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cktpsfyutkf123 – :
Pontifical resin church incense, resinous; frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, elemi and storax; aromatic, smoky but very creamy with coffee, vanilla, hazelnut notes, very gourmand/ legumes, has deepness and sexiness too, creates an atmosphere for prayer and tranquillity. It does no t smell like the granulated church incense you burn in charcoal tablets called Pontifical, it shares some of its qualities but is not alike so don’ t worry. The quality is just unbelievable, all ingredients blended perfectly. No comparison with Armani Privé Bois d’ Encens,Heely’s Cardinal, Piguet’s Cashba or CDG Avignon ,Full Incense is a million times better. One of the best Montales.
LedcidgighMuh – :
I received this fragrance today as part of a much larger order.
You see, I love incense fragrances…and with it…I have an impossibility high standard of how an excellent incense fragrance should appeal to my senses….
As a Connoisseur of Omani Hojari Grade frankincense..I know the difference between pure and impure..
This fragrance reminds me of A+ Hojari grade frankincense from Oman.
Selecting the perfect pieces to place in my burner..atop the smouldering charcoal tablet.
It smells like the opening ….when the resin begins to melt…really intense and ultra pure.
It’s what us frankincense lovers live for….
That precise moment.
Montale has captured it with this fragrance…
Immediately taken back to the Land Of The Burning Sands.
At night
Silence.
Date palms hot from the days sun saturating the breeze.
Outside of the Temple at the Oasis.
Giant polished metal burners filled with frankincense…
Large plumes dance in the night sky..
Fills the air with mystery and delight.
It’s that good
dominiuk – :
Just pure frankincense. Similar to Armani Bois d’Encens but a lot cheaper.
It is very smooth and high quality, opens fresh and ends up semi-sweet and woody.
For the lovers of incense only. Don’t expect complements from this, just enjoy the scent.
Performance and longevity are very good.
hyv013Bessinepome – :
A straightforward frankincense based perfume where the central note is slightly fortified with addition of cedar, labdanum, patchouli and Elemi. Compared to the other Montale sillage monsters, this is relatively hushed with moderate to strong projection and good longevity. Does not particularly stand out amongst many other nice incense offerings in the market but completely wearable and enjoyable.
vikont_495 – :
Average incense fragrance but I’ve smelled better. The sillage/projectivity is not as strong as I would have thought. Maybe me, but I prefer a more potent fragrance in this genre.
zeso – :
Cool, clear and distinctive incense – full of beauty. Yet something about it tormented me (well in fact two things.) First a minor defect: on me it gets ever so slightly soapy and synthetic – the patchouli goes a little ‘high’ and a bit pushy at first – though it settles a little later on. The spicy burst is really something special. It’s somehow a bit more remote and less warm than Avignon, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but kept me more at arm’s length and feeling a tiny tinge of ambivalence amid the aromatic joy.
Then I realised what was really at the root of my unease – I tried it in a straight comparison with my beloved Piguet Casbah and realised they’re basically the same thing, only Full Incense is more cloying and less richly layered – so I’d basically bought the same perfume twice! You definitely don’t need both. For my money, Casbah has a more organic, richer, deeper feel and lasts just as long. FI is still a great product at a very reasonable price – terrific sillage and longevity too.
Devil-tapok – :
another my review…fantastic…pure Church in a bottle.10/10
flashlord – :
a blind buy that paid off!
long lasting! i used it yesterday – applied at noon, took the train to work, came home, cooked dinner… and at 9pm i could still catch whiffs of it around me! and was still quite distinct on the skin!
if you like incense (though this is not the smoky kind), i recommend this. it’s also quite linear, excellent for layering.
alfendolt – :
this is good for very cold weather, it’s long lasting and very spicy. it actually reminds me of golden ginger ale, in a good way. not something i’d wear all the time, but good for today’s freezing temps.
iolanties – :
Recently started my adventure to discover Montale perfumes. It is true that Full Incense is 100 % church smell. For those who are looking for the comparison to Comme des Garcons Avignon I can tell that it is indeed very similar. Although beware that Montale FI is sweeter than CDG. CDG has always a typical sour bitterness in all scents. I think I could compare to the difference in drinking whiskey=Montale and white wine=CDG. It is not an actual ingredient, it is more an impression between Montale and Comme des Garcons juices. Montale Full Incense lasted for days…. If you like church resin incense smell, you will be definatelly very happy with this Montale and its lasting quality.
