Even though there were at least a couple of guest writers on Undina’s Looking Glass, over the last couple of years I was a sole contributor, so for a while I will be reminding my readers to look at the By line (Undina).
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“A rabbit finds the tiger scary, whether it still has the teeth or not.”
Let’s Eat 2, episode 14
My friends, do you like tigers? I am not sure if many would say, “No, I do not care for such beasts.” I very much like tigers, in the way a little child likes a particular animal. I have one tiger tattoo (and a pussy cat, who all think themselves tigers). Is having a tiger tattoo tacky? Probably, but I do not care. If something brings you joy, enjoy it! Maybe your perfume was a huge sum you wouldn’t want to admit to friends, or maybe you bought it in a drug store. If you love it, it is beautiful. The same is true of tigers. Fine art or tacky emblem, I respect the image. Even in their dotage a toothless a tiger is still a tiger.
Memo Tiger’s Nest is one of those beautiful perfume bottles where you very much want to love the perfume inside to justify buying it. Having found myself tearing up at the beauty of the one Memo I owned, Shams Oud, I was hopeful. I’d been gifted a few samples of other Memos which I enjoyed. Very soon these things added up to a “you will blind buy this and you will do it fearlessly” conviction. Opening the box and feeling the heavy, enameled bottle with its beautiful beast I felt nothing but love. I have been rewarded tenfold for my leap of faith by the juice itself.
Memo Tiger’s Nest
Oil of Absinthe, Aldehyde, Lime, Amber, Safran, Incense absolute, Osmanthus, Ylang ylang, Rose, Papyrus, Vanilla, Balsam of Tolu
I’ve never been on the incense quest that many in perfume land pursue. I have some nice frankincense choices, and some weirder BPAL’s, and I do not need much else. I’m guilty of always wanting things to be more intense, to the point of possibly smelling like someone should call the fire marshal. Tiger’s Nest offers a different interpretation to my joss stick inferno fantasies. There’s a wonderful medicinal note weaving throughout this scent. Crushed leaves, a sticky frankincense mixed with camphor. Medicinal, it’s a thrilling note for perfume! In the middle of Tiger’s Nest there’s a lovely leathery floral with a sweet, warm rose. At this stage of wearing Tiger’s Nest I am getting a strong health food store vibe. Mother was a hippy and I spent many, MANY hours standing around health food stores as a child inhaling essential oils, wheat germ, raw blocks of eye watering soap and incense. Some incense perfumes smell only of the ingredients, Tiger’s Nest smells of the burning sticks as well. Underneath it all a gentle vanilla, lasting long into the drydown. Memo Tiger’s Nest is a very interesting scent and one you may find you bring your own associations to.
So, I am quite happy. I am enjoying my beautiful tiger bottle and its contents very much!
Image: Paintings are Korean Minhwa style tigers by Polish artist Małgorzata Bonas
Undina's Looking Glass 
How lovely, Narth! Your faith and hope were rewarded. This certainly appeals to me, as does anything feline, and if a perfume were named after a lion, I would also be buying that blind!
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I don’t blind buy often and when I do I find it very exciting, it’s like a surprise present.. but having something you already love about the bottle is the best way!
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Jillie you know Chanel is coming out with one of their Exclusifs called Le Lion?
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No I didn’t! Will have to keep an eye out for that, thank you.
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I have Shams Oud and love it!
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I had a sample of it and honestly it made me tear up at one point, I loved it so much. It’s also one I’ve found smells quite different according to weather and mood. We don’t have any Memo in Melbourne, the store that carries them in Aus only has them in Sydney (very frustrating). Otherwise I suspect I would have bought a few more by now. I love Luxor Oud from a sample and would to give it a proper whirl.
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I like tigers, I like Memo’s bottles in general and this one in particular. This perfume is very nice, and I like it enough to wear if it were to fall into my lap. But I do not love it enough to go for a bottle – at least not now.
But that bottle… Congratulations on your successful blind buy!
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I’m so happy :D I’ve never smelled Winter’s Palace sadly, but that’s another beautiful bottle. Wouldn’t blind buy it at retail though, I needed that tiger to encourage me. The house does seem to have some quite nice scents.
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Hi Narth! I love Tiger’s Nest too, but of course I am an incense fiend and have many bottles of incense scents. I also love Shams Oud and Manoa from Memo, all resiney scents. Sadly Manoa is discontinued, but I bought two bottles so I can enjoy it for a very long time.
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Ooh… I didn’t know about Manoa. I had a sample of that and was pretty impressed, it was lovely. What did you think of Luxor Oud?
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I liked Luxor Oud too, but figured since I already had Shams Oud I’d just stick with that one, I found them to be somewhat similar, filling the same slot in my wardrobe.
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The first time I tried the Luxor that rose heart really got me.. but the second time it was not as prominent. Would love to have a proper test.
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Yes! Yes! Yes! I offered up a split of Tiger’s Nest and ended up being slightly oversubscribed. Memo perfumes can be had at a discount through Fragrancenet or if timed right with various department store promotions.
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Yes I got mine at a discount in a kind of panic because the Aus dollar hit an all time low. Thought I better buy this now before it’s suddenly dramatically more expensive. I would love to have them in my city and be able to try them all. The bottles are so satisfying to hold too.
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Nice blog
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Lovely review, as always, Narth. This is one of my favourite smoky scents. Yes, the bottle is something to behold, too. A beauty inside and out.
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I’d love to fall in love with Winter’s Palace for the bottle, but have yet to try it and I have a weird worry about the notes. It has rooibos in it and I’ve always disliked rooibos tea. I had it as a kid (see: health food stores, lol) and found it awful. As an adult I’ve tried it several times but I have the taste is just unpleasant to me. This shouldn’t necessarily translate into a perfume but I fear it will.
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I must still try Winter’s Palace, Narth. As a South African, I’m very familiar with rooibos. It’s definitely an acquired taste/smell.
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YAY! This is my favourite Memo Paris scent by far Narth. If it was half the price, or even 2/3 the price I’d definitely own a bottle. It may still happen when the world gets back to normal and I can earn properly again.
Portia xx
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Well in China its a symbol if protection, I am a Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, and I always in over with these majestic cats, I remember bought Kenzo Jungle Tiger just for the bottle as well, and I didn’t like it so much at that time, maybe I would love it now, if you have a tiger at home you’ll be free of ghosts, fire and robbery, Chinese says) so it’s like an amulet, enjoy 😘😘😘😘 I’m talking to you from Argentina, and I love your blog.
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