Best Varuek (วฤค) by Prin Alternatives & Similar Perfumes
Varuek (วฤค) by Prin is a complex and rich fragrance defined by a blend of castoreum, thailand oud, dark musks, and leather, layered with amber, pine tar, beeswax, and resins like frankincense, labdanum, and myrrh. Spices such as cinnamon, black pepper, and spikenard add warmth and depth, while coffee, cedarwood, patchouli, bay, and oakmoss contribute earthiness and smokiness. Those drawn to bold, animalic, resinous compositions with smoky and leathery nuances will find Varuek distinctive.
Lovely Problem by Space Fluid £190.00
- Key notes:
- beeswax
- cinnamon
- leather
- patchouli
- sandalwood
- smoke
- vanilla
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- leather
A pile-up of contrasts: cinnamon along with tropical florals frangipani and ylang ylang, against the earthy bitterness of artichoke and leather. This almost-gingerbread, almost-cement perfume confuses the senses with its animal/vegetable/mineral mystery.
Nerosa by Laboratorio Olfattivo £120.00
- Key notes:
- castoreum
- chypre
- geranium
- labdanum
- leather
- oud
- rose
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- green
- spicy
David Maruitte
“Nerosa is a perfume realized with David Maruitte in 2011, but at that time we believed that Laboratorio Olfattivo was not yet ready to launch a fragrance like this. Today instead, Nerosa can perfectly enter in our Black Collection, thanks to the depth, wealth and strength of its formula. A fragrance whose energy is noticeable and whose enveloping sillage is strong.”
Roberto Drago
PG3.1 Arabian Horse by Pierre Guillaume - Parfumerie Générale £235.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- dark musks
- leather
- narcissus
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- unconventional
- vintage/old school
A richly evocative fragrance that will carry you away, riding a galloping thoroughbred in the English moor… damp earth, wildflowers, grass trampled by hooves, the smell of the horse’s mane, the heat of its fur…
This richness comes at a price, the price of complexity. In addition to using exceptional ingredients such as narcissus absolute, labdanum absolute and cypriol, PG3.1 is a “drawer” formula, i.e. it contains several unique perfume bases including Ambre 83, Calmode, Animalys and Herbacuore.
The record number of ingredients that compose it make it very hard to copy, and its formula is the longest to weigh in PG's factory.
Nanban by Arquiste £195.00
- Key notes:
- black pepper
- frankincense
- leather
- myrrh
- osmanthus
- sandalwood
- Aromagroups:
- edible
- woody
January 1618 A Japanese Galleon, the Pacific Ocean
Following a diplomatic mission to the West, a galleon carrying a delegation of samurai charges through dark ocean currents. Loaded with a rare and precious cargo, the ship’s hull is redolent of sweet-smelling tropical woods, heady Spanish leather, frankincense, fine black pepper and other exotic ground spices—the intoxicating spirit of a singular, extraordinary voyage of discovery.
A good perfume to visit if your are in a search for perfect true sandalwood, smoky and a touch dirty. Arquiste carefully selected the companions for its sandal in this formula: tea and osmanthus, coffee, myrrh and stryrax and others to give it a dark, sensual depth.
***
GQ US on Nanban:
"This is my signature scent. I wear it all the time. And let me tell you: I’ve never worn something that has gotten so many compliments—no sunglasses, no sneakers, no full-body rubber suit. People actually turn their heads and ask me what I'm wearing. And then they jot down the product name. Arquiste’s masterpiece introduces itself with Malabar black pepper and Persian saffron, gives way to coffee, sandalwood, myrrh, and Spanish leather, and embraces you all day with a blanket of frankincense, balsam, and cade juniper."
***
Financial Times' resident perfume writer Victoria Frolova on Nanban:
"... approach coffee notes creatively. Instead of mimicking nature, a perfumer instead might fashion a blend that hints at coffee’s pleasing bitterness and heady richness. Such is Arquiste’s Nanban (£160 for 100ml EDP). The composition uses a plush backdrop of woods to frame the smoky, spicy notes of myrrh and incense, with an accent of coffee to lend the composition a dark, delicious twist. It teases with its smoky, nutty warmth, but keeps its presence mellow behind layers of sandalwood and leather."
Amygdala by Mendittorosa £430.00
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- coffee
- incense
- labdanum
- leather
- ylang-ylang
- Aromagroups:
- floral
- leather
- woody
A fragrant and floral dedication to emotions and the intricate patterns that shape and run through the structure of our brains. Liquid joy prepared with balsamic labdanum, leathery orange blossom and violet leaf absolutes and a drop of fruity coffee nuance.
Perfumer: Luca Maffei
Strength: 35% extrait de parfum
The origin of some materials in the formula:
pink pepper -> South America
arabica coffee -> South America
cinnamon -> Sri Lanka
galbanum -> Iran
jasmine sambac -> India
violet leaf absolute -> Egypt
orange blossom absolute -> Tunisia
Ylang Ylang -> Madagascar
guaiac -> Paraguay
Vetiver -> Haiti
Labdanum -> Spain
Young Cossack by Anna Zworykina £95.00
- Key notes:
- castoreum
- hay
- leather
- oakmoss
- smoke
- thyme
- tobacco
- vetiver
- wormwood
- Aromagroups:
- leather
- woody
Ты меня не бойся,
Я тебя не трону,
Ты не беспокойся.
