I’m always excited to try a new release from Dusita. Indeed, one can tell the brand puts a lot of care, thought, and heart into their perfumes. From the drawings and poems that accompany the fragrances, everything comes together as a cohesive whole. Last year’s release, Tonka Latte, was a rare miss. It came across as a trend-chasing, overly sweet, lactonic scent that strayed from the brand’s usual aesthetic. However, I hope it becomes a commercial success, as that could give Pissara the freedom to create more interesting compositions like this year’s Light of Bangkok.
In 2026, the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok celebrates its 150th birthday. To mark the milestone, the hotel approached Dusita to create a fragrance. I imagine Pissara jumped at the chance to work with the iconic hotel, especially since her admiration for the Mandarin Oriental dates back to her childhood.
“One of my most vivid childhood memories of growing up in Thailand is admiring the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok. My father often took me for walks along the Chao Phraya River and seeing this majestic place by the water always filled me with wonder.”
The fragrance opens up zesty and enlivening. Lemongrass, one of the staples of Thai culture and cuisine, is used to beautiful effect. It’s dosed just right, ensuring it’s never too sharp, sour, or astringent. The hotel already uses a lemongrass interior fragrance and requested the brand feature it in Light of Bangkok. I was a little concerned I would smell of soup or curry when I saw the lemongrass note, but instead it evokes a more natural setting—a garden filled with palms, herbs, and lush greenery. Clary Sage helps build the herbal quality, and together with the lemongrass, it feels like you’ve pulled back the curtains and opened the windows to invite in the first morning light. What more could you ask for from a fragrance named Light of Bangkok?
As with many Dusita fragrances, florals form the centrepoint. From the creator of floral beauties such as Melodie de L’Amour and Splendiris, I know I’m in safe hands here. The brand lists orris butter, jasmine, and ylang-ylang, and Pissara mentions rose in the promotional video. I don’t get much rose, I must admit. In Light of Bangkok, jasmine creates the strongest impression. It’s green and fresh, seamlessly blending into and extending the light-filled impression of the revitalising opening accord. Combined with the orris note, the scent becomes creamy and enveloping, but it’s never as powdery as, for example, Splendiris. Eventually, I also get hints of ylang-ylang, which play into the fragrance’s exotic theme.
Light of Bangkok serves as the perfect antidote to the sugary gourmand trend. The restorative lemongrass note lingers for some hours. Indeed, in the wrong hands, there might have been an attempt to enhance sillage and longevity with amber woods in the base. Think of all those harsh Harrods exclusives with their bloated basenotes. None of that here, though. It’s a much gentler landing in Light of Bangkok, with creamy sandalwood, vetiver, and musk offering a more fitting finish. Even so, it lasts for over 8 hours. I can easily imagine myself in the garden wing of the Mandarin Oriental, dressed in a linen suit, sipping tea under the palm trees and enjoying a leisurely afternoon—a lovely piece of perfumery.
Note: Bottle image from Dusita. All other images are my own. I purchased the sample of Light of Bangkok.
The promo video and info from Dusita link: https://www.parfumsdusita.com/light-of-bangkok-campaign
Some other photos that Light of Bangkok conjures.
