Rumi – Running Low

After further contemplation, I think I’ve finally deduced what Rumi is as far as fragrances go. I present EO’s efforts to bottle the feeling of sitting at a circular table outside of one of a few bustling cafés interwoven within threads of stalls, with stone paved roads and antiquated European buildings that have oriental characteristics.

Frozen in time as you gaze at people from all walks of life saunter or scurry along, you lift up your cup to your mouth. A wondrously large cloud of coffee steam engulfs your nose. Perhaps if you too were walking through the street with your cup in hand, you would only get hints of it, but instead, you are enveloped by this rush of refined energy. What’s more, there is a camphorous buzz from the Cardamom infused in your coffee, reminding you that you’re somewhere between East and West. More than just Cardamom pods, you feel Tibetan Musk pods providing an extra animalic caffeinated kick to your cup. There is a slight shimmery white feel, maybe Mastic or Ambergris accompanying the blend.

As your lips leave the cup, your tongue tastes the film of coffee stained on the front of your teeth. From here onwards, everything you experience will feel like it has been steeped in a cezve. The powdery sweet rose taste of a single Turkish Delight somewhat cleanses your palette, but the fumes of Hookah from the table behind you don’t let things be overly floral. Still, people walking by from the Dondurma stall with their elastic like ice cream sling through wafts of Vanilla, Jasmine, and an almost Sandalwood style creaminess. You finally decide to try the Helva sitting in front of you. The smell of toasted semolina, dried fruits, and a lot of Cocoa powder perfectly compliment the lingering taste of coffee. The wheaty chocolate feel is just pure decadence. The twang from the dried fruits feels like Cambodian Oud, while the sticky sweetness is akin to Frankincense. You tilt your head back and just submerge yourself in the moment.

While there have been many coffee scents released by Ensar, Rumi feels unique not only as a coffee fragrance, but also as an EO fragrance. Same high class ingredients, but the way in which they’ve been blended together just feels different—even with ingredients such as Oud, Musk, Ambergris, Rose, and Coffee which are ubiquitous in EO releases. There have been many EO fragrances that have flirted with the idea of being classed as a gourmand. Rumi is unapologetically a paragon of the gourmand profile. It has taken some time to understand this fragrance, but without a doubt in my mind, this is the most exquisite coffee fragrance I’ve tried from any house. It’s a mass-appealing, compliment-getting, beastly-projecting powerhouse that feels just as much snug as it is outgoing. Rumi is an olfactive microcosm of the Bosphorus Strait, showcasing the permeable dichotomy of the East and West.

—Sohail D. / New Zealand