The note of Choya Loban presents a profoundly complex and arresting olfactory profile, immediately striking with a rich, dark, smoky intensity that is both ancient and primal. It is not merely a smoke, but a deep, tarry, almost leathery smoke, imbued with the inherent balsamic warmth of the Styrax benzoin resin from which it originates. One perceives an earthy, rooty nuance, a dry warmth that evokes smoldering wood embers rather than crisp bonfire. Its texture feels thick, almost oily upon initial impression, yet it settles into a dry, persistent warmth. There are subtle facets of bitter chocolate, cured tobacco, and a hint of animalic depth that grounds it, preventing it from becoming solely acrid. Its projection is considerable, capable of filling a space with its evocative aura, and its longevity is exceptional, truly a foundational base note that anchors a composition for many hours, evolving slowly to reveal more of its resinous, slightly sweeter, though never saccharine, heart as the smoke recedes. It behaves as a deep base note, often perceptible from the very first sniff but revealing its full richness in the dry down.