Tibetan Musk EDP: Spicy, sparkling, vivid musk centric scent beautifully blended.
Tibetan Musk – Hailam LTD
There was one particular sultan who forbade the sale of musk during his reign. When his son took over, he…
Hailam LTD is an oud nobody can recreate. It holds the No 1 spot in my heart as my most cherished Hainanese oil of all time (yes, Royal Kinam included). Not only does it feature the finest Hainanese agarwood collected during a bygone time when there was still wild sinensis in Hainan, it was dotingly distilled by the hands of my Sifu during the heydays of Oriscent oils.
On par with Hainan Kinam, anybody who has smelled Hailam LTD will attest to the flawless quality and the fact that you have a whole gram inside an already extravagant Tibetan musk-themed perfume makes this the highest caliber perfume of its kind, anywhere.
Hailam LTD goes for $1,666 per gram, so you’re literally getting Tibetan Musk, which would otherwise sell for no less than $599 – for just $84. Practically free of charge, given the royal provenance of the ingredients that went into making it ($599 was already a practical joke on the pricing of that perfume, and the scent speaks for itself in that regard).
Add a free bottle of Cambodi Cologne to boot (if you buy the set) – and we’re paying you $119 to buy this bespoke OudFest edition.
* * *
Not long ago, I got the idea to make a perfume on the theme of Tibetan musk. I don’t mean I wanted to use musk from Tibet in a perfume, but rather build an entire perfume around that musk.
To make it happen, I consulted with courtiers and friends with royal connections in the Khaleej about sourcing the highest quality musk, which was also cruelty-free and obtained ethically. I was looking for either farmed or otherwise very old musk that had been in their possession since before the hunting restrictions were put in place.
They sent me a few pods as a sample and told me this is musk from the royal family and as old as musk is likely to get. Not sure why I assumed they were referring to a sheikh from somewhere in the Emirates or Saudi Arabia.
So, I set out to craft Tibetan Musk.
When the perfume was done, I called my friend again to get a few details about the musk he’d given me, including its exact provenance.
When I asked the name of the sheikh the musk belonged to, my friend went silent, as if he hesitated to tell me.
“It’s from Qaboos, brother. It came from Sultan Qaboos’ palace.”
My heart stopped.
You may not know this, but my artisan oud journey started with Sultan Qaboos and, unbeknownst to him, the Sultan helped me along every step of the way. Now, after all these years, my old friend had once more found his way into my atelier, even after his passing, may God rest his soul.
From the days of the caliph Harun al-Rashid and the dawn of the Abbasid dynasty, sultans collected musk, not only as an aromatic but also as a store of value. Musk was handed down from sultan to sultan, dynasty to dynasty, the way diamonds and rubies were.
There was one particular sultan who forbade the sale of musk during his reign. When his son took over, he started distributing musk pods as gifts to his guests and loyal subjects.
The guardian of the palace treasury, who’d also served under the new sultan’s father, wept as the musk was handed out. The sultan saw this and asked him, “Why are you crying?”
He said, “My lord, your late father never took a single pod, even for himself. He would visit the storehouse, just pick it up, rub his beard with it, and put it back. Yet, here you are handing it out to everyone who comes.”
This sentiment has existed from the time of the Umayyads and the Abbasids who followed…… right up to our day.
So, no surprise that when I received the Tibetan musk from my colleagues, the hair looked disintegrated. You could breathe on it and they’d fall out. I had never seen musk so old. When removing the skin, I uncovered spores of fungus that itself looked fossilized.
To our best estimation, the musk was acquired by Sultan Qaboos in the 70s, some during the 80s, so he’d had them for half a century already. But they are likely much, much older than that. Because the Sultan inherited them from previous Sultans, and since musk pods were stored instead of used, some of this stuff could realistically be centuries old and possess genuine historicity.
Unfortunately, by the time I got on the phone with my contact I had already opened and macerated what was to become Tibetan Musk. Had I known I’d be cutting open centennial musk pods potentially going back dynasties, you would be reading about a very different product right now.
This perfume was a mistake. It was not supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to cut up Sultan Qaboos’ musk and macerate it.
