Rammstein
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The white pepper and nutmeg assault the senses with immediate sharpness, almost caustic in their delivery—a fiery spice that catches in the back of the nose. The synthetic accord makes itself known at once, preventing any softness from infiltrating this peppery onslaught, creating an almost chemical brightness.
As the spices settle, frankincense emerges with ecclesiastical weight, introducing that smoky character which now becomes the fragrance's dominant personality. The blond woods and sandalwood create a leathery, almost charred backbone that feels hollow and stripped bare, the crystal musk adding an increasingly mineral, cool-toned quality.
What remains is an austere, almost skeletal woody-smoky base where sandalwood and musk create a pale, crystalline impression—lovely in its restraint, but with minimal projection left on the skin, the fragrance having largely retreated into a whisper of ash and resinous trace.
Kokain White Ash arrives as something deliberately austere, a fragrance that seems to reject softness entirely. Alexandre Illan has constructed this unisex scent around a tense dialogue between aggressive spice and smouldering wood—nutmeg and white pepper clash immediately, creating an almost peppery burn that's more confrontational than welcoming. What prevents this from feeling one-dimensional is the frankincense threaded through the heart, which adds a liturgical, almost funereal quality, as if incense smoke is being drawn through hot spices rather than the reverse.
The woody accord dominates absolutely (100% woody according to the accords), but these aren't the creamy, civilised woods of mainstream fragrances. The blond woods paired with sandalwood suggest something bleached and stripped back, whilst that 88% smoky character creates an impression of charred timber and ash residue. There's deliberate harshness here—a synthetic edge at 52% prevents any organic warmth from taking hold, instead lending an almost industrial coldness to proceedings. The crystal musk in the base adds a crystalline, slightly metallic quality rather than bodily softness.
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4.0/5 (302)