I spent a lot of time on boats growing up. One of the greatest things was when I was on a long sailing trip there was a moment when there was no land to see. It always made me feel small and insignificant. I would walk around the deck and all I could see were the dark swells of the open ocean. There was a scent to this. Not the lively sea spray, a deeper solemnity to the depths we moved above. Even now thinking about it I have a hard time describing it except it was devoid of nature. Aesop Miraceti tries its hand at interpreting this.
Dr. Kate Forbes
Miraceti is one-third of the “Othertopias” collection. It is one of the two which have the ocean in mind. Karst describes a rocky coastline with a mineralic perspective. Miraceti which translates to “the boat” is nowhere near a harbor. Creative director for the brand Dr. Kate Forbes collaborated with perfumer Barnabe Fillion for all three. Miraceti is meant to project an austerity. M. Fillion uses a well-chosen trio of ingredients in seaweed, frankincense, and labdanum to form his vision.
Barnabe Fillion
I said the open ocean is devoid of nature. That’s not exactly true. There are large patches of seaweed covering the surface. You might associate the smell of dried-up clumps on the beach with it. Out on the ocean there is a cleaner scent with just a hint of iodine within. In Miraceti the seaweed exudes that damp aquatic vegetal minus the elemental tinge. If there is a surrogate for that the astringent silvery frankincense provides it in a small way. This is the smell of concentrated cones of incense. Slightly metallic over a resinous depth. It is a fitting choice to represent the open seas.
The base accord returns to the boat itself as the labdanum adds in the sun-bleached planks of the deck. Styrax represents the sharp scent of the rigging while ambrette seeds remind you there is a person on the boat with its botanical musk. It is surrounded by the seaweed and frankincense to complete the effect.
Miraceti has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
Miraceti doesn’t exactly mimic my memory of standing on deck in the middle of the Atlantic. It comes close enough that it takes me far enough away from the shore to make it worth the trip.
Disclosure: this review is based on a sample provided by Aesop.
–Mark Behnke
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