Musc Eternel – Mizensir

Mizensir

Release Date – 2021

---

Musc Eternel by Mizensir needed no introduction by the time I finally got around to smelling it. I had seen its name emblazoned across the reviews of just about every musk fragrance imaginable, held up again and again as the standard to aspire to. The musk to end all musks. Naturally, my expectations were high.

So when I came across a 2ml vial on eBay for a reasonable price, it did not take much deliberation before it found its way into my basket.

It was finally time to see what all the fuss was about.

---

First Impressions

Mizensir is a Swiss artisanal perfume house led by master perfumer Alberto Morillas. The white-and-gold sample card felt entirely in keeping with that identity, presenting my 2ml vial with understated luxe and elegance.

The first spritz brought with it something naggingly familiar. I was sure I had smelled it before. One more spray later, I realised with some dismay that it seemed to be little more than a smoother take on Swiss Musk – a bottle I have been trying to get rid of for years, and yes, I do mean years.

Only in writing this review has it occurred to me that Swiss Musk is quite possibly a dupe for Musc Eternel. “Swiss” feels like an obvious nod to Mizensir’s origins, followed by the stripped-back “Musk.”

Coincidence? I doubt it, especially given how strikingly similar the two smell. Not identical, of course. It was almost immediately clear that Musc Eternel is the more polished and pleasant of the two.

---

The Burden of Resemblance

What first prompted me to put Swiss Musk up for sale (and what has kept me resolute in that decision) was its screeching metallic note, which seemed to smother an otherwise pleasant almond accord.

In Musc Eternel, that almond appears without the screech or the metal – thank God. Here, it is smoother and creamier, with all the hallmarks of a luxury fragrance. It was and is lovely, and on paper, I had no reason not to love it.

The problem was that my first impression had already been poisoned by the comparison. Had I encountered Musc Eternel without any association to Swiss Musk, I suspect I would have fallen for it completely.

But because I already link this particular scent profile with something unpleasant, even its more beautiful rendering carries a faint sense of resistance. There is always that small hesitation.

It did not help, either, that I had already smelled variations on the same theme in Teint de Neige and its similarly shameless imitators.

---

Warmth, At Last

Maybe it was divine intervention, because the longer Musc Eternel wore on my skin, the warmer and more appealing it became. I really did start to like it.

But considering how outrageously expensive it is, perhaps I ought to be grateful I smelled the inferior dupe first.

All in all, Musc Eternel is beautiful. It is not its fault that I got my nose on a screechy imitator first. While I can’t rid the association completely, I can say the entire ensemble is beautifully blended, and if I caught a whiff of this in passing, on the tube, I would be sad when the wearer finally reached their stop.

Also, if anyone wants a bottle of Swiss Musk, hit me up.

6 out of 10 sniffs.

---