Reviews of
Fumidus
Profumum
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Reviews of Fumidus by Profumum
There are 25 reviews of Fumidus by Profumum.
The whiskey disappears after a while, as it should be, so the main note of birch tar emanates with its typically smoky and vaguely barbeque scent. It goes well with vetiver, also of a smoky and earthy type, but round and without edges. It is a beautiful perfume, which in terms of "vibes" can almost be associated with Terroni (very different, however, from the olfactory point of view, mind you) and which recalls, due to the birch, Bois d'Ascese (which I prefer, for mere personal taste). Nice scent, definitely suited to a cold, very cold climate on my nose. Masculine, very masculine, at least according to my concept of masculine perfume, but I would not exclude the use for a woman, indeed ....
A glass of Islay Scotch, sipped neat by the fire.
From your leather armchair you watch the snow fall gently outside. You can hear the wind gust and shake the windows as you take a sip of peated whisky. The flame is dying; you lay another birch log onto the fire and watch the smoke dance lazily up the chimney toward the winter sky.
From your leather armchair you watch the snow fall gently outside. You can hear the wind gust and shake the windows as you take a sip of peated whisky. The flame is dying; you lay another birch log onto the fire and watch the smoke dance lazily up the chimney toward the winter sky.
Frankly I found Fumidus off putting. It smelled harsh and aggressive to me. I found the onslaught hard to modulate, and it had all the warmth and serenity of burning ash cinders still hissing and alight. I couldn't imagine any situation in which I would wear this. I really like vetiver fragrances, and earthy-roots vetivers are great. But this is not a combination of ingredients including vetiver that would pay money to own. It is even more amazing to me that it is offered as a unisex fragrance. This is something a woman would wear? With what? To what occasion? I don't think this is very nice at all.
It smells like plain Haitian vetiver to me, not convinced about either the birch bark or the scotch whisky. The price is excessive for a solution of vetiver oil, even if of good quality, but I have given it a thumbs up as I like vetiver.
Update: As an experiment I compared it side by side with a sample of Vetiver Haiti supplied to me 35 years ago by Firmenich, so nicely aged. The two were difficult to tell apart but I had a slight preference for the Fumidus, which was just a shade fuller and richer. A minor difference, but worth it to some people no doubt.
To quote from the marketing hype:
"Fumidus means smoky, and smoky it is. The smokiness of aged Laphroaig scotch served neat, It is also earthy the earthiness of rich, freshly tilled land surrounded by uncut forest. Deep and magnetic and commanding, this blend of rich peat, grassy vetiver and brisk birch conjures up a vast estate and its moody young lord making his way through the fog on an unruly stallion. It's outdoorsy, but in a way that makes it clear that you don't just work in the forest, you own that forest yourself, along with a good bit of grassland and quite possibly a castle."
Imaginative stuff, but it still smells like bog standard vetiver oil to me.
Update: As an experiment I compared it side by side with a sample of Vetiver Haiti supplied to me 35 years ago by Firmenich, so nicely aged. The two were difficult to tell apart but I had a slight preference for the Fumidus, which was just a shade fuller and richer. A minor difference, but worth it to some people no doubt.
To quote from the marketing hype:
"Fumidus means smoky, and smoky it is. The smokiness of aged Laphroaig scotch served neat, It is also earthy the earthiness of rich, freshly tilled land surrounded by uncut forest. Deep and magnetic and commanding, this blend of rich peat, grassy vetiver and brisk birch conjures up a vast estate and its moody young lord making his way through the fog on an unruly stallion. It's outdoorsy, but in a way that makes it clear that you don't just work in the forest, you own that forest yourself, along with a good bit of grassland and quite possibly a castle."
Imaginative stuff, but it still smells like bog standard vetiver oil to me.
There's a sense in which Profumum Fumidus is loyal to its name, as it's pretty smoky, but I do wonder what was being burned to create the smoke, since it's an unusually synthetic / animalic way of creating a burnt smell.
Vetiver, birch, and whiskey seem like they should be able to be harmonious, so I have to wonder if there are other unseen notes or if I just have a bad bitch, as the mix doesn't seem to be a logical realization of the other notes. I get mainly a very dirty vetiver, borderline animalic rather than earthy. It's as if Imaginary Authors' A City on Fire was attempted but took an odd turn away from spicy fire and toward burning garbage, as another reviewer puts it.
