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sergik06-09 – :
I love this but I barely use it, I really should. This is so fabulously calm! If you’ve ever eaten almonds coated in chocolate with powdered licorice root then thats what this reminds me of, eaten in a temple with incense burning and distant music. It isn’t gourmand but the licorice gives it that edge for me. Other than that it is calm and contemplative. A generally interesting and fun fragrance.
WAnastasiaW – :
I usually gravitate towards very sweet scents, but there is something really special about Dzongkha that captures my imagination. I would describe it as dry, slightly masculine, but with an underlying sweetness that makes me feel comfortable wearing it. The papyrus note makes me think of the Nile, old scrolls, and people traversing the desert on the backs of camels.
This frag evokes mystery and faraway places for me. I love it.
www321ru – :
I can’t believe these reviews about a “celery” smell. I absolutely HATE celery! but I absolutely LOVE Dzongkha! It smells nothing like celery to me, unless you have that idea in your head already when you try it. I smell all the beautiful notes: iris, vetiver, incense, peony, cedar, tea and papyrus. Nothing like stinky celery. I personally think this is a better variation of Timbuktu. I have a vintage bottle and wear it in the springtime; right around this time of year. I’m going to put some on right now:-)
evellStalo – :
Iris, leather, vetiver, incense, wood should be right up my alley, and it does smell enticing out of my decant vial. But on my skin all I get is celery soap. None of the LP fragrances I tried (those that are on the list of ‘100 fragrances every perfumista should try’) work for me except the magical yummy Dzing!
august110th – :
I have given this at least three different tries on different days and I have to agree with the other reviewers that mentioned celery. That is ALL I get the entire time. It’s obnoxious to my nose and each time I’ve scrubbed.
I kept trying it thinking maybe it’s just my chemistry for that day, but no, it’s like this all the time on me.
rar12 – :
Dzongkha (an old mainstream of mine) showcases the blending mastery of Bertrand Duchaufour where he conjures up a vision of Shangri La and Tibet using fairly non-exotic ingredients. The perfume opens with notes of peony (pronounced), pepper, cardamom and litchi. It then transitions to more pepper, tea (pronounced), vetiver, incense and cedar as it begins to dry down. Upon complete drydown notes of leather, iris and papyrus (pronounced) are detected. The overall effect is a smoky floriental that ends up smelling very exotic. Moderate in sillage and long lasting, this is one that gets noticed because it is utterly unique and somewhat hypnotic. Recommended for lovers of exotic Orientals and unusual (but not too offbeat) perfumes. Evocative and masterfully blended. However in my opinion also one that falls in between being good and great.
Berdnikov – :
Dzongkha is brilliant. It’s one of those fragrances that don’t need words. Complete surrender is enough. One of the best in the L’Artisan line.
*****
Volkov90 – :
Oh I love vetiver and vetiver loves me! This puts a spring in my step! Leather, tea, litchi, cedar and hay together are making my senses tingle and it feels like spring really is around the corner (which it is here in NZ). It’s a walk on the farm after the hay has been bundled up and before the weather gets uncomfortable hot. Lambs are leaping playfully in the grass and there’s a faintly animalic whiff in the cool breeze, almost but not quite the oily scent of lambswool.
Uplifting, comforting and calming at the same time for me, I’m fascinated by how polarising this scent is in the reviews here – one sniff of this makes me happier, I want to cuddle up with this scent for a while now, bye….
artcoredj – :
I own and love Dzongkha and have worn it heaps. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Himalayas (but not Bhutan) and was searching for a scent to connect me with memories. And it does, but in a most abstract way. If Dzongkha were a piece of music it would be “Ketto” by Bonobo. Dzongkha is the scent of a dream of light and shadow; transparent lemons and light greens against maroon-violet darks. There is an illusion of serenity in an impression of rice, bamboo, chai and a light incense, but there is a palpable sense that all is not as it seems.
Melpp020Unlogrere – :
A very green fragrance, but not like you’d expect. Dzongkha smells to me like a green curry paste, along with a hint of leather. It’s excellent, but not something I’d ever wear.
kotena – :
I wore L’Artisan Dzongkha again today.
