House of Mammoth Voices (Benjamin Esposito) 2022 +rijsttafel giveaway

House of Mammoth Voices

House of Mammoth Voices by Rachel

While on a recent holiday in the Netherlands, I made sure to visit my favorite restaurant for a meal of rijsttafel (rice table), a nearly unending parade of small dishes of various spicy-sticky-sweet Indonesian cuisine. When presented with the mango rice dish, I was immediately reminded of a new scent I encountered thanks to the 2023 Art & Olfaction Awards announcement, I read, House of Mammoth Voices.

I always look forward to learning more about the Art & Olfaction Award finalists, (CaFleureBon has been a media partner since 20016). As always, since the awards inception, all fragrances were judged without knowing the name nor the perfumer, blind judging (to remove personal bias and the judges received no compensation: 2023 judges here). because I am guaranteed to be introduced to brands and perfumers I may have overlooked in a sea of new releases. As soon as this year’s finalists were announced, I ordered samples from the Artisan and Independent categories wherever something caught my eye (nose?). There was one fragrance, House of Mammoth Voices, that had such an interesting list of notes that I jumped right in with a blind full bottle purchase.  I was not to be disappointed.

Benjamin Esposito of House of Mammoth

Benjamin Esposito courtesy of the perfumer

House of Mammoth Voices is a collaboration between House of Mammoth and the Lather Talk podcast, both geared towards shaving and beard products but also branch out to fragrances. Voices is created by perfumer Benjamin Esposito and is a finalist in the Artisan category, meaning the brand is owned or co-owned by the perfumer, who initiated and created the submission’s formula in-house, released under the brand’s name.

 Mango and rice in perfumes

 Unsplash  mango and sticky rice collage by Rachel

There is something about a rice, cereal or grain note in a scent that really intrigues me.  Perhaps the memory of freshly cooked meals or my travels in South East Asia sampling spices and flavor combinations that I would never have thought to cook on my own.  House of Mammoth Voices takes the distinctive scent of sticky rice and combines it with a blend of pandan leaves, mango and coconut creating a gourmand yet not overly sweet aroma.  Voices does not conjure images of taking a bite a of fresh juicy mango, it is the scent of mango baked into a rice dish together with the aromatic “Asian vanilla”, as to which pandan leaves are often referred.  There is a soft nuttiness in voices that doesn’t scream coconut but, instead provides a more

House of Mammoth Voices is  a perfume of “simplexity”, and remains steadily delicious throughout its wearing; I find it  extremely soothing with its lactonic creaminess over a similarly soft woody base. There is no need to complicate things when Voices provides such a rich savory aroma that will almost make your mouth water.

Notes: mango, pandan, sticky rice, coconut milk, vetiver, orris, and wood

Disclaimer: Review is based on a bottle I purchased from the brand.  My opinions are my own

Update: Voices won in the Art and Olfaction Category of Artisan

Rachel Watson, Senior Contributor

House of Mammoth Voices (courtesy of the brand)

House of Mammoth Voic

Thanks to the generosity of Benjamin Esposito, we have a 48 ml bottle of Voices for one registered reader in the US. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest about Rachel’s review of House of Mammoth Voice. Draw closes 5/11/2023

Editor’s Note: House of Mammoth Voices, was created by Benjamin Esposito in 2022 and can be purchased here. 10% of each full bottle sold will be donated to Stop AAPI Hate and their mission to advance equity, justice, and power by dismantling systemic racism and building a multiracial movement to end anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate.

The 9th Art and Olfaction Awards will take place on Thursday May 11, 2023 at the historic Cicada Club in Los Angeles. Good Luck Ben!

Benjamin Esposito is166th in our American Perfumer Series, which officially began with Dawn Spencer Hurwitz of DSH Perfumes on July 11, 2011

Follow us on Instagram @cafleurebonofficial @dubaiscents @house.of.mammoth @lathertalk @artandolfaction @stopaapihate

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33 comments

  • joshuabrian says:

    Wow, this company sounds very interesting. Seems like they’re doing great work behind the scenes as well. I’m interested in the lacy pic qualities of this particular fragrance. Sounds great. Thanks for the opportunity. From USA!