Vottaided – :
I tried it as a sample, and liked the idea of smelling like a curch. A coca cola and pine kind of smell, especially in the begining. If you live in a very secular country as I do, people probably won’t get the reference of incense. They will probably remember you as the person who smells like pine tree or coca cola? I wouldn’t refer to thisas particularly gothic. Maybe if people are used refere to this smell as incense.
I like it, but not sure to wear it.
razti – :
Agree with others that this is longer lasting than Avignon or Unum Lavs. It also lacks, to my nose, the synthetic chemical undertones of Avignon that have always bothered me. Never tried Cardinal and apparently there is no need to. I’m glad I gave this a try and will remember it as a great, reasonably priced option for a church incense fragrance.
Edit: I don’t know if Montale has reformulated recently but, if it was, it sounds like my sample was pre-reformulation. I guess I’d better be careful buying a full bottle of this and make sure it’s as awesome as the sample I liked.
Puuunk – :
This goes on so dry you’ll need to keep a cool drink handy when you apply it. Smokey at first and then three good hours of “sanctum santorum”. Nice! Decent sillage. I have a feeling that this layered under a kiss of Ford’s TV would be the bomb!
Jackson81 – :
This the fourth “churchy” incense I have tried. The others are Cardinal (Heeley), Avignon (CdG), and Fille en Aiguilles (Lutens).
Of all four, I think Full Incense is the best, with Avignon being a close second. They are quite similar in smell, but FI is a bit more resinous, with a super slight peppery note that accents the incense beautifully. This is a glorious scent that differs just a bit from Avignon’s subtle “cranberry” note. You cannot go wrong with either one, but I do think that FI is overall a better product, with a longer, more complex development.
Koshak443 – :
To my nose this is a closer replica of Catholic church incense than Avignon. Also, it performs significantly better. Sometimes Avignon comes across as soapy… there is nothing soapy about Full Incense by Montale.
123765 – :
For me it´s closest scent of church I know. There is lot of incense and woody olibanum. It’s little bit decadent, but sexy. 🙂
GastonPoli73 – :
Very nice;-)
snifer – :
I bought this thinking it would be a cheaper alternative to CdG Avignon, but found it to have an odd, vaguely floral bathroom spray type scent to it. Smelled kind of cheap and gave me a headache. If you’re looking for a better or alternative to Avignon, this isn’t it. At least for me.
Gunalase – :
That weird Montale DNA is not here. Rejoice!
y2nomad – :
بوی اعتیادآور بخور و شاید بهترین کار برند مونتال
———–
Scent & Qualiy: 10/10
Longevity: 9/10
Sillage: 8/10
Creativity & Uniqueness: 9/10
Affordability: 7/10
———–
Overall: 8.6/10
sava280925.s – :
As a huge incense fan, I was intent upon sampling this. As other reviewers mention, it’s Avignon and Cardinal Heely but better. I’m a die hard Avignon groupie so to surpass that would be unbelievable. But yet… This incense is easy to wear. It’s doesn’t crash around, but smoothly develops from one level to another. Lovely. It’s lasts about as long as the others, so it’s really about what you want to pay, and getting what you pay for. This is money well spent. Don’t miss it.
Toizobecimi – :
A creamier Avignon. Longevity lasts a lot longer than Avignon too.
Smells 99.9% the same. Montale gives you more bang for your buck, in my opinion.
dwy843intitytek – :
Here is a classic example of olfactory confusion – did something indeed happened to Montale or did my taste and preferences evolved quite a lot? Or both?
I originally had a sample of this back in 2013 and thought it was amazing, full on incense as advertised. It seemed much drier and articulate. So I finally came around to getting a bottle now..
