Stora Skuggan Fantôme de Maules is a woody fragrance inspired by the Phantom of Maules, a mystical figure in the Swiss forest of Maules (cryptid). What is Fantôme de Maules? Who is Fantôme de Maules? The setting: Maules, a small village in the french-speaking part of Switzerland, surrounded by agricultural fields and dense forests. The subject: An enigmatic being, seen by many wandering the local woodlands for the past decade, dressed in nothing but cloaked camouflage and an obsolete mask. Most likely human but one cannot be sure. Looming at almost two meters tall he seems to take particular interest in the surrounding flora and fauna. Unaware of passersby, he spends his time picking and smelling flowers; only then he lets down his guard. A crack of a twig or the rustle of a leaf and he'll vanish back into the foliage. The locals call him Le Loyon, but the character calls himself Fantôme de Maules. The ghost of Maules. So who is he? A recluse, an outcast from society who has made a home in the forest? A survivalist preparing for the apocalypse? We will never know, because he doesn't want us to. And perhaps that's what makes Fantôme de Maules a character with such a riveting mystery. Launched in 2015, it features top notes of bergamot, galbanum, green leaves and lemon; middle notes of coriander, forest flowers, cardamom and lavender absolute; and base notes of oakmoss, sandalwood, labdanum, cedarwood, tonka bean and vetiver. Fantome de Maules is an eau de parfum, edp.
STORA SKUGGAN FANTOME DE MAULES REVIEWS
Fragrantica: "A stroll through flower-dappled fragrant forest, holding hands with Le Loyon, fabled spirit that roams them. He pauses at patches of blooms and selects the most redolent to present for your nose. Fantôme de Maules references a Swiss forest-spirit that haunts in harmony with it's timber environs. Spicy and green, the citrus top is suited to cold weather. Lemon zest and crushed cardamom pod spiral in a rolling boil for a warming tonic. Sharp coriander seed cracks in early on, an impish tingle that heats up the greenery and spices, lending complexity to both the resinous labdanum and dry woods. A persistent sweet apparition, restrained by a thin circle of salt, never veers into saccharine. I'm not surprised that Ambroxan found it's way onto the note pyramid here though it is not officially listed by Stora Skuggan--more likely it is tonka producing airy sweetness (here void of it's chocolate or vanilla facets.) The middle of Fantôme is floral spice, more aromatic than culinary as the lavender and vetiver take stage. The finish is a dreamy recollection of the otherworldy walk in the woods: ghostly florals, wispy musk, beautiful cedar and sandalwood faintly carried on a leaf-shimmering breeze."
Fragrantica: "I am very much into sweet, fruity, floral gourmand fragrances, but wanted a rich green scent for the days I feel like a mystical, dark forest faerie. Fantôme de Maules is the perfect scent for that. Truly unisex and I'd be intrigued by anyone wearing this."
Fragrantica: "Ghost roads converging on a cemetery, whispers of a green-cloaked figure vanishing into mist. Fantôme de Maules unfurls like a secret, a sylvan, spectral musk, dark green dusk gleaming through branches, hovering just above the skin. The green here isn't lush or vibrant, but austere – twilight filtering through pine needles. There's a whisper of lavender, more herbal than floral, and a hint of dry, shadowy spice – prickly subterranean murmurs from some hidden place. I catch wisps of mossy flowers through the mist, their fragrance elusive and fleeting, obscured by that omnipresent veil of cool, verdant fog. It's beautiful, in a melancholy way, like stumbling upon abandoned ruins in a forgotten glade. The scent carries a weight of isolation, of time stretching endlessly through silent forests, the grass and loam of secret paths trodden by solitary feet. The bittersweet ache of chosen seclusion, of a world deliberately left behind. The gossamer soapy-powdery aspect feels like a fading remnant of civilization, washed away by years of woodland solitude. It's a fragrance whose presence is defined by absence, a mystery I'm not sure I want to unravel – what's missing, or why it matters."
Fragrantica: "Delicious bitter green mossy tonic. Reminds me a bit of Roman ruin cypress but more naturalistic."
Fragrantica: "I like this one. Woody and aromatic. Feels heavy, but still stays fresh. It's damp and dewy and green, with a dark, powdery base."
Fragrantica: "Wow, based on the notes, I sprayed this one with the assumption that I would hate it. It turns out I LOVE it. Oddly it reminds me of a discontinued signature scent of mine I have been looking for - and its odd because I dont see much similarity at all in the notes. I'm leaning toward buying a FB but want to sample the rest of the kit first. It's a perfect damp green herby floral smell with a hint of powderiness that just works perfectly together. I feel like it projects just right, and I am still smelling it now at the end of the day. Great frag for an office, dinner, etc. Really well done scent. You can definitely tell it has a more unique profile and DNA to the common frags out there, which really sets it apart, but usualy that means its very divisive. I feel like this would be universally appreciated."
Fragrantica: "Testing blind I got a bit more of a woodsy vibe than green, with a vegetable undertone. My guesses were something like vetiver, bell pepper, black pepper. The wood is comforting and receptive, with only a bit of smoke in there, sitting among a layered aromatic background. It's not trying to be overly spicy or big, and I like it's mix. Looking at the notes, quite the mix it is, and while you could pull out most of the notes, a few like lemon and floral notes, feel distant or not even present. The longevity was good, with the projection feeling moderate.It leans masculine to me. It feels ripe for early fall. While I do appreciate it's rather safe "I'm not a spice bomb" approach I admittedly feel neutral about it as well. The spice sometimes leans too herbal, and the freshness of what comes to me as a sweated down green bell pepper, again, while nice, isn't my thing , but I'd recommend it."
Fragrantica: "Botanical and fresh (without smelling like a teenage boy/girl locker room) opening. I'm thinking of interesting perennials. It's too feminine for me, it's got a sweetness that has been given too much emphasis for me personally, but it's got a natural floral aura after a while which is interesting. 7/10 for me. Like when you first stepped into an aesop store and you were hit by these scent combinations that are really alluring."
Fragrantica: "This is a shy one. It disappears on me, at times, just like Fantome in the story, and turns into a skin scent after the first few hours. Lush winter greenery with a citrusey sparkle, a peppery-cardamomey edge and a cool background calm of cashmeran at first, musky tonka-vetiver-wood later. The occasional flash of pleasantly mild florals is very walk-in-the-forestey and welcome. Fantome de Maules is comforting, balanced and altogether inoffensive. This would absolutely be my go-to office scent if not for the price tag. Edit: I've just had the pleasure of experiencing this fragrance on a hot day. Imagine being so warm that if you had any body of water in your reach, no matter how dirty, you'd gladly hop into it. And miraculously, there's a deep, crystal clear, icy cold lake right there, mist rising above its surface, a forrest brimming with welcoming shadows all around. This is what that lake smells like as it makes contact with your over-heated skin. Cool, refreshing relief. Wonderful oblivion."
Fragrantica: "I am always searching and sampling green fragrances. This one was intriguing to me as one of my first Swedish Perfumery samples. This is a lemon fresh green scent for sure but muted by the woody/sweet base notes. Not a lot of projection here but a beautiful transformative skin scent. A solo walk along a tranquil bayou deep in the belly of Baton Rouge. The fog slowly rises. The wind gently blows. It's just you and your thoughts."
