SULEKO
BABA YAGA EDP
2013
PERFUMER
Cecile Zarokian
bitter orange
bergamot
mandarin
orange
clove
pink pepper
cinnamon
nutmeg
pepper
leather
patchouli
cade juniper wood
‘Baba Yaga refers to the witch of the Russian fairy tales ; all the children know about her and dread to meet her. She lives in a dark forest and reigns over wild animals; she travels on a mortar and wipes her tracks with a broom. A storm with terrifying winds and whistles announces that she is coming while the trees crack in pain and the leaves fly all over.
But to us, Baba Yaga means something else – it is this dark force, which embodies all our fears, everything that holds us back, hurts us and consumes us. That force keeps building up, deep inside us and one day we will have to confront it, fight with it and be victorious so that we can live our life and not merely survive. This fragrance speaks of that fight. A dynamic freshness leads you to a shiny forest on a day of fall: the sharp touch of bergamot, the soft bitterness of orange, the juicy mandarin; an orange bouquet very refreshing and invigorating ! But soon you will feel pushed and pinched by a gust of spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, clover, pepper, pink berry…and this walk through the forest will become a chase. You will feel captured by the forest and the soft smell of dry shiny leaves will fade over the dark notes of wood, moss and humid earth. All of a sudden you will be taken by this powerful dark force, this tornado with the animal note of leather, the captivating note of cade, the earthy smell of patchouli. Will you find your way to the luminous iris-scented path or will you let yourself be taken by this dark force coming from the depth of the wild forest ?’ – Suleko
Baba Yaga is probably the Suleko that I found easiest to wear, despite also being the darkest, most spicy one.
It has a very traditionally masculine leaning spiciness with a green tinge, but it’s also sweet and fruity. The fruitiness from the citrusses provide quite a lot of freshness at first, before warming up in the drydown. There’s a tiny hint that reminds me of YSL Tuxedo, which I also get (but more pronounced) in Djelem.
There’s sort of a heat radiating throughout this one, but in a green and earthy smelling way. It’s an overload of spices, but it’s not completely dry; there’s some sticky tree sap there.
As the brand’s description mentions, Baba Yaga is like a forest path and that’s what I pictured during my sampling.