Dharan
Designed for fragrance enthusiasts who appreciate herbal realism and botanical depth, Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories moves far away from delicate department-store florals. Its combination of fresh spicy geranium, cooling peppermint, and mineral-tinted ambergris creates a grounded, meditative aura suited for quiet days and focused workspaces. The fragrance leans unisex despite its initial marketing, appealing to anyone drawn to the smell of living garden flora, damp earth, and dry cedarwood. Because it pairs crisp yuzu tartness with warm honeyed and sweet undertones, it feels particularly restorative in early spring and cool autumn mornings. Dharan is an excellent choice for individuals seeking an understated signature scent that feels reflective, refreshing, and untamed.
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Performance Metrics
24 VOTESOpen Performance Breakdown 1 TAKE
Community performance data for Dharan is currently limited but positive. One community vote records longevity in the long lasting tier of 7 to 12 hours, while sillage votes are split evenly between moderate and strong. Wearers describe a vibrant botanical projection during the first couple of hours that gradually recedes into an intimate, musky cedar skin scent.
Notes Pyramid
Search these notesChoose where each note belongs.
Dharan is built around a distinct botanical structure that pairs bitter yuzu and cooling peppermint with earthy rhododendron leaves, pink lotus, and wild rose. A heart of geranium and nutmeg transitions smoothly into a base of dry Himalayan cedar, white musk, and saline ambergris, yielding a floral, fresh spicy, and amber profile that feels grounded in damp earth.
Main Accords
5 MAPPEDThe dominant floral accord takes charge immediately with an authentic, dew-drenched character alongside a lively fresh spicy facet from peppermint, geranium, and nutmeg. As the citrus sparkle subsides, subtle sweet and honey accords emerge to balance the bitter greenery. In the late drydown, amber and musk accords dominate, leaving a warm, slightly salty cedarwood base that lingers closely on the skin.
Community Data
58 TOTAL VOTESCOMMUNITY SENTIMENT
OWNERSHIP STATS
GENDER APPEAL
REVIEW SENTIMENT
When to Wear
TAP TO VOTETIME OF DAY · TAP TO VOTE
OCCASIONS · TAP TO VOTE
It looks easiest to wear in spring and fall. The vote picture leans most toward daytime.
Pros & Cons
Quick take before you sampleWHY PEOPLE MAY LIKE IT
Realistic botanical opening that smells like living plants and damp soil
Cooling peppermint and yuzu prevent the floral notes from turning cloying
Earthy, meditative drydown driven by Himalayan cedar and ambergris
Versatile enough to wear across cool spring and autumn days
Genuinely unisex appeal despite being cataloged as a feminine fragrance
Reported long lasting longevity of 7 to 12 hours from early voters
Artisanal composition by independent perfumer Mark Sage
Calming, clean scent bubble suitable for professional workspaces
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
Bitter green rhododendron and mint opening may feel too sharp for some
Medicinal and earthy facets will disappoint lovers of sweet, sugary florals
Very limited community voting data makes performance hard to verify
Niche distribution means finding a sample in local stores is difficult
Average user score of 3.6 shows noticeable sentiment division
Not suited for hot, humid summer days or high-energy evening parties
Linear botanical development offers few traditional gourmand comforts
Lacks the heavy projection desired by wearers who want a room-filling trail
Fragranxe Review
EDITORIAL“Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories Editorial Review: Mountain Air and Soil”
Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories opens with a crisp, bitter-green snap that immediately sets expectations. Instead of a sugary department store floral, you are greeted by the brisk citrus tang of yuzu married to cooling peppermint. Behind the immediate chill, crushed rhododendron leaves introduce an herbal, leafy bitterness. One wearer compared this initial rush to realistic blooming lilac bushes, highlighting how natural and dew-covered the botanical materials feel right out of the atomiser.
As the top notes mellow, the heart unfurls a complex floral landscape grounded in soil. Wild rose, pink lotus, and jasmine provide gentle petal freshness, tempered by the lemony bite of geranium and a dusting of dry nutmeg. The transition avoids sweetness overload, steering into an earthy, almost medicinal depth that feels contemplative. In the final hours, the fragrance rests on dry Himalayan cedarwood, clean white musk, and salty ambergris, settling into a skin-close, mineral warmth that feels both intimate and serene.
The fragrance moves through its listed accords with notable poise. The dominant floral accord leads early alongside fresh spicy elements, projecting a garden-like freshness. Over several hours, the green bitterness recedes, letting honey and sweet undertones smooth out the composition without turning it cloying. By late afternoon, the amber and musky facets take over. The ambergris lends a saline, oceanic warmth that anchors the cedarwood, keeping the final phase dry, elegant, and exceptionally clean.
