Parfum d’Empires - Azemour Les Orangers

Picture: Azemmour, 1572,

 Georg Braun; Frans Hogenberg: Civitates Orbis Terrarum

Wikimedia Commons

Since I rediscovered Parfum d'Empires this summer by trying some old samples I found, I have egarly expected their first launch in two whole years, the orange blossom chypre Azemour Les Orangers. As I realy love Pd'E:s antiseptic smelling, pink rose chypre Eau Suave I had very high expectations of Azemour. And the expectations where fulfilled. Azemour is a worthy continaution of Eau Suave, even if it's a much more diverse composition than I thought before testing.

Azemour is inspired of the city of Azemmour, one of the oldest cities in the Kingdom of Marocco. Here the parfumer of Parfume d'Empires Marc-Antonio Cortichahiato has lived with his family. Azemour starts with beautiful citrus-, orange and some spicy notes, then it becomes greener with galbanum and green leaves. There are also a dry, grassy feeling, probably the hay note and in the basenotes there is a hint of mossiness. I don't know how henna smells but there is a peculiar spicy note that comes and goes during the dry down of the perfume. Maybe this is the henna. Azemour smells as the linen of a first class hotel in Côte d'Azur. It also smells as a luxary soap from the same hotel, but the perfume is oddly enough not soapy, it's more dry in it's texture. Despite the association to linen and soap there is no synthetic, laudery feeling of Azemour, the whole composition smells true and somehow natural. The composition is well balanced ande the sillage is medium. Azemour has a retro feeling and reminds me in it's distinct, elegant, casual style of classical citrus chypres such as Eau de Rocas pour Femme. It's the perfect scent for summer and it lasts well during a whole day, in fall anyway.

The only dissapointment with Azemour Les Oranges is that it reminds me very much of another scent in the same style: Parfumerie Generales beautiful Papyrus de Ciane. To generalize, Azemour to my nose is Papyrus de Ciane infused with orangeblossom/neroli and some spices added. It's a floral, brighter, warmer, sunnier and more feminine version of Papyrus de Ciane. Azemour is also less soapy and mossy than it's possible source of inspiration.

Even if I think Azemour is almost too close to Papyrus de Ciane I rate it highly as I'm really enjoy Papyrus de Ciane and Azemour is a beautiful variation on the same theme.

Rating: 5

Notes: Orange, clementine, tangerine, citrus, coriandre, cummin, black and pink pepper, blackcurrant, galbanum, geranium. neroli, rose, hay, henna, moss.

Disclosure: I received a sample of Azemour from Fragrance & Art