It so happened that I found out what I’d been handling after the perfume was done and ready. Here, I’m not giving you musk from Sultan Qaboos’ palace—you’re getting musk from the palaces of Harun al-Rashid and his successors. God knows how many centuries this has aged. Tibetan Musk is a link that goes back sultans and dynasties, from the Tibetan mountains right into the heart of the Islamic civilization.
I know what musk looks like and how difficult it is to cut through fresh pods. The hair, the texture, the skin—it’s like cutting up leather. But, what I had just worked with was so soft and pliable and looked more like chocolate truffles. Creamy and intense, it smelled like the pods had been aged for a thousand years. The scalpel cut through the sack like butter.
I was yearning for the urinal, fresh, gamey aroma of what I remember of my Siberian musk escapades. Instead, I got these pods stuffed with this earthy, vanillic aroma oozing out a subdued yet profound muskiness you’d imagine finding in the archives of a centuries-old Osmotheque.
Now, if you were me, what would you do? If you had your hands on historic musk pods, happened to have already cut them open to remove the grains, and had the perfume ready to go?
I changed the plan. I thought of how musk was used back in the day when they carried the actual sack like a fragrant amulet, yet how today we’re told to use [fake] musk in only the minutest quantities.
Until now, we used musk as a fixative and carrier, the prism through which the spiciness of No 2 or the lotus in Crime & Punishment became enhanced. But this time was different.
Just like oud, not all musks smell alike. Siberian musk is urinal and animalic, while Tibetan is chocolatey, truffle-like with hints of toffee. We gave someone a swipe of the tincture neat, and his first comment was, “This isn’t chocolate, is it?”
Tibetan Musk is all about showcasing the primal oomph of this animalic chocolate truffle.
So much so that this edition is more than double the strength I originally had in mind—which would already have been way more than any sane perfumer would ever think of using. And not to mention…… we’re talking the Sultan’s musk.
The composition that accompanies the musk is… sweet. Not candy sweet or fruity. Fossilized amber sweet. Blackcurrant laced with medicinal Hojari frankincense and lavender sweet. A composition to complement the musk, not the other way around.
Over the past century, musk became a filter, a flavor enhancer, a touch of salt to the main dish. And that’s fine. Perfumers have used musk as an enhancing fixative with great merit.
But Tibetan Musk flips the table: the perfume was composed for the musk—built around its potent, chocolatey core. This time, the compound is the fixative enhancing the musk—not vice versa.
So, join me as we take a page from our ancestors who doused themselves in rose, scented their clothes with oud smoke and boldly carried around those rare sacks of musk. And thank Sultan Qaboos for the chance to smell this—and the Sultans before him, and those before them.
The reason I’m charging $499 and not $5,000 for Sultan Qaboos’ musk is because my friends who shared it with me were very generous, and it was given to me as a token of our friendship more than anything else. So, rather than charge a premium, I’m passing it on to you and my beloved customers in turn, as a token of my appreciation for you.
No need to worry about sillage or projection. Instead of five sprays, one should do you fine. And there’s no trace of Johnson’s & Johnson’s baby powder smell to remind you that gone are the days of MUSK.
Instead, take a stroll through ancient Tibet and gaze in awe at the mountains that bring this raw breeze filled with flavor which no city could ever capture; no muscone substitute can ever hope to convey.
Featured Testimonials…
Tang – Oriental – Herbal – Bittersweet – Spicy sour – Bombastic – Ethreal Rosey – Oudy Based
Just fantastic.
Reviews of other versions:
A sexy, musky, mind blowing masterpiece. A fragrance so perfect that only the most regal should be allowed to wear it. Pure elegance in a bottle.
WOW. Sparkling, projecting, another level.
Lavender, Cedar and black currant paired with the best Musk and blended to perfection.
The greatest opening in any perfume: nostalgia for an ancient time.
Tibetan musk was an experience that I took a whole evening to decipher and appreciate. My experience with Siberian musk did not prepare me for the chocolate caramel musk in tibetan musk. Appreciate the opportunity to be able to enjoy these.
My gateway into EO. I find this to be animalic, masculine and sexy.
I am at a loss for words with this one. It is sweet musky goodness from another dimension! I’m glad that I ordered a second bottle to stash.
