When Aedes de Venustas sent me a sample of their new Copal Azur fragrance, I immediately sent it to Kevin. Kevin (who some of you old-timers might remember used to review home fragrance here, including lots of incense) was not impressed. It did not, he said, smell like real copal. I wouldn’t know from real copal; my experience is pretty much limited to Demeter Incense, which is advertised as having “a unique core of Copal”. Send it back, I said, I think it smells great.

I include that story only to warn you that while it does, to me, smell great, Copal Azur might or might not meet any expectations you might have about a copal fragrance — remember our recent discussion of “realism” vis-à-vis the gardenia in Tauer Perfumes Sotto La Luna Gardenia?¹ If you love incense in general, though, or if you’ve been a fan of the three Aedes fragrances that preceded this one (Oeillet Bengale, Iris Nazarena and Aedes de Venustas Signature), do give Copal Azur a try…

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