Thundra
Profumum

Very earthy, rainy musky patchouli. It reminds me of Nasomatto Absinth in its musky bitter greens. A little too challenging for my taste.

Earthy, green, petrichor. Damp, loamy soil and the green leaves of the forest after a summer rain. Freshened by a touch of mint and grounded by clean, white musk. A juxtaposition of fresh and dank, light and dark, and dry earth after the rain.

Thundra is a thawed chill, warming into loamy mushroom swirls, sprigs of pennyroyal and catnip, minty and cool. There are traces of petrichor, dust and dirt just dampened ever so slightly. Humus is the dark, organic component of topsoil. It is the dead and decaying material, dried leaves, twigs, grasses, vegetables, microbes, the place where seedlings and saplings thrive, that is another element of Thundra as the petrichor recedes.

I would guess that lavender aldehyde (isodihydrolavandulal) was used in this composition: wet dirt, ripened tomato undertones, blueberry, an organic fust, the more fungal aspects of lavender. This colors the composition beautifully, making it ever more beguiling. Then the heart of Thundra really comes through: the patchouli, a marvelously musty patchouli, too, that wraps its arms around all of the above and grows in, around, and through it all. A vegetal muskiness, almost like angelica root, accompanies this patchouli.

I grew up near a pond, Little Sandy Pond, and I recall that smell in my earliest memories, of fresh pond water, and I am greeted by that memory with Thundra further into the dry down. The nostalgic, wistful, feeling of being six years old at the pond. Across the pond there were houses lining its shore. Each house would be a marker to see how far I could swim out on my own before getting in over my head: I still recall what a number of these houses looked like. I can smell the pond water, feel the sun, hear the sounds, hoping to one day swim out to that last house I see on the other side revealing itself beyond the trees.

Thundra becomes that last house, beyond the trees, where I now see the distant cranberry bogs...and I am old enough to swim across the pond.

Patchouli is said by perfumers to include a minty aspect as part of the aroma profile, and this has been accentuated here.

There was a comment in previous reviews about an unmistakable lavender note, and other reviewers have remarked on a mushroomy aspect, which is logical as mushroom is part of the lavender profile, so I would guess lavender is also part of the formula. Or they may have included materials like amyl vinyl carbinol

Although an interesting odour, Thundra is probably not that easy to wear as most people prefer to get away from musty and mushroomy smells. The mustiness hints at old books, a damp wine cellar or even a cheese shop - pleasant, but not necessarily wearable.

Could be ok for elderly academics who spend their time in libraries.

Profumum Thundra involves a relatively straightforward trio of mint, patchouli, and musk.

I'm generally not a fan of mint, but as with Viktor & Rolf Antidote, Thundra begins with a very tasteful use of mint in its opening, which ultimately gives way to the patchouli more so in the dry down, eventually to the point that it's basically a patchouli bomb with a hint of musk.

It smells gentlemanly and balanced at the beginning, and then mostly patchouli-dominant in the dry down. For many, I imagine this dry down is a good thing, but it's not quite for me. While I enjoy patchouli when mixed with other notes, a patchouli-dominant fragrance is rarely something I enjoy.

Thundra leans a little masculine, as I generally think of patchouli-dominant fragrances, but it's unisex enough for women. It's a great performer, as well, as is Profumum's signature, so there's value if you love the scent.

I like it and appreciate it, but just don't love it.

7 out of 10

Not something I would seek out. It smells odd. I didn't think of mushrooms until I read some of the other posts. I'm not sure I smell shrooms, but I do smell an overall fragrance that I would have no interest in wearing. I gave it a third star because I love the house. But, this is not one of their star performers in my opinion.