PARFUMS Series 3 Incense: Avignon by Comme des Garçons

[mdevine]

Has anyone any experience with Series 3 Incense: Avignon by Comme des Garçons? I am a big fan of incense based fragrances and this one sounds intriguing. I'm interested in any comments you may have. It sounds like an incense that is very church like. Are there any others that are similar?

[The Nid Hog]

I have it. If you want something that smells like dark cathedrals, faintly lit with candles and cloudy with incense, this is it.

[mdevine]

Actually, I kind of like that vibe. My concern is that, although I'm sure I would enjoy the scent, it may not work well as a cologne. Do people around you enjoy the fragrance or feel like they are sitting next to someone in a church pew? How "wearable" do you find it? Should I be sure to sample it before purchasing it?

[The Nid Hog]

Actually, I kind of like that vibe. My concern is that, although I'm sure I would enjoy the scent, it may not work well as a cologne. Do people around you enjoy the fragrance or feel like they are sitting next to someone in a church pew? How "wearable" do you find it? Should I be sure to sample it before purchasing it?

It's the only fragrance that I've ever bought that my wife actively dislikes. Nobody else has commented on it. I liked it when I got it, decided I didn't like it later, and now I'm coming back around to enjoying it. You might want to try a sample first--it might be fun to try the whole Series 3.

[eelpie25]

It's very frankincense heavy. I have samples of all of the incense series. They are interesting, but not very wearable. Tauer Incense Extreme is a similar but more wearable option. They are nice to smell though...

[p.m.a.]

Avignon's frankincense is too dank for me. My favorite and most wearable from the series is the Jaisalmer, a woody-incense.

[awayalonealong]

Actually, I kind of like that vibe. My concern is that, although I'm sure I would enjoy the scent, it may not work well as a cologne. Do people around you enjoy the fragrance or feel like they are sitting next to someone in a church pew? How "wearable" do you find it? Should I be sure to sample it before purchasing it?

Could you explain what you mean when you say it would "work as a cologne"? Does this imply difference in strength, such as extrait, EdP, EdT, EdC, eau fraiche?
"Do people around you enjoy the fragrance or feel like they are sitting next to someone in a church pew?" I fear this one is impossible to determine without taking surveys. I suspect that, like most fragrance, Avignon smells different on the skin than in the bottle. At the same time, maybe some folks like the idea of sitting in a church pew! But my bottom line, I guess, is that I wear a fragrance for myself but mind the sillage.
"Should I be sure to sample it before purchasing it?" Blind buys are fun! However, they are risky. Since there's no way anyone's words could duplicate anyone's olfactories, samples are the safe route.

[awayalonealong]

I have it. If you want something that smells like dark cathedrals, faintly lit with candles and cloudy with incense, this is it.

If CdG Avignon is "too strong," then Montale Full Incense is a good option. The church is newer, smaller, has much better air flow and has done only a fraction of the funerals.

[poonjaji]

If CdG Avignon is "too strong," then Montale Full Incense is a good option. The church is newer, smaller, has much better air flow and has done only a fraction of the funerals.

I also like the Montale Full Incense - I think I bought a decant from awayalonealong - but I also own Avignon and Kyoto in CdG's series. I like them both, as does my wife. In fact, the two CdG fragrances are her favorites out of everything I own (especially the Kyoto). YMMV.

[Coop]

I would strongly suggest setting a sample or decant before committing to a full bottle of this one. It is a distinctive fragrance, but for some reason I find it very hard to wear. I could not imagine using it as a "signature scent", but it would work in a change-of-pace role from time to time.

[The Knize]

It's very frankincense heavy. I have samples of all of the incense series. They are interesting, but not very wearable. Tauer Incense Extreme is a similar but more wearable option. They are nice to smell though...

As I have indicted elsewhere, I am not a big incense frag fan, but Tauer Incense Extreme seems both very incensey/frankencensy and highly wearable and wonderful to me. I really cannot explain why that is. My impression of CdG Avignon is very much "dark cathedrals, faintly lit with candles and cloudy with incense." I am not fond of Montale Full Incense either, but no doubt that it smells like high quality incense, and is lighter and brighter than Avignon!

Word up! alwaysalonealong!

[The Nid Hog]

I posted this somewhere else, but I could swear that i get a whiff of Avignon in the opening of Pen's Sartorial. Very strange.

[mdevine]

Could you explain what you mean when you say it would "work as a cologne"? There are things that, although I am very fond of the scent, I can't see as a cologne scent. Extreme examples include coffee, ham and freshly baked bread. I guess I fear that Avignon may come across as too "churchy" and while I may enjoy it as an air freshener, may find it off-putting as an EdT, EdP etc.

I did get a chance to try Fahrenheit Absolute today and found myself sniffing my wrists all day. Although more "churchy" than the incense notes of some of the scents I often wear (i.e. Jubilation XXV, Eau des Baux, Passage d'Enfer), I would have no problem wearing this one to work or to a nice evening out. I appreciate the feedback on the other incense backed fragrances and have picked up several interesting ideas already.

Thanks again for all your input so far.

Mike