Still winter....

Picture: Winter is still here...
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Last week was snowy and with  tempratures between -10 and - 15 C. In the same time the light is back and there were some sunny days which, even if cold,  indicate that spring really is around the corner. These opposites causes an ambivalence in perfumewearing, I'm craving both warm and heavy fragrances as also lighter and brighter ones. This was reflected in the fragrances worn last week:

Epidor (Lubin): Both Monday and Tuesday was cold, sunny days and Epidors  sunny, hayish and light fruity apperance was both contrasting but also somehow matching as it has something like a cold string in it. This together with a distinct tonka been make me think of the original Dolce&Gabbana pour Homme when wearing Epidor.

Opium Edt (Yves Saint Laurent): The current, more woody version. But still cinnamon is evident as also the overall, varm, velvety and oriental spicy character. Opium warmed the whole cold, windy and snowy Wednesday up.

Prada La Femme Intense (Prada): An elegant, restrained, white and tropical flowers over a well-behaved patchouli is suitable in any climate or season. Added some casual elegance to my Thursday.

Najaf  (Xerjoff): Craved for something dark and woody for Friday and a sample of Najaf caught my interest. Animalic, very woody, with the tangy, bitter but in the same time sort of fresh smell of oud.

Aromatic Elixir (Clinique): This bombastic, dry, rosy and woody chypre requires cold weather. A powerful and demanding fragrance, a classic which has stood the test of time. Unfortunately I was a bit too triggerhappy this time so I was on the verge to having headache on  Saturday. 

Jardin Blanc (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier): A beautiful white flower boquet where tubereuse is the major player flourished my Sunday. Well balanced, dense but not heavy, with chords of green and some animalic glimpses from the dept of the fragrance.

Rediscovering fragrances - Prada

This time of the year when the daylight returns and spring is just two months away, I start to crave for brighter and lighter fragrances. Last week I came to think of that I havn't worn my Pradas for ages. The Prada fragrances emphasize a chic, confident, minimalistic elegance, all recognizable as creations of the masterful perfumer Daniela Andrier:

Picture: Prada Infusion d'Iris (2007)
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion d'Iris Edp (2007 version)  is the perfect austere and elegant fragrance for springtime officewear. Of course this iris cold, clean, minimalist-orangeblossom soapy, contemporary classic is proper to wear during the year. I find it's character particularly suited for late winterdays, cold and snowy but bright and light, sometimes with the sun breaking through and the sunrays now strong enough to thaw the snow.

Picture: Prada Infusion d'Iris Absolue
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion d'Iris Absolue is delicious, sweeter, darker and thicker in texture. A golden Iris glowing from resins, vanilla and tonka which creates an balsamic oriental iris supported by the orangeflowers as in the original. Somehow I get the impression of a delicate soft, fluffy almondcake in the later stages of the absolue. The elegant gourmand iris.

Picture: Prada Infusion Fleur d'Oranger (2009)
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion Fleur d'Oranger (2009 version) personally I feel more comfortable in this warm, sunny, elegant infusion than in the cold iris. Fleur d'Oranger is on the verge to soapy but it really doesn't passes the line. It is also less sweet than many contemporary styled orangeblossoms The fragrance has an almost vintage appearance without smelling like an old fashioned orangeblossomcentered perfume. Infusion Fleur d'Oranger is a captivating, wearable fragrance for daytime use.

Picture: Prada L'Eau Ambrée
Photo: PR Prada (c)

L'Eau Ambrée balsamic, with light, cleaned up resins and amber which mingles with the faintest glimpses of flowers. The problem is that it seems as I'm partial anosmic to this fragrance. If applied quite liberally, I can smell the beautiful opening which reminds me of a bright and higher pitched variation of the comforting, in comparasion, dark and dense in texture Diptyque Volutes. L'Eau Ambrée is a fleeting but also haunting fragrance, when you think it's gone, it suddenly re-appears in its restrained elegance.

Gucci - Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme

Picture: Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme is the female interpretation of the 2017 success for him, the rubbery leather Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme. Both fragrances are created by the very experienced perfumer Alberto Morillas. 

Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme (GGApF) starts with a juicy, very natural black berry and to my nose also black currant accord. Later on  a purple rose accompanied by the green woody note of cypress, some glimpses from the leather in Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme  (GGApH) and the dark patchoulinote shows up. Light rose pepper sparkles in the blend like glimpsing stars on the dark night sky in the middle of a cold winter. The pepper never goes peppery, it's just fizzy. The fruity notes are tangy and delicate, and not especially sweet. GGApF has some similarities with GGApH, the same woody notes, especially from the cypress and a smooth interpretation of the leather. GGApF has not the rough and though burnt rubbery notes of GGApH, instead it has those beautiful dark fruity, juicy notes blended with the rose which creates a plush feminine impression over the contrasting masculine woody notes.

GGApF could be worn both for day and night. It's a bit formal, it's not a casual, laid back fragrance, it's perfect for the office and for after work. It's a fragrance that builds confidence, in the same way as for example Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Edp and even more; Montana Parfum de Peau. Just as the fragrances mentioned, the longevity is great, silage not as big but medium.

GGApF is an excellent example of the new chypre style, less sweet than the usual ones and with its own juicy, dark blackberry character. Even if GGApF is an example of the new chypre style, wearing it somehow makes me think of, even if not smelling similar, the above mentioned grand chypre of the 80s Montana. GGApF:s character also reminds me of Sisley Soir de Lune which is also a great contemporary chypre but created in the classic style. 

To me GGApF is one of the best releases for years in the womans section. I'm convinced this will be a classic just as GGApH.

Rating: 5

Notes: Blackberry, bergamot, pink pepper, rose, cypress, woody notes, amber, patchouli

Tauerville Stories Collection - Hyacinth and a Mechanic

Picture: Hyacinth and a mechanic
Photo: PR Tauerville (c)

The Tauerville line is perfumer Andy Tauer's vision for a offering inspiring perfumes handcrafted in smaller production batches. Most of the fragrances are interpretations of a special note as for example rose, incense, fruit, patchouli. Some fragrances within the Tauervilles are very rare, the Stories Collection are sold exclusive when Andy himself appears for an event in some of the perfumestores who carries the brand. Hyacinth and a Mechanic is such a fragrance. To celebrate the 15 years anniversery of LA nicheboutique Luckyscent, the three fragrances from the Stories Collection were avaible online for a month last autumn. And I couldn't resist ordering the Hyacinth despite expensive shippingrates and of course customs duty. Anyway it was worth it, this is a very rare, intriguing and beautiful fragrance.n

Hyacinth and a Mechanic (HAM) starts with the most natural smelling hyacinth note that I've smelled so far from a perfum. When applicating the fragrance, a crisp, slight fresh green spicy, sparkling hyacinth appears, is just like entering a christmasdecorated house with hyacinths in the windows, out from the cold and snowy winterlandscape. Soon a oily, petrol and light metallic accord appears, followed by a  rough leathernote, togehter contrasting the crisp hyacinth and green note. It's just like that the one who makes the entrance is coming directly from repairing the car in the garage, still wearing the overalls under a heavy leatherjacket with a curly sheepskin collar. The oily, metallic, leathery intensifies and an animalic vibe appears in the fragrance, the hyacinth is still recognizable as the unexpected contrast to such notes. Later in the drydown, the hyacinth steps forward again and during the whole dry down, the hyacinth alternate with the dirty accord of beeing the most prominent player. In the last aaccords of the basenotes, the hyacinth and the dirty accord finally seems to have blended in sort of an integrated accord.

HAM is fragrance of its own and there are no similar fragrance that I come to think of even if I imagine similar aspects in other fragrances. For example the chilliness of the hyacinth I also recognize in the cold hyacinth-iris accord of Serge Lutens beautiful Bas de Soie and to some extent also Tom Ford Vert de Fleur, the oily/metallic/petrol accord reminds me of some parts of Histoires de Parfums Petroleum but not at all as intense as the latter.

HAM is a complicated beauty, the contrasts are intriguing. In the same time it's a casual, easy to wear fragrance sort of relaxing and with an interesting development which makes one sniff the wrists regulary during the day. The sillage is medium in the first stage, then close to skin. Longevity is for a day. HAM is totally unisex to my nose.

