Shinanay Nishane 2024 unisex 25

The Verdict

Nishane Shinanay is the second release in the Turkish house's Experimental Collection, and it lives up to that billing entirely. Created by perfumer Angelos Balamis and launched in 2024, this fragrance has been described by reviewers as a strange, witchy floral chypre that rewards adventurous perfume lovers. It is not a fragrance that tries to please everyone, and its reception reflects that ambition.

The fragrance has been praised as a great accomplishment of olfactive archeology, suggesting it reaches back to older perfumery traditions while framing them in a modern context. However, its prominent civet note has proven to be a significant barrier for many potential wearers, making sampling essential before purchase.

What It Smells Like

Shinanay opens with Italian mandarin orange providing a bright citrus burst, joined by red berries and pear blossom that lend a fleeting sweetness. Galbanum and elemi add a sharp green quality that gives the opening a bracing, herbal edge. While the orange note brings initial freshness, reviewers consistently note that an animalistic note, likely the civet, quickly pushes forward and dominates.

The heart is where Shinanay reveals its true nature. Narcotic white florals, including gardenia, tuberose, and magnolia, create an intoxicating floral bouquet. Lily of the valley adds a green, luminous contrast, while the indolic sweetness of the tuberose pulses against the galbanum's verdancy. Mastic and a fungal note add earthiness to the floral core.

The base settles into resinous territory with oakmoss providing classic chypre structure, sandalwood lending creaminess, and civet contributing the persistent animalic thread that runs throughout the entire composition. The finish is dry and resinous rather than sweet or powdery.

When to Wear It

Shinanay demands cooler weather and bolder occasions. Its animalic intensity and strong projection make it unsuitable for warm weather, close office environments, or situations requiring subtlety. This is a fragrance for autumn and winter evenings, artistic gatherings, and occasions where confidence and individuality are valued.

It could serve as a signature scent for the overwhelmingly confident wearer, as one reviewer described it, but its challenging nature means most people would reserve it for specific moments rather than daily wear.

Longevity & Projection

Shinanay delivers strong performance. Reviewers report approximately 8 hours of wear time with moderate to strong projection throughout. The oily quality of the composition helps it adhere to skin and project well. From the opening to the end of its lifespan, it makes itself known with good sillage, making this a fragrance that announces your presence.

The Community Says

Fragrantica reviews highlight the deep division this fragrance creates. Some reviewers call it a great fragrance and outstanding, praising its bold artistic vision. Others find the dominant civet note unpleasant and too strong for comfortable wear. The community generally agrees that Shinanay is NOT a conventional smell and requires a specific taste to appreciate.

Several reviewers note that if you love the house of Nishane and want to explore animalic fragrances, Shinanay may be the easiest entry point in that style from the brand, though it remains ultimately too animalic for many to wear regularly.

Who Should Buy This

Shinanay is for experienced fragrance enthusiasts who actively seek out challenging, unconventional compositions. Lovers of vintage chypres, animalic perfumery, and bold floral compositions will find the most to appreciate. Those drawn to houses like Papillon, Zoologist, or Beaufort London's more daring releases will recognize Shinanay's spirit.

The Bottom Line

Nishane Shinanay is a genuinely experimental fragrance that delivers on its collection's promise, combining narcotic florals with unapologetic animalic intensity in a modern chypre framework that will thrill some wearers and repel others in equal measure.