Fantôme Perfume: Tatami and Kyuu Kohi Review

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 Tatami
Warm, earthy, resinous. The welcoming and familiar scent of a Japanese temple. Tatami--rice straw mats warmed in the sun--with a hint of temple incense.

Wet: The smell of unlit incense sticks, dried tatami mats, and distinctly green accord like damp rainy weather with a comforting blend of warm wood. 

Dried down: The scent stays consistent, with a tinge of the dry quality of tatami mats coming through during the wear. Much like Jasmine mentioned in her review, there is a slightly more "green" and "crunchy" aspect of the blend that's like an atmospheric addition to the tatami - It reminds me of an overcast, rainy day (much like the day I chose to take pictures of this scent), the pitter patter of rain and the running trickle of outdoor onsens, paired with many boxes of unlit incense. 

Having lived in Japan with their amazing tatami mats - and in possession of a portable one from Nitori for my futon - this isn't quite the drier, nuttier quality I associate with the scent of fresh tatami - which tends to lean into grassy territory. This scent leans a little closer to pine/cypress territory to me, but nevertheless, Tatami is incredibly evocative, and pairs the tatami with an indulgent day in at the Ryokan on an overcast day of light showers.  

Perfect for: Tatami lovers - this is a brilliant rendition of a uniquely Japanese scent, and wonderfully evocative.  

 Kyuu Kohi
Tropical, atmospheric, balmy. Coffee, incense, a warm tropical breeze, summer rain, vanilla. 

Wet: A sweet biting vanilla, a sharp burst of sugary orange soda (a scented orange highlighter that smells exactly like Fanta) an offering of incense and a touch of humidity - like a clouded haze over the notes. 

Dried down: The sweetness is fascinating  - the orange soda mellows but there's a vanillin quality, a sweet, indistinct, creaminess to the almost sharp citrus, like a fainter shadow of Kensington (Fantome). Perhaps, 'tropical breeze' can be interpreted as an echo of a fan favorite, tropical juice blend, with all the oranges, pineapples and mangos carried along in the haze of a summer shower, without a cup of coffee anywhere in sight. 

The scent has a slight aquatic edge to its atmospheric/ozonic notes, leaning towards a more marine profile rather than summer rain, however Kyuu Kohi occasionally borders on the bitter, pitch black gasoline of Namba (Fantome) and its enthusiastic motor oil blend- like octane with all its deceptive sweetness and underlying industrial tang of bitterness.

I agree with Jasmine - this scent is firmly an atmospheric, with its indistinct, shifty aspects, but to me, this is the smell of a bowl of lemon sorbet, a glass of ice filled with Fanta, sitting at the pier while ships honk, the smell of motor oil clinging to the streaked walls, and it's a little muggy and warm outside.

With this scent, occasionally I will pick out more citrus, and other times, I find Kyuu Kohi eerily similar to Namba with its shared profile of vanilla, aquatic notes and the almost motor-oil note, so your milage may vary depending on your skin chemistry and weather conditions (as I have found with this scent during the many times I've worn it). 

Perfect for: Atmospheric lovers with a taste for citrus and a touch of motor oil and a longing for a day on the sea. 

I also have had issues with the labels smearing and becoming quite sticky due to the non-oil proof labels, and have reached out to Fantome who have offered to send replacement labels for free - so if you've had a similar issue, feel free to reach out to them via email! 

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored or affiliated with this brand, and all opinions are my own.