This - to me - seems to sort of mentally occupy a "middle" between the other two frags from the house that i've tested so far: "after the flood" and "karasu".
it's not truly related to either, but in terms of the experience, it has a "vibe" that sort of combines the vibe of the other two.
"Karasu" is a very strong, confident, oriental woody incense0y experience. it is a religious shrine in a lush Japanese forest, or a strange, spicy, occult folk-medicine shop in Chinatown.
"After the Flood" is a subtle, quiet, melancholic, beautiful, haunting flower blooming in damp naked forest.
This one - is again, natural, slightly dark, slightly savory-mossy, sweet-ish experience. It's more subtle than "Karasu" - the Hinoki note is extremely dominant for me (though not as much as in "Karasu") but it's balanced with other things.
It leans a bit away from the "religious" or "ritual" and into the "medicinal" or "green".
More subdued, calmer, but still has that mystical GONG going on in the background, or windchimes. it has a bit more petrichor or mossy feel rather than Karasu's spicy+mystical tree+incense -- hence the "middle" remark.
personally, i'd rather this had not had hinoki, and only had pine, since the hinoki really overtakes everything. don't get me wrong, it's one of my top favorite notes (along with cardamom) - but - i think one needs to either commit to it fully or just use something more neutral like plain "pine". also, i think it's a tiny bit too sweet.
On paper this is more green and coniferous and the hinoki is less pronounced, but on skin, it unfortunately looses some of that cool, breezy forest - and becomes heavier and spicier (slightly suffocating over-sweet cinnamon). i feel the spice so strongly that it even tingles my throat.
If i had to choose, I'd pick Karasu (and After the Flood) over this, since i think the two are more distinct and go "all the way" in the directions they were aiming for.
but this one is also wonderful. More wearable i guess.
Like a reformulation that pushes it to a more mass-appealing rendition - something like Jo Malone's cinnamon-y hinoki - but a bit greener and more natural.
