Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud Review (David Falsberg) 2022 + Inner Bohemian Giveaway

October 10, 2022October 10, 2022

Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud© @wearescentient

Thrown like a star in my vast sleep
I opened my eyes to take a peek
To find that I was by the sea
Gazing with tranquility

‘Twas then when the Hurdy Gurdy Man
Came singing songs of love. ~ Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan Leitch

David Falsberg of Phoenicia Perfumes

David Falsberg has been feeling the creative itch over the past few years and is moving away from his initial all-natural palette (his first fragrances were released in 2013) to a mixed media focus. For those as yet unfamiliar, David named his house Phoenicia Perfumes in homage to the mythical phoenix which rises from the ashes and is reborn: as a survivor of Stevens-Johnson syndrome in 2007, he lost his sight and endured months of skin grafting as a result. The unforeseen positive was his emergence as an “alpha dog” (David’s reference) with a more acute sense of smell. David Falsberg’s compositions were unanimously acclaimed in ÇaFleureBon’s 2013 Best of Show.

Enter Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud, David’s desire to render authentic Thai oud delicious to a wider audience. Raspberry M’Oud is a complex, lively eau de parfum that warrants an alternative moniker: Lovechild Oud (perhaps David really is the Hurdy Gurdy Man!). It is chock full of all the aromatic components which would make any self-respecting hippie swoon – and current day perfume fetishists as well. Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud encompasses nearly everything excepting cannabis – all the while managing to be fun and delightfully wearable.

This artwork is by Mary Jones and inspired the fragrance. She’s the painter collaborating with David on “The Coma Aroma Chronicles” at Keller Gallery.

Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud is a fruity/floral frolic-cum-herbal spicy incense/resinous/woody extravaganza. There’s no alternative way to describe it. Its introductory raspberry note is luscious, especially when accompanied by yuzu and garnished with Paradisamide® (Givaudan) – a tropical-inspired aromachemical with a diverse scent profile displaying facets of guava, grapefruit, rhubarb and cassis. David keeps schtum regarding which herbs and spices he employs, but there are savory nuances I detect which murmur of the kitchen. A zesty neroli, rich orange blossom and fruity ylang extra lend their voices, as they meld with plum incense (hello, 1960s-70s!), soft cedar and sandalwood aspects, and a lovely Thai oud brimming with tobacco and maple syrup tones to complement its naturally animalic bent. As Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud develops in the drydown, its lasting impression retains both fruit and flower nestling in a dish of smoldering incense. It’s perfect for accessing your inner Bohemian.

Notes: raspberry pulp, yuzu zest, Paradisamide® (Givaudan), herbs, spices, orange flower, neroli, plum incense, ylang extra, Thai oud, opoponax, Himalayan cedar, sandalwood, natural amber accord, tonka bean, artificial ambergris

~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor

Sample kindly provided by the perfumer – many thanks! My nose is my own.

Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud

Thanks to David’s generosity, we are offering a 30ml sprayer, $140 pray flacon of Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’Oud for one registered reader in the USA. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment about what sparks your interest in Phoenicia Perfumes Raspberry M’ Oud and if you are an oud fragrance lover. Draw closes 10/14/2022

Deputy Editor’s Note: Please read more about David’s creativity in the following fragrance reviews – two personal favorites, Far NW, Skin Graft, along with RealOud 2021 and Dark Musk. Discover more about him in Michelyn’s Profiles in Perfumery here. For an educational slant, David wrote about the art of enfleurage and headspace technology here.