Turning 33- Part Deux (Ambergris Taifi, Sharif LaRoche, Agarscents Bazaar)

So a brown package came through the post today from Sharif LaRoche who owns Agarscents Bazaar (he has stores on both Etsy and Ebay). Postage took slightly under two weeks, shipping was very reasonable to Singapore and service/communication perfect and prompt.

Thanks to a very dear albeit virtual, fragrant friend of mine, I was introduced to this indie/niche house, whose website writes:

Enchanting French Arabian and Oriental perfumes, composed with Oudh, pure Musk, Ambergris oil, Bakhoor and rare Blossoms-Essences of Paradise. 

We specialize in the finest 100% pure, Dhen al Oudh, pure Sandalwood, genuine Ambergris oil, pure Deer Musk and fine Rose Otto (Wardh and Gulab).

I adore oud or at least what I've been introduced to, ambergris is a strong favourite, ditto musk and rose, sandalwood I get along with pretty well. So I definitely had to try this house. My first order was a 1ml of Ambergris Taifi (he sells his oils/attars in 3ml amber bottles but you can contact Sharif which I did through Etsy and he put up a listing for 1ml for me. From what my fragrant enabler told me, you can buy an even smaller fraction than 1ml and such is the potency of the oils, a drop is all that is needed).

Along with my 1ml order of Ambergris Taifi, such is his generosity, I was gifted a neatly wrapped incense stick of Kashimiri Kasthuri Ultimate which is scenting my work drawer as we speak of sweet and spicy musk, as well as samples of:

Ispahan Black which is described on the website as:

"Aro'mantically vivacious-

subtly sweet, slightly spicy, 

nuances-oil of agar and fine musk, an ambient elixir of art and sophistication

enveloping, intoxicating, masterfully composed composition, 

with mid notes of currants, opium and spice

- beans of tonka soften the approach-

which leads to a vanilic heart,

and a path to treasure. "

Misk Tahara is described as:

"the musk of purity, the scent of clean, fresh skin, lightly sweet and musky."

Civet Musk Mukhallat:

"a luxurious Oriental treasure... Sumptuous notes of Eastern splendor... rich, velvety musk draped in warm amber and exotic blossoms… sophisticated and elegant - evocative ."

As for all first time customers, I got a free gift in the form of a pretty 3ml glass flacon of Egyptian Musk Superior. This was a sweet and clean musk on my skin, sort of what Narciso Rodriguez musks have been like on me minus the lingering chemical note that keeps me at odds with the NR line. Soft florals round this musk off nicely into what I find is rather unisex despite the sweetness and florals. Sillage and longevity are awesome considering I basically just swiped the plastic stick on my skin once. This musk is very affordable if you are looking for an alternative to the NR range.

Now on to the real reason why I wrote this piece. Ambergris Taifi. OMG. OMG. This is amazing. No. It's AMAZING!!!!!!! I'm about to book myself more weekend work just to cover a purchase of a 3ml bottle of this in case it's discontinued or some other similar tragedy ensues.

Taif Roses.

I have a precious 15ml bottle of Tauer's Phi Une Rose de Kandahar, which is a gorgeous salty and musky rose on my skin. Amp up the salty and musky tones, some sweet animalic notes (not quite up to barnyard level), amp up the decibels on the rose, add a smidgen of vintage face powder and you have Ambergris Taifi. Part skank part rose and the salty sweetness just continues undulating and swirling about me for hours without abating. The salt is not so much sea-salt like in Merveilles but I find it more akin to the saltiness of sweat on skin. The sweetness(not talking about the rose here) is harder to describe without causing nausea amongst the more delicate palates. I will borrow from the agarscentsbazaar page to do it justice.

"...the subtle, sweet addictive aroma that beach combing dreams are made of."

I am far from being able to describe the distinctiveness of the Taifi rose note, except to say that I raided the rose section of my wardrobe from Malle's Une Rose to Caron's Rose, JHAG's entire line to the Rosines I have and came up with, it just smells different. Deeper, more intensely rose. On a fragrant friend of mine, it is more vintage powdery rose so perhaps chemistry plays a role again. I highly recommend trying Sharif LaRoche's Ambergris Taifi, for any and all rose lovers.