We review Hundred Silent Ways, a head-turning, compliment-triggering Extrait de Parfum from Turkish niche perfumery Nishane’s Rumi Collection.
Nishane
Istanbul has long been the trading center for some of the finest goods in the ancient and modern world. The lustrous silk that clothed kings and queens. The ivory ornaments that adorned the rooms in their palaces. The fragrant oils that perfumed their bodies and the air they breathed.
The melting pot of the East and the West and the capital of three empires—Byzantium, the Latin Empire of Constantinople, and the Ottoman Empire—a perfumer can only imagine the wealth of raw materials, concretes, and absolutes that passed through the hands of over generations of envoyés and merchants in the bustling ports and crowded bazaars of Istanbul.
And yet Istanbul, a city that occupies two thousand square miles on the map of present-day Turkey, never really took up much space on the map of perfumery: the products that traded hands between Northern Europe and the Orient were transported through its borders, but were almost always created somewhere else.
In 2010, Turkish entrepreneurs Mert Guzel and Murat Katran met with their passion for perfume and their ambition to put Istanbul—and Turkey—on the most difficult part of the perfumery map of them all: niche fragrances. After two years of working together, they founded the house of Nishane.
“Nişane” is Turkish for sign, mark or symbol. The brand’s name clearly represents Guzel and Katran’s desire to make their mark on the industry by working with some of the best noses in the world on collection upon collection of modern masterpieces rooted in the opulent oriental heritage.
And make their mark they did. Today, Nishane is one of the most recognized and renowned names in niche perfumery. That’s what we call a success story.
Hundred Silent Ways
Facts
| House | Nishane |
| Fragrance | Hundred Silent Ways |
| Concentration | Extrait de Parfum |
| Nose | Undisclosed |
| Released | 2016 |
| Family | Floral |
| Description | A tribute to the most-liked perfumes in the history of perfumery with a modern interpretation and a blend of gourmand notes. |
| Sizes | 0.5 fl oz (15 ml), 1.7 fl oz (50 ml), 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) |
Our Review
For the viscous, oleaginous, concentrated perfumes in its Rumi Collection, Turkish niche perfumery Nishane draws inspiration from the musings of 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, and Sufi mystic Jalāl ad-Dīn Mohammad Rūmī, known to the western world simply as “Rumi.”
Hundred Silent Ways, along with Fan Your Flames (which will be the subject of another review), is one of the two Extraits de Parfum within the collection. It’s an opulent, eloquent, and timeless gourmand for all genders that will forever have a place in the history of perfumery.
The first time I sniffed Nishane’s Hundred Silent Ways, I was as captivated by the scent as I was when I read the four-line poem by Rumi that it’s named after:
I whispered an offer softly in the ear of your playful heart.
Rumi, as translated by Zara Houshmand for The Iranian
I closed my mouth and spoke to you in a hundred silent ways.
You know what’s on my mind, you’ve heard my thoughts,
And now, what I described to you last night, I’ll do today.
Hundred Silent Ways by Nishane is a rich and opulent perfume with an emphasis on tuberose that’s easily one of the most sophisticated fragrances in my collection. It’s created as a tribute, with a modern twist, to the most-liked perfumes in the history of perfumery—and what a tribute it is!
The top notes are tuberose, mandarin, and peach. The heart notes are white jasmine, gardenia, and orris. The base notes are vanilla, sandalwood, and vetiver.
As soon as the juice touches the skin, the opening is heady and syrupy, with hints of the honeyed sweetness of tuberose, the bitter peel of tangerine and the ripe lusciousness of peach.
Soon after, the molecules of the top notes oxidize and give way to the full-bodied opulence of white jasmine, the faultless femininity of gardenia and the chalky-violet nature of orris.
The drydown, one of everlastingly fragrant sandalwood and earthy vetiver warmed by the creamy and delicious scent of vanilla. The overall vibe I get from Hundred Silent Ways is floral, gourmand, and, in a way, slightly musky.
