måndag 30 november 2015

By Kilian - Voulez-vous coucher avec Moi ?


Picture: Volez-vous coucher avec Moi? - The Perfume
Photo: PR By Kilian (c)
Voulez-vous coucher avec Moi? (VvcaM?) the latest By Kilian for the new sub line (A Night) In the Garden of Good and Evil, "which draws inspiration from dark nights and exciting game of seduction".The fragrance is created by perfumer Alberto Morillas and described as a gardenia centered perfume over a smooth sandalwood.

VvcaM? starts light flowery, and is a bit tart. The flowers are white with shades of purple, the petals are cold and crispy. The first fragrance I come to think of when testing VvcaM? is Lanvin Eclat d'Arpege even if that one has a lilac themre. A light, smooth, woody accord balances the flower and as also a discrete almost fluffy vanilla. The vanilla is the earlier stages is of the down light, angelic kind as in Eau d'Italie Morn to Dusk but not at all as present as in the latter. In the basenotes the vanilla is combined with cedarwood.and I can trace similarities with the base of Chanel Allure Edp. These darker nuances creates dept and character to the fragrance. VvcaM? is not especially sweet and it's also not powdery. It's a fine, clean (but not at all chemical clean) unobtrusive floral which, has little in common with the daring name of the creation. Maybe Kilian follows in the fotsteps of the latest Serge Lutens fragrances with challening namnes which are more or less the opposite to the real impression from the fragrance. Speaking of Lutens, VvcaM? has similarities to Serge Lutens La Religieuse in its smooth, dark, discrete, flowery image.
Picture: Volez-vous coucher avec Moi? - The clutch
Photo: PR By Kilian (c)
VvcaM? is quite linear even if it gets darker and even if not exactly warm it's absolutely no longer cold in the basenotes. It's a very pleasant, sort of calming fragrance to wear, nothing loud, shrilly or extreme. The more I wear VvcaM?, the more I like it. Just as with La Religiuese this is a fragrance which doesn't unfolds directly, one has to be patient to tune in with this one. A contemporary, floral classic which IMO is very feminine in style.

VvcaM? despite its elegant aura, is easy and comforting to wear. It could be worn anytime of the year and for most occassions except for exercise and similar activites. Sillage is close and longevity almost for a day.

Those who appreciate Puredistance Opardu, even if that one is a bit powdery and with a lilac note, as also Ann Gerard Perle de Mousse with its almost shadowy impression with tart and moisty notes

Rating: 4

Notes: Neroli, gardenia, tuberose, ylang ylang, petalia, rose, sandalwood, cedarwood,  vanilla

måndag 23 november 2015

Jul et Mad - Les White - Nin-Shar, Néa & Garuda

Les White is a separate collection of three oriental inspiered Extraits de parfum from Jul et Mad. Nin-Shar is created by Sidonie Lancesseur, Néa and Garuda by Luca Maffei. 
Picture: Nin-Shar
Photo: PR Jul et Mad (c)
Nin-Shar starts fruity-rosy with boozy elements. Soon woody, balsamic, incense notes joins where a wellbalanced oud and most of all, a distinct note of nagarmotha is present. As the boozy note steps back, the rose becomes sweeter and jammy. The nagarmotha accord softens in the basenote but taken as a whole, this together with the fruity, later jammy rose is the lasting impression of Nin-Shar. To me Nin-Shar is very close to a sweeter, fruitier version of the beautiful L'eau de Mumtaz i Mahal by Maison Nicolas de Barry which I personally slightly prefer. Nin-Shar is reported to be the bestseller in the trio.

Picture: Néa
Photo: PR Jul et Mad (c)
Néa Oriental-fruity-gourmand, the fruit in the heavy oriental style with  boozy dates, ripe peach, mango but also berries. Green notes balances the fruit as also a beautiful rose. The basenotes with resins, balsamic notes and musk creates a dept to the perfume. Even if intense with many powerful ingredients I percieve Néa as a perfume in the higher ocataves in the notescale. Néa is not at all cloying or heavy to wear, it is sparkling in some passages of its development, sometimes some green fizz break through with a note that smells something that I can imagine fresh harvested cardamom smells like. There is nothing chemical or sickenly sweet to Néa. it's a delicious pleasure to wear, comforting and relaxing. For those who likes the style of Eau d'Italie Graine de Joie and By Kilian Playing with the Devil.