So the thing about this Tibetan musk is that it starts with an absolutely overpowering animalic explosion. It’s like a musk pod being smashed open and sprayed directly into your nose. This is not an easy opening. I’ve been spraying perfumes for a bloody long time now and nothing has quite made me recoil like the first spray….
…but…
After about 3 or 4 minutes that brutal funk melts away and what remains is a simple, elegant and absolutely beautiful musk – supported by a little spice and something slightly soapy washing powder like.
It legitimately is an amazing perfume. But do not judge it on the first few minutes. You must be patient.
[Not a paid partnership]@fragrance_weirdo
Love the Tibetan Musk especially with regards to its projection and longevity – Never smelled anything mesmerizing as the TB (it’s meditative and seductive at the same time).
This IS Ensar’s best parfum. It is unique. Perfectly blended. Exquisite.
Wonderful fragrance, superb customer service. Always fast shipping. Wonderful shopping experience. 👍
I didn’t think I’d find something quite as intoxicating as No. 2 (which I own both formulations of I love it so much). This has that same intoxication but in a very different way. Easily one of my favorites and I’m so happy to have taken the chance on a blind purchase.
Tibetan Musk is so beautiful, so unique. I really feel blessed to own a bottle.
Pure parfum edition: Musk like I never smelt before: animalic, citrusy and sharp all at the same time.
The most versatile, alluring, enchanting and beautiful fruity spicy musk IMHO.
I just received Tibetan Musk EDP and am currently wearing it now. My first impressions are that it’s truly unlike anything I’ve ever smelled before in my life and I mean that in the best way possible. While my nose isn’t advanced enough to pick up individual notes and breakdown the perfume I do know that I’m thoroughly enjoying wearing it and find it quite uplifting.
I can’t wait to try the other samples that came with the order as well and look forward to future release from Ensar.
Have a Blessed Day,
“Ensar Oud Tibetan Musk is a high quality creation: the scent focuses on the interplay between lavender, spices and musk. Upon first spray, the scent feels cool. Spices and lavender are very prominent. The musk is there and elevates the spices to make the scent very effervescent. Lavender lingers until the dry down, which is replaced by cedarwood. Amber adds a little more depth and warmth to the scent. Overall, the construction is superb.”
scentologist37
An invigorating, groundbreaking, and powerful animalic!
It’s very uplifting. It makes me think of a golden colour, spring, a river running, nature blooming. I also agree that this one feels like a perfume, with excellent blending, quite different than the typical artisanal blending style that might feel rough around the edges, with sudden transitions. Gorgeous perfume!
Gorgeous, creamy fougere, super long lasting. Stunning!
Most of Ensar’s compositions are classic French perfumerie and Tibetan Musk is no exception, it’s a classic feminine chypre.
EO No. 1 is a Cuir, or leather fragrance and I agree it has a rustic feel because ime it requires a decent amount of animalics to have a natural perfume not smell too much like an essential oil aromatherapy product, a nice shampoo or bar of soap, etc or just have that essential oil feel. EO1 maybe needs a bit of musk to blur everything together so the patchouli and some other notes are less obvious and form a bit more of a smooth accord.
No. 2 is a classic musk fragrance, and I’d disagree about this one seeming “handmade”, imo it’s as close as you’re going to get to a decades-old Guerlain vintage perfume today.
What’s interesting about many of these compositions being based on classic “recipes” is you can compare them to other very similar perfumes and if you do so I don’t think you’ll find anything else you can get your hands on to be better. Even the best French fragrance company that makes Roja and Puredistance aren’t even close anymore.
Then consider some of the Sultan’s rose oils, musks etc are almost priceless, you really can’t get some of this stuff anywhere. And not to knock the musk available today but it’s not the same as the Tibetan or Tonkin musks you can’t get. Overall I agree, the latest releases show a polish and excellence that maybe some earlier attars and the first PP and EDPs lacked.
Tibetan Musk: The finest of musk perfumes I have tried.
This is my play by play review. I just made notes as I sniffed and it developed.
Immediately upon spraying I get a big whiff of something *very* animalic. I’ve smelt a non opened pod before and it was like that. Follows up with something bright and zesty. Something sweet in the background, almost lemony. Reminded me a little bit of Guerlain’s Jicky. I’m finding this very classical in style. The Ensar Oud DNA isn’t present (E01/2/C&P/TL).
