Samharam is a rich incense scent that traces a straight line to the ancient aromas of myrrh and benzoin that would have accompanied the caravan traders that moved from across the deserts from the spice and resin markets of Somalia and Oman to Venice and beyond. Opening with a triumphantly coca cola-ish myrrh with smoky licorice overtones, Samharam rolls on like a stone, picking up the deeply sooty nuances of Somali frankincense and elemi, as well as the sweeter ‘hot brown paper’ powderiness of benzoin.
Samharam smells both sacred and profane, the ethereal ‘High Church’ lift of the incense raising our thoughts up to the heavens, while all the time enticing our more gustatory senses with a pleasing bite of black pepper and a slightly salty amber. Although not foody in the slightest, there’s something piquant in this incense accord that pricks the saliva glands and makes our bellies growl. Incredibly full-figured and rich, as all Arte Profumi fragrances are, Samharam is the old world Italian artisanal response to the thin and bony incense scents of modern lore.
