Zen (original / Black) by Shiseido, 1964

One of the most complex scents ever, a meticulous work of balancements and measure, an effluvium suspended in the time of a millenary tradition. I own the Original Black bought in Tokyo which i treasure as a nun uses to do with her virginity. This is a floral-mossy chypre that exudes a watery and freshly incensed kind of oriental mysticism. It's not dense or viscous but darkly fluid and subtle even if a touch of powder closes the round. This juice reproduces as few other scents out there the deep mystery of the japanese culture and this element could fully be caught specially by people that had the luck to visit the wonderful country of Japan. Its ethereal tamed floral sweetness expresses the same vein of Mitsouko even if the last is a different, more resinous, spicy and rooty kind of fragrance. Zen contains a dry floral bouquet from which emerges the rose side by side whith narcissus, mimosa, geranium, carnation and  others. Flowers start to fly in the air since the starting citrusy-orangy blast. The combination of the woodsy resin of galbanum, bergamot, orange blossom and some ethereal light flowers as rose, mimosa, narcissus and hiacinth exudes a sort of vintage and retro effect since the beginning. There has to be something fresh and watery that floods the floral-citrusy elements in order to wash the woody final warmth, to impress the right dosage of freshness and to get airy the incense. The incensed, resinous galbanum starts to express its gummy touch since the citrus-floral blast and the watery flux engages itself to smooth the resins, to balance the level of density and rise the drought. Violets and jasmine enhance a bit of sophistication, mystery and timeless feel. All the other elements that compose the final product, i mean smoky woods, musks, cedar and amber are dry in my perception. The combination of rose-geranium, citruses, dry sandalwood and a touch of woodsy incense reminds to me the dry myster and the "shadowy transparences and waterinesses" of N. 88 C&S. While the woods provide structure and stableness the dry amber and a moderately animal musk give mystery to the final outcome without sliding towards the syrupy side. A smoky touch of frankincense (may be the incensey smell is present just on the top because of galbanum but extending its "longa manus" till the base notes), an hint of smoke and woodsy oakmoss complete the work impressing an heavy trail of moody darkness to the fluid that, with its unsyrupy black slightly powdery fluidity, epitomizes a strictly oriental concept of mystery.