I spray it on, close my eyes, and picture myself wearing a full-length, long-sleeved designer gown to an uptown charity gala—eyes sparkling, eyelashes stunning, lipstick Maraschino-cherry-colored, and hair ad-worthy.
I know I look like a million bucks, inside and out, so does everyone else around me. And yet, I am warm, cordial, approachable. This, ladies and gents of Sterlish, is what Nishane’s Hundred Silent Ways smells like.
It’s syrupy, and yet refined. Sunny, and yet grounded. Floral, and yet delectable. It has an inimitably addictive character that beguiles the senses, caresses the imagination, and puts the rational mind in graceful captivity.
It’s not the notes that make Hundred Silent Ways so unique, but their masterful pairing. The moment you smell this exquisite fragrance, it reminds you of something you’ve smelled before, and yet nothing smells quite like it.
And that’s the thing about this Extrait de Parfum: it has a profile that, if you consider yourself a perfume lover, you’ve probably experienced before. But the sheer caliber of the ingredients and the way they have been blended together make it a head-turner, even on the red carpet.
I would describe it as warm and inviting, but also very potent; not surprising given the high concentration of perfume oil relative to alcohol and water. As a golden rule, 3-4 spritzes are enough to last all night, and maybe even until the next morning.
One of the most delicious and refined perfumes in niche perfumery, Hundred Silent Ways by Nishane puts a smile on my face whenever I smell it. When I wear it, I feel elegant, beautiful, and put-together.
So will you.
Longevity
As can be expected from an Extrait de Parfum, the most concentrated and expensive form of perfume of them all, Nishane’s Hundred Silent ways lasts upward of 12 hours on my skin, and even more then I spritz some of it on my hair.
You will still be able to smell it on you the following morning, even after showering, and your blanket and pillow will be perfumed with its deliciously sweet, unmistakably opulent scent.
You asked, we answered: Why some perfumes last longer than others
Sillage
Wear Nishane’s Hundred Silent Ways, and you will leave behind a head-turning, seemingly permanent scent trail wherever you go. Everyone in the room will be able smell it on you for 4-6 hours, after which it sits closer to the skin but remains long-lasting.
Layering
Layer Hundred Silent Ways by Nishane with Hacivat—a citrusy-pineapple scent with jasmine in the heart and mossy woods at the base from Nishane’s Shadow Play Collection—for a magical and inimitable fragrance for the right occasion in a fashionable setting.
Sizes
Hundred Silent Ways by Nishane is available in three sizes: a 0.5 fl oz (15 ml) travel spray, as well as a standard-sized 1.69 fl oz (50 ml) and 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) bottle.
The standard-size bottles are made of thick glass and feature a weighty cap, probably the heaviest of all the perfumes in my collection. They are too bulky to carry in a purse. If you fly frequently, opt for the travel spray.
Read our guide: Which size perfume to buy?
Price Tag
Nishane is a niche perfumery, and Hundred Silent Ways is an Extrait de Parfum, so this perfume isn’t for every wearer’s budget. To enjoy it, you must be able to afford it or be smart about saving up.
On the day this review was published, the 0.5 fl oz (15 ml) bottle of Hundred Silent Ways by Nishane sold for €75, the 1.69 fl oz (50 ml) bottle for €190, and the 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) bottle for €290 at the Turkish perfumery’s online store.
Frequently Asked
Consider Love Tuberose, a gourmand floral scent (for women) by Amouage; Black Opium, an intense oriental fragrance (for women) by house Yves Saint Laurent; and Bloom, a floral fragrance (for women) by Gucci.
Hundred Silent Ways is marketed as fragrance that’s unisex (gender-neutral), but we find that its gourmand-syrupy, white-floral composition is best-suited for women. However, it may just as well appeal to men.
In Conclusion
Nishane’s Hundred Silent Ways is one of the best niche perfumes of the previous decade, and this is not a title that I give out lightly.
This timeless and signature-worthy gourmand is so addictive, I have to make myself not want to wear it. And trust me, my dear, when I say that this is no easy thing to do. Chances are you will love it, too.