‘Besseha’ as you clink thimble glasses of Moroccan mint tea in Heeley’s Menthe Fraiche, with its bright charge of spearmint and bergamot, on the long green vapours of green tea. Structure is provided by way of white cedar wood - a firm presence set against the aromatic pulses of the fragrance.
Coriscan perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato spent his youth in Azemmour, and Azemour Les Orangers is his most biographical scent, spelt this way to indicate his affection (amour) for the place. It is a joyous painting of orange groves and fields of green turning to blue as it approaches the Oum Er-Rbia River. The scent is leafy, citrus-forward, and mossy, seasoned with spices which lend their evocative power.
Rose de Jamal is Les Indemodables’ tribute to rose, to the producers of the Dadés Valley, and to Morocco. The name itself, Jamal’s rose, is the name of the founder of the source of this rose - and here 100 of Jamal’s roses are in every bottle; an absolute at 5% concentration. Blended with pungent Nanah spearmint and cedar wood, and traces of leather and everlasting flower - it is an exceptional ode to the magnificent products of the land.
L’Air du Desert Marocain (Tauer) is a legendary expression of the Moroccan Maghreb fantasy - cedar wood from the Atlas mountains is the starting point - a motor through which perfumer Andy Tauer creates a scene of dry desert air, gathering the scent of spice markets and temples. Coriander seed and amber form a rich aromatic chord that rings, and rings, and rings. While Le Maroc Pour Elle (Tauer) seems situated right in the heart of a medina scene, as well as a private and passionate one. Furry lashings of jasmine sambac, orange blossoms, lavender, and thick plumes of incense generate an intoxicating scent of unbelievable richness - it is a sultry and lavish floral balm, melting onto the skin of the wearer.
And in similar fashion, The Dark Side by Francesca Bianchi could almost be a magical potion forgotten and found again at a market stall, and is inspired by Francesca’s memories of aromatic oils and essences discovered on her trips to Morocco. It is a complex fragrance, and while Tauer’s Maroc Pour Elle favours floral materials, The Dark Side is a harmony of balsams and resins, extended with spices and incense, producing an intricate and long wearing experience.
