Reviews of parfums*PARFUMS Series 3 Incense: Avignon (2002)
by Comme des Garçons

During my teenage years, I spent a lot of my free time as a senior altar boy. I still don’t know why I bothered volunteering for such work, as I actually disliked attending church. However, if I had to be honest with myself, it was probably a better alternative to being bored rigid amongst the congregation.

Yes, I much preferred being active at mass than passive, and enjoyed serving at benedictions and high mass. Avignon strongly reminds me of this period in my life but, while I consider it to be the best from the Incense line, it’s certainly something that I really can’t see myself wearing on a regular basis.

Its conventional frankincense, myrrh and cedar composition works extremely well, and I have yet to come across anything else that surpasses it. Unfortunately, its longevity and sillage is not as strong as I would like it to be.

Apart from Goths, those who have some fascination (or perversion) with churches and the extremely avant-garde, Avignon will not provide the level of versatility that one is usually used to. However, if your interests lie within its artistry, rather than in its potential accessibility, it’s definitely worth going for.

Fragrance notes: Roman chamomile, cistus oil, elemi, frankincense, myrrh, vanilla, patchouli, palisander, ambrette seeds.
Avignon is the flagship scent in the exotic and well-conceived Incense line of Comme des Garçons. I admire it, but like it the least of them. It has a very true-to-form frankincense opening: it is sweet, almost fruity, powerful and pungent. It gives a very high church atmosphere, more than a little gothic in its intensity. It is brilliantly evocative of dark cathedrals which have seen much incense and prayers. It is just too rich for my taste. Others in the line (Zagorsk, Kyoto, Ouarzazate) are more restrained and I find them haunting and attractive.

I remember confessing my sins of omission when a gentle waft of inscense evades the monastary lumen. I categorize this fragrance as a church inscense. It has a slight synthetic feel to it. It is very dry and vastly inferior to kyoto. My sins of omission were neglecting to purchase kyoto much sooner!

I would like Avignon much more if it didn't smell exactly like instant cola drink I remember they use to sell when I was a kid (I don't see it around any more). You poured the powder into a glass, added water and made your own Pepsi or Coca Cola rip-off. When it got flat/stale it smelled just like Avignon. Flat Cola anyone?

For some reason, this smells exactly like the scent of Christmas trees on me. I love that smell when it is on a tree, but it isn't necessarily something I wish to smell like. I guess I just don't have the right body chemistry to carry this one off!

not a bad scent -- pretty undistinguished oriental notes. little to sage and patchouli for me. 2MAN manages a similar scent while maintaining some uniqueness.