  • Torax says:

    Great review by Rachel here. House of Mammoth looks like a great perfume house and Voices particularly is a fragrance I would love to try.
    I love mango and specially mango in fragrances so Voices is a fragrance I would addore. I also love that it has rice and coconut notes, just amazing.
    USA here.

  • Arron_Q says:

    Oh wow, I have not heard of this house before now but Rachels’ comments certainly have me intrigued. I, too, am a lover of unconventional notes and when I see something unusual in a fragrance breakdown my mind begins to race and my heart begins to flutter. No exception here. Mango itself isn’t that uncommon but rice is a note that you don’t see all too often. In my experience it often adds a slight nutty character along with a hefty dose of coziness. I would love to see how it plays with the mango in this one, especially since Rachel talks about it being more like a baked mango dessert than a fresh mango scent. I’ve never experienced pandan before so I am itersted to see what that is like as well. Will defintiely be giving this one a shot. I live in NC, USA.

  • soviz says:

    I really enjoy lactonic notes, and the combination with pandan and sticky rice sounds like a wonderful take on a gourmand, with the fruitiness of the mango. I have a tricky relationship with gourmands; I tend not to enjoy them when they’re dominated by very obviously sweet notes like caramel, honey, cotton candy, etc, but this sounds like a really winning combination. I am located in New York, in the US. Thank you!

  • cnii says:

    This sounds sooooo beautiful. The smell of rice can be magic, and if Benjamin Esposito gets that part right, I *almost* don’t care about the rest. But yes, mango, coconut milk, and pandan are also intoxicating smells, so I would really love to smell House of Mammoth Voices. Congratulations to the house and perfumer on being an A&O Awards Finalist! Thanks for the review and giveaway! I’m in WV, USA

  • John Michael Jones says:

    Jez, these notes peek my interest. mango, pandan, sticky rice, coconut milk, vetiver, orris, and wood? Wow!
    Good luck from Boston

  • Trinity33 says:

    Fun review Rachel! I’m always happy to see small companies giving back to the community and I especially like to see anti-hate initiatives. Voices seem like a lovely blend with mango, orris and woods. This is the second fragrance I’ve seen with pandan in the past six months. I must try it! MD, USA.

  • TravisO says:

    Such a great new house. Everything they sell is simple. Logo is great so merch looks good on everything.

    Voices sounds just like that. Sometimes simple is the best especially when blind buying. Too complicated is expensive at times and does not appeal to everyone.

    I love Mango and Rice. Thanks from the USA

  • castlemicro says:

    Hello from Florida, and thanks to Rachel for writing this descriptive review! I’m down to try anything with a pandan note, and this is no exception. It’s great that the brand is donating to support the communities whose cultures inspired the scent.

  • SantiagoL says:

    Congratulations for finalist in the Artisan category i dont really have a mango fragrance in my collection i am wowed by its notes sounds really great for the nose good luck everyone.

  • sav17 says:

    I was unaware of the House of Mammoth, but I enjoyed learning about its inception. Like Rachel, I am also intrigued by rice, cereal, and grain notes. Voices sounds truly delicious with its notes of mango, sticky rice, pandan, and coconut milk. I love mango sticky rice with coconut cream as a dessert and I imagine Voices smells very similar to its aroma. Just like the dessert, it sounds like Voices is gourmand but not overly sweet. I love that Rachel described Voices as having a soft nuttiness. I am so glad Rachel reviewed the fragrance because it’s going straight to my test list. It’s something I would consider blind-buying just based on the notes and Rachel’s review; it sounds THAT good. I love that 10 % of proceeds from each purchased bottle will benefit Stop AAPI Hate. Thank you, Rachel, for the great review, and thank you to Benjamin Esposito for the generous giveaway. I am located in the US.

