Year: 2013
Notes: blackcurrant, fig leaf, parsley leaf, geranium, water hyacinth, lotus, rose, mimosa, osmanthus, ylang-ylang, jasmine sambac, iris, heliotrope, fig milk, vanilla, myrrh, styrax, leather, birch, cedar, frankincense, fir balsam, Haitian vetiver, sandalwood, ambergris
Named after one of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka gets off to a very grating start.
Commencing with suggestive fig and watery notes, there's also a synthetic, plastic-like aura that accompanies them. Although this could be partly due to the parsley, it's not a great introduction by any means.
It soon transitions to a lactonic floral heart, with occasional salty accents. The floral mélange doesn't feature a particular accord that stands out but, instead, imparts a soft creaminess to support the fig milk. With a subtle powderiness from the iris and heliotrope, the resins and woods that duly follow are both mellow and restrained. Towards the end, the fir balsam adds a beautiful green balsamic tinge. As for any sweetness, it never crosses the line into syrupy territory.
Apart from the fleeting fig milk aspect, one didn't get much fig from the composition at all. And, in contrast to the opening, the drydown is a lot more pleasant but there's still a structural imbalance throughout its evolution. All things considered, it's a muddled fig rendition, with a drydown that could have been significantly better.
Sillage is moderate with below average longevity.
Commencing with suggestive fig and watery notes, there's also a synthetic, plastic-like aura that accompanies them. Although this could be partly due to the parsley, it's not a great introduction by any means.
It soon transitions to a lactonic floral heart, with occasional salty accents. The floral mélange doesn't feature a particular accord that stands out but, instead, imparts a soft creaminess to support the fig milk. With a subtle powderiness from the iris and heliotrope, the resins and woods that duly follow are both mellow and restrained. Towards the end, the fir balsam adds a beautiful green balsamic tinge. As for any sweetness, it never crosses the line into syrupy territory.
Apart from the fleeting fig milk aspect, one didn't get much fig from the composition at all. And, in contrast to the opening, the drydown is a lot more pleasant but there's still a structural imbalance throughout its evolution. All things considered, it's a muddled fig rendition, with a drydown that could have been significantly better.
Sillage is moderate with below average longevity.
