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

All the melancholy, ambiance and starkness of a church and a hospital in a fragrance.

Deep, heavy, dark, and brooding with its camphorousness, birch tar, and other resinous projections – Zagorsk has an incredibly negative attitude. From within the Gothic charred fumes of centuries-old wood and smoke, rise the violet and more birch tar: and those two are the stuff nightmares are made of, as far as I’m concerned. The birch tar and the violet are just too much for me, and have me pleading for mercy – promising to be good – and scrubbing my skin at the same time. When I first sampled Zagorsk, I loved its Gothicness, so I bought a decant. By the fifth wearing, I could no longer tolerate it – the birch tar and violet leaf soon had me screaming: "surrender!" (Edit of May 20, 2006 review. Changed from thumbs up.) 110

Um...... It smells like a dentist's office, cedar, clove and Lysol; and it made my dog Whittman sneeze.

Zagorsk is one of the more distinctive offerings in the Comme des Garcons incense line. Along with the expected spices and frankincense, Zagorsk features an intense pine sap note that smells at once bright, stark, and chilly. When I think about it, Zagorsk is the “coldest” incense fragrance I’ve experienced. Dzongkha and Avignon may share its austerity, but their smoke lends each a warmth entirely lacking in Zagorsk.

If Zagorsk’s stony, frigid incense appeals to you, then you’re in luck, since this is a staunchly linear fragrance that pumps out its heart accord steadily for hours. Zagorsk projects moderately from the skin, and doesn’t leave huge clouds of sillage behind it, both traits that make it a versatile wear for men or women. After a few wearings and some reflection, I’ve found Zagorsk distinguished offering in a crowded field, and would recommended a sample to anyone seeking a unique twist on the incense theme.

The basic smell is wonderful : How could I dislike the smell of pines, birches and firs, since they are my 3 favourite trees....
Zagorsk also has a wonderful, slightly cypressy hinoki wood note.

I just wish this was a little bit more rounded and full-bodied. I wish it was more nuanced.

Zagorsk is very sharp, almost harsh to my nose. Its very strong and linear without any depth. Its like if someone did hit you with a log right into your nose. Hard.
Apart from Black Tourmaline (Durbano) I have never smelled anything so "room-spray-ish" personal fragrance like this.

I much prefer Winter Delice by Guerlain over this - That one is sweeter, more gentle with lots of layerings.

Zagorsk is great....as a room spray.

Zagorsk: Zagorsk is the smokiest of the four i have of the incense series, right of the sprayer, this scent starts working its vibes like a virus, smoke fills up the room with strong incense notes, this one again has some kind of incense which literally makes me numb, it stays this way for almost 2 hours or so finally retiring to sweet burnt woody notes ..it reminded me of jacomo de jacomo quite a bit until midnotes. just a reference

CDG incense series:

The incense series in general, startled me at first. kyoto and Jaisalmer would probably be the two which would come across embracing you immediately, saying that it doesnt mean it doesnt have substance, only that the other two, Avignon and Zagorsk, are pretty bold, no holds barred, really intense scents but, couple of wears in to it and one would appreciate all of these for their respective qualities.

Incense series is dark, woody, smoky, mysterious, resinous, earthy, dusty and loaded with incense in general. though they all have the same characters, they smell poles apart from each other in their approach. a definite for someone who is looking for an adventure, a spiritual and meditative adventure in perfumery.

Before I even tried it, the name of Zagorsk made me think of stately Russian dachas, miles of dense woods filled with evergreen trees and deep within an ancient Russian orthodox church conducting ritual incense burning during their services. The actual smell of Comme des Garcons' Zagorsk fit nicely with my visualizations. It is very woody but also a dry, aromatic, incense fragrance that starts out strong but mellows out a bit over time. The best adjective I can think of to describe Zagorsk is "uncompromising", which is meant as a compliment.


Per The Perfumed Court, here are the notes for Zagorsk: white incense, pine, pimento berries, hinoki wood, violet, cedar, iris and birch wood.

Zagorsk fragrance notes: white incense, pine, pimento berries, violet, cedar, iris, hinoki wood, birch wood
Zagorsk is a very special fragrance. It has incredible wood tones of birch and pine, emphasis on the birch. It is what Cartier’s Déclaration wants to be when it grows up! Zagorsk has a sweet nutty opening (pimento berries). Then, haunting smoky wood appears; an exceptional treatment of this scent. Florals (violets, iris) are a minor note, slightly softening the wood. The effect is one of austerity, dryness, restraint. The mood evoked is loneliness, melancholy, and yet at the same time satisfaction and contentment. Finally mild white incense appears and takes the fade-out. Zagorsk is subtle, with only a few notes that are very well done. It doesn’t have great longevity, but such moods (and scents) are of the moment anyway.