A very different play on incense with its prominent iris overtones and spicy mids. Also that dusky sweetness in the head from peony and litchi.
It’s such a funny one.
I read a review once that described it as feeling unfinished or incomplete in some way. That resonated with me and I think it’s an astute observation. But I don’t see that as a negative. Rather, that space within it opens the fragrance up to a breadth of allegorical interpretation. It’s just so evocative…
Dzongkha is the official language of Bhutan, written using the Tibetan alphabet and for some reason, the elusiveness that is created by the structure of this perfume and it’s various accords, does seem to me to evoke those unscalable mountain heights and that preciousness of breath in such rarified air.
It really is an enigmatic and beautiful thing…
Duchaufour at his best.
Pravoobladatel – :
Fragrance somewhat exotic and also strange.
The aroma starts very green and spicy, the lychee assembled to the spices to the tea and the papyrus provoke an aromatic effect somewhat acid, spicy and powerful that overwhelms, appear to be part of the spices that are put to the exotic foods. This green effect does not disappear throughout development and can get tired.
Immediately the wood is installed, they are very consistent wood forming a body in the fragrance, very dense, almost walled, pleasant, giving the impression of being part of one or several wooden huts, with a rather dry effect, Cedar attached to a pleasant vetiver, the papyrus still feeling and the iris that acts as a warm breeze that affects and joins to the smoke effect that gives the incense giving a feeling of warmth, like the smoke that comes out of a kitchen where you are Cooking. The touch of leather dresses these simple cabins providing the subtlety of a small detail.
Very good duration, the wake works by pulses, and as I said the fragrance is original and striking as an olfactory experience, however, I do not think it a fragrance to give it daily use, rather, I would use it for personal enjoyment or for use in certain Days because it would be tiring.
Rating: 5
FAN_JACK – :
This just keeps getting better and better. It started off with a very harsh leather note, a heavy hit of peppercorn and some old barrel of scotch. But then it immediately starts to smooth itself out into something dreamy. The word “Dzongkha” means “the language of the district”, it is a language spoken in Kingdom of Bhutan. The remote Buddhist mountain Kingdom borders China and India and just manages to not touch Nepal due to political lines, but you can understand this fragrance by understanding it’s inspiration. Papyrus! I’ve never smelled papyrus in perfume before but here it is among the spice, wood, smoke and soft light floral background. There is a nice cardamon note like cardamon tea. There is some fruitness, some iris. The woods kick up the longer it sits, and it gets a leathery-incense feel to it which is dim and low for a long while. It doesn’t have much projection and it’s so tamed that you have to really put your nose to the skin to find it. It’s not bad, but it’s weak. It’s something that feels almost realized but not quite. Almost meditative, almost in the woods, almost a cooking pot bubbling with spice… but just not quite. I like it, I wish it was more robust and brought further out into the light. 6.5-7/10 for me but leans toward 7 for sure
timewritter – :
Today it is cold. Very cold. Perhaps it is the coldest day of the year; perhaps it is the coldest day of the decade. There is only the lightest wind to kiss the trees that stand naked and resolute with vulnerable limbs stretched outward and upward forver reaching towards a monochrome sky. A sky blanketed in low lying cloud that spans the horizon with the same uniformity of cold stainless steel. My nostrils are stiff with metamorphosing moisture which begins to turn to ice. I pull the collar of my thick coat higher to shield my face and it is then that I inhale the heavenly scent that is Dzongkha. Instantly my mind is filled with images of small outdoor fires that crackle and pop and hiss from damp and resinous woods. For a few moments I can believe that I am high in the Himalayas with my cold hands yearning for a little clay pot of sweet and spicy chai tea to cradle so that my face can receive the warm and aromatic vapours.
I love Dzongkha very much. It is a love that gently grows stronger with every occasion that I wear it. Although in some ways it reminds me of Timbuktu, it is very much its own creature. Despite it being more complex in composition, I find it a little more accessible than Timbuktu. That is not to say that it is a fragrance for every day. For the vast majority of people this would not work as an office scent as it takes a certain aesthetic to appreciate its mysterious beauty. Weekend solitary walks in the woods and days alone at home are what I mostly save it for. A good book, a hot drink, a sleeping cat and a mystical fragrance are all I could ever ask for on days that are cold and calm and silent.
virunchev – :
Oh bitter chalky goodness! I liked the notes but was unsure after reading the reviews. I’m happy to have listened to my first instinct and sampled it: I ordered a bottle after only one spray.