  • Aya Voss says:

    This house seems very interesting and I’d love to dig in more to know the stories behind on their creations. I was born and raised in Japan currently living in the States, I’ve experienced and witnessed some discrimination, it’s very encouraging for me to see the actual action of supporting the community by donating their partial profit to AAPI. Sending love from Chicago!

  • johnmadison says:

    Mango sticky rice is my favorite dessert of all time, and Voices not only captures it but adds new depth with vetiver, orris, and wood. I really feel this fragrance would suit me well.
    Thank you for the lovely review, Rachel!
    John – Minnesota USA

  • fastnee says:

    Great job Rachel. I have used House of Mammoth shaving products, and it looks like it has the potential to be a great perfume house as well. The savory aspect of Voices sounds very interesting. NV, USA.

  • kusudamakitten98 says:

    This fragrance sounds very unique — I have never smelled sticky rice or pandan in a fragrance before but I am quite curious about it! I liked that Rachel relates the smell to mango sticky rice, which is delicious. As a Chinese American myself, I appreciate the fact that the company donates some of the proceeds to stop AAPI hate.

    From NJ, USA

  • Bonnie Beck says:

    This review beautifully captures the intrigue and allure of scents featuring rice, cereal, or grain notes. Rachel eloquently conveys the unique and captivating nature of House of Mammoth Voices, painting a vivid picture of a fragrance that combines culinary delights with olfactory pleasure. USA

  • subtleglow says:

    Rachel’s review evokes such a feast for the senses and is one that I would very much like to try a taste of! Rice notes in particular are intriguing to me as they can come across in so many different ways through the art of perfumery. I’m located in Texas, USA

  • rmsssss says:

    Rachel’s review really takes me back to my time in Thailand enjoying a sweet and savory mango sticky rice for dessert. I would love to have a bottle of Voices to transport me there on a regular basis. I’m in MN, USA!

  • Kris Graham says:

    I just learned of pandan as a note yesterday while reading about another fragrance, so it immediately caught my eye in this review. I’m intrigued to smell it, and it helps that’s it’s paired with rice- a note I find to be so cozy in fragrances. Thank you for the review! NC, USA

  • mmerline says:

    I’m lucky to have tried Voices as an absolutely delightful shaving soap and aftershave scent, created for a good cause (Stop AAPI Hate)—though I haven’t tried the fragrance yet. I really enjoyed reading Rachel’s take, and I agree with her description of how this scent is balanced; the notes would have you think it’s very sweet, but it’s more nutty and creamy, and not at all sachrine. I’m also surprised to hear that the vetiver and woody notes don’t take over as the fragrance progresses. Thanks for the review!

    I’m in the midwest, USA.

  • Gnossiennes says:

    Thanks for the review, Rachel. And congrats to Benjamin for the A+OA nomination.
    The mango rice metaphor makes Voices sound so cosy! I am curious about how the interpretation will differ from other works such as Calice Becker’s Moonlight in Heaven.
    BTW, love their CSR commissions.
    Love from San Mateo, California.

  • Anna H says:

    I have a box of pandan mochi sitting in my cupboard — I’m waiting to finish my brown sugar mochi before I give the pandan flavor a try. I watch June Xie’s cooking channel on youtube and she frequently raves about pandan, so I am eager to give it a try. “Simplexity” is a new term to me, but I like the sound of it! Also, mango sticky rice is my favorite dessert to get at our local Thai restaurant — yummo. Based on all of these details, I believe Voices and I would get along really well.
    Thanks for the generous draw!
    Indiana, USA

  • AleksCipri says:

    Wow. I’m so happy to hear about this house for the first time. I have to check out their website. Rice note is one of the most comforting lovely notes I just adore. I got automatically interested when I saw mango and coconut notes combined with rice. But what intrigues me the most is Rachel’s description and mentions of laconic creaminess and woody base. This sounds like my kind of fragrance! I’m from Illinois US.