***
An intense, smoky herbal blend that, like all of Anna's creations, will transport you to an imaginary landscape.
It's inspired by Cossacks, the soldier-farmers who live in the steppes in the south of Russia, accomplished horsemen guarding the borders since the days of Catherine the Great.
You are welcome to devise your own story, but here at Bloom, we imagine a young Cossack resting among haystacks and wild herbs, smoking his clay pipe while contemplating the starry sky. His friends are sitting by the open fire nearby. Smoke is wafting through wild thyme and wormwood.
Starring
(these fragrant materials reanacted the Young Cossack story):
galbanum CO2 extract
artemisia annia essential oil
artemisia absinthium essential oil
immortel absolute
Seville lavender abs
thyme essential oil
tarragon essential oil
davana essential oil
guayak wood essential oil.
rose de May absolute
Morrocan rose absolute
cumin CO2 extract
frankincense absolute
petitgrain essential oil
geranium leaves absolute
myrth essential oil
costus absolute
oakmoss absolute
patchouli essential oil
labdanum absolute
tabacco absolute
tonka bean absolute
agarwood essential oil
vetiver essential oil
castoreum tinctura
Important notice:
Anna Zworykina’s blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes). Her blends are sensory experiences, closer to works of art created in the scented plane (rather than, say, visual or audio).
Certain essential oils and absolutes that are used in her 100% natural perfumes may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Anna Zworykina’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). This said, Anna Zworykina has acquired a huge fan base over many years and people interacted with her blends for quite a while now. We are not aware of any reports of any skin reactions so far.
However, Anna advises that those who are prone to allergic reactions, pregnant and nursing women, as well as people with chronic illnesses to be extra careful. Before trying natural blends, study the list of ingredients and consult with a doctor if you are not sure or a had a history of allergies. If you do decide to put these blends on your skin (unable to resist the temptation) always test the blend on the inside part of your elbow first and wait.
Do not spray these blends liberally as a cloud in the way you would spray a conventional perfume. Anna’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.
Wolf (Extrait) by Wolf Brothers £160.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- frankincense
- incense
- leather
- oakmoss
- pine
- plum
- Aromagroups:
- aromatic
- spicy
- woody
An emphasis on amber and leather in this extrait version of the original EdP renders this Wolf darker and more dangerous. The higher perfume oil content means that the shadings of vetiver, pine and oakmoss are richer and deeper. The dark sparkle of cardamom holds its ground, providing a tantalising chiaroscuro to this sumptuous composition.
Santal by Floris £100.00
- Key notes:
- amber
- black pepper
- cardamom
- cedarwood
- cloves
- frankincense
- nutmeg
- sandalwood
- vetiver
- Aromagroups:
- spicy
- woody
Santal takes its inspiration from a Sandalwood fragrance originally created in the 1800s which has then been given a distinctive contemporary edge.
- Key notes:
- cinnamon
- frankincense
- gaiac / guaiac wood
- incense
- myrrh
- Aromagroups:
- woody
An intense incense that shapeshifts between cold/smoky and warm/creamy. This dream belongs to the mythological Irish warrior poet Ossian, who inspired the Romantic literary movement across 18th century Europe. Rêve d'Ossian conjures misty midnight forests with smouldering notes of pine, frankincense and myrrh, before calling forth the benevolence of Celtic fairies with mellow tonka bean and vanillic benzoin.
Perfumer: Hugo Lambert
Iron Duke by Beaufort £125.00
- Key notes:
- dark musks
- leather
- metallic notes
- oud
- Aromagroups:
- unconventional
- woody
With Iron Duke Beaufort start a new series: ‘REVENANTS’, a collection of olfactory impressions of figures from Britain’s past. Characters from the history whose presence lingers, subtly.
Vol 1 – ‘Iron Duke’ is a tribute to Arthur Wellesley, Duke Of Wellington (1769 – 1852). Here, perfumer Julie Dunkley has created a strikingly powerful fragrance with animalic depths – an apparition of the celebrated horseman, warrior politician and sartorial pioneer.
About Varuek (วฤค) by Prin
- How does Varuek (วฤค) differ from the fragrances listed here?
- Varuek combines a complex mix of castoreum, thailand oud, dark musks, and a rich resinous base with spices and smoky woods, creating a unique animalic, smoky, and leathery signature. The fragrances listed share some of these notes but vary in balance, intensity, and additional accords, often lacking the full layered structure of Varuek.
- What makes castoreum important in Varuek (วฤค)?
- Castoreum contributes a distinctive animalic, leathery, and slightly sweet scent, adding depth and complexity to Varuek. It is a key element that influences the fragrance’s rich, beastly character.
- Are these fragrances suitable for someone who prefers fresh scents?
- While Varuek is predominantly rich, smoky, and leathery, some fragrances here, like Lovely Problem, Wolf (Extrait), and Santal, incorporate fresher or lighter elements. These offer variations that might appeal to those seeking fresher interpretations within a similar aromatic family.









