MAISON VIOLET
ABIME

2022

PERFUMER
Nathalie Lorson

chili Pepper
Black Pepper

Elemi
Palo Santo

Cedarwood
Incense
Sandalwood

Abime is probably the heaviest and darkest offering from Maison Violet so far. Woodiness is the star of the show, with quite a smoky supporting cast. It’s relatively dry, but also a tad waxy and inky. It reminds me of shoe polish and ink on top of a very true to life woody scent.

Fragrances that this reminds me of the most would be Akro Ink and perhaps also Matiere Premiere Oud Seven for it’s leathery tinge. What Abime does nicer than those in my opinion, is the wood itself. It takes me back to when I would go hiking in the forest during cold days; very realistic and very transporting.

There is a hint of brightness, but it’s not a common one. It’s slick, like the outside of a paprika or chili pepper (one of the listed notes). It has the shine and gleam of a freshly polished leather. It’s a shimmer in a cascade of woodiness and a (manageable) smokiness.

Abime isn’t quite my style, but I really appreciate it’s boldness. It smells natural and smooth, which isn’t easy to do with this style, without going into a harder to wear direction like some indie offerings tend to go in. It feels very polished (not the shoe polish this time) and balanced.