absinth

I would love a dryish absinthe fragrance. Something that muffles the sweetness of anise and fennel while emphasizing the herbal bitters. Nasomatto Absinth is not that. In accord with standard absinthe representations, this one is also quite sweet. Very nice, though.

Honeyed and warm, with a sweet sandalwood-patchouli, maybe oak, anise, some sort of floral and juicy nectar, maybe cassis, a touch of nutty amber, plenty of earthy vetiver, and a wormwood-like general herbal-ness under it all. Saved from being too cloying by the woods and vetiver, though still very sweet and ambrosial, Absinth is nicely-blended and with a definite presence. Excellent longevity on the skin for me, starting as a fruity woody-oriental and ending hours later with the herbal aromatic dregs.

But once again, no official scent notes and in lieu of them an ad copy that talks about 'evok[ing] degrees of hysteria' which invites some ridicule. Degrees? Presumably not too many to hysteria. For such minimalism-leaning looks, Nasomatto really has got a perplexing lot of self-proclaimed crazy on its nose. (And sundry drugs to go up it.)