Best Miraceti by Aesop Alternatives & Similar Perfumes

An ancient ritual. The wonder of green, perfumed resin flowing from the tree. It is reminiscent of journeys along the perfume routes, of the magic of nocturnal ceremonies. Fresh, intense notes of Incense, Opoponax, Storax and Tolu.

Inspired by the majestic Helix Nebula, known as the “Eye of God,” this extrait captures the mystical balance between infinity and the now. Radiant spice notes open the experience, followed by a complex heart of smoky buddhawood, charred birch tar, earthy moss and leathery oud. The chorus of woods is unexpectedly tenderised with cotton candy and vanilla. A metallic coolness adds an almost otherworldly aura to the composition. A fragrance for those who seek to be present in the deepest aspects of their lives.

The finest gum extracts from Somaliland — frankincense, myrrh and opoponax — combine in this resinous and sophisticated scent. Berbera is a powerful woody amber suitable for layering, as is common in the Middle East, as well as a standalone manifesto. Opoponax brings nuances of leather and old wood, myrrh swirls in a cola note, and frankincense soars high and dry. A charred-around-the-edges fragrance to uplift your soul and deepen your mystique.

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.

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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."

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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."

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Silphium was a plant widely renowned as a spice, medicinal herb and perfume ingredient throughout the empires of classical antiquity, outshining both saffron and cinnamon. It was praised by Greek philosophers and writers, as well as Roman emperors and cookbook authors. The demand for Silphium eventually became so overwhelming that it was harvested to extinction, and the taste and smell of the once greatest spice in the world were lost in time.

This extinct plant was reconstructed by researching assumed relatives of Silphium, using aromachemicals (the molecular building blocks of scents) to create an accord reflecting historical descriptions. This is set against a background of ancient incense, woods and leather.

An olfactory poem in praise of the rugged elegance of vetiver. But despite being the subject, in this composition vetiver’s rich’n’rooty pleasures are folded into a harmony of resinous allies: the honeyed spice of opoponax and the licorice syrup of myrrh. Black pepper and thyme spike the flow, while musk and amber accords smooth the final stanzas.

“Hey Bitch! You smell fucking good.” In Perfume World, that’s what we call a result. Hey Bitch! raises eyebrows with its dissonance between buttery, blowsy orange blossom and tough, bitter leather. Tangy rhubarb at the top snaps its fingers in your face, before dissolving into a blur of suedey iris and milky sandalwood. The dance between bitter and sweet keeps you on your toes throughout, conjuring hints of…what? Photocopier ink? Coffee? For sure it conjures ambered black leather, Bitch!

An electric collision of molecules: the effervescence of spicy pepper seeds suspended within darkness. Dry, fizzing Madagascan pepper cracks open against fiery cedarwood. Rich Akigalawood (upcycled patchouli with a peppery/woody profile) blends in blazing harmony with the caramel powderiness of tonka bean. A musky accord softens any sharp edges.

Perfumer: Antoine Maisondieu 

A road lined with cedars. The fresh morning air. The dense silence of the forest. Blueforest blends the dry freshness of cedarwood with the vibrancy of black pepper, creating an immediate woody-spicy tension. Musk softens the composition with a clean, enveloping sensation, giving the fragrance its second-skin character.

It is the energy of myth and the elegance of the garden that inspire a refined and vigorous essence.

Bergamot and juniper berries become full-bodied on a carpet of incense, fading into the persistent fascination of oriental wood.

The presence of a marble Hercules in the garden of the perfumer’s house, triumph of courage and immortality, elevates to myth the creations of Agatho and the Giardinodiercole becomes a perfume.