Not totally abhorrent, just an odd smell that I have a tough time imagine I'd want to wear again, Fumidus, if you like it, at least has Profumum's signature powerful performance, but it's simply not a scent for me.
6 out of 10
Vetiver, birch, and whiskey seem like they should be able to be harmonious, so I have to wonder if there are other unseen notes or if I just have a bad bitch, as the mix doesn't seem to be a logical realization of the other notes. I get mainly a very dirty vetiver, borderline animalic rather than earthy. It's as if Imaginary Authors' A City on Fire was attempted but took an odd turn away from spicy fire and toward burning garbage, as another reviewer puts it.
Not totally abhorrent, just an odd smell that I have a tough time imagine I'd want to wear again, Fumidus, if you like it, at least has Profumum's signature powerful performance, but it's simply not a scent for me.
6 out of 10
Huh...if you've ever wanted to smell like burned garbage, put some Fumidus on. The opening notes smell like melted plastic and other bits of trash that have been lit on fire. To be fair, there is a woodiness going on underneath all of that and it brings a very faint smell that is better. Okay, five minutes in and this fragrance is evolving quickly into something nicer. There's now an edge of the unpleasant burned smell, but it's more on the fringes. The main notes that are coming out are the woods and a sweeter accord. Smells much better than the initial scent. Now I'm about three hours in and the scent has evolved further. There's a sour hay smell that's crept into the equation. It almost smells like oak. It's definitely not as sour and pungent as Luten's Chene, but it's brought my enjoyment level down a couple of notches. This is definitely a strange alchemy and seems like a fragrance that people will love or hate. I would be leaning towards the hate end, but there was a period of time during the wear that I enjoyed it, so a neutral rating for me. The longevity was okay...about 5 hours. Sillage was less though at about 3.5 hours.
Despite its name which may sound dark and threatening, Fumidus is actually nothing more than a really mild and mannered salty-smoky vetiver scent. It belongs to the raw & earthy vetivers family together with Etro Vetiver and Althunis by Sigilli, still smelling somehow duller than both or better say, with a slight synthetic-cheap rubber aftertaste that ruins a bit the wild magic for me. And overall less feral & wild than it may seem at first. Nonetheless it's a sure must for all raw vetiver fans; it's salty, smoky, obviously woody with a burnt shade, quite dry and also slightly grassy. The smokiness here comes both from vetiver and from something which I guess may be a leather accord (guess it's the birch note though). Nice, long-lasting and fascinating, but there's way better for this genre and the price doesn't help.
6,5-7/10
6,5-7/10
fumidus is about so much more than smoke! wonderful earthy vetiver performs a languid pas a deux with malt whisky and the smokey embers of a dyings birch fire. this is by far the most interesting of the entire PR line and is the only one i currently own (i did buy arso but it was too 'wussy' to rate as a smoke frag; just boring cedar mostly, so it got sold. bois d'ascese has replaced that niche in my wardrobe much better....). fumidus is quite linear but the proportions change, leaving the wearer with a gorgeous maltbarrelwoodsmoke vetiver to contemplate the cosmos. i respectfully and firmly assert fumidus as a top masculine, second only (imo) in that category to vintage guerlain. if you wish sycomore had more hair on its chest, try this out ;)
Powerful, masculineVery smokey! Very peaty-earthy-rubbery! What an experience... not for the faint of heart. I found this to be a tremendously interesting, organic scent. While these are the attributes of some single-malt Scotch whiskeys, I don't feel this has a Scotch note per se. Here's an interesting aspect. On my skin, the scent quickly went to a rather pleasant dry-down of smokey birch and dry/grassy vetiver. Here, it is almost exactly like Chanel Sycomore (new version). On paper, the scent remained at a very smokey, ashtray stage for hours and eventually came to the pleasant stage. The sheer power of the first phase will be challenging to some. But it is a worthy scent for sure. Pros: Distinctive, assertive, boldCons: may be too strong for some"
I love Fumidus.This smells unique, great vetyver, great smooky vihsky...
I have a sample and have tried it a few times. The first time smelled I only smelled wet ashes, but now I appreciate the smoky Javanese vetiver accord. The drydown is quite simple and there really is'nt a lot of layers in it it ends up smelling like a very plain musk. If you like smoky vetiver go for Sycomore, which is much more rich, has more layers and a lot more interesting drydown. Fumidus is only wearable if making a point is more important than smelling good.
