Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Comme des Garcon Incense Series
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Comme des Garcon Incense Series

post #1 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:27am
Thread Starter 
Many of you recommended that I try Avignon from the CdG Incense Series. I love it, and am considering purchasing a bottle. I wanted to see if you think any of the others in the incense series are worth sampling before I buy Avignon. What are your thoughts?
Thanks
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
post #2 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:42am
IMO Avignon is the biggest statement of the Incense series, but also the least wearable for me.
I prefer Kyoto and close behind it Jaisalmer. Avignon is straight up Catholic Mass to me. If you like that, go for it!
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:49am
I have only tried Avignon , and it is one of the best fragrances I own ! But I was after the whole High Mass in a Catholic Church thing , so it suited me just fine ! ( being a lapsed Catholic probably has some bearing on this ! )
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:12am
Avignon!!!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:19am
Kyoto is the jewel of this line in my opinion. It is quite discreet, but still long lasting. Avignon and Zagorsk are a bit like sledge hammers. BTW, I own this full line.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:23am
Try all 5. They are, IMO, the very best fragrances in the CdG line up and all sample-worthy.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:27am
the whole Incense series are worth a sniff - different and unique, used to have all of them - each has its own pros and cons, but as soon as one of them ends I'm starting to miss it
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:30am
+1 to Kyoto being worth trying before you buy Avignon. I prefer it.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 45
7/26/10 at 11:38am
Got a sample of Avignon myself. I don't see this as one that I could really wear anywear. I guess being a very pure incense scent, it would be a great frag for layering, if you are into that sort of thing.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 45
7/26/10 at 12:10pm
Kyoto is my favorite for sure!!!
Gary
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 45
7/26/10 at 1:22pm
Here's my take on them. Avignon is the sweetest of the line. For that reason, it may attract many people. Those who don't like that aspect then go for one of the other four. (That is my case, anyway. I own the other four)
Ouzazarte: the greenest of the lot. Dusky dry
Kyoto: the most woody.
Zagorsk: the most coniferous
Jaisalmer: interesting, complex with a bit of spice
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 45
7/26/10 at 1:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by G.303 View Post

Kyoto is my favorite for sure!!!
Gary

Same here! It's a great scent, and the only one I chose to buy and wear.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 45
7/26/10 at 3:02pm
Try them all - I agree.

Avignon is a staple for me, especially in fall and winter. I used to wear Kyoto almost daily, but, I have started to prefer Jaisalmer lately. I really enjoy the high pitched patchouli note behind all the other incense stuff in it.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 45
7/26/10 at 3:15pm
The synthetic woods in all of them make them ridiculously tedious to wear.

I still own Avigon, Zagorsk and Kyoto, but prefer to just burn some quality Omani frankincense.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 45
7/26/10 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pluran View Post

The synthetic woods in all of them make them ridiculously tedious to wear.

I still own Avigon, Zagorsk and Kyoto, but prefer to just burn some quality Omani frankincense.

Exactly! Very tiring. There are many incense fragrances I prefer (e.g. villoresi, Tauer). The oil smells somewhat different to the burned resin. I like both but the oil (if good quality Omani) has an almost animalic, earthy aspect to it which I love.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:16pm
I only own Avignon and I love it, but I tried the other four last week. I like them all, but my second favorite would be Quarzazate. As Ody wrote, it is the greenest and very wearable.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:39pm
Another vote for Kyoto. Avignon is really nice, but is *very* churchy. I think it'd work better as a home-scenting candle or something. Kyoto still has some major incense vibes going on, but is alot more wearable with the cedar and coffee (go figure) notes to balance it out. It's great in cold, still weather. None of them are work-scents in my book, but if you need a scent for wandering around a snow-covered forest and brooding in the middle of winter, Kyoto's your man.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 45
7/26/10 at 10:42pm
I love all 5 of them. Each one is so diffirent from others. And Avignon is the best of them. Besides, Kyoto is great, too. If you want an everyday incense scent from Incense series, I think Kyoto is the best choice.
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 45
7/27/10 at 2:02am
I like all of them, but I love Ouarzazate, which is a fantastic, dry and arid incense with a little cedar. Avignon and Kyoto are close, and I would very much like to own them as well, Zagorsk is lovely but rather austere. Jaisalmer is my least favourite of the series.
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 45
7/27/10 at 2:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pimpinett View Post

Jaisalmer is my least favourite of the series.

Mine as well. I have the other four. Hard to choose the favourite one because I love them all, but Zagorsk is the one I wear most often.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 45
7/27/10 at 12:56pm
Kyoto is my favorite, followed very closely by Ourzazate. I haven't tried Avignon, simply because I KNOW I won't like it. Zagorsk was also pretty gross on my skin.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 45
7/27/10 at 2:08pm
I like them in the following order, but I've only purchased the first two. For some reason, I recall barely being able to smell Quarzazate, so it's by far my least favorite, but yes, everybody should test them all.
1. Avignon
2. Jaisalmer
3. Kyoto
4. Zagorsk
5. Quarzazate
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 45
2/11/11 at 10:37pm
My order:
-Quarzazate
-Kyoto
-Avignon
-Jaisalmer
-Zagorsk
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 45
2/11/11 at 11:10pm
Avignon is a must have in my wardrobe & is already in my LuckyScent shopping cart. I've tried a lot of incense fragrances & not one has come close to actually simulating the actual smell of old-world incense on a charcoal block. Avignon does. I have a sample of kyoto but haven't swiped it yet. I'll do so post-haste.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 45
2/12/11 at 5:57am
I think besides Avignon you should try Zagorsk.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 45
2/12/11 at 6:09am
Haven't tried all of them yet but i have a full bottle of Avignon and samples of Kyoto and Zagorsk.
I'd rate them as:
1. Avignon
2. Zagorsk
3. Kyoto

