Fragrance Review: Fan Your Flames by Nishane

Imagine for a moment that you are the captain of a pirate ship sailing the hot Caribbean Sea. To celebrate your latest plunder, the crew retrieves a barrel of aged rum from the lower hold and pairs it with these arcane devices called 'pipes' that you 'found' on your most recent expedition. The combination of vanilla and spice from the rum barrel complements the sweet, earthy tobacco in the pipes.

Your senses are whisked into a billow of exultation. The tropical breeze, the rum, the tobacco, this feeling of indulgence. You're getting a bit too hot. You really should fan your flames before you combust from spiritual felicity. This is the mental image I get when I wear the 2016 release from Nishane, called Fan Your Flames.

"Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames" - Rumi

Who Is Behind It? 

A master perfumer for over 20 years, Jorge Lee has crafted 79 different fragrances as of 2024, including Hacivat and Sultan Vetiver from Nishane, and Primas by Navitus Parfums.

His incorporation of spices, woods, and local Turkish ingredients into his fragrances has become his olfactory signature. Due to his experience in perfumery, Jorge has developed a keen sense of smell and does his best to balance the notes in his fragrances as to not overwhelm the wearer or anyone in the wearer's presence.

Nishane is still a relatively new fragrance house. Having officially opened their doors in 2015, they have released 46 fragrances as of this article being published. Fan Your Flames is part of their "rumi" line of fragrances, along with another popular fragrance, Hundred Silent Ways, which was released in the same year as Fan Your Flames.

Note Breakdown: 

Top notes: Coconut, rum

Middle notes: Tobacco, tonka bean

Base notes: Cedar, oakmoss

Packaging: 

Fan Your Flames comes nestled inside a matte black box with gold lettering, surrounded by a forest green sleeve with matching gold accents. Both the outer sleeve and the box feature artwork of a horse carrying an archer. A nice touch.

Once the outer sleeve is removed, a pull tab presents itself on the right side of the matte black box. Gently pulling on this tab reveals two items: an envelope, and the fragrance seated underneath surrounded by black cloth. These envelopes are included in every Nishane fragrance, and what's inside varies based on the fragrance.

Opening the envelope for Fan Your Flames reveals a postcard. On the back side you have the typical postcard fare: an area to put the receiver's address, write a small note, and affix a stamp. On the front side you are greeted with beautiful artwork inspired by the name of the fragrance and the note breakdown.

As tempting as it would be to send the letter to someone, it would look better as a decoration on a desk or as part of a collection alongside other Nishane fragrance artworks.

The fragrance is held within a thick, heavy, square glass bottle with a gold cap that fits snugly over the atomizer. The cap is also quite heavy, which adds a level of luxury to the bottle. Even though the cap fits tightly, we recommend never picking up a bottle of fragrance by the cap, as the bottle could slip out and fall to the floor.

Opening:

The first spray of Fan Your Flames delights the senses. There's a balanced mix of smoky pipe tobacco, sweet rum, and milky coconut. There's a hint of earthy, spicy incense that intensifies the tobacco, adding a complexity similar to oud wood. There's a nice contrast of sweet and spicy but I can't quite put my finger on what the spice is. Perhaps cinnamon or nutmeg. 

While it isn't listed in the note breakdown, the opening features a subtle touch of vanilla. This amplifies the rum and coconut, giving it a gourmand quality similar to what you would find in a rum-based tropical drink, like a piña colada. Just imagine the sand between your toes and the warm sun on your face.

Development: 

The overall profile of Fan Your Flames begins to take shape about 15-20 minutes after application. Tobacco and tonka bean become the primary focus during this transformation. The smoky pipe tobacco has become slightly sweet, and its combination with the cinnamon or nutmeg spice is amplified. Also, the earthiness from the opening has begun to develop a minor musky quality.

Drydown: 

Once Fan Your Flames has settled down, the profile has become what I can only imagine what the inside of a used rum barrel would smell like; the mix of soft cedar, faint bitter oakmoss, and the vanilla from the tonka bean combined with the rum brings the gourmand qualities back into the picture.

Performance: 

After only two sprays to my neck and chest, Fan Your Flames emanated beyond an arms length for about 2-3 hours, became an elbow's length scent for about 6-7 hours, then died down to a skin scent afterward. It was still noticeable and the notes were distinguishable, but it didn't radiate as it did even a few hours prior.

The next morning (about 15 hours after initial application), I could still smell the remnants of Fan Your Flames, but it was mostly the tobacco, spice, and woods with a hint of sweetness. This is likely due to the fact that it's a parfum concentration and not an eau de toilette.

When To Wear Fan Your Flames: 

As a fragrance with such a unique composition, note breakdown, and development, Fan Your Flames by Nishane would be best worn when you want to stand out from the crowd. The heavenly scent trail will be sure to turn heads and garner you some attention. 

Fan Your Flames does best in cooler weather, but it could be an all-year fragrance if you live in location where the summers don't get scorching hot. It can be worn day or night, but with the boozy tobacco characteristics, it would be better suited for nights out on the town. 

Be warned that this fragrance may be too unique for some who haven't been exposed to niche fragrance houses. Some people may not appreciate the artistry that goes into a fragrance such as Fan Your Flames.

Who Is This Fragrance For? 

Fan Your Flames by Nishane is a great unisex fragrance. Even though there are some masculine-leaning notes, the overall composition won't make you magically grow chest hair.

The balance of exotic coconut and rum with the heavier notes of pipe tobacco, spices, and woods makes it a fun, playful fragrance perfect for a night out. 

If you are a charismatic person who wants to express your lively spirit, Fan Your Flames is worth checking out. There's an almost 100% chance no one else will be wearing this fragrance, so you'll stand out. It's not something you'll find at every fragrance store.

Overall Thoughts On Fan Your Flames by Nishane: 

Fan Your Flames is arguably one of the best releases from Nishane. Its unique composition makes it stand out from the crowd and has helped it cement itself as one of the more popular niche fragrances on the market (up there with heavy hitters like Naxos by Xerjoff and Layton by Parfums de Marly).

Fan Your Flames by Nishane is fun, easygoing, and playful with a side of sophistication for good measure.

Interested In Other Fragrance Reviews? Check Out: 

Fat Electrician Semi-Modern Vetiver by Etat Libre d'Orange - A unique take on vetiver with notes of spices, resins, and vanilla.

Don by Xerjoff - Smells like what you'd expect a mafia boss to smell like.

Liqueur BPM by L'Orchestre Parfum - Imagine walking into a fine cigar humidor with a cognac based cocktail in hand.

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