To me Dzongkha smells of white stones in the sun. It reminds me of my (sadly brief) years as an archaeologist. It’s like a sophisticated person wearing Habanita went off digging the parched dirt looking for ancient pottery. There’s leather and iris and a most subtle sweetness (litchi?) as well as an understated incense.
Maybe it’s not a must have, but it is a must try!
scrsnseabrookmku1 – :
I had wanted to try this for so long – years, in fact. And I finally got my hands on a sample and I don’t rate it at all. It is trying to be too many things at once and not really succeeding at any of them. If you want a cool, soaring incense and vetiver scent, go for Timbuktu as that is the best (or Sycomore or Encre Noire). And if you want a tea scent, then you have Tea for Two or Five o Clock au Gingembre. And if you want an airy iris, then… you get the picture. Dzongkha seems to be trying to do the lot all at once, and it lacks coherence. And yes, there is something about the collision of spices, floral and vetiver that does give off a savoury note, so I can see why some people are picking up pickle.
I thought this might be the one for me. I am crestfallen after the years of anticipation.
RoaroWary – :
I have the old style bottle. It’s not a perfume I wear a lot but last night having had a bath I decided to wear it. It is just beautiful. Warm and spicy with that lovely peppery note that’s delicious. The opening is a little screechy but the dry down is worth the wait. Heaven.
baryta – :
My nose has possibly gone insane, but it is telling me that this is an uber dry cognac leather?
Edit: I rather like it.
aigyl7384 – :
come altri profumi dello stesso tipo (timbuktu, grey flannel, english fern) l’impatto sulla mia pelle è devastante. l’effetto della felce, o forse il muschio unito al legno di cedro, non so esattamente, danno una risultante iniziale di acido che vira poi su foglie andate a male. per tanti è un capolavoro, per me è insostenibile.
yuran1970 – :
Very spicy with a nice woody backbone that gives some depth and that’s pretty much it…an original composition but nothing spectacular here.
Catrin – :
In no particular order, I smell iris, incense, leather, peony, and tea. Love it.
I wish I could detect the cardamom.
For the negative reviewers: I don’t know why you don’t like this. It just smells good. Maybe not unique, but interesting and uncommon.
I don’t get the dill pickle note, either.
Edit: I smell the cedar and vetiver very prominently, with subsequent wearings. It is a very interesting fragrance, which proves to smell different, nearly every time I wear it. I’m going to spring for a full bottle very soon. My 10 mL decant is nearly gone!
filolog1 – :
My second Le Artisan fragrance after Timbuktu. I like Timbuktu better, but this is pretty good, although it reminds me of a fragrance I didn’t like, Cartier Declaration, which has a strong Cardomon, Iris, and tea accord. The soupy celery note that some mention is the Cardomon, stronger than the Fragrantica pyramid would indicate. But the acrid Incense takes it away from having a savory soupy vib. Maybe smells like cooking soup on a campfire.
I like the sharp opening the best, it’s medecinal, hence the hospital smell reference, it’s a strong peppery, minty, incense, with a synthetic peony, giving it a rosy floral nuance. Then as that sharp opening receeds and the vegital Cardomon takes the stage, it makes a nice contrasting accord. Also the fragrance is quite dry, but the Litchi and papyrus give it a hint of sweetness, reminding me ever so slightly of Timbuktu at times.
I liked the sharp medicinal and leather opening, reminded me of Etat Libre fragrance “Rien” a bit, I like that, since they reformulated Rien, and its not what it used to be. This is a nice replacement.
I am starting to like this more. It needs time. I don’t like Iris or Cardomon or Dior Homme. But I still like this. The predominant floral, is more the rosy peony, and the Iris is more the rooty, caroty type.
