Description
Although the origin of this marvel of the ancient world isn’t entirely clear, it is said to be named for it’s creator, “Megalus”, making Megaleion one of the first “designer perfumes” in the world. It became immensely famous for it’s extreme cost to produce and the complexity of ingredients.
For our first re-creation of Megaleion, we attempted to be as true as possible to the spirit and ingredients in this ancient perfume but for our “New Kingdom” remix we went all out to bump up the balsamic note and add a rich dose of costly black agar making it far richer and decidedly more modern.
*VdP/ EdP sample vials are 1/2 filled; Perfume/ Extrait mini roller vials are full.
Isidora (verified owner) –
I found DSH in a search for ancient Egyptian perfumes. I’m something of an Egyptophile and was familiar with the names of these ancient perfumes from their history. So of course, I was very anxious to try them. Megaleion does not disappoint. It is beautiful, dark and spicy; with an amber-ish base that supports and softens the spice. It does not smell like every other perfume out there. It is different and delightful. If you like a “darker” scent, this one is for you.
Arneblaze –
I love Dawn’s oriental scents, so rich, deep and sensual. Amber and olibanum swirl around each other in a love duet, supported by the lightest touches of cedar wood, oak moss and patchouli. In the dry down, myrrh and rose settle in for the heart, lightened by the spice notes of cinnamon and cardamom.
One of the finest and most balanced of orientals in my experience. Rich and syrupy, seductive and secretive. It wears close to the skin, so that only those you want to let into your personal space may be influenced by it.
Another great success from Dawn.
G –
Shadow and light in a Tempe of Isis. Soft incense and lightly spiced woods dries down to a gentle powder in this wonderful creation.
henri345que –
We are again in territories were Dawn Spencer Hurwitz easily shines, vintage and retro style. But here she goes way back in time in what might be one of the first designer fragrances made in the world. Megaleion is a Dawn study of a fragrance named either for its inventor, Megalus, or a city near Syracuse, Megale, and its name means great. It was something costly and made of the best fragrances of its era. For a 2010 museum exhibition Dawn created a first version and she now sells a second one, made to be more modern and incorporate a givaudan agarwood base (i presume) called black agar.
Megaleion is a little bit deceptive at first on skin, maybe because it’s resinous nature takes time to warm and develop the nuances. The voile de parfum concentration end working very well as a modern primitive fragrance since the oily nature of this version makes the fragrance almost work as a very fragrant ointment, just like i imagine a primitive fragrance being made before the invention of alcoholic fragrances. It also seems very primitive because at the same time it possesses a brown and sweet aura it seems devoid of a structured evolution. At the same time it’s not a musky or dry woody block as modern fragrances do.
Compositions that relies solely on things like labdanum, benjoin, myrrh and other balms are tricky. Those are classic aromas, very fragrant, complex and warming, but they tend to create a thick fragrance that creates a similar base to every fragrance that uses them. Megaleion is successful in capturing the complex, ancient and rich aura of those resins without smelling common. It manages to do this by suggesting a kind of fragrant texture instead of giving you fragrant notes you can detect. It starts with a delicate, and gentle impression, something baby-like almost, which quickly gives you a delicate spicy aroma. Then the resins and incense kind of lit on skin and start to create a dark and incense aura with textures of ancient vanilla, caramel, dark honey, incense and woods. If you have already smelled black agar base you will recognize it’s warm, sweet cinnamon oud texture very well used at the end of the fragrance, doing a bridge between ancient perfumery and modern one.
The way Megaleion works on skin also seems perfect for layering other scents over it and making them last longer in its slow paced resinous aura. It certainly smells rich and primitive, but at the same time makes me remember that many aromas that lured us in ancient times still do the same thing today. Their smells are timeless and a good perfumer of today is just like the alchemist perfumers of the past, creating scented magic with those nature precious essences.
merielkosokar –
I got this as a free sample in a recent order. Wowie Zowie! This is beautiful. I wish I could identify and describe notes but I just can’t do it except for the most obvious things like vanilla. I took a whole year of ancient history classes when I was in college, and this fragrance sends be back to the first course on ancient civilizations. It is spicy and warm, I don’t know–a kind of flickering firelight quality to it. It smells like an “oriental” but it is more “raw” than that–more primitive, if that makes sense. And I mean that in a good way. I once read that an archeologist had discovered an amphora filled with an ancient fragrance, and it still had some aroma to it. I don’t remember the details–if it smelled good or rancid or whatnot. But this fragrance made me think of that ancient amphora and what was inside.
Lisa Speer (verified owner) –
If you love cinnamon and dark woods, then Megaleion is for you.