Mathilde Bijaoui, author of Like This and Spice Must Flow, perfumed this one. It was released in 2022 and to me it smells rather like a vanilla crème latte in its first ten minutes, although the beverage it's aiming for is kitchen-spiced rum. A nice opening, albeit somewhat "flavorist" in nature: a complex but airy gourmand.
The heart of Frustration—and I have no idea why it's called Frustration, except something about song lyrics—is labdanum and toasted chestnut on yet another pillow of vanilla. The chestnut note stands out the most to my nose, smelling very realistic and unique. How many chestnut fragrances are in your collection? This suggests something I didn't know I needed, and it's persuasive about it, because Frustration smells great. Eventually a cumin and vetiver base sturdies up the edibles and creates a solid and enduring foundation for the fragrance, which lasts anywhere from seven to thirteen hours, depending on your trigger finger. Given its softness, I think more is more here.
Swirling about in the ether are nuances of cinnamon, MANE Biotech's interesting vinylguaiacol material, which lends a spiced smoke effect, and the faintest traces of rose. Despite the cohesiveness of everything in this composition, and the brilliant lucidity of chestnut, I'm certain I'd never own a full bottle of Frustration. Too "nutty," and I don't like nuts very much. Still, it's good stuff, and recommended as a fall spritz.