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måndag 4 mars 2013

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle - Dries van Noten

Picture: Caffè latte as being served in Oslo
Photo by Jazzbobrown (cc), Wikimedia commons

The Belgian fashiondesigner Dries van Noten has released the first fragrance of the house (bearing the houses name) in collaboration with wellknown nichehouse Editions de Parfumes Frederic Malle. This instead of taking the "regular" massmarket channel as most fashionhouses when release their fragrances. The perfumer of Dries van Noten is Bruno Jovanovic.

Dries van Noten smells like almost unsweet pastry, the sweetness is at least subdued.The whole impression of the perfume is like sitting in a café a grey, snowy and chilly day (exactly the weather when I write this review :-) consuming a croissant together with a giant latte. As Dries van Noten dries :-) down the croissant-note becomes apparent. The texture of DvN is somehow like the feeling of smooth, lightcolored suede, even if there is no suedenote recognizable in the blend. There is also a beautiful, smooth sandalwood in DvN, the finest I have smelled in a contemporary fragrance for a long time. As I understand it there is some "substitute"  for Santal from Mysore that has been introduced to the market latly. Probably this has been used instead of the rougher australian sandalwood that is common in woody perfumes released in the latest years.  In the basenotes there are smooth, powdery and a bit sweet woody notes, also almond is detectable as later also a clean, a bit almost sweet herbal note. To my nose DvN is sweeter in the basenotes than in it's earlier stages.

Overall a pleasant and very comfortable fragrance in the transparant gourmand style of Carner Barcelona Rima XI. I like the latter equal to Dries van Noten Rima XI is, even if also transparant and smooth in texture, more pronounced in its gourmand style, more distinctive with its smooth spices and maybe more intriguing as composition. On the other hand Dries van Noten is almost seamless in its development so very delicious and cosy and I think it appeals to a broader group of perfumewearers, it could also have been released as an "highend mainstream". Dries van Noten is very officefriendly, a fragrance that gives the wearer compliments. Perfect for the colder months. I have read complaints about the longevity of DvN but this is not a problem for me, I can smell sufficient traces of it almost 24h after applying it. Sillage is medium in its earlier accords, then close.

Those who likes fragrances in the style of Carner Barcelona Tardes, Parfumerie Generale Praline de Santal, Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau and  Etro Heliotrophe (mini review in swedish) could also appreciate Dries van Noten.

Update late April 2013: The more I wear/test/sniff DvN the more I like its subtle and comforting character and the fact that its longevity is great despite its transparency. The sandalwood note is smooth and has no harsh edges which is sometime the case with the australian sandalwood used as a substitute to the Mysore in many fragrances during the latest years. Overall DvN is a very wearable fragrance. 

Rating: 4, Update April 2013: 5

Notes: Citron, sandalwood, guaiac wood, cashmeran, tonka bean, vanilla, saffron, jasmine, musk

Thanks to Alla Violetta for a sample to review.

måndag 10 december 2012

Carner Barcelona - Rima XI

Picture: Meadow Elves (Ängsälvor), oil on canvas
by Nils Blommér 1850
Rima XI is a transparant spicy, floral, light gourmand perfume created by perfumer Sonia Constant for the Barcelonean nichehouse Carner Barcelona. Sonia Constant also created the powerful Cuirs for the house last year and with Rima XI she explores a quite different, lighter and more delicate style. The appearance of Rima XI lies in between Tardes and D600 by Carner Barcelona and closer to Tardes of the two.

Rima XI starts with an almost gourmand accord, similar to the bread and apricot acccord in Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau or the gourmand sandalaccord of Parfumerie Generale Praline de Santal, which to me is a Jeux de Peau follower. There is an almond, cardamon accord that shows up early in Rima X and which is more and less present during the dry down of the perfum. After a whlie, Rima XI suddenly evokes the olfactory image of a sort of sharper Bois Naufragé by Parfumerie Generale, the wood dried in the sun at the beach by the sea and the woody, sandy, slight salty nuances that emerges from this. After a while the sweet, gourmand, character appears again, like an almondcookie, it’s almost like the smell when sniffing in a cookie jar. There is also a discrete flowernote sneaking in to the blend.  This pastry impression remains during the whole development of Rima XI. There is not a oversweet impression, it’s surprisingly light and transparent and there is absolutly no risk that Rima XI will be overwhelming. The almondcookie seems to be offset by a note similar to spicy tea and this balances the fragrance in a delicate way. This accord reminds me of yet another Parfumerie Generale fragrance, Un Crime Exotique but tuned down multiple levels. As UCE is an extreme when it comes to “spieced beverages” inspirated perfumes, readers that dislike UCE should not fear trying Rima XI. As Rima XI is resting in the basenotes the impression still are flowers, almondcookies, spices and tea supported by woody notes.

