Sultan Pasha Perfumes - Thebes - Review
Sultan Pasha Perfumes
Thebes Review by Perfume.Curious
Thebes – Into the Labyrinth of Imagination
To me, perfumes are about exploration and curiosity. I’m more interested in the complexity and authenticity of the story than just experiencing nice-smelling scents. Sometimes those perfumes are not the easiest, even off-putting, but something just keeps me going back to them. This is exactly what happened with Thebes. Over the past month, I have returned to Thebes on a daily basis, always finding yet another perspective to the scent. It first started with confusion and wonder, and it has grown on me, every single time taking me on a journey in a mysterious labyrinth - “What could I find today?” - I always wonder when sniffing Thebes.
Sultan Pasha describes Thebes’ olfactory experience as a pyramid within a pyramid, rather than a traditional top-heart-base composition, although these classic descriptions can also be found on the official website of the fragrance. To me, the magic of the perfume opened after reading this description and thought process, which emphasizes contrasts between light and dark, clean and dirty.
Thebes Perfume Moodboard by Perfume.Curious
Echoes of Dust and Candlelight
I find Thebes extremely dry, like a desert wind, dust, and old brick buildings. On the other hand, it is herbal, balsamic, and oily. It evokes the impression of dark, musty corridors with nothing but candlelight showing the way to the chamber where the mummy of a pharaoh rests — an image that has fascinated me since I was a child. I’m assuming the oily/fatty element comes from iris butter, and the dryness from vetiver, which also reminds me of old papyrus rolls, perfectly fitting the theme of the story. I can also feel the scent of waxy candles, perhaps aldehydes, though not the peachy ones you find in Mitsouko.
The composition of the materials evokes my imagination, composing an unusual image of a haunted space with a female vocalist dressed in black, humming ancient melodies while being surrounded by x-rays of pharaohs reflected on the walls. The atmosphere is very experimental and mysterious, like an art performance of some kind. Somehow I place this image in the 1930s, making me wonder whether Sultan Pasha’s Perfumes’ packaging has something to do with it, with visuals and typefaces from that era.
I heard Thebes was inspired by Djedi, a rare and sought-after perfume by Guerlain, created in 1926 with beautiful Art Deco elements decorating its bottle, and a scent described as a woody-leather chypre - a unicorn I always wanted to smell since I started my vintage perfume journey. Maybe the combination of my love for Art Deco, chypres, and ancient Egypt imagery has left an imprint on me, making me so attracted to both the idea of Djedi and the modern execution of Thebes. Maybe it is the fascination for exploration and discovery while digging deeper beneath the surface. In any case, Thebes feels like a treasure hunt, a mystery in a box that I’m curious to explore on a daily basis over and over again. Very rarely does a modern perfume make such an impression on me.
Guerlain - Djedi (1926)
Thebes Unfolds
Besides the story that evokes my imagination, Sultan Pasha’s Perfumes seem to have great quality to them. I’m currently testing all four perfumes (Thebes, Irisoir, Joyeux, and Quintessentially Amber) from the extrait de parfum sprays that were launched this year, starting with the one that impressed me the most - Thebes.
I have tested and documented my impressions of the perfume in three steps, which describe what I smell in the beginning, a few hours later, and so on.
Thebes starts with a sharp, rooty, dry, dirty, and medicinal scent that evolves into nose-tingling waxy aldehydes. I detect something fatty here too. In less than an hour, it develops into a brighter, slightly citrusy scent that maintains the rooty element, almost like a peek of a sunray that disappears rather quickly back into the darkness. After two to three hours, it softens up, painting the picture of sandy seas - maybe this is the effect of ambergris? Lastly, it becomes one with your skin - although this happens after many hours, since Thebes is an extremely long-lasting fragrance that can be detected on your clothes for days, if not weeks.
In summary, I find Thebes very fascinating, unique, challenging yet addictive. It’s a modern fragrance that has a vintage feel to it, however, I wouldn’t call it vintage or old-fashioned. To pull this off, you need to have some character, courage to be disliked. To have an appreciation for skanky perfumes from the past. It has depth, something that is often missing from current niche brands. This is exactly why I love it so much!
Weeks after initial testing, I’m still getting lost in the labyrinth of Thebes, eagerly chasing the hinted rose note I haven’t yet been able to detect. Despite having three other Sultan Pasha Perfumes on my waitlist, I keep reapplying Thebes every night before I go to sleep. I think if nothing else, that should be an indication of sparking curiosity.
Official Fragrance Pyramid:
Top: Bergamot, muguet, aldehydes, rosemary.
Middle: Orris butter, rose, jasmine, musk.
Base: Vetiver, amber, ambergris, musk, oakmoss, animalics.
Sources:
Sultan Pasha Perfumes -Thebes:
https://sultanpashaperfumes.com/products/thebes-extrait-de-parfum-spray
Djedi Photo:
https://perfumebottles.org/article/keep-our-virtual-museum-growing/