OK. I admit that this is definitely not a fragrance for everybody. It's harsh, it's strong; it doesn't smell pleasant ... but it does smell great. It's Islay scotch and vetiver battling it out to the death. SPOILER ALERT: Vetiver wins. I bought this because I loved it event though I thought I'd only wear it at home for my own enjoyment, but surprisingly I've worn it quite a bit. Although it stays strong, it does mellow a bit after a couple of hours. I'd say any fan of earthy, kick-ass smokey vetivers should man up and give this one a try.
Fumidus by Profumum - One is initally treated to a dram of aromatic scotch whisky, with its tempered harshness harnessed by the indolic sweetness of peat. A nascent, barnyardy aroma of cigar tabacco peeks through as well as a hint of abrading iodine. Medicinal birch bark elbows itself into the mix with its medicinal, wintergreen character and its hint of effervescent birch beer. The sweet, minty intrusion nicely counterbalances the sharpness of the scotch accord. Magical vetiver joins the fray with its rich earthiness and deep muskiness. A strong smokiness envelops the comforting blend. The robust vetiver likewise imparts its syrup, hay and tabacco offerings. A faint armpit body odor and dank woodiness also present. A titillating drydown ensues. This manly composition has excellent projection and longevity - easy on the trigger is the catchphrase here.
AnthonyDG actually has this one described perfectly. But unlike his dislike for it. I think it's magnificent. It's like sipping on Caol Ila or Lagavulin, which in my books are two great offers from Islay, while sitting by a wood burning fire. The mix of smoke and peaty vetiver is seamless. I detect a spicy note beneath that I cannot put my finger on it. It is a little medicinal undertone that brings this fragrance to a a great comfort zone. I don't know if this is something I would wear out for a night in the town. But more like something I would wear at home to bring me pleasure and comfort. It's something that I would wear to relax on winter night by the fire while reading a good book or even to watch a good show(for those who hate reading:-))
This fragrance is robust, opulent, long lasting with a great sillage.
This fragrance is robust, opulent, long lasting with a great sillage.
Very reminiscet of smoky peaty scotch but not a good scotch smell. Any good scotch smells much better than this. This is a scotch smell funked up with leather and possibly other unspecified funk. Every once in a while for reasons I cannot adequately explain I get the urge to put some of this stuff on my arm thinking smelling a good strong earthy smell is what I want and need in that moment and then ten minutes later I have an even more uncontrollable urge to scrub this stuff off my arm as if my health and possibly my sanity depend on it. I don't think I've ever made it to drydown and for that I apologize to all the Fumidus faithful for my inadequacies. I admire anyone who wears this for whatever reason. And I give an enthusiastic thumbs up to Profumum for being able to sell this to anyone.
The US Airforce should issue a vial of Fumidus to all of their pilots. If a pilot gets shot down over enemy territory a spray of this would allow sniffer dogs to track him down from orbit. No GPS needed.
I was in a small shop in Basel and sprayed some Fumidus on one arm, as a test. A pity as all the other delights in that shop smelled the same afterwards. This stuff has serious, serious sillage.
That said, after the shock has worn off I really like Fumidus. It has a very smoky smell and I get the vetiver in the background. I am not a big vetiver fan, but here I can deal with it as the rawness of the vetiver is subdued by the smokiness.
Fumidus is a special scent, not something you would wear all day and definitely not a safe blind buy. BUt I do recommend it, after trying it out. The only problem is the price tag and he fact that it only comes in 100 ml, which will last me forever. If anyone in Germany or Sitzerland wants to share a bottle, please let me know.
I was in a small shop in Basel and sprayed some Fumidus on one arm, as a test. A pity as all the other delights in that shop smelled the same afterwards. This stuff has serious, serious sillage.
That said, after the shock has worn off I really like Fumidus. It has a very smoky smell and I get the vetiver in the background. I am not a big vetiver fan, but here I can deal with it as the rawness of the vetiver is subdued by the smokiness.
Fumidus is a special scent, not something you would wear all day and definitely not a safe blind buy. BUt I do recommend it, after trying it out. The only problem is the price tag and he fact that it only comes in 100 ml, which will last me forever. If anyone in Germany or Sitzerland wants to share a bottle, please let me know.
