The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Nuits de Cobalt was launched in 2024 by Awshal, with Ilias Ermenidis named as its perfumer. Grapefruit, rhubarb, and ivy form the opening, giving the fragrance a bright, tart character with a green edge. Licorice, whiskey, and vanilla then carry the composition into warmer territory, balancing sweetness with darker, boozy notes. The result begins with lively brightness and becomes more rounded and contemplative, revealing a different character as the listed notes interact over time.
The composition's intrigue comes from its push and pull. Citrus, rhubarb, and ivy create a lively, tart opening, while whiskey, licorice, and vanilla make the heart feel boozy, spiced, and rounded. Tonka Bean, Ambroxan, Patchouli, and Musk contribute to the base, adding layers of sweetness, warmth, earthiness, and depth. Together, these notes give Nuits de Cobalt a progression from a brighter introduction to a warmer, more substantial composition.
The evolution
It starts on a clean, brisk line: grapefruit brings brightness, rhubarb adds tartness, and ivy contributes a green edge. Licorice and whiskey pull the composition into its more distinctive middle, where vanilla softens the darker notes without removing their spice. The drydown is built around Tonka Bean, Ambroxan, Patchouli, and Musk. Tonka Bean adds rounded sweetness, Ambroxan brings a warm amber character, Patchouli introduces an earthy quality, and Musk completes the base with a clean presence. The arc moves from brightness to warmth, with the listed notes gradually revealing a richer and more rounded scent.
Cultural impact
Nuits de Cobalt is an interesting release for its balance of bright, warm, sweet, and earthy notes. Grapefruit and rhubarb establish a lively opening, followed by the contrasting warmth of whiskey and licorice. Vanilla softens the middle, while Tonka Bean, Ambroxan, Patchouli, and Musk add sweetness, warmth, earthiness, and depth to the base. Its appeal lies in this changing combination, offering a composition that can be appreciated through the movement between its brighter opening notes and its more substantial finish.
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.