  • roxhas1cat says:

    I’d love to try that sticky rice/mango dessert. Yum. Sounds like a beautiful blend of notes. Simplexity…..I like that word. I don’t want my fragrance too simple or complex. Thanks for the chance. USA.

  • RonaldProkes17 says:

    This is such an interesting fragrance and review. I like how Rachel connected the soft gourmand note to her memories of meals in Asia. I find the note of mango so interesting and it sounds like it is done so well here. I don’t have a lactonic perfume, but they’ve always been intriguing and comforting to me. I also like the ethos of the house of “simplexity” I think that’s a really great approach and would love to try this fragrance. Glad it’s getting recognition.
    California, USA.

  • Enzoftheworld says:

    This fragrance sounds wonderful – I’m a big fan of mango as a listed note, from salted green mango by Strangers to Xerjoff Cruz Del Sur II. The latter has a similar sound lactonic quality, but I love the sound of the sticky rice and coconut that this adds. I would love to be registered to win – would ship to Pittsburgh, PA.

  • dLin says:

    This fragrance’s notes sound very intriguing. The fragrance itself is somewhat a gourmand fragrance, but not of the conventional sweet, vanilla, cocoa, or fruity notes. I’m very interested to see how well the sticky rice note matches the real thing. From TX, USA.

  • FragranceIsMe says:

    I like how Rachel describes this creation as having “Simplexity”.
    The notes in this fragrance have piqued my attention. They sound wonderful. Can’t wait to get my nose on this one. This is my first time hearing about this house. Thank you for the introduction 🙂
    USA

  • Caliwas says:

    Beautiful review by Rachel I must say that my mouth began to water from the scent profile also. What really sparks my interest in this gourmand fragrance Voices is the mango, coconut and rice notes. All are very delicious to my palate. Thanks for the amazing giveaway. Blessings from the USA.

  • wallygator88 says:

    Thanks for the great review Rachel.

    I have a small amount of the fragrance with me and it is indeed quite a beautiful fragrance, that leans gourmand, without being really a gourmand in any way.

    The mango is beautiful and smells like the fruit, not like candy, the rice is nutty and has a beautiful creaminess and the scent has a lovely woodiness that ties everything perfectly.

    Fingers crossed for the House of Mammoth!

    Cheers from WI, USA

  • drjedi says:

    What I liked in Rachel’s review of House of Mammoth Voices is that this perfume is gourmand but is not overly sweet. I am quite intrigued by how the smell of sticky rice would be in a perfume. House of Mammoth Voices seems perfect for summer weather with it’s notes of mango and coconut. No experience with this brand but seems to be a fun one to check out. Thanks for the review and draw. From continental United States.

  • Regis Monkton says:

    House of Mammoth Voices sounds very interesting and I’m very intrigued to try it. I’d love to add this fragrance to my collection when Rachel describes it as: “House of Mammoth Voices takes the distinctive scent of sticky rice and combines it with a blend of pandan leaves, mango and coconut creating a gourmand yet not overly sweet aroma. Voices does not conjure images of taking a bite a of fresh juicy mango, it is the scent of mango baked into a rice dish together with the aromatic “Asian vanilla”, as to which pandan leaves are often referred. There is a soft nuttiness in voices that doesn’t scream coconut”. This fragrance sounds like a unique gourmand. I live in the U.S.A.

  • sephrenia300 says:

    Lovely review Rachel! What sparks my interest about Rachel’s review of House of Mammoth Voice is the idea of a gourmand that is not overly sweet and features the distinctive scent of sticky rice combined with pandan leaves, mango and coconut. I rarely fall in love with gourmand fragrances because I find most of them overly sweet. But I love Asian desserts specifically because they are significantly less sweet than your average western desserts so a gourmand inspired by Asian ingredients sounds like just the right gourmand for me! I live in the US.