Penhaligon's Babylon Eau de Parfum

"Babylon" can be described as "spices, followed by more spices, and then a bit more spices." It closely resembles "Cairo," minus the rose. Despite my aversion to oriental fragrances, there's a certain chic in this monochromatic approach. Penhaligon’s has managed to craft a scent from nothing but spices and wood that neither looks impoverished nor dull.

Saffron plays the same sharp, blood-like, salty-sour violin, drawing out the non-confectionery, dry, and slightly prickly side of nutmeg; green coriander seeds join in as the third voice. Together, they somewhat resemble Middle Eastern charcoal coffee — just without the coffee: instead, what's meant to be mere flavor and aromatic additions take the lead.

The resinous-woody "body" of the fragrance seems to consist of a thousand hues, together forming a complex, mixed color: there's a hint of cinnamon, clove nearby, a shadow of frankincense, the dust of patchouli... perhaps even some oud, tactfully tucked away into the lower drawer of a chiffonier, so as not to dominate the foreground. Towards the end, "Babylon" unexpectedly becomes sweeter and even darker — it seems the oud has managed to escape from the closet and, picking up a vanilla almost identical to Cairo's, performs several waltz rounds through the sales floor.