Viktor & Rolf - Magic Sage Spell

Tonight I am testing Magic Sage Spell by Viktor&Rolf.  I want to extend my thanks to Kenisha Mason of Saks Fifth Avenue for the sample.

When I thought of sage, my mind instantly went to Thanksgiving and preparing my turkey dinner; particularly the stuffing.  Sage is not something I would have sought out in a fragrance so the fact that Marie Salamagne decided to not only use sage but make it the focus of a fragrance is, in my opinion, creative at the least. 

This juice opens with a bold sage paired with a subtle mint.  The two taken together create an aromatic that is a piece of both but unlike either.  The sage retains its herbal quality but is lifted to a new freshness.  There is a strong green quality to the opening.  There is the slightest hint of grapefruit about fifteen minutes in that lends a tartness and brightness.  Pink pepper brings in a bit of spice.  The pepper is not detectable as a singular pepper note but simply as a spice. 

As Magic Sage develops, the “magic” appears.  “The Magic: Sage, considered sacred by the ancient Romans, is warmed by the modern absinthe to become an irresistible, thrilling and addictive incantation.”  (Viktor&Rolf)  Here, absinthe is deconstructed and the element of wormwood is added.  The wormwood “warms” the fragrance with a dry bitterness.  Star anise lends a subtle licorice to the spice blend.  In doing so, it transforms the opening greener herbal notes into a more complex and layered scent. 

In the drydown, there is a clean patchouli and the addition of a woody pine note from labdanum.  The patchouli and labdanum are joined by a hint of green tea to create a singular note that reads like a dense, rich, forest.  I do not lose the herbal nature even in the drydown so the ultimate effect feels like a balance of light and dark magic. 

Magic Sage wears as an aromatic woody fragrance on me for 10 hours before it begins to fade.  The fragrance has a moderate to strong projection.

Notes: pink grapefruit, pink pepper, peppermint, absinthe (wormwood), star anise, patchouli, sage, labdanum, green tea leaf