Coven by Andrea Maack

Green, how I love you green 💚 That’s how Coven by Andrea Maack begins, and that’s how it feels from the very first second. The opening is a green burst, intense and wild: it smells of freshly cut grass, damp forest, petrichor, stones wet from a waterfall. There is something very mineral, very natural, almost like putting your nose in the soil after the rain. Over time, the perfume settles on skin and a sweet, realistic and enveloping ivy appears, marking the heart of the fragrance. Then, after a few hours, floral notes timidly emerge, softly accompanied by a vanilla vetiver that brings warmth to the base. The final drydown leaves a very pleasant feeling: a creamy, soft, almost ethereal vetiver, but with that green base still present. What really stands out in *Coven* is its ability to evoke landscapes, sensations, images. It’s not just a perfume, it’s a complete scene: a damp, deep, lonely forest clearing. The fragrance has a clear, brave and very personal narrative. And that, nowadays, is appreciated. In times when so many compositions feel the same, *Coven* dares to be different. It’s an exercise in creativity with its own identity. It’s not an easy-to-wear or versatile fragrance. I don’t see it for every occasion. Rather it’s an olfactory experience for those seeking something different, a sensory connection more than an accessory to go out in. The ivy is the great protagonist here, more than the grass or the tropical forest. It has an astringent, pungent, very realistic edge. The name suits it perfectly: Coven evokes a coven, a ritual in the middle of nature, with the mystery and strength of the ancestral. Not everyone will like it, but if it fits you, it leaves its mark. Quick facts: • Longevity: 12 h • Projection: high for the first 3h • Sillage: very present • Scent: ★★★☆☆ • Originality: ★★★★★ • Season: spring / daytime • Usage occasions: olfactory experience, casual use (?) • Versatility: ★☆☆☆☆ • Final rating: 8/10 Despite being hard to wear, I find it very forward-thinking and original. And that, in these bland times in perfumery, is to be appreciated. I think it’s a great exercise in creativity.

When I think of green fragrances, I think of bright, crisp and agile scents. Scents loaded with notes like grass, bamboo, green apple or something shiny. They don’t bother me at all and, in fact, I like them quite a lot. However, as I’ve grown older, my tastes seem to have changed and now I crave fragrances that walk on the wild side and that hover between niche and bizarre. Here is Andrea Maack Coven. In theory it’s still green, but it’s a deeper and darker green. It’s a damp, mossy, nighttime forest green on a hot summer’s eve. It’s captivating, darker, deeper, sensual without being naughty and almost hypnotic. The notes include galbanum, clove, cedarwood, oakmoss and vanilla. The most prominent are galbanum at first and the rest gradually make their way through as the scent lingers on the skin. After a few hours, vanilla and a softer wood note become more perceptible. I rarely buy a sample and after trying it as I did with this one I think ‘I have to buy a bottle of this immediately’. Yet, Coven hooked me, cast its spell (poor joke and it stays) and left me spellbound. It’s not for the faint of heart, it’s not a bright and sunny fragrance; it’s a fragrance that evokes images of dark wooded areas overgrown with moss and plants. It definitely falls into that niche category and (probably) you won’t find many others wearing it (which personally suits me fine, I don’t want to smell like everyone else). If you feel like trying something unique and uncommon, give it a chance.

There was a cast put together in search of a Blair Witch perfume. The articles, the reviews, the pyramid: everything promised so much. But Coven turned out to be damp hay that had spent the winter in a leaky barn. The atmosphere is that of a sullen dying village, with no witches or mystical stories, just gloomy everyday life. However, I quite liked Coven, I spent ten pounds and didn’t want it anymore.

I wrote this review for Coven 2013. The same can be said for Coven 2017! In my opinion, it is the same fragrance, even though the composition is completely different! “Coven Andrea Maack – “Coven” Pure water niche. Gothic. Loose damp soil, black earth. Through this note green notes are clearly heard, but for me earth still prevails. Above-average longevity unlike coal (personally on my skin). Lovely sillage! After 1.5 hours the earth leaves 🙂 the fragrance is not so piercing, it becomes much softer, I don’t know at the expense of what honestly … maybe sun-warmed tree trunks …? But you know, I really liked the initial harshness and sharpness! Unusual to say the least! I once read a question in the thread asking for a suggestion for a gothic fragrance. Well, Coven is a true gothic. If you are a true connoisseur of niche fragrances, you must familiarize yourself with this creation”. I am glad that the fragrance remains the same, since earlier in personal correspondence Andrea (or her assistants from her address) confirmed the fact that the fragrance remains the same, only the packaging changes. It only remains to be known why on Fragrantica, in an interview, Andrea gives the opposite information to thousands of people, perfume connoisseurs (?). Is it becoming fashionable among perfumers to misinform people? 99% of the fragrance is identical to the old version (99 – because I still don’t have a super sense of smell and cannot distinguish the melisma of the notes. But okay, 99% is an impressive figure.)