Ofanins

The structure here is unusual for 2017. Most fragrances in that period leaned either aromatic-fresh or warm-oriental. Ofanins does both, in sequence. The blood orange and Bulgarian lavender open the door. The blue cypress and ylang-ylang hold the middle ground. The oakmoss and agarwood arrive late and leave last. That sequencing, citrus-spice to aromatic-floral to woody-mossy, isn't common in niche perfumery, where simpler pyramids tend to rule. The presence of five base notes, including both Indian sandalwood and oud, suggests Sanderson Santana was building something that would outlast a single wear. This is a fragrance designed for the drydown, not the first spray.

The evolution

The opening is immediate and confident. Blood orange and Calabrian bergamot hit together, with the cardamom arriving thirty seconds later to add a warm, slightly resinous edge. The Bulgarian lavender keeps the citrus from becoming sweet, herbal, almost dry, the kind of lavender that smells like the plant rather than the bottle. Two hours in, the jasmine and ylang-ylang begin to show. Not loudly. The blue cypress is doing the heavier lifting at this stage, adding a faint mineral quality that lifts the floral heart without softening it. By hour three, the wood takes over. Cedar and sandalwood form the structure. Patchouli adds the earth. The oakmoss is the surprise, present, slightly animalic, the kind of mossy depth that was more common in older compositions and less common in 2017 releases. The agarwood arrives last, rounding the base into something denser and more persistent. The sillage drops from moderate to intimate around hour four. The drydown that follows, sandalwood, cedar, a ghost of oakmoss, holds for another two to three hours on most skin.