The bottle I received is in gold, not the brown as pictured. I still recognize the churchy incense in the overall picture but for some reason now it mostly smells to me like fizzy, syrupy cola drink. It seems very saturated and oily yet has a very, very modest performance. Especially being that its a Montale and all. Pretty strange stuff.
iuq007intitytek – :
I thought I would adore this – smoky balsamic but this is very soapy to me for some reason. It reminds me a lot of azzarro decibel which is similarly soapy and smells a bit cheap to be honest. I’ll test a few times as sometimes it grows on you but at first on skin trial I’m saying this is a no for me.
vfc926elipseskism – :
I love this one. Absolutely love it. It starts out like a fizzy root beer scent — you know when you take a sip from a freshly poured glass of root beer and the bubbles tickle your nose and the smell of the root beer floats up. Then it quickly morphs to a stunning smokey incense scent. It’s rich and elegant. This is one that could be worn by women who aren’t afraid of exotic scents and by men who like understated elegant scents. Most men’s colognes are too strong and pungent for my liking. This one is beautiful. I need to check and see when mine was made. If it’s the new formula, I’d love to track down a bottle of the original to try.
Xeroxspoxk – :
An extremely realistic church-incense. Wow. Even the sour notes in the beginning are true to the real thing. Deep, yes, but in a quiet way.
Medod949elipseskism – :
Obviously Full Incense is very similar to Avignon and Cardinal, but it’s a bit more woody and has a better performance than the other two (don’t expect a monster, though). If you’re looking for a straightforward churchy incense, you can’t go wrong with this one!
КОМУШКИН Д. – :
If you like Incense and Elemi Resins – this is it! Mixed with som very nice Patchouli – I can’t wear it – I sneeze alot. Bummer.
For women this one is perfect to layer with a true flowery scent – then you get the dark Incense and airy flowers – Mountain hight – river deep – if you get what I mean =)
Om du gillar rökelse och kåda – då har du hittat den! Mixad med otroligt fin Patcouli – jag kan inte bära den – nyser som en tok, tröttsamt. Tjejtips – lägg denna lager på lager med klarblommig doft och du får hela spektrat från blommor till mörk rökelse. Halleluleja moment =)
hrenavam – :
When it comes to incense, this one is the love of my life. Wonderful incense juice and my favourite Montale perfume. Natural, woody and resinous. I love how calming and beautiful this smells… crisp and really fresh. Frankincense and cedar, with some patchouli and elemi. There is a certain balmy/resinous dry sweetness to it, but it stays stone cold and refreshing at the same time. Very comforting! It is very well balanced, but kind of a quiet and gentle perfume (with good lasting power, and moderate to soft sillage on my skin- not a typical Montale).
Blackthorn – :
It’s a beautiful incense – rich, deep, warm, potent and creamy. Gorgeous!
tata19771 – :
Its full of incense in the opening . However dry down is decent with subtle incense and florals i think . I dont get any amber in this
Vor4un – :
I was comparing Avignon with Full Incense this morning. I thought I liked Full Incense more because it has some nice sweet woody notes, and longevity is better.
But the opening of Avignon is unique and wonderfull.
I discovered a hidden note this morning in Avignon…
If you tried mixing the 5 notes listed you would never come up with this sour ashen incence accord, that so mimics Catholic Church incense.
When you mix blue and red, you get purple, something different than the two colors you started with.
I have recently acquired and enjoy Creed Royal Mayfair, that has a great Eucalyptus note. That’s what I picked up in the opening blast of Avignon, that medecinal camphorous eucalyptus note.
So the opening of Avignon is the best beautiful opening of any churchy incense. From the mid-drydown drydown I like Montale Full Incence better.
Merry Christmas.
prw830speagoessenda – :
Im glad Montale didn’t add “Aoud” to the name of this one, as it seems they use this adjunct sparingley in most of their perfumes to add a feeling of luxury to any creation they make, Aoud leather and Aoud Cafe are what come immediately to mind. Names for the Montale line dont mean anything to me, except for very few ones, and full incense is one of these exceptions.
About this perfume, it is what it says on the bottle, incense and alot of it. I havent tried Amouage so I cannot compare to them but this perfume is very heavy on resins and labdanum, slightly sweet becuase of the labdanum. It has prominent woody aroma too and soft ashey smell, not too strong like Sospiro laylati for example, but the ashey smell is there.
