ENCELADE by Marc Antoine Barrois: Interview and Fragrance Review
Marc-Antoine Barrois needs no long introduction for those following niche perfumery. B683 became ico...
Perfume extract
MATCA Metanoia
Gender:
Unisex
Segment:
Lux perfumes
Fragrance information:
About the brand and release: MATCA Metanoia is a niche unisex perfume in Extrait de Parfum concentration, released in 2024.
This fragrance was created by the Romanian perfume house MATCA, a young brand founded in 2020 that views perfumery as a form of contemporary art.
The brand’s DNA combines Romania’s cultural heritage, bold work with natural motifs, and an expressive artistic approach.
The name Metanoia refers to inner transformation and rethinking, which accurately reflects the character of the composition.
This is not a light everyday fragrance, but a rich woody chypre story built on the contrast between a fresh opening, a dry forest-like heart, and a deep resinous-leathery base.
Structure and development: the opening notes greet you with the cool citrus freshness of bergamot and davana’s bitter-green, slightly spicy aroma.
As it develops, the composition becomes drier and more austere: cedar, cypress, and hinoki create the impression of clean wood, while patchouli adds earthy depth and a distinctive chypre shadow.
In the base, Metanoia sounds especially full-bodied.
Fir balsam, labdanum, opoponax, and oud create a resinous-balsamic backdrop, while a leather accord enhances its density. Mate, moss, osmanthus, and the rare sarcocaulon add green, bitter, and slightly exotic nuances.
Thanks to this combination, the fragrance develops in layers and retains for a long time the impression of a dark forest, sun-warmed wood, and noble resins.
Character and wearability: Metanoia is presented as a unisex fragrance and reveals itself equally convincingly on women’s and men’s skin.
Its mood is composed, intellectual, and slightly mysterious; it is a choice for those who value a distinctive perfumery signature over sweet crowd-pleasing appeal.
The fragrance has a very powerful sillage, making it especially suitable for the outdoors, spacious rooms, and evening wear.
For the office, small rooms, and hot weather, it is best applied with caution.
No precise recommendations for applying MATCA Metanoia to skin or clothing are available, so the ideal amount is best determined after testing it on your own skin, starting with the minimum number of sprays.
Extrait develops more densely and intensely than lighter formats, so it is important to give it time to unfold.
The first impression may be fresh and green; then the fragrance becomes woody, resinous, and leathery, while the finish takes on a deep mossy-balsamic nuance.
No other concentrations of this release are listed in the available data.
The creators: perfumers Sebastian Tiplea and Georgiana Stefanouai worked on the fragrance.
Their collaboration highlights MATCA’s artistic approach: familiar woody and chypre motifs are complemented here by unusual green, balsamic, and leathery nuances.
Similar fragrances: if you are interested in dense woody compositions with an expressive sillage, The Spirit of Dubai Turath is worth exploring: The Spirit of Dubai Turath.
For further exploration, you might also consider The Spirit of Dubai Abraj and The Spirit of Dubai Oud, although Metanoia stands apart with its greener, mossier, and more distinctly chypre character.
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