Moresque
Moresque
129 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Cardamom erupts first, green and woody-spiced, immediately joined by bergamot's astringent citrus brightness. The combination feels almost sharp, almost confrontational—this isn't a gentle introduction but rather a declaration of intent that demands attention.
Frankincense emerges and softens nothing; instead, it layers beneath the spice, creating a resinous bed from which pink pepper and geranium peek through like embroidery threads. The composition becomes more nuanced here, more wearable—the geranium's subtle rose-like quality introduces a whisper of softness against the persistent spice and smoke.
Vanilla and amber take centre stage, the patchouli grounding everything with its earthy, slightly damp-soil quality. What remains is predominantly resinous and warm, the initial spice now muted but never quite disappearing, lingering like the ghost of incense in a room long after the smoke has cleared.
Soul Batik announces itself with an almost confrontational spice—cardamom and bergamot clash in the opening moments, the citrus providing bright punctuation to the cardamom's warm, almost medicinal bite. But this is not a fragrance interested in restraint. The heart reveals frankincense, which transforms the composition entirely; that resinous accord (64%) wraps around pink pepper and geranium like incense smoke clinging to fabric, creating something simultaneously dry and sensual. The geranium adds a subtle floral structure that prevents the fragrance from becoming purely aromatic or culinary, whilst the pink pepper maintains that spicy declaration without ever tipping into the harsh.
What makes Soul Batik compelling is how thoroughly it commits to its amber-sweet axis. The base—vanilla, amber, and patchouli—doesn't soften the opening's edge so much as redirect it. The vanilla here reads almost dusty, working in concert with the patchouli's earthy grain rather than indulging in creamy sweetness (though the 52% creamy accord suggests a certain velvet texture beneath everything). This is a fragrance for someone drawn to incense-based compositions but wanting something more complex than straight oud or aloeswood. It's contemplative without being austere, sweet without being gourmand, spicy without becoming difficult.
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3.8/5 (434)