I realy like it for the sharp medecinal vib, makes it strangely evocative and niche , hence the polarized reviews. Someone said it was the worst blind buy, and the worst fragrance he ever tried. But I’m one who realy likes it, very nice on a cold Winter day, although it’s transparent enough to be an all season frag.
This fragrance is more gender neutral than Timbuktu, which leans to the feminine side. Dzongkha is like herbal tea, a shared fragrance. Looking forward to trying Dzing. Sorry for the cross references if your not familiar with those fragrances.
It’s not as exotically authentic as “Timbuktu”. Timbuktu has the scent notes of the Wusulan incense made and used by Mali woman in Africa. Dzongkha has eastern spices that we are more familiar with, as in eastern cooking, Indian Cardomon etc…
Rating: 7.5/10
God bless, John 3:16
JonyJo – :
Somedays I love Dzongkha, somedays I don’t.
But today it’s January and Sweden is covered in a thick, thick layer of powdery snow. The air outside is crisp, all the sounds of the city is muted, and the air outside smells like winter and carries with it the scent of the open fires that is warming up people’s homes. My mouth still has the taste of warm tea with honey in it, and all my favourite candles are lit.
Today I welcome the sharp, dry, smoky, leathery and almost vegetable green fragrance that is Dzongkha. Today Dzongkha is playing in harmony with the ambience, not being “off key” against it. Today I love Dzongkha.
Though this being spicy alright, it has not the warmth of a spicy fragrance, nor has it the roundness or creaminess of a vanilla in the base. This is a sharp, serene melancholic fragrance.
Oats In The Water by Ben Howard. Or Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. This is what this perfume smells like.
Sdfrega – :
Spearmint dentist visit.
levega – :
Since I really liked L’Fou d’Absinthe I though I would expand my horizon with regards to L’Artisan Parfumeur.
Unfortunately this one smells like a rubber glove (the type you would use for dish washing) on my skin.
mesmere – :
Update, Nov 19,
Both Dzongkha and Timbuktu have papyrus giving it a real earthy green aroma. They both have very attractive herbal/spicy aroma with a hint of woodsy notes.
The one thing that is noticeable in Dzongka is a earthy/carroty top note
L’Artisan has given us high quality fragrance at a VERY affordable prices. Kudos….!!!!
Without trying Dzongkha , I decided to make a blind purchase. Without smelling this fragrance, I have to say that Yatagan and Dazongkha are twin bothers..a lot. After spraying this juice on my skin a blast of green note and spicy blend from papyrus and I could swear that Artmesia is part of this juice giving it that herbal/bitter green/earthy aroma. After this juice settles there’s a smokey blend. The only note that I’m not able to pick up is iris?
Longevity and Silage is very good lasting about 6-8hrs
Finally thoughts,
Thou this juice is similar to Yatagan, I do appreciate the complex blend of green notes with a pronounced smokey/spicy /woodsy blend. A very classy fragrance which could be used during the evening and almost all seasons except the hot summer months. 8/10
wasipisWS – :
Wearing “Dzongkha” is a peculiar and challenging experience, but whether you find it rewarding or not relies very much on your taste for the unusual.
There is no arguing with the reviews below likening it to vinegar and pickles. It definitely has that association for me, but of course there is a lot more going on here, so I wouldn’t dismiss it based on one fleeting comparison.
Upon the first spray, “Dzongkha”, for me, was like walking into a shoe store and being hit with the acute pungency of sour leather, mingled with the dry, dusty haze of old books and stale paper. Sharp, rough and arid; It was here where I also understood the comparison to pickled gherkins.
I’ll admit that I found it very unpleasant, but I decided to bear it out. I was rewarded soon afterwards, with the development of a clean, soapy cardamom. The initial sourness dissolved somewhat to the point where it felt more like a typical ‘greenness’; fresh, but still quite ‘tannic’.
About 30 mins later and “Dzongkha” became enlivened with a faintly sweet, rosy-fruity note, which I associate with lychee, combined with a vague floral struggling over the sharp wall of vetiver and black tea.
A full hour in and things had completely blossomed into a rooty violet and lychee scent, casting off almost all remnants of its tart, bitter leather beginnings.
