The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Private Blend: Currantfunk arrived in 2025 as part of Ensar Oud's EO Privée line. The name sets up an immediate collision: the bright tartness of currants meeting the full force of the brand's animalic library, no hedging, no dilution. On skin, that premise delivers exactly what you'd expect from the label, with the blackcurrant note bursting open first, almost like biting into a ripe berry still cold from the fridge, then settling into the warmer, muskier territory below. The oud and civet work in tandem here, neither one fully dominating, but together creating a dense, almost furry texture that clings close to the skin rather than projecting aggressively. Beeswax rounds out the edges, lending a waxy smoothness that keeps the sharper notes from feeling acidic.
What makes Currantfunk structurally unusual isn't the presence of animalics, it's the volume. Castoreum, civet, hyraceum, Tonkin musk, Mongolian musk, ambergris, all stacked rather than sequenced. Most compositions use one or two of these materials as textural seasoning. Here they function as the architecture, with beeswax and oud acting as the binding agent and blackcurrant, blueberry, and sour cherry providing the sugary tension that keeps the whole thing from collapsing into pure musk. It's a layering decision that requires either deep confidence or deep foolishness. The brand wagered on the former.
The evolution
The first ten minutes belong to fruit. Mandarin zest, blackcurrant, a quick pepper sting that doesn't last, sweet enough to trick you into thinking this is something approachable. Then the berries darken. Sour cherry folds into the oud, beeswax thickens the texture, and around the thirty-minute mark the animalics begin their slow rotation. Civet arrives first, sharp and slightly soiled, then castoreum underneath, leathery and warm. By hour two the musk blend has settled into a dense resinous hum, frankincense and myrrh catching light in the background while the hyraceum adds a mineral, almost rocky undertone. The fruit never fully disappears, but it recedes into something darker, jam-like, preserved. This stays audible for 10+ hours without effort. The next morning, on fabric, the oud is still talking. Quieter. Still talking.
Cultural impact
Currantfunk operates as one of the more concentrated animalic releases available, loaded with civet and castoreum alongside oud, and it makes no apologies for that weight. The composition rewards anyone curious enough to seek out an obscure bottling, since mainstream retailers won't carry anything this feral. On skin, the blackcurrant opens bright and almost candied, but within minutes the castoreum and civet take over, pulling the whole thing into a warm, musky territory that clings for hours.
