Transilvania by Calaj

It’s a risky perfume. At first, it smells like iron, as if they’re trying to simulate blood, then it fades but remains barely wearable and not pleasant at all. It is original, yes, and if it smells like blood, well, who wants to smell like that?

The opening is harsh because the civet is way too noticeable, but after half an hour, the sweet notes of honey and coumarin mixed with cherry and flowers emerge, making it much more bearable. Longevity exceeds 8 hours with moderate sillage if you don’t overapply, otherwise it could become overwhelming. It’s for the brave who can endure that first half-hour to enjoy an incredibly rich scent afterward. I see the dry-down as totally unisex.

I’m sorry, it’s horrible. Kilos of periwinkle, patchouli, honey, and civet. During a blind test with other perfumes, out of five of us, none liked it; instead, it caused repulsion. To my dismay, it projects and lasts longer than stated. I don’t detect any sweetness or cherry at all; in short, an intensely floral scent with way too much honey.

I’d been waiting weeks for this perfume to be restocked at The Perfumery Barcelona, the only retail location in Spain for this house, since Miguel Matos’s creations have always sparked my curiosity after I fell in love with Jungle Jezebel and Atlante. It was a blind buy, but reading Emorandeira’s review, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed, and indeed I wasn’t. Transylvania shares some DNA with Jungle Jezebel, though the latter is much denser and more complex; you could say Transylvania is its younger sister, more versatile and docile. The opening is a bit scary with that sweet cherry note, but shortly after, it gives way to more subtle notes and softens without losing that animalic touch that characterizes all of Miguel Matos’s fragrances. The sillage and longevity are spectacular; it’s not a perfume I’d recommend buying blindly (I’m lucky enough to know what I’m getting), and I think it’s completely unisex. Thanks, Miguel and Calaj, for wonders like these.

Transylvania is first and foremost a beautiful perfume. That fruity blend of cherry, with its floral notes and a sweet, animalic base, sounds spectacular to me. The cherry is quite subtle, in my opinion, and at first it gives more of a cherry gum vibe… It reminds me of the cherry-filled Bubbaloo gum I used to have when I was little. As it dries down, the scent gets a bit muddy, but not too much. While it bears some resemblance to Sarah Baker’s Jungle Jezebel, it’s not quite as potent or animalic, making it feel much more versatile. Still, it’s dense, intense, and has excellent longevity. It’s a really great perfume from Miguel Matos that’s straight to my wishlist. I see it as totally unisex and suitable for a wide audience. Scent: 10, Longevity: 9, Projection: 8, Versatility: 9, Originality: 10, Value for money: 8, Overall: 9.5.