I can say apart from incense, which was undetectable to me, “Dzongkha” really runs the gamut of ingredients on display here and it is very literal.
Definitely try before you buy.
tuf901speagoessenda – :
Dzongkha is a very well blended fragrance. It is a very dry spicy and herbal composition. At first spray I get the pepper with a blast of Iris. It comes on as very strong, but wait for the dry down. Incense also plays a role here in the background. IMO it is calming and lasts a very long time on me. I like it for the fall when the humidity is a bit low here in South Florida.
Jimsense – :
“Transitional Lifting” ****
This light yet lasting perfume provokes my soul. It makes me feel in levitation, ground and ceiling not very far from my body; or can it be that my soul left my body?
A space shifter: and you are out of time, as an alien in another world.
дима242424 – :
Rich in spices, an independent scent that dominates with a wild grace.
It has an Asian/African feel to it – somehow makes you want to leave everything behind and travel the world.
Not at all shy, yet inoffensive.
I just love it.
rezan80 – :
Vetiver must you be so sour on my skin? I get sour vetiver, pepper, cardamom and tea. There is a pretty iris underneath but its squashed by the other notes. I keep retrying Dzongkha, it’s just so unique, but this works better on fabric for me.
I see how people would get dill or vinegar from Dzongkha.
invoxonsPreve – :
Somewhat strangely, it is Dzongkha rather than Timbuktu that reminds me of Africa. I grew up in southern East Africa, and this perfume evokes really strong memories of hot, dry, dusty earth that I associate with my childhood. Spare, mineral, dry; it stays close to the wearer and mingles with the environment to the extent that it probably never appears that you are wearing perfume to others.
I only like wearing it in hot weather, when it smells like sun-baked earth. In cold or damp weather, it becomes a somewhat chilly, grey scent, and the iris comes to the fore in a way that is a bit too much for me.
snake-sn – :
I rarely post ‘meh’ reviews, but I felt compelled in this case because of the hype. What is funny is that I’d heard this fragrance recommended as a feminine counterpart to the more male-targeted Timbuktu. I just don’t see it. It has notes reminiscent of a classic barber shop cologne (the spices?) and it is totally dry. No sweetness, no flowers, nothing to soften the incense and woods. What this fragrance taught me about myself is that I don’t like incense without amber.
My first impression was of stuffing my nose with sawdust. And my my, does it last. Dzongkha has rather impressive performance for a L’artisan creation. I tested one small dab on the inside of my elbow, and it wafted up to my nose for hours. Yes, l’artisan is amazing. Yes, Bertrand Duchaufour is a legend. But I just don’t “get” it.
Not boring, but not fun either.
bartserega – :
Such a perfect, light incense. The opening blast is incredibly strong, full of iris—I try to spray at least 30 minutes before heading out—but after that it settles into a beautiful, living, breathing scent that changes constantly.
Were I to make a metaphor, I’d say it was as though the rush of modern life slowly melting away into the serenity and infinite curiosity of meditative enlightenment.
Its base is in some ways very close to Timbuktu, but with a rich complexity that Timbuktu’s straightforwardness cannot come close to matching.
An interesting note: someone below mentioned a dill pickle scent. One week, when my nose was stuffed with a mild wintry cold, I chose not to wear Dzongkha because I, too, felt a vinegary edge to the scent. It also behaves differently on fabric than it does on skin.
A must-try; and don’t be afraid of the initial intensity.
naise – :
Stronger than most L’Artisan scents, it is very definitely Far Eastern, somehow dry and yet watery-green, with a melancholy iris, tea notes, some incense and definite cardamom. While this is not for me (I prefer Timbuktu), I admire it. It’s an amazing achievement to bring us an Eastern temple in this fashion. If you’re a fan of tea notes or iris, this is recommended. You won’t find too many people wearing it – it was a completely new scent to me, I’ve never smelled it on anyone else. It gets stronger the longer it stays on, as the notes are warmed by the skin, and it’s very persistent. Fans of Chinatown, will recognise the smoky tea notes! Not a blind buy, but a must-try 🙂
alenn – :
Magnificent. Dry, a bit bitter, a bit smooth. Rooty, but soft and enveloping iris, enveloped on delicate incense, and anchored by dry yet somehow green woods. An understated masterpiece.
