442 The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse is a conceptual attar, based upon the feel and theme of the movie of the same name. 

The theme of the movie was an interesting concept for me to work from. I very much enjoy translating art into other sensory forms, and this movie feels like it is brimming with an intense atmosphere, one that I can almost smell. 

The solitude and hostility of the island brings out a primal quality in those that set foot upon it, drawing out their inner shadows, making them face the darkest parts of themselves.

The Lighthouse is a blend that attempts to capture this foreboding atmosphere, made with materials that match the feel of this cursed island.

*Galbanum, Ambergris & Bladderwrack seaweed: Capture the oceanic atmosphere of the island, with it’s hostile storms and salty air.

*Mongolian Deer Musk, Castoreum, Civet & Hyraceum: Represent the decay on the island, and the odor and sweat of the men stuck there.

*Tobacco, Choy Nakh, Smoked Agarwood & Cade: Are the smoke the men breathe in daily, and the fumes of the furnace.

*Turpentine & Propolis: Propolis takes the place of honey here, in the drink they would make when the booze ran out, leading to their wild visions and loss of their minds.

*Copal Negro & Nagarmotha: Provide the notes for the hostile barrier of rocks that support The Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse also features some unique materials to make this blend special.

Tigerwood Oud: from @yaaseen, This has a stunning, smoky, vibrant, old school agarwood scent, and made this blend come alive.

Maduru Cigar Absolute: A special tobacco that enhances the other tobacco notes, bringing in a deep animalic, waxy note, that merges exceptionally well with the civet.

Oarweed Absolute: A lesser known seaweed that helps to bring in more oceanic ,salty, sea air.

Smelling from the bottle, The Lighthouse feels like an old antique bottle of spirits or medicine, it has an ancient aroma, infused with the expansive, green atmosphere of the ocean. 

This is an attar that evokes a solid theme, and feels like it is a story, presented in olfactory form.

Notes merge fluidly into each other, making it difficult to analyse without getting swept up in the environment. It feels like I can almost look around in this blend when I smell it, like it has grass growing, and animal life. Seaweed covers wet black rocks, salty droplets of ocean spray fill the atmosphere, and the smell of the men permeate their dwelling. 

Smelling on the skin, The Lighthouse opens with a animalic, oceanic presence, it begins as a dark, ominous, green scent, brimming with salty sea air. I get a mental image of a boat sailing through a thick mist, the smell of land is near, as the aroma of seaweed and animal life fills the air. As the boat breaks through the mist, the image of a rocky island comes into view, and it’s towering beacon catching the light. 

The scent settles into rich, green ozone with heavy musky elements. The smoke from the furnace catches your nose as you set foot on the island, seaweed squashes underfoot, and the smell of life and death is ever present. 

Rich boozy notes appear after 10 to 15 minutes as the men meet and have their first drink. A hint of madness is in the air, it is not a cosy place, this is the brink of nature, far away from humanity.

Intense and radiant woody notes appear as time passes, infused with dark resinous notes of propolis that feel like something almost supernatural, things are not as they seem here. 

The Lighthouse is made with the following materials:

Musks:

Mongolian Deer Musk

Hyraceum Absolute

Civet Absolute

Catoreum Absolute

Ambergris Maceration

Resins:

2019 Galbanum Resin

Copal Negro Absolute

Mastic Absolute

2015 Labdanum Absolute

Choy Loban

Woods:

Sri Lankan Smoke Oud

Tigerwood Oud

Indonesian Sandalwood EO

Choy Ral

Guiacol Natural Isolate

Herbs & Spices:

Bladderwrack Absolute

Oarweed Absolute

Nagarmotha EO

Tobacco Absolute

Maduru Cigar Absolute

Oakmoss Absolute

Turpentine EO

Propolis Absolute

Ruh Khus

Absinthe EO

Citrus Khas Accord