Planning to get samples of the others soon.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 45
2/12/11 at 6:22am
My faves are Kyoto and Quarzazate in this line. My personal favourite churchy incense is Messe de Minuit-Etro, very dark but wearable(esp. in the winter)
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 45
2/12/11 at 10:34am
I tried the whole series. I really like Avignon and Kyoto. The rest were just OK to me.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 45
7/3/12 at 1:04am
Just purchased Kyoto! Found this dump hole in the wall "boutique" which happened to carry most of the GdC line! Unfortunately the only other IS they had was Zagorsk. Does anybody happen to have samples of the other 3?
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 45
7/3/12 at 2:31am
jaisalmer is my fav.

Avignon is not bad but too much pencil mine vibe for me
Reply
Reply
post #31 of 45
7/3/12 at 3:34am
with the exception of Jaisalmer which is a nice tiger-balm oriented fragrance, I find all the rest to be outstanding. My favorite is by all means Avignon.
Reply
Reply
post #32 of 45
7/3/12 at 3:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackened View Post

jaisalmer is my fav.

Avignon is not bad but too much pencil mine vibe for me

+1 I agree jailsalmer is top

avignon makes me smell like an altar boy
Reply
Reply
post #33 of 45
7/3/12 at 4:00am
My favourites are Avignon and Zagorsk, the others are very good too. Kyoto always smelled like the most feminine of the series to me, Jaisalmer is the spiciest and least incense-ish, and Quarzazate was the least familiar smelling and most challenging.
Reply
Reply
post #34 of 45
7/3/12 at 4:12am
owned all of them (currently own avignon, ouarzazate & jaisalmer) but i have to go against the trend and say that kyoto is my least favourite, partly because of a slightly sweet, damp/wet rag aspect to it, but also because i already own cdg monocle hinoki and christian lacroix tumulte which are very similar and superior to kyoto.
my favourite is avignon - catholic church, followed by zagorsk - greek orthodox church (& very austere).

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hilaire View Post

My favourites are Avignon and Zagorsk, the others are very good too. Kyoto always smelled like the most feminine of the series to me, Jaisalmer is the spiciest and least incense-ish, and Quarzazate was the least familiar smelling and most challenging.

agree!!
Reply
Reply
post #35 of 45
7/3/12 at 6:53am
Tried a few. Liked Avignon but did not buy it.
Reply
Reply
post #36 of 45
7/3/12 at 7:40am
Kyoto. I bought a full bottle of Avignon but hardly ever wear it - although it's great. It's just too catholic. Kyoto is probably the best.
Reply
Reply
post #37 of 45
7/3/12 at 8:59am
I'm thinking of blind buying Avignon in the morning.
Reply
Reply
post #38 of 45
7/3/12 at 9:02am
Speaking as a lapsed Catholic I don't find Avignon all that churchified. Lots of Provencal rosemary in there. I do like it though. I have all of them except Jaisalmer. Zagorsk is my favourite.

I recently tried Exultat by Maria Candida Gentile; now that I DO find very churchy. It is quite lovely, more subtle than Avignon. And more complicated. I recommend it to any incense fan, it is one of the best.
Reply
Reply
post #39 of 45
7/3/12 at 9:30am
Been wanting to try this series for quite some time..
Reply
Reply
post #40 of 45
7/3/12 at 11:26am
I am a Kyoto Lover for sure.....This is Fantastic!!!
Gary
Reply
Reply
post #41 of 45
7/3/12 at 1:15pm
Kyoto is good but Avignon is legendary...
Reply
Reply
post #42 of 45
7/3/12 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwele View Post

+1 I agree jailsalmer is top.

Make that another +1. I posted this morning that I could layer Jaisalmer with anything. It's fairly sweet and mild.
Reply
Reply
post #43 of 45
7/3/12 at 4:54pm
I didn't get much out of the "uplifting" Jaisalmer and the "serious" Zagorsk. Frankly, it's the lack of longevity that disturbs me. I'm not to dismiss a fragrance quickly because it is light or so, but in case of Zagorsk I just have no time to enjoy it - it's vanished without a whimper (as a lover of all things Russian I have to say: what a pity). I should try Avignon soon, because it has a good reputation on basenotes. Dammit, I even may get my nose adjusted to the conception of this line.

That's the spirit; listening to Rachmaninoff's All-night-vigil while being drenched in Zagorsk...

Reply
Reply
post #44 of 45
7/4/12 at 12:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marais View Post

Speaking as a lapsed Catholic I don't find Avignon all that churchified. Lots of Provencal rosemary in there. I do like it though. I have all of them except Jaisalmer. Zagorsk is my favourite.

I recently tried Exultat by Maria Candida Gentile; now that I DO find very churchy. It is quite lovely, more subtle than Avignon. And more complicated. I recommend it to any incense fan, it is one of the best.

i've been having my eye (nose) on exultat for a while now, where did you find it?
Reply
Reply
post #45 of 45
7/4/12 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by danny1967 View Post

i've been having my eye (nose) on exultat for a while now, where did you find it?

Ausliebezumduft stock it. I also got samples of Barry Lyndon and Sideris but haven't had a chance to test those properly.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: MFD Archive

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Comme des Garcon Incense Series