There are similarities to Bois Farine, Tam Dao, as well as 28 La Pausa, the first ones for the dry wood rendition and the latter for the soft rooty iris.
Сантос – :
I bought this fragrance because it reminds me of being in an incense filled temple in Bhutan. Just inhaling this brings back such wonderful memories that I had always wanted to own a bottle. The leathery, woodsy, spicy incense starts out somewhat brightly and softens as the day progresses.
It is definitely a smoldering scent that seems more masculine initially, as the incense and spice fades a light warm flower blooms.
Love this, could be part of my regular rotation.
Swent – :
“Dzongkha” is what i speak and “Gho” is what i wear. The Gho for male and Kira for female is the dress code of my nation which i shud say is one of the unique costumes of the universe. Now i am pleased say i can wear the real Bhutanese aroma.
i am anticipating to see L`Artisan Parfumeur’s Dzongkha in the land where it has derived the name. i will be waiting till it reach our (now i share it with ”
“dzongkha”) hearty motherland.
korgyky – :
Dzongkha is fun-it deserves to be fun, with a name like that, so I’m happy for it. It reminds me of a trip down a cold river in late spring.
The opening reminds me of a fast-forward tour of its cousin, Dzing!, complete with a fleeting breath of cardboard. But the opening is really spicy, like an orange incense, and woody, and it also smells of clover and a bit like clover honey. Then I get a slightly sour woodiness and a lovely wet smell like a cool mossy stone at the edge of a cold stream. The dry down is leather iris, very chilly.
I wore this all day yesterday, woke up still smelling iris, and wore it all day again today. Terrific longevity and nice sillage, too. A wonderful perfume if you delight in observing a perfume’s evolution over time.
Braver2012 – :
This perfume is similar to Hermes fragrances. However, refinement of Hermes is replace the earthiness of the magical and begin generating, in there exists a real taste of the Dzongkha. The smell of soil,the scent of wood, wind,the secret incense and euphoria of the eternal, all vividly standing smell from this bottle.. That’s great
iwanckow – :
Nice wood, wet moss in a Tibetan monastery !
This is what I felt when smelled it for the first time. perhpas it was the tonka beans…
Monax – :
This is really similar to Hermes Eau de Gentiane Blanche.
EdGB is more linear, while the notes in Dzongkha develop from hour to hour.
EdGB is more bitter, stronger; Dzongkha is more floral and balsamic.
Personally, I prefer the later!
Both are soft and transparent, very elegant.
-AlmondBreakfast-
Trioban – :
Like a cucumber pickle – strong dill seeds, red chilly, sugar, pepper and blackcurrant leaves.
blabfulness – :
When I first put this on, it reminded me of a much nicer version of Grey Flannel by Geoffrey Beene, but not for long. Within a few hours I maybe smelled a very faint skin scent, and not much else.
starur – :
Leather is one of the notes that I’m currently trying. I am very open-minded and try to discover new scents as much I can; but truthfully I never get along with leather as a note and have usually ended up hating it. However, this one is different. I like it.
I can definitely smell leather. Very noticeable and didn’t bother me a lot.
The combination of leather, iris and vetiver works amazingly. Like a team work. Leather and iris balance out each other so well that it’s neither overwhelmingly powdery nor sharp. Vetiver assists them creating freshness. These are the most I get. I believe, each note has a little touch on this scent.
I don’t think it’s not too peppery. Moreover, that’s quite unisex to me. When I wear some fragrance that I find masculine, I either dislike it or like it but I feel like I’m wearing some men’s cologne. That didn’t happen with this one. I enjoyed smelling it on my skin even though my actual taste is a way different. Long story short, if I like this, I bet, leather fans would love it.
wong23rus – :
Dzongkha is a delightful fragrance it’s dry, spicy, slightly smokey and above all unique. The first thing I got from it was the earthy spice and vetiver combo which put me in mind of another Bertrand Duchaufour creation for L’Artisan, Timbuktu. Then the main note for me is tea and cardamom it’s a strained english tea right in the heart of the fragrance quite rough though still refreshing.
