Passage d'Enfer (1999)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

really, really bad. A combination of fusty old lady wardrobe and urine. Not sure if that is the fragrance alone, or my chemistry with this fragrance.
Aloe, White Lily, Myrrh, Frankincense, White Musk? wow, how did those wonderful scents birth this monstrosity?

21st January, 2012.

I was initially  expecting some shadowy, almost dark and surly kind of juice but despite the appalling name i found out a sort of smoother, silkier, less spicy and less aromatic e/o irony or pungent sort of 7 de Loewe and Cacharel Pour Homme. Refined, delicate, melancholic and a bit cold (but not metallic).  I detect a touch of chamomille, a whiff of bergamot, a starring cedar,  obviously the airy and meditative olibanum and the notable floral note of lily, few other elements (may be musk) and nothing else. I appreciate the loneliness, the delicacy, the cleanliness of this pleasant meditative fragrance. It has distinction, evocative power but if you are looking for bold, screaming, erotic or loud scents you must make a u turn. It smells to me as a clean and introspective office scent and i don't smell any liturgical or spiritual trait. Faint longevity for this close to the skin concoction.

14th November, 2011.

Starts off very nice and refreshing.. quickly becomes spicy, sour, floral, musky, not for me.

I gave it the benefit of the doubt, and glad that I did. The dry down is a creamy white musk with some incense. Sounds weird, right? It is fantastic! Lasts a good 16 hours too.

Probably my favorite L'Artisan dry down thus far, out of the 20-30 L'Artisan's that I have tried.

4th November, 2011.

Passage d'Enfer is the most spiritual fragrance that I've had the opportunity to meet. We don't have here the pure abstraction of the environment inside a church, as in Avignon, but instead, a full transposition to a rite of passage.

L'artisan was able to capture with this scent, the end point of every life, death, especially it's religious aspects.

This scent opens with a cadaverous smell, similar to the smell of bodies as being veiled. That distinctive smell of flowers combined with incense, a mysterious opening where Lily is fully present along with a very characteristic aroma of myrrh.

Named gates of hell, I was expecting the same as knightz expected. A pungent scent, extremely strong, invasive, and even repulsive, representing to me within it's evolution, the nine circles of hell as described by Dante Alighieri in hi's most famous work The Divine Comedy, instead we have in this smooth scent(and no less remarkable), the final part of Purgatory, with the removal of sins committed by Dante in life and thus the subsequent ascension into heaven.

Passage d'Enfer is the embodiment of the liturgical chant Kyrie eleison (Lord have mercy on us). A spiritual masterpiece. Definitely a scent that is not for everyone. When you have the opportunity to smell this fragrance, track it's progress by watching this video on youtube (watch?v=L1lz7JAXe54&feature) and so you will understand the perfect image that Giacobetti Olivia was able to capture with her creation.

10th September, 2011.

First when I spray this I got NOTHING, then after 20min or so I got incensy citrus notes. Pretty inoffensive and fresh, but it only lasts about 2 hours. If it lasts longer and has more projection its definitely a buy for me.

27th April, 2011.

white lily, frankincense, aloe, white musk


With such notes it was hard not to sample. One if the few of its kind without rose and woodiness and I love that. It actually makes for a more unique scent than it would otherwise be if any of the two had been added. The beautiful aloe colours this composition. Less is more as Passage d'Enfer proves. It has a delicate smokiness from the lovely frankincense. The notes stick around to the end with each one taking turns for centre stage while not overshadowing the others. The scent is soft, neither harsh nor abrasive yet it is deep, cold and dark. Its effect is one of inviting coldness. Paradoxical but true :)! It is too dense for me unfortunately. If it was a bit airier, I would be in love with it.


If you like very very dense scents, or "dark" scents as most have come to know them, you just might fall in love with this one. Don't try it if you are not ready for a love affair. You have been warned lol!

1st April, 2011.