Community performance feedback remains small but encouraging, with community votes placing longevity in the long lasting bracket of 7 to 12 hours. Sillage votes split between moderate and strong, matching wearer descriptions of a scent that commands presence early on before settling into an arm's length aura. It shines brightest in daytime settings during spring and autumn, where cool breezes bring out the interplay between mint, florals, and earthy cedar. It is refined enough for a professional office and grounding enough for casual daytime leisure.
Although officially classified as a feminine perfume, wearers and community voters view Dharan as genuinely unisex. It is built for lovers of realistic botanical scents, forest greens, and meditative woods who want to avoid sweet gourmand or soapy designer formulas. Anyone looking for a classic, sweet, powdered bouquet will likely find the bitter herbal opening and medicinal drydown jarring. If you dislike earthy notes or geranium spice, this will not fit your taste.
Dharan succeeds by presenting flowers as living plants rooted in soil rather than cut petals in a vase. Perfumer Mark Sage has constructed a distinctive, restorative scent that balances mountain air with rich cedar foundations. Because its botanical bitterness and earthy musk are unusual, ordering a sample before committing to a full bottle is the smartest move.
FAQs
What does Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories smell like?+
Dharan smells like a crisp, earthy botanical blend of tart citrus, mountain florals, and dry woods. The opening features sharp yuzu and cooling peppermint, which quickly yields to wild rose, pink lotus, and bitter rhododendron leaves. In the drydown, Himalayan cedarwood, clean white musk, and saline ambergris combine to create a meditative, mineral soil finish.
Is Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories long lasting?+
Dharan provides long lasting longevity based on community votes and wearer accounts. While voter data is currently small with one community vote in the 7 to 12 hour range, wearers note that its woody and musky base notes sustain the perfume well across a full workday without vanishing quickly.
What is the projection and sillage of Dharan?+
Dharan projects with moderate to strong intensity during the first few hours. Early community votes are divided evenly between moderate and strong sillage. Wearers report an initial burst of cooling mint and vibrant floral greenery that projects well beyond arm's length before settling into a discreet, musky skin scent.
Is Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories for men or women?+
Dharan is officially cataloged for women but wears as an entirely unisex fragrance. Community gender appeal votes are split evenly across feminine, unisex, and masculine categories. Wearers specifically remark that its bitter rhododendron foliage, dry Himalayan cedarwood, and mineral ambergris make it equally appealing to anyone who enjoys natural green botanicals.
What seasons are best to wear Dharan?+
Spring and autumn are the best seasons to wear Dharan. Community season votes lean heavily toward spring with 3 votes and fall with 2 votes, compared to solitary votes for summer and winter. Its brisk peppermint and herbal florals shine in cool breezes, while the cedar base warms up crisp autumn air.
What occasions is Dharan best suited for?+
Dharan is ideal for daytime office wear, quiet weekends, and outdoor casual settings. Because it focuses on clean, meditative greenery rather than loud party sweetness, wearers find it polite in professional environments. Its calming, reflective aroma also makes it a great choice for personal relaxation or restorative daytime walks.
How does Dharan transition from opening to drydown?+
Dharan shifts from a crisp, icy botanical punch into an earthy, meditative musky-woody drydown. It begins loudly with bitter yuzu citrus, crushed rhododendron leaves, and brisk peppermint. As the sharp green top fades, soft petals of rose and lotus arrive, before settling into salty ambergris, white musk, and dry Himalayan cedar.
Who is the perfumer behind Dharan by Clandestine Laboratories?+
The perfumer behind Dharan is Mark Sage, founder of Clandestine Laboratories. Sage composed the fragrance around the concept of Dharan, a city in eastern Nepal, selecting materials like Himalayan cedarwood, pink lotus, and rhododendron foliage to evoke regional flora and a calm, meditative state of divine contemplation.
Is Dharan safe for a blind buy?+
No, Dharan is a fragrance you should sample first before buying a full bottle. With an average community rating of 3.6 out of 5 and two negative votes on record, its realistic notes of damp earth, medicinal herbs, and bitter green leaves can challenge buyers expecting a conventional sweet floral.
What fragrances are similar to Dharan?+
Dharan shares an earthy, naturalistic spirit with Ashes from Clandestine Laboratories, though it lacks direct clones. Wearers compare its rich dirt and botanical realism to Ashes, while lovers of herbal florals might also find thematic parallels in green woody compositions like Diptyque Eau de Lierre or Ormonde Jayne Woman.
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Dupes & Alternatives
COMMUNITY DUPESCOREThere are no direct clones listed in community data, but wearers frequently reference Ashes by Clandestine Laboratories for its shared mastery of rich, damp earth notes, though Ashes leans darker and smokier without Dharan's bright yuzu and rose. Those exploring naturalistic herbal florals might also consider Diptyque Eau de Lierre for its crisp ivy greenery, though it lacks Dharan's warm ambergris and spicy nutmeg base, or Ormonde Jayne Woman, which offers hemlock and cedar elegance with a sweeter, more conventional woody-amber trail.
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