OliveEyes@oliveeyes94
Through the Ishtar Gate
Penhaligon'sBabylon4.172 ratings- Longevity4/5
- 4 / 5
- Projection3/5
- 3 / 5
- Sillage3/5
- 3 / 5
- Value3/5
- 3 / 5
- Bottle4/5
- 4 / 5
Named after a Mesopotamian metropolis that blossomed into an empire, I expected Babylon to smell truly imperial - lush terraces of date-palm greenery, woody spices curling from household hearths, and sweet ceremonial incense suffusing the air with wonder. It takes me halfway there.
As we pass through the Ishtar Gate, a deep-brown, non-sweet, nutmeg-infused vanilla greets us, reflecting the opulence of the city beyond. Venturing down the Processional Way, the desert sun bakes the air sweeter, while a light breeze carries hints of saffron-flecked pastries from the bakery, and cedar beams from the carpenter's yard, their joints sealed with smoky, leathery tar. Approaching the end of the avenue, we pass the Temple of Marduk, where priests swing bundles of sandalwood embers and chant hymns to their gods.
I take great pleasure in weaving imaginative tales around fragrances, especially those with a historical inspiration, yet at its core, Babylon is simply a rich, woody vanilla. It feels rounded, full-bodied, and only mildly sweet, as though pure vanilla extract were brushed onto creamy woods and left to cure beneath the Persian sun.
It's a beautiful scent, but it reminds me of many others and feels a little too one-dimensional to really wow me.