For one of the most profound reviews you’ll read on any scent, see Columbina/Marina’s blog entry for Zagorsk in Perfumesmellin’ Things, http://perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_archive.html

Having been to the sacred city and monastery of Zagorsk, I can't imagine ANYONE wanting to smell like it--the stench of the unwashed bodies, the miasma of the overflowing public restrooms.... sure, there is swirling incense that hits you like a lungful Moroccan black hash and the hypnotic drone of the chanted orthodox mass that makes you lose your sense of time. A religous experience? Maybe. An olfactory inspiration? No thanks!Having said all of that, the Series 3 Incense: Zagorsk by CdG does manage to create a surpisingly dry, resinous smokey scent that is not without its appeal--they wisely left out the body odor (been there since the time of the Tsars, no mere Soviet invention) and the drains and focused on the woody, smokey incense. Like so many of their scents, this is nothing that I would EVER wear, but I admire the strange and fantastic world that they have created.

Quite different - a meditative incense of bright-snow beauty. Precision and elegance, like a Brodsky poem, or a Nadareishvili knight-versus-queen endgame study.

Sharp and metallic and cold, but with a nice, warm undertone of burnt wood, incense and tar. Still too sharp for my nose overall, but fun for certain occassions that call for something steely and chilly, almost rusty.

Next to Avignon, the best of the incense series...

Slightly less "smoky" than the others in the series, Zagorsk has a cool, almost chalky quality to it.

To me this scent is evocative of images of the renniasance, dark "bonfires of the vanities", give way to daylight filling bright studios where masters carve away at marble blocks to reveal beautiful statues which will endure for hundreds of years to come...

Hats off to the reviewer who described Comme des Garcons Man 2 as seriously woody, like inside-of-a-tree-woody. Well, here we are again, plunged inside more deep, evocative timber. Tolkien Tree Beings painted with creosote? But slightly harsh and off beam?

If your girlfriend ever tells you that her fantasy is to have sex in an Eastern Orthodox church (or with an Eastern Orthodox priest), I would suggest you respect the church and instead reach for a bottle of Zagorsk.
Mount Athos would have been an equally suitable name.

Mossy with an astringent grassy underbelly. Less woodsy than others in this series, but no less great.

This is indeed a Christmassy incense, and I can't imagine wearing it outside of winter - the green woody accord is very precise at conjuring up the spirit of a place. Now all I need is the fur hat.

It smells like Liturgy. If you've never been fortunate enough to experience the Orthodox Liturgy, Zagorsk is a pitch-perfect replica of the smells. Smoke floating over the frankincense which in turn floats over the myrrh and pine resin. It is soul soothing in the deepest sense of the word.

My only gripe is that CDG named it Zagorsk rather than Sergiyev Posad.

Beyond belief - 2 thumbs UP ! Most Unique on
my whole opinion of scents in general.
I could smell this kind of incense smoke trapped in rich church marble pillars, There is a granite/stone like aroma I've NEVER experienced in any scent, but in a fantastic way - the stone and smoke blend into a ritualistic , ehterial element with woody smoked pine bits along the whole jouney into this mystical elixr - I love ALL the CdG Incense series, but Zagorsk/Kyoto/and Avignon are the BEST.
Very much like the other reviews - I'd have to say
you really catch something more complex than a direct note lineup, rather - it is an ambient atmosphere of a place captured ! that place would be an extremely remote Russian church with
this aroma of heavy wood planks and marble pillars- all with centuries of incense and nature melting into it- Incredible offering !, no pun intended.
I could prattle on for longer but you all get the idea -I'm sure.

I am very pleased with this scent. It begins with pencil shavings and cherry cough medicine, but quickly shakes those artificial scents off and mellows into a smokey pine laced with camphor and menthol. As it settles in, it becomes mustier and deeper, I think there are some sweet oriental woods in this that I cant reallyplace. After a while, I was able to pick up ginger candy and crayola crayons of all things - but without ever losing that "spiritual" aspect. I definitely have to say this fragrance has a beautiful and solemn presence without ever becoming too incensey or heady. Overall, makes me think of burning evergreens and high holy places.

I love CdG 2 and Kyoto and thought those two were the best incense fragrances I knew, but I changed my opinion after trying Zagorsk which is just great. A green, cool, deep incense, pine and fir needles and frozen wood planks. It does have some kind of old church atmosphere, but not as sweet cloying as Messe de Minuit and much more wearable. Due to its greenness suitable for warm summer evenings.

Zagorsk has that cold, damp feel Etro's Messe de Minuit has but is otherwise totally different. Zagorsk smells like an old, wooden Russian Orthodox church in the middle of snowy pine trees and birches. A pure, silent scent.

It´s a fresh verry Incence lasting parfume. It reminds me of the "CHRISTMAS INCENCE" that we us to burn at christmas every year. It´s a great scent. It´s not as sweet as Gdc2 ore some other parfums of Comme des Garcons.