Best Narcotic Venus by Nasomatto Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

According to ancient religious scriptures, Mary mother of Jesus was informed of her destiny by the Archangel Gabriel when she was about 13 years old. Artists over the centuries have been captivated by the idea of this scene, a startled schoolgirl recoiling in shock from the supernatural being. The lily, symbolizing purity and innocence, is not only a common element of these artworks, but is also the inspiration for this extrait. In principio, Latin for “in the beginning”, is a meditation on the creamy radiance of lily, supported by the down-low sensuality of ylang ylang. Mace, sweeter than nutmeg and softer than incense, lends clarity, while sweet/tart kumquat sharpens the focus.

Limited to 58 bottles, 48% extrait.

Blended with:

White lily absolute, 
Kumquat essential oil, 
Mace absolute, 
Nutmeg tincture, 
Bitter orange essential oil , 
Ylang Ylang essential oil, 
Elemi essential oil, 
Tuscan cypress essential oil, 
Pompia essential oil, 
Turkish rose absolute, 
Rosewood essential oil, 
Frankincense rivae, 
Juhi jasmine absolute, 
Cistus tincture, 
Ambergris.

Important notice:

Zanini blends are living botanical compositions, crafted entirely from natural materials and free from synthetic fixatives or stabilizers. As with all things living, subtle variations are part of their nature: over time, you may notice a gentle evolution in colour, texture, or the appearance of natural sediment. These are not imperfections, but part of the character of the raw materials themselves.

These blends are olfactive smellscapes (but neither aromatherapy, nor ‘spray-and-go’ perfumes) and 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 Zanini’s 100% natural blends may potentially cause allergies in some people. Please spray Zanini’s blends on fabric (on sleeves, scarves, etc.). 

Zanini advise 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. Zanini’s smellscapes need to be… carefully applied and experienced. Be mindful that some oils can also make your skin hyper-sensitive to UV.

Delirium is a voluptuous bouquet of tropical abandon: decadent gardenia, heady jasmine, honeyed champaca, ripe narcissus, creamy frangipani and delicate white lotus. Blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, every breath is an addictive journey into the blissful unknown. With Delirium, the wearer becomes the dreamer and the dream, lost in a world where anything is possible.

In India, flowers are sacred symbols and an essential part of daily life. “Malli Nadu” means “land of jasmine”, inspired by the paradise of perfume ingredients found in India. There’s jasmine sambac, cultivated in India since antiquity, with its radiant fruity/green sheen and animalic undertone. There’s tuberose, an opulent, powerful floral, along with davana, an aromatic plant unique to India with a profile that vibrates between apricot and herbaceous. Palmerosa oil supplies a geranium-like lift, while Indian vetiver and sandalwood deepens and softens the composition. Perfumer Ilias Ermenidis sought to translate the romance of India into this luminous scent, which he calls “a fragrance for lovers”

Tuberose is arguably the most divisive and polarising floral note due to its narcotic and carnal tones, here Pierre Guillaume pays tribute to its couture complexity.

The camphorous and medicinal opening of PG17 Tubéreuse Couture, is softened by shoots of green ripe jasmine and a sour tart accord created by rare South Asian citrus kalamansi.

PG17 Tubéreuse Couture soon develops in a creamy, fleshy and opulent tuberose bouquet. Ylang-ylang heightens and supports the buttery and lactonic (milky)  tones of tuberose, sweetened by a base of sugar cane and benzoin.

A daring and head-turning scent, PG17 Tubéreuse Couture is a wonderfully dramatic interpretation of this flamboyant flower, in its pure, unadulterated state.

Definitely not for wallflowers.

An iconic classic in its own rite, Quelques Fleurs is a true ingenious scent of its time. The French perfumer, Robert Bienaimé, unveiled Quelques Fleurs the first true multi-floral blend ever created, in 1912.

Since then, his perfectly-balanced, refined bouquet has become modern perfumery’s peerless criterion for pure, meticulously-crafted, multi-floral accords. Prior to his bold invention, floral fragrances had been mainly singular flowers, or florals combined with various nuances of herbs and spices. Bienaimé’s singular triumph is remarkable for its secret, mythical formula. Upwards of 15,000 exemplary flowers and 250 prestigious raw materials are diligently-curated in the creation of a single ounce of perfume.

Perfumer: Mathieu Nardin

A gourmand perfume with an exotic twist. The core theme is bitter cocoa dusted with pepper. Even though we think of cocoa and chocolate as amlost the same sweet thing, cocoa powder on its own has more of an ambery, bitter woody and deep aroma rather than sweet chocolate vibes.

Perris took cocoa absolute and and styled it the Aztec way - no sugar, just the bitter tonifying glory.

Beaufort’s latest fragrance, the confounding and aquatic leaning Fathom V, broadly takes it’s cues from Shakespeare. Throughout The Tempest, the writer conjures vivid images of violent weather, shipwrecks and magical islands but the name Fathom V itself stems from a phrase gleaned from ‘Ariel’s Song’ within the play:

“Full fathom five thy father lies; 
Of his bones are coral made; 
Those are pearls that were his eyes: 
Nothing of him that doth fade, 
But doth suffer a sea-change 
Into something rich and strange.”

The idea of this ’sea-change’ and the constant tidal flux of the sea is properly explored in Fathom V with the overdosed use of contrasting materials: salt and earth, fragrant herbs and mosses, pleasant floral notes and intense dark spices encompassing and outlining the push and pull of the oceanic torrents. 

Grooming Guru on Fathom V:

"Fathom V’s cleverness lies in its ability to take the concept of an aquatic fragrance and turn it on its head. Instead of following the bright and breezy, surf’s up approach that so many marine scents take, it plots an entirely different course, taking the wearer on a dark, foggy, Gothic adventure that conjures up images of dark, 17th century sea ports full of smugglers, ships with moss-covered hulls and illegally obtained barrels of spice."

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Candy Perfume Boy on Fathom V:

"How Does it Smell? Like gunpowder, lush vegetation, murky waters and the barnacle-covered hulls of pirate ships."

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Hakka is Japanese mint, which contains a higher concentration of menthol than the more familiar peppermint. This eau de parfum is an irresistible call and response between leafy green hakka, and the clear-as-a-bell appeal of jasmine, lily and lotus. White musk softly sustains this delicate, revivifying experience. Note: you may feel a cooling sensation from the minty menthol when applying on skin.

The abandoned chapel of a Cistercian abbey. Cold stone walls, covered in moss. The waxen wood of ornate pews, the linseed oil of an unfinished painting. Myrrh and frankincense linger in the air, along with  . spicy white lilies. The subtle scent of golden pollen mingles with that of solemn green leaves. The call of the divine.

Perfumer: Hugo Lambert

Narcotic tuberose, a favourite of Marie Antoinette, amped to heady heights here by ylang-ylang with added saffron intrigue. This voluptuous floral is bold but not shrill, thanks to the grounding of suede, papyrus, patchouli and cashmere wood.

Perfumer: Serge de Oliveira