It smells sour creamy due to the resins, but more refined than pure frankincense oil that I also have.
Very nice perfume and doesnt dissapoint with regard to sillage or longevity from Montale.
Try it before buying, it is love or hate
kulak005 – :
This is not good….the way the Virginia cider mixes with the incense,elemi and laudanum stinks to be honest. Have to sample this fragrances before buying full bottle. Disappointed with this one.
kelmas – :
Sampled a lot of Montale’s recently (14+) and Full Incense is one that really brought a smile to my face. Made me feel truly comforting and different. I don’t know about the smell in a church (been a long time) but man, what a scent. it’s standing out, different, for all occaisions and so nice.
xchyywb – :
Got my Full Incense, and my incense fragrances are complete.
I have Avignon, and have tried La Liturgia. I liked Avignon, it is a masterfull replica of Catholic, ashen incense. But the longevity is quite poor, unless you over spray, and after a while it feels very cold.
Full Incence is the second best facsimile to Catholic incense, but it is warmer, more aromatic, wearable, and performance is great.
Chris review below, he was looking for a church incense with beter performance than Avignon. He said Full Incense was not smoky enough. I think he may need to burn some incense sticks.
There are richer, darker, more complex incense fragrances, with a strong incense note, but with much more going on, like Amouage Memoir Man, my favorite fragrance with a beautiful aromatic smoky incense. Or Interlude Man, a beautiful, rich balsamic with a nice incense note.
The opening is mostly like the ashen incence of church and Avignon. The drydown of Full Incense is beautiful, warmer, sweeter, more elemi balsam comming through, very nice.
Also just about the nicest cedar note I have tried.
Rating: 9/10
God bless you. John 3:16
cf,bnjdf – :
First of all, sorry for my bad english.
I was looking for a churchy incence perfum. I have tried “Cardinal” by Helley that I think is very interesting but not enough smoky. The “Avignon” by CDG is very my favorite but has a poor lasting on my skin. I read on many forums that “Full Incense” was very similar and has a good lasting, so I bought it. I was disapointed with this perfum : too feminine (round, sweet, old roses scent, too much patchouli) according to me, not smoky at all (that is very important to reach the church scent that I am looking for). So I really do not agree with people saying that “Full Incense” and “Avignon” are similar.
After re-reading of all comments on this perfume, I really wonder if my nose is crazy or perhaps the incenses used in french catholic ceremony are not the same.
To conclude, if you are a man, and looking for a truly church incence (the scent of the smoke of the encens) try to test it before buying it.
baikonur6 – :
The incense accord is really lovely, unfortunately cedar shows up and takes center stage and feels too bright and piney dominating the lovely incense I was just with briefly and wanted to be with more and then it turns sweet.. I don’t really ‘get it’ with this fragrance I think while it was being created someone thought the incense accord would be too linear and so it became what it is, to me this should’ve been named something else since incense is not really the star.
tamtutnet – :
It reminds me when I was in the seminary….the incense is very prominent.
djputin1 – :
Montale’s Full Incense is a very dry, resinous incense fragrance, with minimal notes but blended quite nicely. Mainly Incense, elemi resin and labdanum. To my nose, this is not a sweet incense, I dont know if it’s the patchouli or cedar notes listed but there is a bit of sour tartness to the frag in a nice way that prevents it from becoming cloying, even in the heat. Projection is pretty moderate by Montale standards, it’s there but in your personal space only, making it one of the more versatile ones in the Montale line up. Longevity is good, I get 7-8 hours regularly with just 2 sprays. I love Incense frags and this is pretty much my daily out and about Incense of choice. It’s nice, uncomplicated and lasts all day and since a little goes a long way, a full bottle is good value for money as well. Incense lovers should definitely check this one out. 8.5/10
PS- Yes, it’s similar to CDG Avignon although the Montale has better performance on me. If you have one, you can probably skip the other unless you are an Incense lover like me.
