Ruh

House: Pekji

Perfumer: Ömer Ipekçi

Release: 2015

Fragrance Notes

Amber, cardamom, coffee, jasmine, musk, oud, patchouli, rose, saffron, sandalwood

Review

Indie perfumer Ömer Ipekçi launched his Turkish label Pekji in 2015 with a focused set of scents reinterpreting classic genres. Ruh, which means spirit, was meant to return the tired “Oriental” perfume category to a sense of place and narrative. While Ipekçi does not refer to a traditional pyramid, the opening here is an interplay of the sharper spice note of cardamom with a deeper, tobacco-like pungent saffron. The fullness of the Turkish rose is blended masterfully with the bitterness of coffee. The spicy/floral depth blends well into the ambery musk base with excellent longevity.

From our wear of a 2020 decant, this was a mysterious delight from the first moment. None of the notes dominate, with a honey, medicinal, leather, floral note lasting a number of minutes. We include this as the best of our Top 10 Cardamom Perfumes because of the skill with which this scent is blended into a sublime rose entrance. After the opening, the scent dried out and the fruity note of the cardamom and top of the rose faded, leaving the leathery saffron to support a bitter coffee/rose. After thirty minutes, the oud note emerges earlier than the rest of the base along with a refined patchouli. The floral notes are still there, but fade to the background while the dark coffee remains.

We aren’t normally a fan of oud, but this combination with rose and then longer with the saffron and coffee accord is truly intoxicating. The fruity, floral oud does not stand out enough to make this an “oud” scent, but it does seem critical to holding the tension between brightness and the heavier amber base.

Projection is moderate to strong. Sillage is limited. Longevity is good.