Imaginary Authors

A City On Fire

Eau de Parfum

Femme
  Unisex
Masc
Fragrance Notes

Cade oil, spikenard, cardamom, clearwood, dark berries, labdanum, burnt match

Fragrance Style

Black, Spicy, Smoky, Woody - Dark, Woody - Spicy

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Reviews
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This fragrance is well named, it smells like a city on fire. It smells like fire, like campfire. I love that. But compared to other more expensive scents, this one does smell cheap to me (and it is much cheaper than others). If it didn’t smell cheap, I would give it a 5. It’s more like a 3.5 to me.
By   - Marketing from Sydney on 5/12/2025
I enjoy this fragrance for what it is: smelling like you just got home from a bonfire, your hair and clothes permeated by the smell of smoke. It's a warm, pleasant bonfire scent, but boy is it strong! I wanted something a little smoky and I think I got a little more than I bargained for. Honestly, all I get is salty, meaty, burnt wood (I would call it more wood smoke than burnt match). I don't really get the other notes, but there is a touch of juniper as it dries down. I like it, but I do wish it had just a bit more dimension. It truly evokes a scent memory, although I think it's a tough everyday sort of wear. It certainly smells like what it says in the description. 7.5/10.
By   - Attorney from Boston on 4/4/2025
Either you like that smell or you don't. For me, it's not chemical or cheap or nasty. It smells exactly like a block of wood fire would smell. Some of us like it. Some of us don't. I think the projection - the forward BLAST when the first spritz goes on to the wrist - might be the thing. Easy on the atomizer. People will lean in and want to smell it.
By   - Househusband from Pawleys Island on 1/27/2025
The most interesting scent I’ve ever smelled. Longevity is insane, and definitely a layering scent. Smells straight up like a match on fire. Almost has a metal note to it too? I recommend if you want to smell like you were hanging out at a campfire.
By   - Student from Los Angeles on 10/29/2024
No. No, no, no. It makes me feel like someone lit a match to throw into the toilet but used the entire matchbox. I enjoy smoke, if you want, smoke try Terroni, but this is actual smoke. it burns your nose and hurts your eyes.
By   - Realtor from New York on 12/19/2023
Smells exactly like a lit match with a splash of berry. A couple sprays in the collar of my softest jacket and it was like being gently hugged by a campfire. Massively comforting to my soul!
By   - Dog Groomer  from Texas on 11/18/2023
I've searched far and wide for the perfectly balanced Wood Witch fragrance. I'm a huge fan of spikenard, a rare ingredient in fragrance profiles, and it shines in City on Fire. Spikenard's earthiness lifts the wood fire smell with dark berries and soft black resins, reminiscent to me of a witch's kitchen, deep in the woods, swirling with hints of spice and clean musk. I can imagine wearing this under a full moon sky. If you enjoy true smokiness, I recommend City on Fire. This is a fragrance for the wise, the cunning! The longevity on my skin leaves the only thing to be desired here.
By   - Botany Student Entrepreneur Witch from Carolinas on 5/10/2023
Night fire blazing, subtle hints of brimstone and heavy dry wood, burnt resin is like a ghost in the rising smoke...Smoky skin is a fleeting note before the dry down of clean, warm, musk-kissed skin...This fragrance is sexy, dark, alluring, haunting, and magically moves from strong wood fire to a lasting clean, sexy skin scent. I have found my fragrance.
By   - Botany StudentEntrepreneurWitch from Carolinas on 5/2/2023
I get a very very strong burnt match note, and something slightly metallic. Wore this once and my client asked if I had burnt my breakfast that morning. I usually LOVE imaginary authors but this was a real miss for me
By   - Tattoo artist from Midwest USA on 3/17/2023
Love this! It's so dark and dreamy. Sulfer and asphalt and diesel. But gentle and refined as well. Feminine and masculine at the same time.
By   - Mother of mothers from GRAND RAPIDS on 2/24/2023
After 3 different orders of testers (150) this was my first full size purchase. I LOVE it! With my body chemistry this scent starts strong but the dry down is where the magic happens. It remains smoky but there is a powdery part of it that makes it sexy! Dark, sexy, classy and unique! I spray this a few times during the day just because it feels good wearing it. I find the smell warm and inviting.
By   - Investor  from Victoria on 5/24/2021
Smells, quite literally, like a fire.
By   - professor from Philadelphia on 5/17/2021
I love the smokiness and green earth scent however the staying power was weak.
By   - Executive from Minnesota on 8/20/2020
The last vestiges of a fire, the end with the embers and that trail of smoke. The opening is very harsh but it quickly simmers down. Honestly, what sprung to mind was, of all things, on the Disney World Epcot ride Spaceship Earth when the ride comes to the part about the burning embers of Rome and the ride perfectly captures....well a burning city scent piped in, A City on Fire has taken that and made it wearable and delectable. Great longevity. I'm not one for smoky perfumes, but there is something with A City on Fire that keeps my attention almost rapturous and coming back for more. The concept and the execution amazes me and I love it.
By   - Office Manager from Williamsburg on 1/1/2020
50% smells like a numbing cherry throat spray (yuck) and 50% clean butane with a tiny bit of charcoal smell on a rainy day. The cherry throat spray smells is noticeable and my girlfriend smells it as well. Definitely still a bit smoky but it is a very clean smoke. Cade oil, cardamom, spikenard, and clearwood all are very well blended for the woodsy-ness and it lasts a long time. However, I believe there's a major imbalance of labdanum that is causing this synthetic cherry-esc scent. My order came with three samples but that did not affect my review. Would not buy again.
By   - Biochemist from Buffalo on 5/4/2019
So far, my favorite of the house. IA is true niche, in that their scents really are here to tell a story. Here, we have the burnt match "imaginary" note coming through, with the smell of (wet/green?) firewood, some camp fire smoke, and a hint of incense (the smoke moves in and out of this to me). It doesn't smell exactly like you were sitting in front of a fire... which is good. This is art though - and the vision this evokes is perfectly suited for the house's intent.
By   - Military from Texas on 11/24/2018
Oily cedar smoke, asphalt, little tinny-sulfurous sparks in the heart, and something sweet and heavy (the berries?) -- this is good wicked fun for the right wearer and “should I have Febrezed this jacket after the campout?” for the wrong one. Sign me up.
By   - editor from Seattle on 11/11/2018
On first application I smell sharp, but not unpleasant burnt notes, settling down into a comfortable smoke, smoothing into a sweetness (and leather?) embedded in the echoes of a campfire, like sniffing your jacket the morning after a night sitting fireside. I've tried several samples across several makers searching for smokey, and this is so far my favorite. It's reasonably-priced, so for me, the decision makes itself.
By   - Solar Personality from Chicago on 10/23/2018
When I smelled this my eyes just about bugged out of my head. OH. MY. GOD. So good! I fell absolutely head over heels in love with it. Deep smoky intense. Exactly what I was looking for with a smoke smell. Definitely full bottle worthy, maybe even make it my signature scent! LOVE.
By   - School Bus Driver from Dallas on 9/14/2018
This is the best fragrance available for a pure burnt wood accord. The "dark berry" compliments this charred wood in a way that goes beyond the Naomi Goodsir fragrance that is in the same ballpark. If you like the smell of burnt wood, this is what you need. It's my favorite Imaginary Authors scent (and there are several I like) and my favorite among many wonderful burnt fragrances, including Profumum Roma's Fumidus and Arso, which are both very worthy purchases for anyone who likes this kind of thing. Black Tourmaline is it's only close competitor.
By   - Artistic Director from Louisville, KY on 12/26/2017
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