Encounters
Price range: €7.00 through €249.00
Extrait de parfum
Accords: Iris with Oudh facet, Spicy Woody Oriental
Mood: Assertively hedonistic, Mysterious and Luxurious
A voluptuous and dirty Iris.
Where East meets West: the fascinating point of contact between different cultures, where diversity produces a new language. Iconic materials from East and West – Oudh and Iris – blended into a new mysterious and voluptuous creature.
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Description
Pyramid:
Bergamot, Orange, Cassis, Lavender, Coriandre
Iris Butter, Rose, Angelica, Cinnamon
Ambergris, Castoreum*, Oudh, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Benjoin, Peru Balsam
*No animal-derived ingredients have been used
The fascination of contaminations
I have always been fascinated by contaminations from different cultures, giving birth to new forms – called syncretistic, eclectic: to me, a new deviant marvel.
I remember my enchantment for the exotic and mysterious Pseudo-Arabic scripts in the halos of some Renaissance painting focused on a quintessential character of Christian culture and yet contaminated by a reference to the Arabic culture.
Or the incredible syncretistic forms such as Greek or Roman temples transformed into Christian Churches, or the Indo-Islamic architecture, merging two cultures in a new language.
Encounters, the fragrance
I wished to render this obsession of mine with Encounters, thanks to a combination of two iconic ingredients from East and West, Iris and Oudh – a moment of contact from whom a new creature originates.
You will find the sophisticated refinement of Iris butter, with its soft and mysterious powderiness; a material which develops in the soil to then generate the most lyric among flowers.
And you’ll find Oudh, a material born out of an infection of the Aquilaria trees, which then produces one of the most mesmerising and complex odor in the perfumery range of ingredients.
Iconic material: Iris Butter
The Iris is an iconic flower in the Western culture. It is the symbol of the city of Florence – in the countryside of whom one of the most important areas for the cultivation of this flower has developed.
The Fleur de Lys has also been a symbol for the French Kings since the 12th century.
And countless times you can find iris in paintings throughout Western History.
Iconic material: Oudh
Oudh is an iconic ingredient of Eastern culture due to its crucial significance. Derived from an infection of the Aquilaria tree, it’s native to South and South-east Asia, and parts of the Middle East.
Used for spiritual and religious purposes, it is believed to help elevate the spirit and create a sense of calm and connection to the Divine.
Considered one of the most precious material in perfumery for its intense and complex aroma, it’s woody with leathery, animalic and smoky facets.
Alcohol Denat.,Parfum, Alpha-isomethyl, Ionone, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Coumarin, Cinnamal, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol.
17 reviews for Encounters
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gaia.fabbricolabich –
Love this perfume so much! Literally can’t stop using it!!!!!
Ivan Carriles Azcona (verified owner) –
A beautiful blend of Iris and Oud, very rich, deep, sexy and elegant perfume. Truly a masterpiece by Francesca.
grygoruk.grzegorz (verified owner) –
Sweet, but not too sweet. Expressive, but not overwhelming. My truly reliable mood booster🥰
Loida Garcia Nieto (verified owner) –
Me parece en equilibrio perfecto entre flores, la nota animal y las maderas. Me hace sentir elegante. Es un perfume con personalidad pero fácil de llevar. Un gustazo
HRM (verified owner) –
Sublime fragrance, simply beautiful.
viktorthunqvist (verified owner) –
This creation had me going through stages..
I perceived this differently everytime i wore it.
But, as time passed..
I think my olfactory senses finally agreed on what to feel and I must say that I love it.
This is very unqiue and I have never smelt anything like it before.
It takes me back in time reminding me about different places.
Quite the masterpiece.
Edyta (verified owner) –
A very soothing scent, which also has a lot of classic connotations with the creaminess of perfume trees from the 1940s, but of course here we have a modern composition. Beautiful and soothing. I highly recommend it!
Delicate, buttery, sweet, addictive, slightly tangerine, iris-woody, slightly vanilla. Sensual. I want to smell it and after a few tests I decided to buy a bottle.