CedDarieCaupe – :
I’d seen Montale Full Incense positively reviewed so I decided to give it a shot and was even more pleased than I expected to be. It’s primarily a blast of smoky incense but is mixed with a heavy dose of amber/resins. The amber/resins are intensely part of the mix with the smoky incense from the start, as this balance really exists throughout the life of the fragrance without much evolution. But the balance is quite superb, the smokiness in harmony with the sweetness, satisfying the lover of incense that wants the fragrance to remain true to its name but also satisfying someone who might be overwhelmed by a true fully incense fragrance.
I’ve not smelled Comme des Garcons Avignon but they’re allegedly similar, as I’ve pretty much seen in every review. Full Incense reminds me of a couple of other different fragrances due to the sweetness and amber, and admittedly these might come off as odd comparisons on the basis of total note breakdown, but I get some of the deep sweetness of By Kilian Single Malt and the resinous sweetness of By Kilian Amber Oud. I already own Single Malt but luckily, Montale Full Incense is much more affordable at $108 for 100ml (on Beautspin) than Amber Oud, which retails for $395 for 50ml.
Performance is quite strong, as expected for a Montale fragrance, so in that respect it’s consistent with much of the “aoud” line and other heavy entries (i.e. Intense Cafe).
Full Incense is another entry from Montale I’ll be adding to the “buy” list.
8 out of 10
sirius45 – :
is a incense fresh…good for summer.
volk2011 – :
This is a literal interpretation of the incense used during a Catholic benediction, and is considered by many a clone of Avignon (not to me) with more longevity. I would prefer greater depth and complexity, a contemporary, more versatile and metaphorical interpretation. As it is, I find it a bit too austere and mono-dimensional for my tastes.
I suppose this could serve well for religious and meditative retreats, but I can’t imagine wearing this as an everyday fragrance — unless you want to smell like a church. The better option in this category is Heeley’s Cardinal, which applies the incense with a lighter hand and blends it in a contemporary, refreshing way. 6/10.
Lair – :
Out of the popular church incense:
Clive Christian V > Armani Bois d’Encens > Montale Full Incense > CdG Avignon
But if you put $$ into consideration, this might be the best choice..
romer777 – :
On my skin I get mostly incense for the first 1-2 hours and let me tell you, its amazing. But unfortunately this is not linear enough for me. After the incense blast it starts to fade and becomes a cedar dominate scent with some patchouli in the background. When the cedar leaves it then becomes all patchouli. Its a high quality patchouli, but I wanted the incense/cedar to last at least 4-5 hours. Still a do love this. Rating is 7.5/10
saga10 – :
I just tried Full Incense this week to take a break from the floral/galbanum perfumes I’m testing this month.
Full Incense was a very welcome change from my study of galbanum (which is not going well but it’s early days yet) This is lighter than I anticipated. I assumed that ‘full’ would mean ‘heavy’ but this was surprisingly delicate. Not a bad thing, just a surprise.
I agree with all other reviewers who sited a ‘church’ connection. I also saw that in Full Incense. I also agree with the reviewer who thought this scent was cold statue type incense rather than warm incense. That description mirrors my own experience with this fragrance. I also agree that it is so linear. I didn’t experience any top or middle. Additionally, I had the same experience as others with over 24 hours of longevity. On my skin, this lasted two days, which I found to be too much of a commitment to a fragrance I wasn’t in love with.
For me, Full Incense is not my taste in perfume. It’s pleasant to experience but I have trouble imagining where I would be going smelling like this. I enjoy this but as art not as wardrobe.
As art, I appreciate this scent. The rock rose is such a wonderful harmony for the incense. Also the cedar adds distinctive sharpness. Feels citrusy on my skin. For some reason, the image I get in my mind is attending a funeral. But a cedar casket rather than a pine coffin. Perhaps it’s the patchouli that makes me think of freshly dug earth. I like that. I get this clear feeling of sadness and grief. This really is cold incense to me.
Full Incense offered a wonderful respite from my galbanum study but I would never purchase this for myself. It’s nicely blended but not I cannot see myself wearing this out in public.
