Épice Sauvage
Ayala Moriel (2003)

Genre: Woody Oriental

Wow! Epice Sauvage opens with a searing blend of and cinnamon and what smells like chili pepper in the olfactory equivalent of a loud bugle call. The hot, hot opening accord settles down a little bit, but not much, before rich, honeyed florals come on board and take some of the edge off. A coniferous note (the cedar?) is next to follow, transforming the heart into a complex cool/hot composition with outstanding sillage and projection.

While it's firey, Epice Sauvage is also a rich, dark scent, thanks to the very clear opoponax note in the base. I'm reminded of Michel Roudnitska's excellent Noir Epices for Frederic Malle, but Epice Sauvage is at once sharper and sweeter, which in the end makes it more extreme. The drydown is mostly opoponax and cloves, with some sweet vanillic notes for contrast. A complex and exciting scent that deserves a lot more exposure.

I am reviewing a sample of this scent...

Gorgeous and incredible unique scent with cinnamon, honey and cedarwood..really outstanding...!!!

However, it does not last long on my skin; perhaps a couple of hours...if it lasted longer I would definitely buy a bottle...

Thumbs up as it is a beautifully made scent...!

BItter spices made from quality materials. Personally I don't like this one but it's a very well made perfume. The cinnamon really is quite potent and I think a little more sweetness to it would calm everything down.

This has an excellent cedar up front: piney, even a bit minty, almost like eucalyptus. A good wood note, though unfortunately it is brief. The honey is like lovely beeswax, making this a very rich scent (in my opinion). The spices are a tight blend, I couldn't pick out the individual elements. The opopanax gives some musky green notes. The florals make this rich too. In short, this is opulent. It is not my style, but I think it is beautiful.

Bold, crisp and dry SPICE is the essence of this fragrance. Has an incense type of dryness but of warm spice. There is no heaviness as in some earthy spice perfumes or spice orientals, but the rose keeps it friendly and the cedar base keeps it light and woody. Comforting, mellow, but crisp spice is the theme all through. Comparisons have been made to Noir Epices from Frederic Malle, as are appropriate due to its nature, but this spice is so much better! Well done Ayala! One of my favorite warm masculine fragrances.

Reminiscent of Creed Orange Spice with honey mixed in. Very pleasant, a nice winter holiday frag but would work in warm weather too ... unfortunately it doesn't last very long on me.