After some time a chocolate like facet of the musk, as mentioned by others, is easily discernible, but it’s not sweet chocolate. Chocolate you smell, not eat (which would be sweet like milk chocolate).
This is not a dark, broody rendition of musk. The supporting notes give it a vibrant, playful and energetic feel. Something like vetiver pops up after a while, followed by mentholy whisps (frankincense?).
It gets muskier as it develops. A few hours in and it’s spicier, reminding me a little of vintage YSL Oud M7. Cola too.
Halfway through its journey, I was thinking it’s not musky enough. The drydown addresses that somewhat, but still very refined, and I’m not picking up a pungent musk. Keep in mind this is my first time trying this; there is an element of the musk playing peekaboo. The last stages of the drydown reveal a clearer vanilla element, at points reminding me of talcum powder/baby care products.
I will share the thought that this is ‘Ensar Oud’s best perfume’ did pop into my head. It is smooth, well blended and has a classical style – unlike the others that I have tried (E01 PP & EDP, E02 PP & EDP/ E01 Manipur, TL & CP), which, whilst being lovely, are definitely possessing more of a handmade feel (by no means a criticism), compared to the clinical finishing of something produced in a laboratory.
The overall result of Tibetan Musk Parfum is silky smooth. It’s not an attar in spray form, it’s a composed perfume, and to see something like this from an ‘oud man’ is to be praised.
I’d be interested to know if this was made by Ensar’s hand, or by the rest of the team via long distance communication. I will compare this with some other Tibetan Musk compositions, and grains, as I will be honest and say my experience with Tibetan musk is extremely limited.
As for mental imagery, I don’t envisage the Himalayas, Tibetan monks or anything like that. I think that is just an association with the name of the musk. For me, the scent is reminiscent of spring and summer, sunny days and woodlands. Those aren’t notes I pick up, but what it makes me think of. I like that it is quite a heavy scent; it has significant presence, yet bright and zippy at the same time (it diffuses off the skin well, as opposed to smouldering slowly).
9 hours later, the spritz on the back of my hand is still going strong, having survived the night, and a shower; longevity therefore is very good.
I know this is super long, but I’ve tried to write a review in the style that I would find helpful, rather than simply go off on one, dazzle with metaphors and stick a picture of a deer in 🙂 Who am I kidding, here’s a deer 🦌.
Zartash H.
You guys know the moment when you can’t stop sniffing the spot where you applied the fragrance… your excitement is at its peak… you already think about getting a backup bottle. 😉 That’s how it is…..
Tibetan Musk is WOW.
This is powerful stuff. One spray and I’m surrounded. Is anyone else picking up a distinct incense in this? It’s unlike any other incense I’ve smelled, but still incense none the less.
The musk is VERY creamy, but also very personal… almost a second skin like effect.
S*x in a bottle if you ask me. I’m picking up a scent memory of summer nights, sitting outside, greenery growing in the distance, the smell of citronella candles burning, as my close friends share a few drinks, and some chocolatey desserts.
This is truly unlike any other smell or perfume I’ve ever encountered so it’s impossible to draw comparisons. I’m just soaking up the smell at the moment.
Tibetan Musk is the best musk I have ever smelled and should be a gold standard for what musk should smell like. It’s super concentrated and all I need to spray is half a pump.
My earliest memory of the impact of fragrance on my life came from watching the daily routine of my Grandfather.
My Grandfather worked in the same warehouse (shipping and receiving) for 40 years. Everyday he would put on a pressed blue shirt with white stitching of Robert over the heart. Slacks, polished black shoes and the most important details to complete the uniform was his grooming. I would watch him from the hallway as he shaved carefully combed his hair with a disposable black comb and Brylcreem to ensure every strand was in place and finally he would splash on Old spice. He had a couple different versions but I remember the soft spice musk warm smell. Reassuring, strong, steadfast.
He dressed and groomed as if he was off to meet the queen even if his days were spent amongst boxes of parts and equipment.
Tibetan Musk is inexplicably linked to him and to his memory and his lesson he taught me by how he conducted himself and not the words he spoke.
