Encounters

Encounters by Francesca Bianchi is an unisex extrait de parfum from 2023 in the niche price tier. It opens with bergamot, sweet orange, blackcurrant, lavender and coriander, moves into orris butter, rose, angelica and cinnamon and dries down to ambergris, castoreum, oud, sandalwood, cedarwood and benzoin. Expect around 12 hours of wear, and it projects at a moderate level.

Notes, explained

Opening

Bergamot Sharp citrus with a faint bitter edge. The opening of about half of all men's fragrances.
Sweet Orange Juicy and cheerful. The friendliest citrus there is.
Blackcurrant Tart, dark and slightly catty. Adds bite to florals.
Lavender Herbal, clean, slightly medicinal. Barbershop in one note.
Coriander Warm seed spice, slightly citrusy. A quiet workhorse.

Heart

Orris Butter The expensive form of iris. Cold, buttery, faintly carrot and violet.
Rose Can be jammy, green, peppery or soapy depending on the type. Not one smell.
Angelica Musky, herbal root. Earthy and a bit strange.
Cinnamon Sweet heat. Reads festive, sometimes to a fault.

Dry-down

Ambergris Salty, animal, sun-warmed skin. Marine and musky at once.
Castoreum Leathery, smoky and warm. Adds depth and a bit of danger.
Oud Resinous, medicinal, barnyard-adjacent wood. The most expensive note in perfumery.
Sandalwood Creamy, milky wood. Soft and almost edible.
Cedarwood Dry, pencil-shaving woodiness. Clean and structural.
Benzoin Sweet balsamic resin. Vanilla-adjacent but drier.

Smells like this

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