Rating: 5

Notes: Hyacinth, animal notes, leather, woody notes

Top 5 Winterfrgrances 2018

Photo: Parfumista (c)

It seems as the major perfumeblogs have posted the Top10 Winterfragrances 2018 lists. Here five fumes I enjoy during the colder months:

Volutes (Diptyque): Calming, comforting, warm aromatic with resins, spices, honey and tobacco. Close silage and de-stressing, a fragrance that could be worn even when feeling ill. My most worn frag this winter.

Tubéreuse (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier): A very green and dry tubereuse with grassy almost herbal nuances and a glimpse of a dill note in the first accords. A fragrance for sunny winterdays.

Magnolia Pourpre (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier): More of a soft powdery cold orchid than magnolia. Both seemless mixed with iris and rose. An excellent, elegant and retro fragrance.

Shalimar Edp (Guerlain): Current formula. What could be better a cold day than to wrap in the warm veil of vanilla, bergamot, iris, powder, leather and all the other wonderful notes of Shalimar.

Amber Mystique (Esteé Lauder): A balsamic rose with incense, light glimpses of oud, spices and berrys. Like a dark bourdeaux velvet cloak warming a cold winter evening.

A sunny winterwalk

Picture: Sunny fields
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Finally, winter has arrived with some snow and pleasing tempratures, some degrees below 0 C and this weekend the sun also was shining. Perfect for a walk aroumd the small lake nearby. Even if sunny and I took the walk in the middle of the day, some mysterious haze was hanging over the fields and the lake.

Picture: Colder in the wood in the
side of the small lake
Photo: Parfumista (c)

These conditions are the very best for wearing perfume imo, the grand orientals and voluminous  flowers comes to their right when contrasted with the cold. During the walk I come to think of some of my choices during last week, for example Guerlain Shalimar Edp and L'Artisan L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme both warm and comforting orientals suitable for the winter.

Picture: Soon the elves will start to dance ...
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The mystic haze reminded me of elves and of Carner Barcelona Rima XI which is a perfume that I associate with elves.

Picture: Sun and haze over the small lake.
Photo: Parfumista (c)

When walkning on the sunny side of the lake, with the sun glittering over the snow, I instantly come to think of the powdery, soapy icon Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige which is also a fragrance that demands lower tempratures to come to its right. And a big white flower as for example  Estee Lauder Private Collection Tubereuse Gardenia would be great in the sun.

Picture: Ice skaters
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Finally, the ice skaters made me think of drinking hot chocolate when taking a break and of Mancera Roses & Chocolate. One know that one is a fragrance nerd when so many fragrance associations pops up during a regular walk

Sunday shopping at Fragrance & Art

2018 should be my non buying perfume year expect from a few bottles. These bottles are already (almost) consumed. In the mailbox today Fragrance & Art  announced there is a 50% Wintersale on some brands. Even if very priceworthy this Sunday became quite expensive as I bought the following frags:

Picture: Cendres de Thé in the old bottle
Photo: PR Phaedon (c)

Cendres de Thé Phaedon (old bottle): This is a fragrance in the style of Hermès Un Jardin après la Mousson but CdT is more minimalistic and dry in style.

Photo: PR Amorvero (c)

Amorvero (Amorvero): This is a great retrostyled warm and elegant floraloriental with a warm floral heart of tubereuse, jasmin and rose. I have sampled the Edt. which is very good, now I couldn't resist buying the Edp which I hope is even better.

Picture: L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme in the old bottle
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme (L'Artisan Parfumeur) This is a classic amber which is needed in a wellcurated fragrance wardrobe. Blind buy as I havn't tested the Extreme-version.

Photo: PR Coquillete (c)

Sumatera (Coquillete): A special, soft, dry patchouli with discrete flowers and cinnamon. A very comforting and easy to wear.

Photo: PR Coquillete (c)

Tan-Tan (Coquillete): Back up bottle for Mr Parfumista as he really likes the intriguing, green, tart figgyness of Tan-Tan. One of the very best fig frags imho.

Other good options in the sale are for example Coquillete Sulmona, Parfum d'Empire  3Fleurs, Iskander and Yuzu Fou, several fragrances from L'Artisan Parfumeur among them Al Oudh, Noir Exquis,  Dzongkha, Dzing,  Mon Numero 10 and Patchouli Patch.