ADAMANT92 – :
Hi just a few thoughts on Full Incense…
I was wondering why some of my fragrances that list Incense, the Incense never smelled like church Incense. So when I heard about CdG “Incense Avignon” by my favorite perfumer B. Duchaufour, that it was like Catholic Incense, I blind bought it. I was not disapointed as it replicates that white smoke sour smell of church Incense. I was disappointed with the performance…
So I got a sample of Full Incense, and it is very, very close to Avignon, but lasts much longer, and is slightly richer. The prices are close, so I would recommend “Full Incense” over “Avignon”.
I also tried “La Liturgie”, it is a safer scent, it has the churchy Incense, but more aromatic, slightly sweet, and a bit of aldehydes I think..
I did blind buy Tom Ford Sahara Noir, it is much more an Amber fragrance, and has much less of the Incense. Sahara Noir is like a Tom Ford Amber Absolute, light, with the frankincense amped up a notch.
With Full Incence, you get that church Incense mostly in the opening, that stays throughout, but the nice richer balsamic notes join in at the mid, making it more enjoyable. Avignon doesn’t have that at all.
The brown bottle, suits the fragrance, as it’s more than a smoky incense, but it has the warmth and depth of brown woods and balsams.
Montale Full Incense.
Rating: 9.25/10
God bless you. John 3:16.
Altelfhek – :
Smells kind of fizzy at the beginning, kinda like Coca Cola but without sweetness
Wanted this to be heavier!
Lyncequanny – :
I get a nasty cough medicine vibe from this more than a good incense note, quite a shame as I’d love to find a fragrance that mainly just smells like really nice incense
Winst – :
I wore a sample of Montale’s Full Incense earlier this week and must say that of all the other incense fragrances I’ve tried, Montale’s had the greatest longevity and sillage. It is also somewhat cheaper than some of the others (e.g., the Armani Prive collection, TF Sarah Noir).
oleg_k – :
I don’t see how people say it’s a more expensive version of Avignon. I have both but paid $118 for 50ml of Avignon, but $100 for 100ml of Full Incense. Maybe prices here in Australia are different.
Anyway, yes they are similar. Avignon is more of a cold incense, while Montale’s version is more a warm, resinous incense.
I love them both!,
Gomsapoca – :
Smells like an overripe banana mixed with incense.
daglushko – :
A dark woody incense, and if you smell it on a cool wintry day, with a slight minty undertone. It’s simple and smells like a candle-lit monastery.
krec317 – :
This takes me back to my childhood christmas actually. In Norway the pharmacies are selling a loose incense called Kongerøkelse (Kings Incense) just before christmas – and this smells exactely like it. My mother used to buy this incense every year before the holidays when I was little.
Full Incense smells like very warm, slightly spicy and wonderfully woody incense. On my skin it is very well rounded, it almost has a creamy quality about it. So smooth, and yet a bit bitter sweet.
The scent stays very close to my skin, but lasts long. I really, really like it!
And, yes, it smells very much like Comme des Garcons Avignon. But to my nose Full Incense is warmer, a bit sweeter and a bit darker.
taygeddar – :
this is a classic somalian frankincense note — full frontal and massive. i once tried to buy omani frankincense (almost impossible to find as it’s (a) more expensive, and (b) sold by unscrupulous vendors), and i KEPT on getting the somalian stuff. omani frankincense is otherwise known as ‘silver frankincense’, or ‘louban’ in arabic. i finally got it from an omani student who got some from her mosque (she said it’s 100% genuine), and when you burn the two side-by-side they smell very different. both are majestic and worthy to be given to jesus christ (as a mix or a pack), but the somalian strain is a little more ‘cloying’ and sickly sweet. i love both, and i prefer the omani just because it’s the most savoury, if you will. anyway, this perfume is entirely somalian frankincense and it’s refreshing to hear a company distinguish the two different varieties…
Alfa79 – :
Full Incense starts with a sharp, woody smell that smells a lot like cloves.
The smell of cloves fades after a few seconds without disappearing completely & then the smell of of concentrated frankincense (olibanum) remains, which does not smell as gorgeous as burnt frankincense.
To someone from the Americas or Europe this might smell exotic.
To someone from the middle east, this is a meh.
ilnaz – :
Ok, Full Incense…this one was a free 20 mil spray that came along with my purchase. I could have chosen any scent from Montale, and this is the one I chose. I’m kind of wishing I had picked different.