Rima XI to me is a very versatile fragrance, contemporary in style despite its inspiration from a poem of the 19th Spanish poet G.A.Bécquer: “I am a dream, an impossible; vain ghost of mist and light; I am bodiless, I am untouchable; I cannot love you. – Oh, come, you come!”. IMHO this poem also could describe a the subtle precense of a beautiful perfume, like for instance Rima XI.

Rima XI is wearable year around and could be described as a comfortable and reliable parfume with a close sillage which makes it very officefriendly. The longevity is good. The spicy character, even if light, makes it suitable for daytime wearing during the upcoming Christmas just like another good fragrance for daytime Christmas fragrance, Aus Liebe Zum Duft No 1 (from the excellent german perfumeshop with the same name) which has similariteis in style with Rima XI but as a stronger and masculine alternative.

Rating: 4

Notes: Cardamom, black pepper, mint, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, jasmine, coriander, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla, benzoin, soft amber, musk

måndag 15 oktober 2012

Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule

Picture: Castel del Monte, Wikimedia commons

Santal Majuscule is created by Christopher Sheldrake (I guess) for Serge Lutens as the third interpretation dedicated to sandalwood from the house of Serge Lutens. First the warm, indian-spicy Santal de Mysore was created in the early 1990s followed by the almost subdued Santal Blanc ten years later.

Santal Majuscule starts with a slight rough, but in the same time almost smooth sandalwoodnote. A gourmand creaminess occours,some subdued roses reminiscent in style of the rose in Pasteum Rose by Eau de Itally. But most the scent of crushed leaves and stems of the roses emphazises, close to the green tangy accord in Rose Splendide by Annick Goutal.

Beyond these individual notes that I seem to distinguish, Santal Majuscule to me is a woodier and slight green version of one of my favourite Lutens the buttery, peach and bread, santal gourmand Jeux de Peau. IMHO I think they are too close to justify buying both of them, even if both are lovely, and Jeux de Peau a bit lovlier :-) . Of the other sandal Lutens Santal Majuscule just as Jeux de Peau are closest to Santal Blanc, even if both Jeux de Peau and Santal Majuscule both are more interesting than Santal Blanc.

Santal Majuscule even if a contemporary sandalwood somehow feels timeless and takes me to journy of time.To me it mediates the picture of medivial monks writing detailed majuscule and miniscule letters. Or a knight returning to his castle, such as above.

Santal Majuscule is the perfect comfortscent for the colder month of the year but I'm convinced it will suits even in summer as the "green crushed leaves and stem" tangy note developes well under warm conditions.Sillage is medium and longevity good, +12h.

Rating: 4

Notes: Sandalwood, rose, cocoa, tonka been

torsdag 1 mars 2012

Parfumerie Générale - Praliné de Santal

Picture: Pierre Guillaume
Photo: by Parfumerie Générale (c)

Praliné de Santal is another successful composition from handsome parfumer Pierre Guillaume. PdS was released in Pierres limited edition together with the cosy, cuddly Tonkamande 2010. Both scents have the cosy feel in common but where Tonkamande is more sweet, vanilla oriental, PdS is more of a gourmand woody.  

The first impression of the topnotes of Praliné de Santal is to write it off as it with its nutty and buttery notes smells similar to one of my favourites from Lutens, Jeux de Peau. But as the latter proceeds in the buttery direction with notes of bread and apricotjam, the former takes a different direction into a soft woodyness, more specifically into sandalwood. The sandalwood i soft, smooth and light, not heavy, sharp and almost sneezy as I strangely enough perceive this noble wood in Lutens Santal de Mysore. The smooth sandalwood is present during the entire dry down of PdS. In its earlier stages there is almost a hint of something light green and a certain bubbly, soda-like, slight calky note that is also present in Rochas Tocade but in Tocade this note is turned up several octaves. There are also traces of a sweet flower, probably the heliotrophe, but there is not the mimosa-almondy heliothropic note as in Parfums de Nicolaïs Kiss me tender or Etros Heliothrope. In the latest stages the sandalwood in PdS is blended with a soft praline note that in a harmonious way underscores the sandalwood. 

PdS is a real delight to wear a sunny winterday. Smooth and comforting, versatile for both casual and officewear.

Rating: 4

Notes: Heliotrope, sandalwood, hazelnut, cedar- and cashmerewood.

onsdag 28 december 2011

Best of 2011

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Can't belive 2011 is almost over and it's once again time for the "Best of the year" list. By that I mean the best releases of the year, perfumes that I discovered this year but was launched earlier therefore not qualify.

