It’s 4/20, so I’ve got some marijuana fragrances to review! In Part One, I’ll be reviewing Hungry Hungry Hippies from Smell Bent, Cannabis Flower from Demeter Fragrance, and Black Afgano from Nasomatto.
DISCLAIMER
I’m not really a weed smoker myself. It’s not a matter of judgement or morality, or even of legality. Drugs just aren’t my jam. I could go with the old cliché “I’m high on life,” and if that means perpetually sleepy and hungry, then yeah…. that’s me.
However, for a number of reasons, I am very familiar with the smells of marijuana. First of all, once upon a time I was married to someone who was a prolific pothead. All day, every day, from wake-n-bake to trees & zzz’s. Thankfully those days are over, but I still remember all the smells, and how different strains had different aromas. Also, I love reggae music. I especially like going to see live reggae music at shows and festivals. A lot of reggae songs are actually all about smoking weed, and the people in the crowd like to show their support by blazing up a joint or packing a bowl. So, I’ve spent a lot of time standing in crowds of people who are partaking in the herb.
4/20 MARIJUANA SCENT REVIEWS – PART ONE
CANNABIS FLOWER from DEMETER
Cannabis Flower from Demeter is a very wearable green floral fragrance. There is no “smoke” or resin in it. It doesn’t smell much like marijuana buds or the leaves and stems. It has a dry, sour green base that reminds me of baby’s breath (gysophilia), or bales of green hay. There is a sweet, clean, honeyed floral top note that smells like linden blossoms, and then an earthy heart that smells like chrysanthemums.
After the first 30 minutes, Cannabis Flower becomes much more powdery. All of the sharpness in the florals are gone, as is most of the sourness. It ends up smelling like a green-ish lily of the valley dusting powder at the end of the first hour. And there is something there that reminds me of hairspray. As times goes on, the hairspray note intensifies.
It’s the sourness in Cannabis Flower that is the closest to a marijuana smell, and that note is fleeting It isn’t a replica, but it is referential. I can understand what they were going for, but it doesn’t smell like pot to me. It’s rather pretty, but not that interesting. Like all Demeter scents, it is pretty linear and simple, and would benefit from layering with other scents.
Safeness for work – 10/10. Cannabis Flower smells light, clean, and fresh. If I just smelled it and didn’t know the name of the fragrance, I probably wouldn’t make any association with marijuana.
HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPIES from SMELLBENT
Hungry Hungry Hippies from Smellbent takes its inspiration from edibles. It is supposed to smell like marijuana brownies. It opens as a dark, rich, fudge-y chocolate sprinkled with cinnamon. There is a bit of herbal bitterness from cassia, but it doesn’t smell like marijuana to me. It almost smells like the bitterness of brownies that were left in the oven too long and developed a burnt edge.
Thirty minutes in, Hungry Hungry Hippies smells like earthy patchouli, with some powdery cocoa. It is long-lasting and projects well. But it doesn’t smell like hippies or edibles, it smells more like a mom wearing Mugler’s Angel (well into the drydown), making brownies for the school bake sale.
The whole brownies and patchouli theme is brilliant — the chocolate aspects of the patchouli are really showcased, making a cool gourmand scent. And people sitting around wearing patchouli and eating brownies might also be baked on weed, but the fragrance doesn’t smell of it. It uses association to suggest the smell of marijuana instead.
Safeness for work – 8/10. Hungry Hungry Hippies is a yummy chocolate gourmand, and doesn’t make you smell like you’ve been toking up on your way to work. You’re more likely to be accused of moonlighting at a bakery than of smoking weed. But, it is a strong and unusual fragrance — people might ask you what you’re wearing. If you’d be uncomfortable saying “Hungry Hungry Hippies,” you might be better off saving it for after work.
BLACK AFGANO from NASOMATTO
Black Afgano from Nasomatto is supposed to smell like hashish. It is an interesting and beautiful fragrance that I have enjoyed wearing for years. It is a strong, dark, complex smell, and it does have some smoke and grunge to it. People like to talk about it smelling like marijuana, but I don’t think that it does at all.
Black Afgano opens with some smoldering incense smoke and a fruity-medicinal oud. I also smell leather, tar, ash, and almond milk. There is also a smell of deep, dark, wet coffee grounds, and something sweetly balsamic and resinous. There is nothing “green” or herbal about it. It’s dark and beastly, and lasts forever.
Black Afgano smells mysterious and sexy. It is a fairly linear scent with monstrous sillage, that smells like oud, incense, and resins. It gets slightly sweeter and takes on more of the fruity facets of oud as it wears. Longevity is 24-plus hours in my experience.
Safeness for work – 7/10. Black Afgano will not trigger the drug-sniffing dogs, but it might get you sent to HR. Not for smoking weed, but just for wearing such a strong fragrance. If you share a cubicle with some sensitive noses, you might get some pushback just because it is so dark and massive. If you are comfortable wearing oud fragrances to work, then this one is no different — wear it with confidence. Just be aware that it will keep going strong until your next shower when you wash it off.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Although these are some interesting fragrances, none of them really smell like marijuana. At best, they are slightly suggestive. Some people may find this disappointing, but for most people, it’s a good thing. A complex fragrance that smells good and hints of weed is more wearable than a linear fragrance that will turn heads for the wrong reason.
Cannabis Flower is a light floral that is safe and forgettable. Hungry Hungry Hippies is a fun, interesting chocolate gourmand. Black Afgano is a gorgeous oud and incense bomb. None of them smell “like weed” to me, but people who enjoy that smell will probably like these fragrances. All of them would “layer” well with the smoke from your own 420 celebration.
For Part Two, I’ll be reviewing three marijuana fragrances from Xyrena — Blue Dream, OG Kush, and Space Cake.