As I celebrate 20 years with my firm and 15 years of marriage. I know loyalty, dedication, and service not just to one’s company, but to God and your loved ones is embedded into my being by him.
This is the scent I would gift to him if he were alive today, and this is the scent I hope my grandchildren would remember me by.
Perhaps in another time and another place I can give him this gift but until then I’ll cherish this bottle and the lessons embedded not by words or grand deeds, but merely but a young child watching his embodiment of manhood getting ready for the day.
I need Tibetan Musk in my collection forever. It is just incredible!
The opening on this one is incredible. One of my favorite things from EO, ever. I will be putting my bottle in my vault and only using it occasionally. It is something very special!
It’s sensual, not ecstasy.
You want to hold it in your hand while going to bed, adore it like a child adores her doll.
Feel the weight of the bottle. The wooden cap, the color of the fragrance, the coldness of the heavy glass and the engraved EO Tibetan Musk Pure Perfume all representing minimal contemporary art, in the finest form you can have.
Smell between the cap and the glass where it is gently revealing its charm and you will know why pure Musk will belong to paradise. $600 for a bottle of perfume won’t be affordable for many.
It can as well be my only bottle that I cherish for a lifetime. But it will be an insult to the artwork of Tibetan Musk to call it expensive or extravagant. Rather, through the generosity of Ensar Oud, I was lucky to experience a piece of it and it is only fair of me to say that.
Brethren, you are living legends and I salute you.
A perfume that has got the favourite spot in my Ensar collection (PP Edition).
I find nothing pungent about Tibetan Musk. It is absolute perfection.
I have to say it is really gorgeous.
Tibetan Musk has a strong, pungent opening which is made up of somewhat herbaceous and fruity Lavender, Frankincense and a slightly medicinal and spicy Musk punch. Don’t get me wrong, the opening is mind-blowing!
Quickly the whole composition turns to a sparkling bright Lavender and a big creamy and smooth Musk. I definitely get the Musk, even something skin-like but very antique, slightly earthy. There is a minimal sweetness underlining the creaminess complementing the whole feeling.
On the one hand, I definitely see the idea of smelling a creamy chocolate, but I get also a Coke like feeling, it is mouthwatering! It doesn’t smell like Coke per se, but the sparkling sweetness and the whole texture do remind me of it.
On the other hand I think Tibetan Musk is also a classic perfume, but a really modern one … and a really artisanal one!
I am waiting for the dry down experiencing more and more facets as the Musk comes through.
I don’t often rate a perfume as a 10/10 right away, at least not immediately on the first day…. but in case of Tibetan Musk I really have to!
The Tibetan Musk used in this perfume differs from Siberian Musk, but I am sure what I am identifying is definitely Musk!
By a long way my favourite. There is something about the sweet saltiness of it that is incredibly addictive.
WOW! This perfume is a power house, I have never smelled anything like that.
So strong, yet so elegant and mysterious.
My goodness I cannot get over how great it is.
I am not even exaggerating, this is on a whole other level, beyond what we get from niche perfumes.
Only thing I’ll say for now is that if Ensar is going to use this musk in upcoming perfumes then we’re going to have a problem… RIP wallet.
Fizzy cola with a slice of lemon, ginger & cardamom all rounded off with a constant chocolaty aura.
A lavender that reminds of one kind I smelt from Zaza Haus that had a vanillic, extremely smooth scent can also be found very prominently after the first 5 to 10 minutes, which makes it so amazingly elegant.
What I love about it is that even though it’s not the same type of musk we’re used to, it is undeniably MUSK in its primal form but with a different focus in the front. This is a total winner!
Tibetan Musk PP: A highly determined wingman.
I think this just might be my favorite Ensar fragrance yet. And the fact that it will get better and better is even more amazing, if I can hold on to it that long. The opening is absolutely gorgeous, sweet but not too sweet. I think I perceive the blackcurrant.
What is truly amazing is that I thought this was going to be fantastic, and it is even better than I thought it would be. It’s beginning to evolve already, and I’m starting to get the chocolaty muskiness.
All I can really tell you is that it is one of the best parfums I’ve ever smelled in my entire life, that much is certain.