The notes list is promising the scent is definitely disappointing. Ok, there are three ways to approach this review for me:
1) Great perfume if you like to burn wet vetiver roots in the fireplace (translated: A LOT OF SMOKE) while drinking some Scotch and in the meantime you don't realize your place is going on fire.
2) great perfume if you want to smell like you've just been rescued from you mountain hut that has gone on fire.
3) great perfume if you like to set fire to the trashcan where you have wasted an old vetiver fragrance gone bad.
To me it simply smells horrible, unpleasant and definitely unbalanced on the smoky side. Sorry, I've to pass on this one.
1) Great perfume if you like to burn wet vetiver roots in the fireplace (translated: A LOT OF SMOKE) while drinking some Scotch and in the meantime you don't realize your place is going on fire.
2) great perfume if you want to smell like you've just been rescued from you mountain hut that has gone on fire.
3) great perfume if you like to set fire to the trashcan where you have wasted an old vetiver fragrance gone bad.
To me it simply smells horrible, unpleasant and definitely unbalanced on the smoky side. Sorry, I've to pass on this one.
Fumidus opens with a no-holds-barred blast of Scotch Whisky, both peaty and boozy. At this stage, I am impressed with the realism of the composition. But is it wearable as a fragrance? I am skeptical. The booziness settles out and what remains is a competent earthy, vetiver, a touch smoky, but certainly wearable and likeable, if less remarkable. I give it a neutral rating.
I get mildew; chestnut; the wet, black rot of forest-floor compost; rooty vetiver. I'm afraid I find the overall effect to be decidedly disgusting.On the other hand, it's not the disgusting of incompetence or indifference, and I can certainly envision some sick bastard enjoying this. It's just an extreme scent. If the description appeals to you, don't be too put off by the predominance of thumbs down.I would imagine that to enjoy this, you would have to really like Frederick Malle's Vetiver Extraordinare, but find VE too tame and sanitized.
Boozy, smoky, dense, dirty, muddy, earthy, rooty & woody scent? boy this just grabbed me up my collar... i wasnt ready for this. what a scent! the progressions too has to be one of the most satifying and definite that i have come across...the way the green notes sprout towards the basenotes is a phenomenon to witness, almost poetic & definitely real and true to nature.not for the mild at heart. this ones gritty and it delivers..
Fumidus was a scrubber for me. As much as I love the raw vetiver in MPG RdV and Frederic Malle's VE, the smoke in this fragrance just really blows me away. It smells a bit like a stale, half-smoked cigar drenched in scotch.. over top of a great, raw vetiver. It's just a bit too dirty - I wish there was something in here to temper it a bit.I like robust, woodsy, dark, incense fragrances..even smokey fragrances (Malle's Bois d'Orage). I love vetiver, and the vetiver in Fumidus is of outstanding quality, but I hate the other notes that accompany it. Now if all of this intrigues you, I can tell you that you will certainly get a long-lasting fragrance with plenty of sillage and longevity from Fumidus.Folks often note that Profumum uses extremely high quality ingredients. Though I'm not able to appreciate Fumidus, I still find it remarkable that the same house that produced it also created "Vanitas", "Dulcis in Fundo" and "Acqua Viva". Such diversity and beauty.
This smells like smoky and bold scotch whiskey, peat, and vetiver with an overwhelming opening. Are you sure this is what you want to smell like? If you want to smell like this -- try some lower-grade vetiver oils. When people go clubbing in Thailand, they don't drink beer, vodka, and other spirits. What they, the majority, drink is whiskey. And this.... this smells like I wore Encre Noire out to the club, got drunk, and literally bathed myself in scotch, went out to the parking lot and fainted, lying next to a diesel car's exhaust for a few hours.
to say that I had high expectations for this scent is my understatement of the new year.Yes, the opening is smoky boozy peaty. Laphroaig it ain't (I'm a fan) although I must admit that I've been tempted to dab an Islay malt at my pulse points more than once. However, and this is most shocking, I was sitting at my desk tonight thinking, "did I put Encre Noir on earlier? I don't think so."Yes, folks, that is correct. Fumidus smells pitch perfect like Encre Noir after about 45 minutes. Save yourself the ducats on this Profumum, buy the Encre Noir instead along with a bottle of 18yo Ardbeg, and you'll still have scratch left over. The sideways thumb because I'm P.O.'d that my hopes were dashed, but also because I'd be ticked if I shelled out Profumum caliber coin and it matched my 65 dollar EdT.
