Ma Nishtana
Parfum Prissana (2019)

Incense based fragrances are my favourite, hands down. I think this is not only because I enjoy the many natural characteristics and beautiful scents associated with it, from frankincense to sandalwood, copal and palo santo, all the resins, woods, florals etc., but also because incense is attached to so many of my most cherished memories.

One such memory I’m reminded of today as this gorgeous perfume embarks on its fragrant journey around me, is of hanging out with my favourite aunt as a kid in the late 90s at her small house up in the mountains. Her untamed front garden was filled with various herbs and flowers, with white pebbled pathways and a row of pines lining the front entrance gate, dropping their needles and cones on the sandstone steps. Inside her old wooden house with its Wiccan feel and new-age influenced decor, varieties of crystals are placed about, dream catchers, paintings and ornate mirrors hang on the walls, a large amethyst geode sparkles on a silky table cloth next to the large glass tank housing her pet diamond python, its unique mosaic lit up ever so softly by a dim stained glass lamp. There’s sounds of a flock of sulphur crested cockatoos cawing in the distance and rust tinged metal chimes making their soft twinkling music in the breeze, joined in a sensory harmony with the lingering scent of spicy chai tea brewing in the kitchen. This entire scene is enveloped by swirls of nag champa, sandalwood and rose incense, their smoke plumes perfume the air, forming clouds that shift and shimmer in the light peaking through dusty pink velvet curtains, doing its best to mask the ashen tobacco and cannabis smoke that lingers ever-present in the background.

To my nose, Ma Nishtana is an incense fragrance like no other, my absolute favourite Prin Lomros creation and so far at least, probably my favourite overall in this “genre”. You aren’t at any old church here, you’re at a shrine, in a temple, at a mosque or at an early morning Buddhist fire ceremony. This is the mysticism of Asia crossing into and bonding with that of the Middle East, all the magic, beauty, ritual and history that conjures up, all the many fragrances of incense sticks, spices, woods, resins, soft florals, animal fur, sparkling soap suds and dusty smoke. Colours of rich ochre, golden sand, dark shades of brown and whispers of pale pink. It’s the feeling of being inside a warm hug or receiving a nostalgic blast of treasured memories. I fell in love with this one instantly and it’s perfect wearing on an overcast Sunday, trying to catch a moment of zen

Imagine a medieval monastery with a storage building laden with incense, along with the brothers' cooking spices, surrounded by a flower garden. Now set that building on fire, and have one of the brothers run in and out of that building attempting to salvage as much as he can. After 30 minutes of nonstop activity, smell his garments. That's Ma Nishtana.

On my forearm, it works. Under my shirt, it has cooked. This one needs air, and plenty of it. When diffused, it's a great (albeit big) scent.

Ma Nishtana opens with nose tingling aldehydes and a co-starring church-like, slightly soapy frankincense and dark, stark, smoky-woody accord, with supporting warm clove spice and gentle pink pepper before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart the frankincense and smoky dark woods remain still as the focus, now adding a tinge of natural smelling cumin spice and earthy patchouli rising from the base. The composition stays relatively linear through the late dry-down, as remnants of the smoky woods and frankincense remain, adding a hard leathery facet through the finish. Projection is excellent, as is longevity at over 12 hours on skin.

I ended up buying my bottle of Ma Nishtana blind, having sampled nothing at the time of purchase from perfumer Prin Lomros, but hearing raves from multiple noses I trust nudging me just enough to pull the trigger. Now having worn the composition several times (and trying many others from the same nose) I can happily report the somewhat risky buy turned out to be a relative winner. Ma Nishtana at its core is a very solid linear frankincense composition in the vein of Avion and Cardinal, but it distinguishes itself from the pack by the perfumer's skillful use of (the normally dreaded) norlimbanol to create a very believable smoky woods accord that compliments the frankincense perfectly, while infusing warm spice into mix *just* enough to flesh out the bones of the composition while never calling undue attention to them. As wearing incense compositions like this is not a common occurrence (or at least not to this writer) it is a tougher call whether Ma Nishtana is a must buy if you have other similar options in your collection like the ones previously mentioned. That said, limited use aside, for what it is Ma Nishtana is at or near the top of its incense focused class. The bottom line is the $140 per 30 ml bottle Ma Nishtana may have limited use, but smells "excellent" regardless, earning a 4 stars out of 5 rating and a solid recommendation to at least sniff if seeking out a smoky frankincense focused composition.

A stunning incense fragrance. Frankincense is the focus with support from myrrh and brown spices. There is an ambery feel to it and something slightly 'dirty' such as castoreum and labdanum. It gives the impression of an inviting, warm and rich incense, not cold and dry. Incense is usually not my favourite focus in a fragrance, but if I choose only one I would choose this. Unisex I suppose, though perhaps more fitting on a male.

Ma Nishtana is probably the easiest and most immediately likeable perfume in either the Prissana or Strangers Parfumerie line. A judiciously-spiced church incense scent, Ma Nishtana splits the difference between the soapy, aldehyded, Coca-Cola-ish airiness of Cardinal/Avignon and the warmer, breadier, more caramelic-ambery thickness of Contre Bombarde 32 by SAUF or Samharam by Arte Profumi. The drydown drones on a bit, thanks to an application of the dreaded Norlimbanol, but even as a No-Limbs-Left-At-All-hater I have to admit that it's applied with an unusually subtle touch here.

I don't know that Ma Nishtana distinguishes itself so much from the stalwarts of this rather cramped incense genre to be worth the price, but of course, this is a deeply personal thing. The most innovative or unusual thing about Ma Nishtana is really that faint whiff of armpitty cumin or turmeric that's half under-proved doughnut and half curry-sweat, but if you own either Grimoire by Anatole LeBreton or Al Oudh by L'Artisan Parfumeur, I think you're covered. Ma Nishtana is very nice, very good – but not entirely necessary, at least in my opinion.

Take, the very good ISOe Frankincense superbomb Cardinal. Add a Saffron touched Kerleo-esque bouquet Sandalwood based creaminess lightly boosted with a touch of ISOe cedar.
The result is rather ethereal and Meditative that renders the Heeley rather linear and stark.