2 sprays was enough to satisfy me the whole day. The Cola was there but there was this heavy musky floral note that lingered, which kept me smiling.
A scent that gives off a heavy ‘royal’ vibe which I truly enjoy.
This will be my ‘Big Boss’ parfum reserved for special occasions.
Tibetan Musk PP: Rich, Warm, and opulent. It lingers but is never enough.
To best describe my initial reaction I invite you all to remember a scene in The Matrix. Neo and Morpheus on that rooftop, and Morpheus looks at Neo and says “Free your mind,” and leaps 50 feet from one rooftop to another. At this moment, remember the look on Neo’s face. His whole world, his entire perception of what’s possible changes in an instant. The only word he’s able to speak is ‘Whoa’. I sprayed on Tibetan Musk last night, and I had to sit down. My entire perception of what musk is, and what it can be, changed.
There’s a slight sharpness to it, almost like a fizzy/carbonated feel to it, not unlike cream soda. It’s sweet, vanillic, I didn’t quite get the chocolate that’s referenced in the write up, but there is a truffle like creaminess on top of a lavender-like freshness. This is a musk that is like no others. This is bright and uplifting, a stark contrast to Siberian musk’s animalic sexiness. There is nothing urinal about this, in fact it may possibly be the “cleanest” smelling animal note I’ve encountered.
Different noses may have different experiences with this, and for me this fragrance so far has been less about how it smells, and more about how it makes me feel. I’ll be able to go more in depth on the fragrance itself after I get some wear out of it, but so far my mind has been blown and I count myself fortunate to have experienced it, and blessed to have a bottle of it.
Pure Parfum Edition: I think it’s one of the most wearable perfumes for almost all occasions.
Dazzling. Much more effervescent than expected and like no other musk-centered perfume that I’ve encountered.
Dispensing with the animalics or waxy expectations, Tibetan Musk opens with a deep green feel that is springing to life… like tomato leaf spritzed with yuzu. A fizzy, bright herbal character quickly emerges. I get cloves piercing bitter orange, a bright lavender, some pink peppercorn, maybe nutmeg? The spice notes recall a deeper, more layered version of Noir Epices (but without the nose-irritating dryness). It’s as if the most volatile wafts are levitating atop a creamy vanilla and earthy lavender (anyone tried Dusita’s Erawan?
The weight and centering effect is the same—like a chocolate-leaning patchouli varietal spiked with smoke and incense). One spray on the forearm is proving to be plenty.
This is tenacious, gorgeous stuff.
Hadn’t worn Tibetan Musk since I got it. Wore today, maaaan, that fragrance sits around me like nothing else. It’s not a scent, it’s a state. That’s a clinical fact folks…
I think I’m going to sell some oils and buy more Tibetan Musk. If I run out I may struggle with life. Ensar, you have made me and broken me.
I awoke this morning, made my customary coffee and toast. Opened the musk box and decided to apply a spritz post-coffee. Without exaggerating, the scent was pumping as I closed the box and went to sit on my desk. I can still smell it.
The warming, erotic creaminess has quite obviously got inside my head. Insane. When I wear it fully I’ll let you know my thoughts better. But, if you haven’t ordered this. Get your mental state checked.
I will say this, the nuance notes mean very little to me if I’m honest. There is a scent that smells like royalty and when it gets around your head, words mean jack all. If you like musk, you’ll be exhausted in 5 minutes. If you don’t like musk, I feel sorry for you lad (and ladettes).
Did my first spray of Tibetan Musk and it definitely feels different than the Siberian variety. If I didn’t read the notes on Ensar’s website I would have said Blackcurrant (or a zesty sweet-sour fruit) on top, lavender (aromatic mentholated-spicy nuances), myrrh (effervescent nutty-caramel like facets), patchouli (earthy-chocolaty variety), and musk.
After reading Ensar’s description though I would say, Blackcurrant, lavender, and Tibetan Musk. The Musk is gorgeous. It has a smooth furriness to it, almost no urinous facets, it’s effervescent and nutty (myrrh-like) and earthy, slightly chocolaty. I wouldn’t say this is a gourmand. Very slight sweetness to it. From my experience with musks, they have a natural underlying sweetness. I think the additional fruity-citrusy-aromatic notes complement the musk perfectly.
