Description
“Inspired by a legendary ruler, Neela Vermeire Creations’ new release Ashoka, is a tribute to an emperor who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured.
He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Buddha’s teachings, to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun.
His own evolution from ruthless conqueror to benevolent emperor is
reflected in Ashoka’s journey from the fierce opening to a softly floral heart and the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown” — press release of the brand. Ashoka was launched in 2013. The nose behind this fragrance is Bertrand Duchaufour.
Mejtq701InsuffBooni – :
Far more discreet, femme and fragrant than I was expecting, but genuinely lovely. Maybe the name (Ashoka was one of the founding emperors of India’s ancient Maurya dynasty), the house and the price misled me, because I thought this would be far, far louder – a great spicy trampling elephant charge of a scent – and instead it’s a serene, reflective interlude by a pool in some lavish but tasteful gardens. In film terms, this is Satyajit Ray, not Bollywood. Classy and intelligent, not blasting your head off in a whirl of clashing sensation, but lulling you into calm contemplation.
Extremely creamy at first – I could have sworn it was a good, natural, organic coconut note! – and the milkiness of the fig wood works wonderfully. There’s not a whiff of bitterness or overbearing fruitiness, as many fig-centric scents can have; instead it’s pure, botanical gorgeousness, smelling of natural sap and discretion. The lotus, tonka and mimosa are kept in check so it never gets too sweet or too rampantly floral. There’s a really nice, mild, greenish note throughout which never gets bitter or overly herbal – it’s like the very first few seconds of the smell of a snapped blade of grass, but without the hay or acridity that creep in to older, drier cut grass. Styrax and vetiver give a hint of earthiness underneath it all, but no more than a very subtle hint. Vague auras of sweet-very-gentle spiciness hang about from the sandalwood and resins, but they are not dominant at all. I get barely any rose or leather so don’t be afraid of them.
Overall this is still a green/floral, but one which is warm and restrained enough for me to absolutely love it – even if it’s subcontinents away from my usual favourites. It’s not cliched in any way, and while some facets reminded me of L’Artisan Caligna or Diptyque Philosykos, this is still a very different animal. Its performance is pretty low-key, and the full beauty of the initial creaminess doesn’t last much past 2 hours, but every later phase is absolutely lovely too, and you can still get the odd whiff of pleasure up to 6h later. Coconut and/or fig fans should try it straight away; absolutely anyone who gets the chance should give it a go and prepare to be pleasantly, mildly surprised.
Voevoda84 – :
10 – Burst of vanilla and – spicy leather floral? Not bad. I can smell the incense.
Very green open.
1:30 – forgot I was wearing it. Meh. Total skin scent. My coworker who makes a point of letting me know how he feels about the day’s perfume didn’t say a word.
The positive though, one of the better tonkas I’ve encountered, and well blended. Has a lot of the qualities of a white floral perfume without being screechy or giving me a headache. It also has that juicy note that literally makes my mouth water.
Maks1970 – :
Ashoka is a beautiful, bright and soothing oriental beauty where the two main notes are sandalwood and fig leaf/milk. These sweet notes are enhanced by Lotus, rose, water hyacinth, parsley, osmanthus, iris, incense, jasmine, geranium, ylang-ylang, fir, myrrh, cedar, vanilla, ambre gris, birch, vetiver, leather, styrax, and heliotrope to create a mystical, meditative and very beautiful juice that is very spiritual and reflective. Never overpowering, and shining with many oriental transcendental layers that slowly unfurl with the scent lingering on your skin, this is put quite simply, a gorgeous creation. Only topped by the the same perfumer/house offering Trayee, this is as good as it gets with modern oriental perfumery. Another extraordinary creation from Neela Vermiere and Bertrand Duchaufour.
rabotay – :
I smelled other notes while testing and checked on Neela Vermeire Creations’ website:
Top notes
Lotus, rose, water hyacinth,fig leaf, parsley leaf
Heart notes
Osmanthus absolute, cassie absolute (acacia farnesiana), iris, incense essence, Jasmine sambac, fig milk, geranium,
ylang-ylang
Base notes
Fir balsam absolute, myrrh, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla accord, ambre gris, birch, Haitian vetiver, leather, styrax, heliotrope
plkresslm8 – :
Oh, so beautiful to start. Ashoka opens with lucid, watery notes and fresh green coconut.
Fig warms the scent and brings some milky depth but never subtracts the greenness, creating an interesting contrast — slightly creamy like lotion with a hint of light floral beauty. I smell some subtle fruitiness contributed by osmanthus. Here it reminds me of Estee Lauder’s Brasil Dream.
Woody, creamy, figgy floral with a green resinous base. It’s one of those that I’d classify as a green gourmand. Sometimes the fig notes linger too heavy for me and I feel like I’m smelling suntan lotion. I think though that this is a great scent for those who want to explore gourmand niche perfumes.
mrazeslav – :
Opens with a creamy, milky fig leaf note that kind of smells like when you crack open a can of coconut milk. Reminds me of home cooking. Underneath is a subdued incense and some softer greens and sweet notes, but fig leaf and incense are the only notes I can really discern.
