The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Bois d'Aksum is part of Awshal's Yahma Collection and was created by perfumer Ilias Ermenidis. Apple, bergamot, mandarin, leather, and cinnamon establish the first impression, combining luminous fruit and citrus with darker, textured notes. Orris, jasmine, and elemi shape a composed floral heart: orris brings a soft powdery quality, jasmine adds floral lift, and elemi contributes a resinous accent. The base gathers praline, amber, cedarwood, tonka bean, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver, and musk, balancing rounded sweetness with woods, earth, and soft musk. The result feels layered, atmospheric, and firmly grounded.
The composition's intrigue comes from its friction. Bright fruit and citrus make the opening approachable, but leather introduces a darker edge, while cinnamon keeps the brightness from becoming overly simple. Orris brings a soft powdery register beside jasmine's floral lift, and elemi adds resinous depth as the composition moves toward its base. Praline supplies a rounded sweetness that remains balanced by the grounding character of oakmoss, vetiver, and patchouli. Tonka bean reinforces the sweet side of the accord, while amber and cedarwood give it warmth and structure.
The evolution
The opening arrives with movement: apple, mandarin, and bergamot flicker bright, while leather and cinnamon give the fruit and citrus a darker edge. That brightness gives way to a softer middle, where orris adds a powdery finish, jasmine introduces floral lift, and elemi brings a resinous accent. The character then changes shape as praline makes the composition warmer and more tactile. Tonka bean adds another layer of sweetness, while amber carries that warmth into the drydown. Cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver gradually pull the scent downward and earthward, creating a dense base of woods and vegetation. Musk rounds the edges and softens the transition between the brighter opening and the deeper, warmer finish.
Cultural impact
Bois d'Aksum can be explored through the relationship between its contrasting ingredients rather than through claims about geography, memory, or nostalgia. Apple, mandarin, and bergamot create an energetic opening that is reshaped by leather and cinnamon. Orris and jasmine bring softness and floral definition, while elemi adds a resinous transition. Praline and tonka bean introduce rounded sweetness, balanced by cedarwood, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver. Amber and musk complete a composition in which brightness gradually gives way to warmth, woods, and earth.
The House
AwshalAwshal is a Riyadh-based perfume house that connects contemporary fragrance composition with stories drawn from the Arabian Peninsula and wider regions encountered along historic trade routes. The house is associated with Oman through its collection narrative and presents its fragrances through evocative names such as Bois d'Aksum, Fou d'Amour and Caravanes d'Encens. Its first documented fragrance portfolio consists of ten releases introduced in 2024. Public information about the house remains limited, so its identity is best understood through this initial collection and the recurring themes of resin, wood, spice and atmosphere that give the perfumes their sense of place.
The Creator
Ilias ErmenidisThe Greek-Turkish nose favors transparent structures built on a solid base of natural absolutes. He reaches for oud, ambergris, and rose de mai, but always layers them with unexpected modifiers—citrus zest, spice tinctures, or a whisper of leather.
