The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Gugalanna arrived in 2024 from Parfum de Mahzen, created by perfumers Özge Öğütcü and Eren Öğütcü. Its name points to Gugalanna, the mythological bull of the sky and a symbol of rebellion, while the fragrance belongs to the house's Ancient Spirits collection. The official description calls it provocative and irresistible, framing the scent as an encounter with ancient spirits rather than a polished floral exercise. That rebellious charge arrives through a deliberate collision of materials: cool mineral notes and violet leaf beside saffron, bright citrus and red fruit, then leather, resinous notes, woods, and sweetness underneath. The opening feels airy and precise, with green leaf and mineral notes setting an almost stark tone.
The composition becomes interesting because its tenderness and danger sit side by side. Neroli, orange blossom, jasmine, rose, and osmanthus give the heart a polished floral glow, but milk and marshmallow keep it playful rather than severe. Saffron brings metallic heat, leather lowers the register, and resinous notes lend a smoky, ancient air. The result isn't a study in darkness. It's tension with perfume on, the moment a bright white flower catches fire and somehow still looks elegant.
The evolution
At first, the fragrance feels almost weightless: cool mineral air, sharp green violet leaf, petitgrain, and neroli move quickly across the skin, with saffron adding a metallic flicker and red fruit supplying a slick, tempting fruitiness. The heart then gathers orange blossom, jasmine, rose, osmanthus, and mandarin around cinnamon, resins, and the soft curve of milk. Those bright materials don't simply fade; they hand the composition to leather, Akigalawood®, marshmallow, immortelle, vanilla, cedar, and musk. As the drydown settles, the marshmallow and vanilla keep a plush sweetness close while leather and woods give it weight. Projection and longevity are described as above-average, with the scent gradually revealing its warmer, darker character. The final impression is softly smoky, leathery, and faintly sweet against skin.
Cultural impact
Gugalanna draws on the mythology of Gugalanna, the bull of the sky and a symbol of rebellion, while its Ancient Spirits collection places the fragrance within a theme of mythic power and elemental contrasts. The composition pairs saffron, mineral notes, violet leaf, petitgrain, red fruits, and neroli with florals, resins, leather, woods, milk, vanilla, and musk. Its cultural significance lies in presenting an ancient mythological symbol through a contemporary fragrance associated with provocation and strength.
The House
Parfum de MahzenParfum de Mahzen is a Turkish niche fragrance house that presents its perfumes through distinct collections shaped by oud, incense, spice, amber, and aromatic compositions. The house’s catalogue includes Uchcha, Molecule Oudh, Capri, Hûma, Cervo, Amyris Oudh, Incense Oudh, Supreme Oudh, Amalfi, and Sangal. Publicly available information is still limited, but its naming, collection structure, and published scent notes suggest a focus on layered compositions with a strong Eastern influence. Individual perfumes are positioned as expressive olfactory studies rather than a single, uniform signature. Parfum de Mahzen is best understood as a recent house building a varied portfolio across oud-led scents, resinous compositions, fresh citrus profiles, and warm spice.
The Creator
Özge Öğütcü & Eren ÖğütcüHer signature lies in structured contrasts, a technique she has described as fusion. Dense, dark materials can share the stage with brightness, while incense, oud and woods provide depth against cooler or more transparent notes.