79041836024 – :
Love this. The earthiness of the fig leaf and fir, leather and smoke and the balsamic touch of sweetness make for a perfect real earthy scent. Love scents that smell this natural.
dimasyan – :
Its very nice and opulent as you would expect with so many notes. It opens with fig, incense. lotus and sweetness from the tonka. My skin really amps up the incense which prevent a fb purchase aside from the expense! A balsamic and vetiver close. Its a casual wear fragrance. Award worthy but not buy worthy with that price point. Moderate sillage and long longevity.
Incoming – :
“Opulent and majestic; a true Indian royalty with milky coconut fused with soothing incense and lush florals.”
Ashoka is an award-winning fragrance from Neela Vermeire Creations (NVC), a French perfume house by Neela Vermeire and a collaboration with Bertrand Duchaufour, who is perhaps one of the foremost noses in the perfume industry. All of the fragrances in NVC is spectacular in their respective way but Ashoka is perhaps my favourite of them all.
On my skin, it opens beautifully with notes of fig leaves, soothing incense and white lotus. Fig leaves to me smells a lot like coconut: milky, sweet and soothing. The one I sense in Ashoka is more milky and less sweet, a high-quality type unlike those from most designer fragrances where the coconut/fig leaf note is more synthetic-sweet instead. The incense is not the dark, smoky kind; it’s very smooth, light and meditative, one that renders the wearer relaxed and at ease. White lotus, a symbol of Buddhism, perfectly portrays the image that Ashoka is meant to conjure: peaceful, soft and soothing. Many have claimed that there is a leather note too, but I haven’t been able to detect it till now (I highly suspect that it’s the suede type because I do not hints of dark leather one bit).
The longevity works decently on my skin: in the office, it will last up to 9 hours. Out in the hot weather, it will last approximately 5-6 hours. Same for the sillage: it trails beautifully up to a metre or so. The best kind of season to wear Ashoka, I can imagine, is spring and autumn but more to the former since it’s a “bright” fragrance (“dark” fragrances is more appropriate for autumn IMHO).
The price of Ashoka and the other NVC fragrances (sans Mohur Extrait) is around USD 250 for 50ml, which is kinda steep for most people. Although I find Ashoka utterly amazing, I hesitate to purchase it simply because of the price. Hope the day comes when I get my hands on the beautifully crafted flacon…
Duchaufour is one of my favourite perfumers in the industry; his vision and mastery in crafting fragrances are impeccable. He doesn’t simply create fragrances that smell good; his fragrances create stories and images, and only great perfumers can do that. All of his NVC fragrances tell a story, and Ashoka’s story appeals to me the most. I will definitely try out the others when I have the chance.
9033836351 – :
Masterpiece incredible!!! the first thing I said after the first few seconds was .. WOW … this is a wonderful symphony, this is peace, this is gourmand .. (followed by a happy smile). It is a really nice scent,that gives me happiness,joy,serenity,everything .. everything! is a ravishing beauty, here B.Duchaufour created another work of art. I love his compositions, and Ashoka on each note gives its value, blends perfectly with the other, everything is combined to create something truly divine,unique and special! The opening is intense calm after a few minutes, wrapping in an embrace soft,warm, comfortable,loving, and also elegant. All is peace, all is Love! the leather is not known invasive here, but there is so moderate, note that predominates is the fig leaf, but also the sandalwood and incense are felt. I love this fragrance, it gives me happiness and love, from the beginning up to the base notes! is a masterpiece. My soul thanks … I’ve never heard a scent so!! High level. ***** Recommended !!!!
Sillage: 6.5/10
Longevity: 8/10
Scent: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
lvtsa – :
A smokey coconut gourmand. The floral, milky, tropical notes is balanced by the incense. Ashoka lasts and lasts. This is my favourite from the Neela Vermeire line, but that’s because I love floral tropicals. If you like L’artisan’s quirky, pleasant, nature inspired aesthetic, but wish they’d last longer, go with Neela Vermeire. So fricken good
Torkferbecomo – :
it is very flowery and i can’t sense any leather even when it dried down. i really sense a HUGE coconut in. and i see it’s a softly perfume not bad. ill give it more time.
(1st Aug 2014) well.. my next try brought an all new thought. i still smell the coconut essence, i smell mineral water, lotus, and a bit incense as of the top note. the leather note is slightly appearing when it dries down as a harsh powdery hint hidden behind that pinkish flowery powder complex note that’s besides the sweetish essence of coconut & vanilla. it is a calming semi-sweet flowery powder essence, no wonder it won a prize! i kind of like it after all. it’s quite complex and infatuating at a certain level.
Edit (5th March 2016) it is more of sweetish powdery, as of vanilla sweet lotus tonka beans coconut mix.
mazafakaaaaaaaaaaaaa – :
Not my kind of fig. Actually it’s a pretty heavy incense and leather to my noise. Not an enjoyable scent.
OrdedeNumdamb – :
Too complicated, I like it initially but it becomes too smoky and sweet.
weresk13 – :
Ashoka by Neela Vermeire Creations is a contemplative beauty. A perfume for both men and women that is a thoughtful meditation on beauty and peace inspired buy one of the great leaders of not only Indian history but on the world stage as well.
