Miyako
Annayaké (2005)

Amber, incense and myhrre; holy smoke, this is sweet.

I regard Miyako Annayake as my second hippie perfume, next to Goutal Ambre Fétiche. Miyako Annayake feels much much softer though, and more refined.
In my Lutens' drenched brain Ambre Sultan also immediately knocks at the door, being a more vigorous and spicy amber scent.

I absolutely like Miyako Annayake, but I feel that (m a y b e) I miss something here.
A little edge, or scar, a counterbalance note (gin?) could make it more of an enigma, or even better: a Sin.. Less like a one way loop in an Arabian desert.
A beautiful desert though.

The predominant component throughout on my skin is a delicious cinnamon with some cardamom, mixed with a softly gently rich incense note. Wood and jasmine start the drydown, with yang-yang and a whiff of sandalwood included. Rose and a faint amber in the drydown add to the richness of this composition. Quite restrained, creamy, rich but not heavy and well very well blended of quality ingredients. The silage is poor and the projection limited at least, but the longevity is a stupendous twelve hours on me, with the last six very close to my skin. Overall a good spring office scent.

Well. Annayake house is my new find and I feel it will be long-term relationship if not love forever as already four fragrances won my heart effortlessly.
Here is review for oriental-woody Miyako.

First of all I would love to comment "similarity" with Ambre Sultan and previous review by cheril.
It is similar BY NOTES - not by how at acts, not how it develops, in fact they are different and Miyako here is waaaaay ahead. Will explain myself. While Ambre Sultan with its herbal-spicy kicking notes of the kitchen (bay leaf and oregano that I use a lot while making dinners) reminds me bad tempered odalisque, Miyako stays so wise, pure, deep and so calm samurai-girl. Also I love how incense behaves here - its not screaming loud, its exactly Japanese philosophy so different from european/american fragrances - incense here is simply Exists, creating mysterious almost vintagy feel. Hinoki wood is something unusual for my nose but I instantly liked it. Its just superb quality oriental smoky fragrance, refined, natural and most importantly - not known to everyone.

Fragrantica says the notes are:
Top notes: cardamom, cinnamon, frankincense
Middle notes: Hinoki wood, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, patchouli, cedar, sandalwood
Base notes: musk, wild rose, benzoin, myrrh, amber

This is a beautiful fragrance..a one can easily imagine it as a spiritual Japanese incense scent as it purportedly was inspired by. But at the same time if you have Serge Luten's Ambre Sultan..you will not need this. They are nearly identical. The Miyako speaks in a softer voice with a slightly sweeter lilt of cinnamon and cardamon. The Miyako deepens into a slightly creamier amber. The differences are truly slight. I LOVE them both.