Encens Japonais
Aedes de Venustas (2021)

There is a line between quiet and understated yet interesting, and insipid and wan perhaps even derivative. New perfume releases and new formulation releases from Aedes de Venustas inform us that within the last decade or so the brand struggles to stay on the correct side of the line. Look to new formulations of Signature and Iris Nazarena, as well as the newer releases/formulations of Copal Azur and Corfu Kumquat, for some examples and evidence. Encens Japonais stays more on the correct side of the line, perhaps because they learned their lesson to trust the hands of the legend Bertrand Duchaufour more so than they did when they had him create Copal Azur (the new formulation, at any rate).

Encens Japonais is quiet and understated, yet interesting - not the other side of the line. It presents incense in a meditative state, and most interestingly seems to actually try to capture real Japanese incense. Visit a Kyoto incense shop and marvel at the truly exotic smells that are unique to Japanese incense. There is quite a bit of overlap in the more famous varieties with oud: fruity medicinal, fungal, resinous, smoky, woody, animalic qualities, floral and musk qualities of barnyards and hay, but far smoother and less "challenging" than Arabian ouds. The rainbow pepper and orange at the top of EJ give a round, tight, fruity medicinal quality that quickly gives way to resinous and smoky incense notes partnered with an animal energy from castoreum, while orris and a pink rose add a dried and starchy floral quality fairly close to hay. Encens Japonais feels driven and focused, a well-disciplined energy running through it, while also being calmly collected and thoughtful. Dare I say zen? Yes, I do, I dare say it, as the feeling of everything-in-the-correct-place comes as the perfumes settles, like a monk postured on a prayer mat, with the dry, brown, down-to-earth aromas of patchouli, and the balsams and light vanillics of opoponax and benzoin, giving a grounded, relaxed, and satisfied sensation. A touch of soap musk adds a light and fresh feeling, a soul cleansed.

Typical of the new-ish AdV style, this all happens rather quickly. If you're expecting an intensive hours-long meditation in the still silence of an ancient temple that transforms your person, well that's not what you're going to get. This is more like a long rest break in your new-age company's employee meditation room where they stock some nice but rather commercial incense. However, don't take that to mean this is simply paying lip service to Japanese incense and its use, the room set up by your company is actually quite nice and capable of giving you a pleasant experience. But I doubt that you, as I didn't, will find a spiritual awakening while the faint buzzes and hums and chimes of computers, email and chat alerts, and phones continue to sound outside the door. But it's a pleasant break from the din, nonetheless.