The nose behind the perfume is one of my favorite perfumers, Bertrand Duchaufour who has created for so many great houses from L’Artisan Parfumeur to Dior. Here in this perfume he has a soft symphony of notes. So many notes are in this perfume that in the mixing of them you find his great subtlety as an artist.
The perfume is green and calm with the major note of fig leaf and parsley leaf being a very easy green complemented by incense aromatic notes of styrax, incense, myrrh and osmanthus. It is the very picture of a smoky blue haze incense market under the shade of rows and rows of fig trees in the heat and heart of India. Fig milk note along with vanilla and amber adds a creamy texture to the mix smoothing out all the incense. Other notes that flow through the perfume like a subterranean river are the florals of rose, water hyacinth, cassie flower, jasmine sambac, geranium, ylang-ylang and iris with the support of, rooty green vetiver, a soft tonka bean. There is a woody subtext and foundation of a tangy balsam fir and creamy sandalwood. The perfume is categorized as a Woody Aromatic. I find it to be more aromatic than woody. (Fragantica lists leather but I detect not a hit of that note)
For me, on my skin it stays well blended and not one note other than the fig leaf dominate. It is not a huge dramatic perfume but rather a dreamy soft warm fragrance that longs to be on skin where it floats and shimmers in a nirvana bubble of beauty. It lasts on my skin about six to eight hours with a moderate sillage. And that is as it should be, one would not expect an enlightened perfume to be bombastic or all about ME! It is about sharing its beauty and inviting others in.
ASHOKA FIVE GOLD STARS *****
(FOR THE STORY BEHIND MY REVIEW CHECK OUT MY BLOG, SCENTS MEMORY)
Empabsannoump – :
I’ll leave the sophisticated review for greater minds than mine. Suffice it to say, Ashoka is a complex evolutionary scent that delights me with its every turn. It is he only fig I’ve ever wanted to wear more than once, but it is oh so much more than justfig. One of the few perfumes that has made my gotta have a full bottle list of late.
ACILISPSUIG – :
Bertrand Duchaufour is definetely schooling these perfumers. Who wants a scholarship?!!! Words cannot describe the level of beauty within this bottle..
Ashoka is gourmand without being gourmand. Elegant, mature and very inviting. It’s almost like the opening is saying, “Hello” and the sillage is telling you to “please come over. The rumors are true. This is one weird fig. It’s hard to describe and i dont wanna look stupid trying to explain it. One of the nice surprises of 2013. I’m glad to have gambled on this sample. Great Work.
boss555777 – :
Ashoka is a beautiful and wierd fragrance, one of the kind. Very smooth and very true fig, and very complex fragrance. I’ve just started wearing it, later I will write more about it.
naum180 – :
went to MIN new york and sampled this. It is beautiful. smells sensual and warm. I can not describe it but worth sniffing, trust me
Emma44 – :
Ashoka is a recent new release from NVC, a niche line from Neela Vermeire that celebrates the culture, traditions, and histories of India in fragrant form. Ashoka joins the line that includes Trayee, Mohur, and Bombay Bling.
Ashoka is named for a warring emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who converted to Buddhism after witnessing the savagery of battlefield slaughter. Fragrance notes are given as: fig leaves, leather, white and pink lotus, mimosa, fig milk, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean and fir balsam.
Ashoka the fragrance marries fig (and a lactonic fig-milk note) to a jellied-citrus osmanthus. The effect is smashingly good, with the milky notes quieting the green sharpness of unripe fig, leaf, and twig notes and the citrus giving another bright and lemony dimension to the fig. Cool, watery flowers are transparent and add abstract floral notes remarkable not for their personality but for their sheerness; clearly, this is a fragrance where fig is the centerpiece.
By the heart notes, an unexpected leather note occurs. NVC fragrances often contain a non-tannic leather note that I like to think of as a liquid, not a solid note. This note joins the top and heart notes to a vetiver base around which delicate touches of fir balsam, myrrh, tonka bean, and sandalwood have been planted. In the interest of comparison, I tested Ashoka against both of the famous L’Artisan figs (Premier Figuier and Premier Figuier Extreme) and also against Ramon Monegal Pure Mariposa. Ashoka was the clear winner for me since its fig was tempered with several washes of “color” from the woody and floral notes that, while they still allowed the fig to be the centerpiece, diffused the sappy woodiness enough so that whatever bitterness I found in Premier Figuier was not an issue. As for PFE, it is far more “perfumey” and somehow, to my nose, false. The Monegal has a titanic jolt of calone that renders it quite synthetic.
There is still enough fig in Ashoka to appeal to fig purists, however. The fragrance is high-end fig, embellished and heightened, but still absolutely casual enough for simple enjoyment. Lasting power is excellent. After several hours, the drydown became mostly balsamic, with vetiver receding in the distance. People who have not found a fig fragrance they can wear might give this slightly more abstract interpretation a try.
Ashoka will be released in the fall of 2013.