It’s an ok scent. A lot brighter than I thought it would be. I don’t remember smelling oranges in my local church. It’s smokey and resinous for sure, but it’s awfully citrusy for an incense fragrance in my humble opinion. And it’s also a lot softer than I was expecting. it reminds me a lot of Bois d Encense from Armani…only not near as deep and rich. Also reminds a bit of by kilian incense Oud as well. A so/so experience for me.
Scent 7/10…smells really nice…just very light. I was thinking it would be darker
Projection 6/10…very moderate for Montale
Fortitude 8/10…hangs around for hours albeit close to the skin
Update…I’ve been wearing for several hours now and I’m enjoying and appreciating this perfume more so than when i first put it on. It’s much more smokey now and it comes to me in little wafts…much like actual incense.
tsar – :
This really is what it says on the label. Pure, unadulterated incense. No supporting players, heck, no real top-middle-base notes. This is all incense, all the time.
Smoky, bitter-sweet, warm and dry as a bone. Full Incense smells exactly like resin granules burning on small charcoal bricks. The smell for me is one of unadulterated joy, though I’ve had friends say it reminds them of church. I wasn’t raised religious, so thankfully I lack any childhood memories associated with this scent – good or bad.
Longevity is the usual Montale style of bordering-on-eternity. Will last 48 hours easily and remain a skin scent through two showers.
Projection/sillage is excellent, though not quite on par with some of Montale’s more atomic offerings, (Black Aoud I’m looking at you).
Utterly unisex and wearable year-round, this is a must try for anyone fond of incense taken to it’s zenith.
fkctmiornf – :
A darker slightly drier equivalent to Avignon with a lovely persistent patchouli base.
i get hints of plum in this as well even though it’s not listed.
Not my favorite incense, but certainly among the best.
Thumbs up.
patsifika – :
A very sweet, bright, almost sharp frankincense scent. The frankincense note that it opens up with has a very dominant orange quality to it. Similar to CdG: Avignon in the sense that they both share that same bright, citrusy note, but they differ because ‘Full Incense’ lacks the smoky backbone that is prevalent in ‘Avignon.’ As it dries down it stays pretty much as it was when you first sprayed it except it gets even sweeter the longer it sits on your skin. Almost candy-like. It’ s an extremely linear fragrance, but it is executed very well if you are looking for that catholic church/frankincense vibe without the smoke. It’s almost as if they captured the smell of a newly built catholic church that uses frankincense air freshener in their ceremonies rather than lighting up the old incense censer. Sillage and longevity are both great.
maslach – :
I wanted to love this but it was just too thin and linear with a strong leaning to the masculine side. Not really sexy just dry and earthy and perhaps a bit bitter. Quite reminiscent of church incense. Excellent frag for layering or if you want to smell nice in a standoffish way. I prefer SL Filles en Aiguilles instead for my incense kick. Or Montale’s Greyland.
jmrnko – :
I’ve just finished my decant.
I absolutely love the smell of Full Incense. Olibanum with resins and woods smells great.
I find it similar to Avignon, but completely different than Cardinal. The second one has huge load of aldehydes which Avignon and Full Incense obviously don’t have.
About the reformulation. I’m quite sure the composition remained unchanged. What has eventually changed – it’s the concentration of the perfume oils in this Montale (and I heard that the same thing happened to other Montale fragrances). All in all – with 4 sprays it stays on me for 12 hours with good sillage.
I’m considering buying it again. This one or Avignon.
All in all I find it as one of the best incense based fragrances ever made.
ilya221996 – :
I bought this perfume yesterday and I must say that I am unhappy…lasting 5-6 hours and is too sweet.
TOM FOR – SAHARA NOIR is the best incense parfume and good lasting 12 – 13 hours.
Robert Piguet Casbah is the best lasting 15-18 hours.
lovelas tj – :
I lucked up and got a pre reformulated bottle. The incense/elemi pairing is stellar and performs at least 12 hours upon the many times I have worn it. Avignon is much softer IMO which I also like but prefer the Montale. I beli