Montri by Parfums Dusita is my choice of perfume for Scent Semantics word of the month: SERENITY!

This is the last posting under the name of Scent Semantics for five bloggers from all around the world: I hope you have enjoyed our choices of perfume to match different words of the month. Serenity is a great word to end this collaboration, and Montri is a great choice of perfume to wave a fragrant goodbye.

When I received a mail from Portia a couple of weeks ago, saying that this is our last word of the month and that the Scent Semantics crew is now dissolved by our previous agreement to write on monthly basis for 12 months, I was surprised how quickly a year flew by! Already?

In case you’ve missed some of my previous posts, Scent Semantics was a shared one-year journey of 6 bloggers from all over the world: each month a different blogger chose a word, and we all had to pick out a single fragrance that represents it best in our opinion and share our individual choices, explanations, views, thoughts, and musings. Oh, I enjoyed the challenge immensely! Some words sparked instant inspiration about a perfume to represent them, some were more difficult and I enjoyed the challenge.

Old Herbaceous of Scents and Sensibilities chose the word

SERENITY:

noun, plural
the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil; sereneness. (Dictionary.com)

There are quite a few fragrances that make me feel calm and tranquil, so the most difficult part of this story was to narrow them down to one only. Then I thought about reducing the number down to the most recent releases, and adding one more prerequisite: it had to make me feel – untroubled. Lost most positively, confident that all shall be well.

I thought about “green” perfumes, chypres, calming musks, soothing ambers, and beautiful vetivers. Then I thought about poetry (which does the trick of making me feel serene, too), and I went searching through my fragrances, touching each bottle ever so gently, spraying quite a few on my skin, and waiting for the bingo! moment. And there it was, the soulful beauty of Montri by Dusita Parfums was the one that matched the word serenity in fragrant form for me!

Montri Illustration Dusita Parfums
Montri, Illustration by Pissara Umavijani

Montri, a perfume dedicated to Pissara Umavijani’s late father’s (Montri Umavijani) personality, is the 13th fragrance from the brand, and one that feels poetically serene to me. Uplifting, in a gentle and understanding way, and I believe this is the first Dusita fragrance swaying into a spicy direction – with warm spices like Nutmeg, and Cinnamon, and a touch of a fine gourmand accord –  the perfumer’s creation of a Dried Fruit Accent. And yet, it feels fresh and uplifting, with a green, slightly camphorous element that keeps threading among spices and roses later on.

Warmth, gently embracing and discreete warmth, the kind of warmth that makes your body and mind relax with ease is the first thing I feel about Montri. The kind of warmth that works well in Summer as well as in Winter, all year round: it is bursting with joy, with life, and I remember thinking during the Zoom presentation of Montri before it was launched (all participants were mailed a sample of Montri and three accords used: Spice, Floral, and Oud) that this constitutive element of Montri could be worn on its own. Just like that. Suave spices that radiate waves of joyful, embracing warmth.

Montri accords

Through all phases of its development, Montri feels so elegant. Spices are warm, but not overwhelming, beautifully blended and rounded. The floral heart is smooth and eclectic, and the whole construction revolves around the Oud accord – Oud without Oud. You can feel the opulence of orris butter, roses, ylang-ylang, and jasmine sambac, but discreetly – comforting and lyrical.

As you might probably know, I’m a passionate lover of Dusita’s Oudh Infini, and consider it a masterpiece. Yes, Montri is also about Oud, but with a different role and expression: Oud in Montri is elegant, refreshing, and not nearly as animalic. It’s leathery, woody, and transparent, and it does paint a fragrant image of a library filled with old books with leather covers, wooden chairs and shelves, green lamps, and leather chairs. Like traces of smoke of agarwood chips being burned that linger in the air, calming. Intellectual and serene.

But, even without any knowledge about the inspiration behind this perfume, Montri would still feel to me like a profound state of serenity, with elements of the joy of life and acceptance (spices), tenderness and omnipresent love (floral heart), and a meditative, multifaceted and serene base. It’s a beauty, with an elegant curtsy to masterpieces from the past (Mitsuoko and L’Heure Bleue), classy and classical, and I’m loving it.

“The pen is me

And I am the pen:

In writing,

The pen gets lost

To become part of the thing

I cannot recall.” – Montri Umavijani

Notes: Saffron, Nutmeg, Coriander, Cinnamon, Oregano, Petitgrain, Dried Fruit Accord, Orris Butter, Rose of May, Damask Rose, Jasmine Sambac, Ylang-Ylang, Leather Accord, Tobacco, Oud Palao Accord, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Cedarwood, Oakwood, Tonka Bean.  Montri is available as 50 and 100ml, and travel spray EdP at Dusita Parfums.

Scent Semantics
Please do check out the rest of our Scent Semantics crew, blogging about SERENITY:
Sheila / The Alembicated Genie decided to take a break from perfume writing and has other projects she’s working on.
The Plum Girl
Elena Cvjetkovic
Photos: Elena Cvjetkovic, Dusita Parfums
PR sample of Montri was sent to me before the launch, opinions are my own.

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6 Comments

  1. Hi Elena,
    It has been marvellous writing in collaboration with you. Thanks for being a part of Scent Semantics. Yes, the year has SPED by. Snap and it’s gone.
    As always this month you have wowed me with your beautiful, insightful writing and I can feel your genuine love for this fragrance shining through. It sounds like a deep breath of fresh air and comfort.
    We will see and read each other.
    Wishing you health, wealth and happiness,
    Portia xxx

  2. Hi Elena, just happened to see your blog. Your writings in the perfume blogs stands totally different from many out there due to the quality and your perspective. Its not just commercial things whereas you have looked into Oud in a different lens altogether. Will keep come to your blog

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