Chilum by AbdesSalaam Attar Profumo

Year: Unknown
Nose: Dominique Dubrana

The opening of Chilum hits you with a sudden, stormy, humid breeze that instantly transports you in a cloudy day in the Mediterranean countryside. Hay, tobacco, an elusive narcotic heart with a camphor/stale structure which I believe is halfway ginger and woods (however never smelled such a free, "rooty" note before), a bag of spices (cloves) and herbs – both aromatic dry herbs, and freshly-cut grass. A subtle animalic base which almost smells like civet, and a number of nuances, aromas, souvenirs: from saffron, to coffee, to aniseed ending in a light breeze scents with balmy notes and honey. Finally a delicate, luminous hint of citrus – or however something equally zesty and refreshing. You'll be surprised to realise this trip to the raw, inner, charming and quiet countryside on a sleepy afternoon following a thunderstorm is played on three simple components: tobacco, ginger, sandalwood. That's the power of natural materials when they're free to bring all the world the comprise. As I said the evocative power is really strong, the tobacco note is simply gorgeous, wet, stout, humid and aromatic like a bed of tobacco leaves left to dry under the sun. As minutes pass it also emerges better a central, really sharp and hard woody note, slightly salty too, with something "archaic" and antique in it, the sort of camphor-waxy-stale feel of a mysterious, old closet used to store scents, spices and secrets for centuries. That's the sandalwood, a real sandalwood note, which smells like none else – waxy, velvety, deep, finally really "woody", powdery, earthy, even soapy and floral... a properly said "realistic" all natural scent. The biggest talent of Dubrana is being able to keep the notes "alive", to treat components with a respectful, almost mystical attitude working to preserve all the suggestions and the stories they can hide in their nature – and which leads him to create more than simple "scents" that "smell" of something. They smell complex, but with the complexity of life: it's all about cooperating with nature and treating it like a real living thing, more than simply using it to obtain smelling molecules. However speaking of the fragrance itself, it's a terrific scent, elegant, versatile, deep, harmonic, and with a great longevity. Also with another peculiar feature of many natural scents: the coziness. It triggers memories of trips, gardens, countryside, which may be melancholic or nostalgic, but makes you "feel" connected to the scent, or better said, to yourself via the scent. Simple and beautiful!

9/10