To me 2011 was a quite good perfumeyear with several great releases from perfumehouses in both the niche- and designerfragrance categories. Of course I have only tested a small part of the thousends of releases on the market, but from what I have tested, here are my favourites of 2011:

There are two fragrances that shares the first place:

De Profundis (Serge Lutens): I instantly fell in love with this purple, green, serious creation with it's notes of wilting lilys and chrysantemum, lightened up by some inscense. To  my nose a very special creation that stands out from the crowd. See my review here (in swedish).

Les Nombres d'Or Oud (Mona di Orio): My other number one was on the contrary not instant love. Used to the strong Montale ouds I underapplied this the first times, but when I splashed some more on the miracle occurred: This multifaceted, woody, soft flowery, quality creation creates a peaceful aura around the lucky wearer. A perfume to relax and to dream with. Just as Mona di Orio wanted with her beautiful compositions. See my review here.

Other favorites:

Jeux de Peau (Serge Lutens): This bred and butter over a sandalwood base (like Santal Blanc) I fell for immediately. This one makes me hungry.

Week-End à Deauville (Parfums de Nicolaï): Sunny and bright lily of the vally shines in contrast to a dark green and mossy background. Retro, casual, chic in a nutshell. See my review here (in swedish).

Body (Burberry): This bold, creamy, rosy, flowery, early nineties-like creation is a true and lovely comfortscent. Perfect for grey and gloomy days. See my review here (in swedish).

Chanel no 19 Poudre: I think this is a beautiful, flowery iris on a jasmine and light orangeflower background grounded by a beautiful, light, musc that together with the iris blooms on my skin more then twelve hours after application. Can't understand different perfumesnobbish comments about Poudre as a inferior creation that collapses after the topnotes dried down. See my review here (in swedish).

Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille (Annick Goutal): Just loooove this, dark, retro, dusty, murky, earthy, plum-patch perfume. Smells somehow of old books in a long forgotten library mixed with lipstick and powder.. See my review here (in swedish).

Azemour Les Orangers (Parfum d'Empires): Orange, green and mossy notes, Azemour shows that it is still possible to create fragrances in the vein of the citrus-chypre classics of the seventies. Just great. See my review here.

Les Nombres d'Or Vétyver (Mona di Orio): Another beautiful green but here vetiver accentuated by ginger. Like Azemour above, Vétyver gives me the impression of the green fragrances of the seventies and just as Azemour, but in a different way, Vétyver reminds me of a less soapier Eau de Rochas.

Also to be mentioned 2011: L'Esprit d'Oscar (Oscar de la Renta),  Cuir Fetiche (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier), Chambre Noir (Olfactive Studio), Shalimar Initial (Guerlain), Candy (Prada), Myrrhiad (Huitieme Art).

måndag 17 oktober 2011

Parfumerie Générale - Tonkamande

Bild: A close up shot of some Tonka Beans, foto: Fred Benenson (cc)
Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved.

Mysiga Tonkamande är en av Parfumerie Generales limited editions för 2011. Den andra är Santal de Praline. Tonkamande är en i mitt tycke, trygg gourmand-oriental i typisk Pierre Guillaume-stil, alltså lite Aomassai, Cadjmere etc.

Trots igenkänningen i det typiska PG-iga så förbryllar uppbyggnaden av Tonkamande mig en del. På mig cirklar nämligen doften fram och tillbaka mellan två delar och dessa är distinkt urskiljbara från varandra. Den ena delen påminnner om en speciell mandelkaka som jag inte lyckats hitta någon bild på. Den är i allafall en oval mördegsform med mandelmassa i som är svagt grönskiftande överst. På detta finns hyvlade mandlar och pudrigt florsocker. Ungefär så doftar den ena delen av Tonkamande. Den andra påminner mig väldigt mycket om Chanels Allure EDP men något mjukare i framtoningen. Finns även en del drag från Serge Lutens toppgourmand Jeux de Peau, den sirapsliknande känslan. Såg någonstans att någon annan också kännt Allure-vibbar men annars känner många doften av rena lakan, ren tvätt och liknande. De noterna har inte gjort entré på mig ännu, men vem vet. Tonkamande är en doft som tål många provningar för att utforskas rätt.

Tonkamande är en typisk komfort- och trivseldoft för gråruggiga dagar när man vill värma sig framför brasan. Känns mer enkel i det praktiska utförandet än vad teorin = den originella notlistan, förmedlar. Av de PG limited edition dofter jag sniffat på så tycker jag att de rent allmänt inte känns lika väl genomförda som den ordinarie linjen. Men det kan förstås bero på att jag testat dem för lite.

Betyg: 4

Noter: Aldehyder, vete, mandel, tonkaböna, sandelträ, ambra, vanilj