Ishtar Eau de Toilette

Part of the joy of Rogue's dedication to exquisite natural materials- regulators be damned- is a spontaneity of creation that simply cannot come from synthetic-heavy, bottom-line-oriented mass market creations. Ishtar is a perfect example- originally conceived as an aromatic fresh scent with a woodsy base, it turned out quite a bit different, as Manuel Cross found that two of the notes meant for the background- a smoky, silvery frankincense and a sweet, resinous benzoin- kept rising to the top of the composition regardless of proportions. Luckily, he was able to realize the serendipity at play, and the result is a dynamic, gorgeous incense scent with a wonderfully fresh sweetness. Juniper and lily, perhaps the star players in a different fragrance, go to work here enhancing the brightest and cleanest aspects of the frankincense, helping massage the profile from cold, churchy starkness into something greener, fresher, and more exuberantly lively. Similarly, the benzoin blends perfectly with sweet, woodsy myrrh and a spot of sandalwood- not a rough edge to be found. If Ishtar wasn't meant to be an incense scent, it might not have turned out quite as planned. Then again, nothing truly inspired ever does.