I find it very wearable, and sexy. It’s very refreshing, invigorating. I could wear this all year round, every day, no problem. It is light and rich at the same time. It draws you in. Very addictive. But I really love musk. It makes me think of gold. I get a golden color in front of my eyes when I smell this. Pure gold. The myrrh like quality is my favorite, but the patchouli facet dominates the dry-down. It also makes me think of Spring. River flowing, crystal clear water, nature blooming, clear sky.
Performance is excellent, one spray on my wrist filled the entire room, it is all I can smell. Overall, upon initial spray, I love it.
Tibetan Musk: luxe, calme et volupté.
I picture a monastery nestled in the middle of Kangra Valley, mini Lhasa. Hills lined with Deodar trees. Surrounded by clouds. Wildflowers adorn the valley like stars on a new moon night. It has just stopped raining. Fog is coming down. Raindrops cuddle with fuzzy eucalyptus flowers and the air is full of the sweet comforting aroma of Eucalyptus. As I walk through, I see Monks offering incenses doused with Spikenard, Clove, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Sandalwood, and what not. Wafts of labdanum and benzoin-laden dhoop from the nearby temple pervade through. The more I think about it, the more my heart fills with moonstruck euphoria. I yearn for this place.
It is a gorgeous composition. The texture of this perfume is like a dark gooey ball of majoun laced with honey, vanilla, and dried fruits. So sweet and intoxicating that you want to bite into it. As the perfume settles, it gives you a warm hug. My Musc Ravageur stares at us with envious side-eyes. I do not love her as much as I did till yesterday.
There is something mythical about Tibetan Musk. In the heart, it’s an ambery, sweet, warm-coumarin gourmand. A couple hours in, I also get this fresh spicy vintage cologne vibe. Reminds me of musky ambers. I found the late drydown to be reminiscent of my vintage Bois du Portugal for some reason. There is no pissy element in here. There is just divinely dark and chocolaty Sultan Qaboos musk.
Something in my heart said this would be something I would love when it was first announced and at that very moment, I decided to get it. Although, this is a 360 from what I expected but a surprise that I would like to experience again and again.
Note from a Customer
If EO2 is the darkness in the palace… a wolf in the Emperors clothing, Tibetan Musk is the first light of dawn gilded and bursting with warmth and beauty.
Tibetan Musk opens with citrus laced urinous musk, that in an instant is overtaken by warm orange and citrus radiance.
This opening is breathtaking and is perhaps one of the best openings I’ve encountered in the EO line up.
The pure white brilliance of the opening is streaked yellow and orange by the citrus and retreats to a warm cream glow turned sweet by the musk and sandalwood
5 mins in brown starts to dot the cream coloured musk cloud as hints of clove arrive to add a soft spice to the sweat creamed citrus musk.
The mid brings forth a slight floral tone as notes of lavender slowly combine with the clove and clean sweet soft musk.
Faintest of wafts you may pick up a hint of frankincense a dash of sandalwood and a hint of clove but for the most part the accords are wound so tight they are hard to unravel and present themselves as an accord and an energy all unto themselves.
The base becomes a musky woody affair, at times powdery at times a rich sandalwood, shot through with a cocoa tone. The cocoa is not so much of the smell of a milk chocolate more the tone and texture silky full fat powered rich cocoa.
Tibetan Musk wears airy and rich but never dense or intrusive. It provides the wearer a regal air or aura of warmth and sophistication.
It hints at some of the greats of French perfumery, Guerlain Jicky, Chanel Coromandel and moderns like Musc Ravageur. However it feels like it predates them all. It’s timeless, it’s classic and it’s regal.
Tibetan Musk is Heritage, it’s Legacy, like a fine watch or a briefcase it’s what should be passed on to future generations to enjoy.
I just knew something special was cooking in Ensar Oud’s lab. It feels like old world perfumery is back. So beautiful. I love it. If you still haven’t made up your mind about this one, I would say BUY IT.
