Senyokô Kujira Densetsu by J

Perfumer Michael Ælfric Nordstrand’s Kujira Densetsu has added a new chapter with a tale of a whale to Senyokô’s creative directors, Joseph and Eglantine Berthion’s, ever unfolding perfumed ‘bedtime tales’. It is his first perfume for Senyokô, with Euan McCall having composed the seven previous chapters. Nordstrand’s Kujira Densetsu unfolds and expands telling us of a beautiful journey, one that is revealed to us slowly throughout the wear.

Perfumer Michael Ælfric Nordstrand and Senyokô Kujira Densetsu courtesy of the brand.

Senyokô Kujira Densetsu makes me think of how oceans were once mountains, that slow slide of nature, pulling the earth down into the seas, building the world we live in now. Kujira Densetsu opens with watery fresh vegetal greens swimming through salty spiced seas. Shiso gives the greens a fresh watery coolness with its herbal mintiness and gentle camphor softening its peppery spice. Theres a gentle citrus like zing like small shavings of rind and zest have been added to water, beautiful whispers of hinoki. Salted sea fennel ups the aromatic greenery pulling out more watery nuances while giving a crisp snap and bitter like counter in feel adding a beautiful counter to the flowy sea breeze and water. As these materials merge it conjures the feel of something smooth cutting through the sea with ease, as nature grows up from the deep. The final journey of the whale looking for its resting place.

Senyokô Kujira Densetsu courtesy of the brand

As Kujira Densetsu descends deeper into the depths, darker facets reveal themselves, these elements appear more as you get intimate with the perfume, as in the air that aromatic green salty sea breeze keeps things fresh. A dank rich seaweed turns the vegetal greens a darker hue, giving a richer quality while holding onto that aromatic herbal bitterness, it’s now less of a fennel snap and more of a fleshy bite. Violet leaf and mimosa give the perfume a beautiful airy feel, imagine a soft-focus spacious haze, that sensation of looking at the world underwater where all the edges are fuzz. Red Algae emphasizes the marine style of Kujira Densetsu, as its briny saltiness blooms like the abstract green florals appearing in the vast sea surrounding us. Soft woody aromas start to conjure trees for me, with a deep patchouli menthol freshness lurking in the dark, like a cool channel of water.

J’s AI image 

It’s here in the dark that Kujira Densetsu reveals the whale, our focus shifts from the point of view of the whale cutting through the aromatic fresh seas to that of the mammal’s body. It’s soft musky animalic facets swims through the dark green seas with a sweet mossy leather like aroma. As Kujira Densetsu’s whale dies it transforms into a beautiful sea flower with tendrils of dark vegetal greens flowing around algae petals. Ambergris forms the heart a haze of musky richness letting the sea salt greens wash over it. Violet leaf brings out the floral facets while more subtle woods make it seem like the whale is dreaming of dry lands, ones they have not experienced. Prachin oud teases out more of the ambergris’ darkly sweet aromas while giving a subtle incense like smokiness to the compositions texture. Rather than feeling like traditional smoke, it’s submerged in the sea giving a thickness to the final resting waters of the whale. This use of oud in Kujira Densetsu gives a lovely nod and spiritual twist in this whale’s tale. The final late dry down of Kujira Densetsu also has this bodily warmth of post swim, sun dried skin and covered in sea salt, the ambergris and oud just whisper of softly sensual memoires worn like rose tinted glasses.

I’m usually very wary of marine-forward perfumes, but the way Michael Ælfric Nordstrand has used the vegetal and floral notes with prachin oud and ambergris keeps Kujira Densetsu feeling unique, almost like the world has been flipped upside down as the whale retreats into the woods as the ocean’s tears fill the air and skies with salty sea water as if nature’s cycle plays out upside down in the whale’s final dream. Kujira Densetsu is an exceptional perfume to experience and wear.

Notes: Shiso, Japanese Boxwood, Timur Pepper, Sea Fennel, Coleus Root, Oarweed Absolute, Mimosa, Labrador Tea, Sugar Kelp, Patchouli, Violet Leaves, Red Algae, Sea Moss, Ambergris, Prachin Oud.

Disclosure: A sample of Senyokô Kujira Densetsu was sent to J for review, thoughts and nose are his own.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist and olfactive writer.

 

Senyokô Kujira Densetsu courtesy of the brand.

Thanks to the generosity of Senyokô we have a tester bottle of Senyokô Kujira Densetsu one registered reader worldwide (you must register on our site or your comment will not count). To be eligible please let us know what you thought of J’s review and where you live. Draw closes 2/17/2026

Hora de la Verdad Sombra and Migration de L’Arbre were Finalists for the Art and Olfaction Awards (2023 and 2019 respectively).

Please read Ida’s reviews of Hora de la Verdad Sombra, Hora de la Verdad and Duo des Fleurs

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