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

Passage d'enfer is an almost pure incense fragrance to my nose. There is a light touch of flower to fresh up the scent, some woody notes and some musk. But they all serve to complement the incense. The scent doesn't change much during the wearing, juste a bit more woody while gradually fading. The sillage is close and it lasted at least 6 hours on me.

The incense in Passage d'enfer is actually quite impressive. It's so realistic that it immediately makes me think of Chinese temples. Due to this fact, to me it's more an ambiance fragrance than an actual perfume that I'd wear in person. But it worths trying especially for incense fans.

I am not sure what formaldehyde smells like or if it even has a scent but with passage d'enfor I imagine myself laid out in a coffin after some dastardly deed being perpetrated upon my soul(whether deserving or not) and the mortician's assistant has sought to compensate for whatever ghastly aromas my decomposed body might be giving off by pumping me full of this funeral home chemically smelling substance which is now oozing out my pours as those who weep over me cover their noses. (A little too dark for me).

It's a bit odd - sometimes it seems like a floral with some incense , others it's all incense and woods, and others it's like a little sister to Dzongkha - with that incense/wood mixed with a creamy almost meaty smell.

I never particularly like the opening notes, but when it settles I get wafts during the day of something intriguing and complex, which makes me pause.

Passage D'enfer is a private, indwelling drama. It feels like being borne underwater by the sheer weight of lilies heaped upon your body by a mass of unfeeling mourners on the riverbank. From despair, hope: amidst the morbid holy white flowers, the motionless incense, the reservoir of salt that gathers on the verge of crying, and a thick veil of musk. From all of these comes, at last, a sense of strength and solace. It feels like looking your demons in the face and yawning. It feels like moving through the grime invisibly, bearing your sorrows with a light step.

There's nothing I dislike about this, just not in love with it. That being said, I find it to be refreshing and unique. I haven't smelled any other fragrances like this. It reminds me of the effervescence you smell after opening a can of lemon-lime soda. Very light, airy and bubbly like that, with some citrus. I also smell the incense and florals, but its not heavy. Projection is okay, won't fill a room, but should be detectable when walking past others. Drydown lasts into the 6-8 hour range and feels clean and woody, with just a little of the citrus still there.