It’s amazing! This feels like it was inspired by a vintage French perfume… a dry, spicy complex musk-bomb of a chypre. […]
Tibetan Musk is an alpha-fragrance, if such a thing exists… it’s strong, bold, and unapologetic. Massive amounts of musk, castoreum and ambergris project the opening of yuzu, lemon and grapefruit…
I’d guess one partial spray is enough to fill a room! The musk and castoreum combined with cumin, cloves and warm spices is omnipresent and the backbone of the fragrance, but after time the opening fades and I can discern some floral heartnotes… rose, lavender, osmanthus, immortelle… and not far behind additional basenotes such as benzoin, tobacco, oakmoss, vetiver, patchouli.
Despite the complexity, it is a musk fragrance in the same way Sultan Musk Attar and #2 are, this is almost like an “extreme” version of EO No 2 with more cumin, more musk, plus castoreum and a floral heart. It also reminds me of the 80’s aromatic fougere ultra-bombs like Drakkar Noir, lol… I could definitely see Hasslehoff and Tom Seleck wearing Tibetan Musk. 🙂
Tibetan Musk PP: Trekking through the Gama Valley of Tibet, basked in sunshine!
I’m falling in love with Tibetan Musk.
I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything remotely similar. I get a hardcore funk when I first spray, but not it a bad way; it’s almost raunchy they way Diagelev is.
It echos true vintage French perfumery. Then the drydown is just to die for. Incense-y, creamy, buttery, and alluring…I honestly don’t know how to describe the notes though, as they’re so unique.
I definitely join the ranks… This BOOMS on your skin… and this is just a super tiny minimum push to get a first impression… the freshness of this scent is quite superlative… I wonder what it will be tomorrow after my shower and I push down the button 2-3 times… 🤪.
Note from a Customer
Tibetan Musk has definitely been a revelation for me.
I have never smelled anything like it before and even afterwards.
It opens with this huge blast of Lavender and Frankincense. It’s a sharpness that pierces your nostrils and goes directly to you brain.
Most of the time EO creations are smooth like butter, blended so well, that you almost can’t feel any transitions. Tibetan Musk is not like this. At least not in the beginning.
The first sprays hit you like an uppercut. But you feel, that this is intentional. You know that Ensar wanted it to be exactly like this. You know because no matter how hard it hits you, you feel that this is a special composition.
Even though lavender and frankincense dominate the opening to me, you can already feel the effervescence, created by the Tibetan Musk. It adds this sparkly feeling that makes up this scent in my opinion. It always gives me this feeling when you open a bottle of carbonated water and put it right to your nose. 😀 We all know that smell, right?
Black Current is more hidden and just lurks behind all the spices. It by far not as prominent as for example in Iris Ghalia but it adds a slight touch of sour fruitiness to it.
I heard some people say that TM is too animalic to pull it off. Honestly I don’t even detect ANY kind of animalic notes – at least not in the proper sense. It may be more „pungent“ and „piercing“ in it’s structure than EO2 or Tonkin Musk due to the relatively sharp lavender and the spices but I would definitely NOT describe it as animalic. It’s absolutely incomparable with Siberian Musk focused scents like Eo2 or Siber Extreme.
Unfortunately, I have never been to Tibet but I imagine the temples could smell exactly like this. This incense-note combined with the musk is unbelievably addicting. After smelling EO-Amber, I would also guess, that this is another ingredient of Tibetan Musk.
After a while the „roughness“ starts to smooth out more and more and something that smells like a super high quality, natural vanilla pops up, and makes the scent even more intriguing. I really have no idea where this vanilla note comes from, as it’s not listed but for me personally, it’s definitely a highlight moment of the scent-evolution.
All in all it provides this „ancient“ feeling of being from another time, fits the theme perfectly and put’s me into this meditative state. I know this term is frequently used nowadays but what can I say – it just does.
Together with Iris Ghalia, Tibetan Musk is my most complimented perfume. Even though I don’t really care about compliments it’s always nice to hear, that you smell good and people ask what you are wearing.
Three spays last me a whole day with great projection But I have to say that Musks seem to work extremely well on my skin. Way better than Ouds.
In my opinion Tibetan Musk is a masterpiece and one of the few scents I bought a Back-Up bottle of. And honestly – maybe I am getting a third. I never want to run out of it..
—Marvin G. / Germany
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