Masque Milano – White Whale – As promised, below are my first impressions of the last scent from Masque Milano’s “Opera” collection, White Whale. The story behind the creation of the fragrance is interesting in itself. Using the Herman Melville classic Moby Dick as his inspiration, Brazilian perfumer Christian Alori attempted to interpret the epic quest on the high seas into perfume form. So, it’s a marine scent, as one might imagine. A genre often shunned by fragheads. But there are a few good ones. Some of my favorites include Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt, The Different Company Sel de Vetiver, and Sel Marin from Heeley. Is there a new one to add to the list with White Whale? I think there might be.
White Whale is broken down into three distinct parts (like most scents, I guess). But instead of calling them the top, heart, and base, Masque names the top “Candles, Ropes and the Vast Ocean. The heart has been redubbed “There she Blows,” and the base is “The Pequod Ship.” White Whale opens up smoky and salty. Piney, herbal olibanum mixes with sea salt and conjures up images of the high seas, with the waves crashing gently around.
White Whale kicks into gear in the heart. Christian Alori worked on an ambergris accord for several years and used it here in White Whale. However, one would hardly know there isn’t real ambergris in the composition. The ambergris accord is musky, salty, and slightly animalic but never too much to take. It plays off beautifully against the two florals of powdery violet and osmanthus. Alori teases out the apricot/fruity and leathery aspects of the osmanthus to superb effect. Something about this phase of White Whale reminds me of the leathery, fruity waxiness of Kintsugi.
The cedar and the vetiver in the base introduce the ship and its weather-ravaged surface—the perfect conclusion to this high seas tale. Superbly executed aquatics are a dime a dozen. White Whale is indeed a fitting finale for the collection. Masque Milano is a brand at the forefront of modern niche perfumery. To be sure, with the “Opera” series they have one of the strongest portfolios in all of perfumery. So, with the curtain drawn on this chapter for the brand, I’m waiting with bated breath to see what they do for an encore.
How about you? What’s your favourite Masque Milano? Have you tried White Whale?
Fabulous review! 💙
Thanks very much, Tetê!
You’ve piqued my curiosity, Daniel. I’ll have to try White Whale myself.
Hope you get to try it soon. Let me know what you make of it when you do.
Haven’t tried, unfortunately, but would love to after reading this great review, dear Daniel. Gorgeous beach pics too.
Thanks Rich.