Penumbra FeverWoody Floral Extrait de Parfum

Penumbra Fever by Karakash is a woody, floral, and amber unisex perfume extract, created by Amandine Galliano. Agarwood is the top note, and it stands alone: the structure is inverted.

Twelve fragrances, seven perfumers, one single year

Karakash Perfume is a Turkish haute parfumerie house, and its history is unique in that all twelve of its fragrances were launched in the same year, 2023 — a complete collection from the outset. Even more unusual: these twelve creations are the work of seven different noses — Mohammad Tammam Mando, Jean-Michel Santorini, Amandine Galliano, Marc Zini, Marie Huguenot, Laure-Leta Jacquet, and Émilie Bouge. The bottles are sculptural, and the house's narrative centers on self-preparation and confidence.

An opening of agarwood

Agarwood opens the composition alone. No citrus, no spices, no flowers to introduce it: the resin arrives from the very first second, dense and woody, with its characteristic leathery warmth.

A heart of rose, geranium, and raspberry

Rose and geranium establish the floral character — the latter extends the former with its green and rosy facets. Raspberry brings a red, candied tartness that softens the oud without extinguishing it.

A base of saffron, incense, and birch

Saffron reprises the leathery facet, incense the resin, and birch — tarred, smoky, almost medicinal — boldly darkens the finish. The fragrance ends darker than it began.

The house's approach

Agarwood is the top note, and it stands alone. This is the exact opposite of conventional usage: oud is a base material, expected after a long introduction. Placing it at the opening forces everything else to be built around it — hence a floral heart that provides a moment of clarity, followed by a base of tarred birch that closes the loop. The fragrance is therefore read in reverse.

For whom, and for what occasions?

Woody, floral, and amber, this extract is for those who love ouds and smoky woods, and are already familiar with the material. From autumn to winter, for evening wear. It is the most radical of the twelve.

With Penumbra Fever Karakash, the fragrance is read in reverse from beginning to end.