Testament London Quinta Essentia, official brand photo via Instagram

“Show not what has been done, but what can be. How beautiful the world would be if there were a procedure for moving through labyrinths.” Umberto Eco

In ancient times, people believed the world was composed of four fundamental elements: earth, air, fire, and water. However, when it came to the celestial bodies – the stars and planets –  they thought them to be made out of something entirely different. During the Middle Ages, this mysterious substance was referred to in Latin as quinta essentia, meaning “fifth essence” and it was thought to be vital to all matter, many believed that isolating it could hold the key to many answers, including curing every disease. The term “quintessence,” derived from quinta essentia, remains in use today to describe the purest form of something, and quite interestingly, modern physicists have given the concept a fresh spin, using “quintessence” to describe a type of dark energy that is believed to constitute nearly 70 percent of the energy in the observable universe.

Perfumer Chris Maurice

So, who better to craft olfactory alchemy in Testament London Quinta Essentia than the master himself, Chris Maurice? His creations strike with the precision of a perfectly composed melody – and you recognize his touch from the very first note. Bold, vertical, and flawlessly structured, his fragrances showcase both his technical brilliance and his creative flair. And when it comes to his constructions on themes of alchemical depth, his work is pure magic, and the first that come to my mind go from the sparkling elegance of Xerjoff Alexandria II to the posh plushness of Opera to my beloved Kemi’s Layla or the bold Manos Gerakinis’s Anthem. There’s a special recipe to the way Chris Maurice balances the velvety richness of the perfect rose with the smoky depth of oud – in all creations, different facets, and different moods come to light.

AI Mood photo by Nicoleta 

I tend to enter a pretty hyperfocused state of when I dive into work (and no, I’m not talking about writing, this never feels like work, even when IT IS :P) and I’ve got a whole set of idiosyncrasies that make some people sigh in exasperation: the lighting has to be just right, my hair can’t touch my face, I can’t listen to music, and -gasp- I can’t wear perfume. Well, almost. There are a few exceptions, ironically enough, and they’re the same Jo Malone scents I wear to the gym. One day, in the middle of a deadline frenzy, I dived into work forgetting I’d sprayed a couple (okay, more than a couple) of generous spritzes of Quinta Essentia on my wrists earlier. Hours later, after tweaking pixels in that hyper-focused zone, I realized I’d been surrounded by it the whole time – present, but never overbearing. It felt like it had seamlessly become part of my mood, like it belonged there all along. The next day, I decided to wear it on purpose and pay attention to how it made me feel. And, well, let’s just say things got interesting.

AI Mood photo by Nicoleta 

If you’ve read any of my articles, you probably know by now: for me, “a rose is a rose is a rose,” and I have nothing but love for any fragrance that showcases my velvety kryptonite. Whether smeared with lipstick, smoked in incense, covered in chocolate, buried in patchouli, dipped in oud, or scattered along fine wood grains  – if it’s rose, I’m here for it. Be it the star of the show or just whispering from the dark corners, be it bright, dewy, or the dark, crimson gothic petals, and everything in between – color me smitten. For me, Quinta Essentia is a good example of what an abstract yet true-to-form interpretation rose-oud combination should really feel like.

The Name of the Rose 1986 movie IMDb

One of my favorite visual metaphors of all time is the labyrinth from The Name of the Rose – a movie I’m convinced rewired my brain when I watched it as a (very) small child. I find myself thinking of the labyrinth more often than I like to admit – such a brilliant representation of an open-ended, non-linear space. There, meaning constantly shifts and evolves – an interplay of free will and determinism, where choices within its twisting corridors aren’t just navigating yourself a way out – but about growth, error, and the relentless search for understanding. Staring at my screens while tweaking away in Unreal sometimes feels like navigating a maze where I’m both the architect and the one trapped inside it – building as I go, in control but unaware of the big (big) picture. Adjusting lights, shifting angles, writing a new line of dialogue for an NPC, then stepping back to see it from the player’s point of view – it’s all part of the process. Sure, it’s just pixels, but each one carries its own purpose, case-and-effect, shaped by the logic assigned to it. Reality feels much the same – energy molded by rules we take for granted… but every so often, when you shift your perspective, it’s like hitting “~no clip” in real life, slipping past the barriers of what’s solid and catching a glimpse of something deeper, just beyond reach. There are countless keys scattered across time and memory, and what they unlock depends entirely on how you choose to turn them.

AI Mood photo by Nicoleta 

Testament London Quinta Essentia is both a literal rose and an abstract construct, mirroring the fragmented, fluid nature of our own timeless journeys. Chris Maurice’s creations are hard to pin down into the parts that make the sum – as they’re organic, shapeshifting beasts that don’t let their magic be fully captured in a simple fragrance pyramid. The scent opens with a vibrant blast of spice – cardamom and pepper crackle against the skin – before melting into a dusty red rose, intertwined with the carnal facets of jasmine. Patchouli and vetiver lend it the earthy breath of an ancient cellar as if the door creaks open to reveal ancient secrets. Vanilla and tonka smooth and sweeten the edges just enough, taming the composition without dulling its beautiful depth. All the while, oud growls softly in the background, ever-present but never overpowering – the beautiful beast trapped in the rose labyrinth.

There’s a quiet space woven into the perfume’s texture – it’s never too loud, too harsh, or too much. Meditative and grounded, this is a rose that feels like it was conjured from a recipe hidden in an ancient grimoire, yet it’s airy and futuristic enough to feel almost weightless. I can’t think of a better name to describe this multilayered rose, that is indeed, of the fifth dimension… and for those who appreciate the details as much as I do, let me just say: the sprayer delivers one of the finest mists I’ve ever encountered – an elegant finishing touch to an already smooth experience.

Bogdan Vlad, founder of Testament London, photo via the brand

Testament London is a niche perfumery house founded in 2018 by Bogdan Vlad, a man who has found a profound sense of meaning and purpose in the art of perfumey. In his words: “For most of my life, I’ve been on a quest to find ways to express myself as fragrances have been a part of my life since I was around fourteen years old. While fragrances weren’t a major part of my life for many years, my love for them was something I always carried with me, no matter where I was. This was going to be my Testament to the world – everything I’ve seen, felt, and experienced; everything I’ve learned; all the poetry I’ve read and written; all of the books I love; all the cultural differences; and all the things I can’t say. This will be my Testament Collection.” (..) Each scent is designed to be a legacy, remembered long after the moment has passed, much like the stories and memories they are meant to evoke. This ethos is at the heart of our brand, where each fragrance is more than a scent – it’s an experience interwoven with emotional depth and cultural resonance. Our scents are a fusion of European sophistication and the mystique of Eastern traditions, designed to be worn by anyone, anywhere, regardless of the occasion. They are reminders of the shared human experience, crafted to transcend cultural boundaries and celebrate global heritage.”

Top Notes: Cardamom, Rose, Pepper; Heart Notes: Rose, Jasmine, Cypriol, Patchouly; Base Notes: Vetiver, Tonka Bean, Vanilla, Oud

Nicoleta Tomsa, Senior Editor

Disclosure: A bottle of Quinta Essentia was kindly offered by the brand, opinions are always my own.

Testament London Quinta Essentia, photo by Nicoleta

Thanks to the generosity of Testament London we have a 65 ml bottle of Quinta Essentia Extrait de Parfum for one registered reader from the EU, UK, or US. You must register or your entry will not count. Please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Nicoleta’s review and where you live. Draw closes 2/6/2925

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