PS there is no base here like in e.g. the dark side, no honey. Info for those who don’t like this database.
mekhedenko94 (verified owner) –
Amazing! You are the best!!)))
quevedin (verified owner) –
Un matrimonio de dos materiales difíciles de tratar de una manera en la que la cremosidad del iris realza la animalidad.
Winifred Liu (verified owner) –
I got a sample of this with my order of a 30ml creation by Francesca, and have been hooked on it ever since. It smells exactly like its description: an expert balance of iris and oudh, where neither outshines the other. On me, I do not get too much of the top notes, but considering that I’m not a citrus fan I am perfectly happy with this. The most interesting aspect of Encounters, however, is that you need to be patient with it. Surprisingly, it smells very faint upon application, but it grows stronger as it develops – in the winter, it takes about 3-4 hours for it to smell like iris-and oudh. A friend of mine owns Amouage’s Opus V: Woods Symphony and we did a comparison: Amouage’s creation is more powdery, so would suit those who like the their irises on the crisper side. Encounters, on the other hand, is warmer and more buttery, most likely due to how Francesca works her magic with orris butter, and with its incorporation of resins such as benzoin and balsam. You wouldn’t be able to isolate the resins upon sniffing, but they lend a wonderful background on which the facets of iris and oudh really stand out.
David Ravelo Izquierdo –
Have you ever experienced something magical? If not, this is the right place to start: if you close your eyes and you imagine the perfume you will see this “light mauve color” with a soft brown, both intrinsically united, dancing that waltz, in an elegant way, surprising us every hour, for more than 10 hours. An unprecedented beauty.
You need to get this
Marcin Kryjom (verified owner) –
Encounters by Francesca Bianchi is an extraordinary fragrance — noble, elegant, and absolutely captivating. From the very first sniff, I knew this wasn’t just another sample from the discovery set. It was love at first scent. Even before finishing the sample, I was sure I needed a full bottle.
What struck me the most is the beautifully rendered orris butter — velvety, creamy, and almost sensual. It takes center stage, supported by subtle citrus notes and a soft, woody background. The composition is masterfully balanced: no single note overwhelms, yet each makes its presence known at the right moment.
Despite its elegance and delicacy, Encounters has impressive projection and longevity. It lasts all day on the skin and leaves a mesmerizing trail that draws attention. I simply can’t stop smelling it — even on days I don’t wear it, I find myself reaching for the bottle just to take in the scent from the cap.
To me, this is a true masterpiece and one of the finest fragrances I’ve ever encountered. Francesca Bianchi once again proves she’s a true artist in the world of perfumery.
Juicy Rebel (verified owner) –
A brief fruity note, followed by a dry lavender bomb with a generous dose of cinnamon, a light rose, and finally, iris paired with oud. A complex, old-school fragrance and will be my next buy but Etruscan Water is still my favourite
Sanjay Soni (verified owner) –
Beautiful scent for any occasion. I love thus scent. Long lasting and got me many compliments. I am happy with my purchase and service I always receive
Dali Regent (verified owner) –
This scent opens with a splendid mix of all the listed top notes, nicely dirtied with coriander into a wild freshness. Then it gets darker and darker and *darker*. The iris is very present here, both fresh and spicy and earthy – like pulling the whole iris flowers from the earth and crushing their blooms with wet muddy hands. Behind it all, a strong base of woods and resins keeps the iris from getting too floral. The spices retain a strong role throughout – especially cinnamon. I think this is absolutely beautiful and a great fragrance to bring back some colour and life and warmth into grey winter dusk.
roabprins (verified owner) –
I got this as a sample, I have to say its a different perfume. Not smelled anything like this before. Its a little sweet and sour and also flowery and woody. Something futuristic in my oppinion, but very wearable. It dries down very nice and pleasant.
MOHAMMAD ALBUAINAIN (verified owner) –
A beautiful and unique fragrance… You will fall in love with it after the second experience, and you will want to own it no matter the price, because the scent of oud wood and iris butter is wonderfully and perfectly balanced (a winter fragrance, only try it in cold weather, otherwise you will do it an injustice)
strong diffusion