TEONE REINTHAL
KAFKA 2022

2022

PERFUMER
Teone Reinthal

Bergamot
Patchouli
Champaca
Narcissus
Tobacco
Vanilla
Cedarwood
Birch tar
Styrax
Labdanum
Oakmoss

‘The original KAFKA eau de parfum was brewed in a tiny quantity, just for me to enjoy in 2012. Since then it’s been through several expanding variations, including lending its base accord for the making of Tantra which was a bestseller, and dearly beloved. “Sorry to bother you, could you possibly lend me a cup of yer KAFKA base for something I’m whipping up?”. This freshly brewed and reformulated version of KAFKA (absolu de parfum) is a beautifully powdery, floral leather chypre. A truly unforgettable signature scent, this fragrance is totally unisex, long-lasting, powerfully sexy and darkly smouldering.’ – Teone Reinthal

This bottle was added to my order by Teone, for which I’m thankful as I was eyeing it already (as a big fan of the author Kafka). I’d not tried the original version of Kafka, so I can’t make any comparisons.

To be honest, the scent is my least favorite of the 3 bottles pictured below; Kafka 2022 starting with more of a charred woodiness that slowly becomes more cozy. The charred aspect in the opening is a tad too much for me (it’s no Hiram Green Hyde however, much more manageable).

Kafka 2022 reminded me of damp cedarwood; maybe an old cottage in the forest, with a fireplace where the logs stopped burning a while ago. But also that sort of cold, melancholic air from an old cellar. It has enough sweetness to make it very accessible.

This is really transporting and it takes me back to cottages from my childhood vacations. I love it for that, but less so for casually wearing.