Penhaligon's Babylon Eau de Parfum

"Babylon" can be described as "spices, followed by more spices, and then a bit more spices." It bears a resemblance to "Cairo," minus the rose. Despite my aversion to oriental fragrances, there is a certain chic in this monochromatic composition. Penhaligon's has managed to create a scent from nothing but spices and wood that doesn’t come across as poor or dull.

Saffron plays the same sharp, salty-sour violin, extracting from nutmeg its non-confectionery, dry, and slightly prickly faction; green coriander pods add a third voice to harmonize. Together, they somewhat resemble the aroma of Middle Eastern charcoal coffee — minus the coffee: instead, what is meant to serve only as flavor and aromatic additives takes center stage.

The resinous-woody "body" of the fragrance seems to be composed of a thousand hues, collectively forming a complex, blended color: there's a sense of cinnamon, alongside clove, a shadow of frankincense, the dust of patchouli... perhaps even the oud, relegated to the bottom drawer of the chiffonier to not overpower the forefront. Towards the finale, "Babylon" unexpectedly becomes sweeter and even darker — evidently, the oud managed to escape from the wardrobe and, picking up a vanilla almost identical to Cairo's, performed a few rounds of waltz through the showroom.