Maya (2008)
by Scents of Time

Maya is a subtle oriental/gourmand which starts out with cocoa. I don't perceive any of the copal resin, being the incense offered to the gods at sacred Mayan sites - and I wish I did. After awhile there are some mildly floral aspects with vanilla evident, joining the cocoa still there. Maya is pleasant, but I doubt that the ancient Mayans ever smelled like this; perhaps I don't quite grasp what Scents of Time is trying to accomplish with their recreations. There is little sillage and modest longevity. I am giving it a thumbs up because I think people who enjoy subtle gourmand scents will like this, and it seems pleasantly unisex to me.

25th April, 2010.

Tonight, testing Scents of Time Maya. So far, the top notes hit me with a dark chocolate and jasmine. No copal incense, with which I am very familiar, not in the top. The heart notes are showing up already, I get the vanilla... jasmine...still dark chocolate. Perhaps the copal is the "dark" to the chocolate, as it is definitely not presenting its resinous pungence/sweetness. We will see how the base develops. The top/heart notes are intoxicating though.

Sillage is moderate and definitely night-blooming jasmine with traces of the chocolate, at least in the heart.

Closer to the skin the vanilla and jasmine are fighting for domination of the chocolate. I think the heart notes are just now emerging, to be honest.

More on this scent as it develops.

Into the heart notes now and it smells almost fruity...sweeter than the top notes, nearly candy-like. (actually somewhat cloying and unpleasant, one element of the heart on my skin smells like that nose-hair-singeing restroom deodorizer... sharply fruit-candylike.) ... Hoping this passes. Further from the skin it is more pleasant fruity/jasmine ... and hints of the chocolate.

(still more later.)

Still a little to sweet candy for me, the less desirable notes have quelled somewhat. In the sillage which is still moderate I am getting the chocolate and jasmine and really do smell copal now. Vanilla is in the background but that "vanilla extract sweetness" may be the reason for the near-cloying heart.

Close to the skin this is overpowering, but it is pleasant just wafting up.

Drydown... I don't think we're there yet.

Ah... I've been trying to figure out what the drydown, which seems to be settling in, reminds me of. It's Mole! To be more specific, Mole Poblano. As I know it, anyway.

Not bad, Not sure I would like this scent all day. (may come back and revise.)

12nd March, 2010.

There's something in the sniff of the atomizer that I'm addicted to, but on my wife's skin it opens with a stark blast of chocolate with a powdery dose of really soft jasmine under a base of warm vanilla. The chocolate quickly subsides and leaves the powderiness to exude and unfortunately leaves both of us wanting more out of the experience. This is really wonderful in certain regards, but there are two perfumes that rise above this in my opinion; Cadjmere by Parfumerie Generale and Iris Taizo PG14 by Parfumerie Generale. They don't have jasmine, so I'm interested in finding an appropriate jasmine layer scent.

6th March, 2010.

Maya is an amazing, delicious fragrance and now its available in USA at www.aquadeluna.com You can even order a sample before you buy it. There is a holiday promotion going on right now, so its a good chance to try it. I personally love this perfume!!!! Its actually smells like raw Mexican chocolate with a hint of vanilla and copal incense, all blended perfectly. Its smells wonderful, kind of sweet and not candy-like chocolate, but exotic sophisticated and not overpowering, Every where i go people always complement me on this fragrance.

29th November, 2009.