But wait! Yet another transition in the dry down…All the spice fades to the back and a soft iris with a touch of leather appears more prominent.
I deliberately had no prior knowledge of the components of this fragrance and it was a welcome surprise to test my nose with something so easily decipherable.
I really like this fragrance it’s so manly and interesting and honestly was a relief after a few disappointments from this house.
vados23list – :
I agree that at first sniff this one seems to be similar to Timbuktu, but this is not even half of the story. While Timbuktu remains heavy and dominant for a very long time (even weeks, if a drop lands on your jacket), this one develops into a dryer and more discreet fragrance. Compare both after one hour, and you won’t find them similar!
Judging on its own, it’s a subtle and “green” fragrance that may be worn by men of any age and style.
****
marishkin33 – :
Dzongkha starts out deliciously. Immediately I get the iris and incense surrounded by all these resinous and spicy notes. Please see my update at the bottom on how Dzongkha went from “like” to “love”.
I find all the listed notes (i.e. leather, vetiver, cardamom, tea, iris, peony, cedar and lychee) loveable. I smell some more than others. So no dislike here. However, there is this one note, which I deduct must come from the catch-all “spices” bucket, that gives Dzongkha a little vegetable vibe. I wish Dzongkha had a little less of it. I can understand how some reviewers here get a “soup” or “tomato” scent out of this composition. However, this scent tones down after 1 hour or so and what remains is heavenly to me.
In the dry down I smell a little vetiver which gives Dzongkha a woody character. A little cedar and papyrus also join the vetiver to give Dzongkha a soft woody backdrop.
Dzongkha is exotic, unique and attractive. It shares certain DNA with Timbuktu (they both created by the same parfumeur who gave them a similar dry down of vetiver and incense). However, while Timbuktu is fully blessed with unblemished beauty from birth its sister Dzongkha’s beauty is partly blemished by this one vegetable scent.
I may have to try Dzongkha a couple of times more to figure if this is one of those cases where love develops over time…but definitely is a “like”
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UPDATE: I now adore this fragrance, so much that I decided to buy a bottle. I’d love to have it in my collection permanently. I don’t know if it was a matter of first impression or the original sample I had, but the vegetable vibe is no more and I can enjoy much better the gamut of delicious and exotic scents in this composition. I decided to keep the original impression as written originally above followed by this UPDATE to send the message of “retry it, give it a second chance” to those who experience a similar first impression like mine.
leon_skill – :
Bought this one on my last trip to Paris, it was on sale and the sales person told me that it is gonna be discontinued.
The initial spray smells medicinal and kinda cloying (I guess it’s from the peony and the spices), but the dry-down is simply amazing, it’s green and woody. 7 hours later I still can smell it on my arms, It becomes sweet & incense-y, very comforting.
The longevity & the silage is really good. I’m glad I bought this.
Anaeneini – :
Initially – strong, earthy vetiver, sweet iris powder and cardamom. Quite masculine. After a couple of hours – the vetiver is still there but wrapped in a lovely fresh floral note, and there’s a more general spiciness. I wouldn’t call it peony, but I hesitate to say it’s litchi because a) I have no idea what litchi smells like and b) it’s at the bottom of the main notes rankings. 🙂
I like both halves of the fragrance, which for me last about 2 hours each. Longer would be a bonus but it is an edt after all.
davaite – :
@id (previous poster) laments absence of iris notes in Dzongkha. How fascinating it is that (presumably) the same fragrance is so different to two people! All I can smell is overwhelming iris.
Dzongkha opens with a blast of just two notes: cedar drenched in iris. I assume iris and cedar notes are cheap to replicate because they seem to appear everywhere in contemporary fragrances. Cedar I can tolerate although smelling like a school pencil, even a freshly-sharpened pencil, is of limited appeal to me. Iris I loathe. It evokes such a strong revulsion that it is literally nauseating. Iris, to me, smells like putrefaction. I shudder, just shudder.
After some time in purgatory while the iris burns off my skin, I arrive at a place which is quite nice but ra