428 Batula

Batula is a remake of previous attars 275 Al Butula, 312 Al Butula II and 388 Al Butula III.

This is a medicinal smelling scent, made from a childhood memory. Cough syrup and lozenges had a lasting effect on my scent memory, I guess those times I was ill felt like I went on an internal journey, a little out of it with the effects of illness and boozy medicine.

When I make scents like this, I do not try to replicate something perfectly, I like to play with a scent and get creative with it's shape. So this has similarities to the previous versions, but it is unique in it's profile.

This version is perhaps a little more of serious scent than Al Butula III, as it has a more solid, woody core, and no creamy benzoin. Instead this one has a medicinal Thai oud at the core, and the sweet elements are more minimal here, but still present.

I used a new Boronia absolute for this, which has a really pleasant candy-like / jelly quality. This helps Batula feel more juicy and dreamy. It also has a great interplay with the Buddhawood and Jasmines.

Smelling from the applicator, Batula has a bright, zesty opening, with a clean medicinal note of Cherry Birch with undertones of sweet Boronia, Davana and Jasmine. I used 3 different Jasmines for this project. Egyptian Jasmine Absolute, Jasmine Sambac Co2 and Jasmine Grandiflorum Co2, but it is not a Jasmine dominant scent, rather the Jasmines add sweetness and depth to the medicinal notes. Some notes may be difficult to sense like the Cinnamon, as they're in an unusual setting, next to materials that have very different properties, but they lend something important to their neighbours that completes their profile. The Buddhawood and Davana combine with the Sarsaparilla to create a really interesting aroma, that reminds me of these flat cylindrical red sweets that tasted a bit like root beer. Unusual sweet, medicinal, rooty candy.

Smelling on the skin, Batula has a lush, heady, medicinal scent, with woody, sweet notes that feel like they reach deep into the base notes. It has a radiant mid to high note glow, oozing with sweet and elements of Boronia infused with Cherry Birch and some contrasting bitter Davana Absolute.

The Cinnamon feels warm in the base, playing against the Buddhawood and Khao Yai Agarwood.

I used a young, but stunning Thai Khao Yai oud in this blend, it has an aroma similar to Aceh oud, which I find quite medicinal smelling, but it will be interesting to see how Batula develops over time with this oud inside maturing gradually. I also used a Thai Sa Kaeo oud which has a light and sweet woody scent, which helps to add deeper radiant notes to the blend, and lengthen the sweeter elements.

This is a complex blend, but made more minimal. It has 9 main notes, everything else is support

Main Notes:

Blue Tansy (EO – Fresh, herbal, juicy, clean)

Buddhawood (EO- Warm, medicinal, woody, camphor)

Davana (Absolute- Bitter, juicy, herbal, medicinal)

Ylang Ylang (EO- Bright, floral, sweet, creamy)

Cinnamon (Absolute- Spicy, rooty, sweet, woody)

Boronia (Absolute- Sweet, dark honey, fruity, tart)

Jasmine (Absolute- Sweet, dense fruity, narcotic floral / Co2- Sweet, juicy, fruity)

Thai Oud (EO / Khao Yai- Spiced woody, medicinal, green, rooty / Sa Kaeo- Sweet, woody, fruity)

Cherry Birch (EO- Medicinal, rooty, sharp, Camphor)

Support Notes:

Agarwood Ambergris (Absolute- Warm, sweet, balsamic, resinous)

Sarsaparilla (Co2- Sweet, rooty, creamy, herbal)

Bitter Yuzu (Absolute- Citrus, tart, fresh, sharp)

Buoya Wood (EO- Woody, peppery, bitter, dry)

Copal Blanco (Absolute- Citrus, fresh, zesty, light resinous)

Fluer de Cuir (EO- Floral, woody, contrasting, sheer)

Fire Tree Leaves (Absolute- Warm, smoky, medicinal)

White Ambergris (Tincture- Clean, creamy, oceanic)

Osmanthus (Absolute- Sweet, airy, floral, creamy)

Bergamot (EO- Citrus, fresh, zesty, bright)

Papuan Vanilla (Absolute- Sweet, powdery, creamy)

Rosewood (EO- Woody, floral, medicinal, warm)

Mimosa (Absolute- Bright, zesty, creamy, floral)

Eucalyptus (Absolute- Camphor, woody, medicinal, clean)