Picture: Garuda
Photo: PR Jul et Mad (c)
Garuda Light fruity/nutty accentuated of a light smokey oud-wood with some behaved barnyard elements glimpsing through. The oudy - woody note is high and bright in the octaves compared with for example Perris Monte Carlo Bois d'Oud and Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud. This accord gets more woody in general and less oudy as Garuda developes. There are also a herbal. minty element that sparkels and adds almost a freshenss to the fragrance. I suspect there is also sandalwood involved, probably the warm, nutty elements comes from there. In the basenotes there is also a tangy, floral alomst mossy quality which has a resemblance to a green classical chypre accord but with a soapy twist. Garuda with its compexity and different faces is my favorite from the line.

Les White
are perfect fragrances for the colder months, they envelope the wearer in warmth and smells delightful. Their style is ornamental, warm, golden and all will fit perfectly for the coming Christmas and New Years Holidays. All three fragrances are of very good quality, with close to medium sillage and good longevity. To my nose predominantly feminine in style.

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the samples to test

måndag 16 november 2015

Perris Monte Carlo - Rose de Taif

Picture: Rosa Damascena
Photo/author: Kurt Stüber (cc)
Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved
Rose de Taif is a classical, intense and beautiful taif rose blend created by the obviously rising star perfumer Luca Maffei for the perfumehouse Perris Monte Carlo. Taif roses are above all damascena roses of different types which are cultivated in the city of Taif in Saudi Arabia, the favorable climate and special soil produces some of the most exclusive roses and thereof also roseoils in the world.

Rose de Taif starts bold with tart, almost medical and very natural smelling rosenotes. The medical smell is not of the oudy character, there is no oud in this creation, but instead of an sort of old fashioned, acied and light spicy character. This vintage feeling reminds me of the cold, anticeptic, light spicy rose of the very beautiful rose of Parfum d'Empire Eau Suave. Just as Eau Suave I imagine the rose in Rose de Taif as velvety pink in color. Where Eau Suave has some fruity elements and coriander Rose de Taif is just soft spicy and there is a clear note of nutmeg coming through.

As Rose de Taif dries down, the tart rose becomes more prominent. The rose smells dry but not dried as in potpourri, it has some light sweetness but absolutely not in the jammy or cosmetic styled way. There is very little of the greenery (leaves and steam) from the rose, Rose de Taif is predominantly about the rose petals even if somehow from the deeper layers of the fragrance, a whisper from the rubbery note of roseoil appears. Also compared to another beautiful blend of taif roses Montale Taif Roses Rose de Taif is about the rose petals wheras Taif Roses also includes the greenery and therefore becomes more sharp and rough in it's appearance. In the basenotes a pleasant musk grounds the whole fragance but there are also light woody elements in the base as also a note or combination of notes that reminds me slight of dark but not smokey tea. Probably the tea impression comes from the rosenote as tea-ish nuances is a part of the great register of roseoil. Even if Rose de Taif darkens a bit in the base, the fragrance is still bright and bold in character.
Picture: The intriguing bottle of Rose de Taif
Photo: PR Perris Monte Carlo (c)
Rose de Taif is a classical and strong taif rose blend with many intriguing layers under what in the first impression could appear as a simple rose blend. For me as a roselover, Rose de Taif is one of the absolute best, if not the best tested so far, in the cathegory of natural smelling rosefragrances. It's a real pleasure to wear, suitable for year around, it has a distinct but not obtrusive smell as it attracts compliments. The longevity is great, about 24 hours and it lingers on cloth for days. Unisex IMO even if lending slight to the feminine side. Soon an extrait version of Rose de Taif will be released and concluded from the quality of the Edp version described in this review, the extrait will probably be magnificent.

Rose de Taif could be appreciated by those who likes the lovely blend of different rose types by Annick Goutal, the natural smelling Rose Absolue where Rose Absolue is even more rosesoliflore, without the spicy additions.

Rating: 5

Notes: Nutmeg, lemon, geranium, taif rose, damask rose, musk

måndag 9 november 2015

Perris Monte Carlo - Bois d'Oud

Picture: Uttewalde Grund
Painting ca 1825 by Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840)
Wikimedia Commons
Bois d'Oud is a fragrance in the Perris Monte Carlo oud duo, to me it's the more feminine one whereas Oud Imperial is definitly the masculine alternative.

Bois d'Oud starts powerful with a woody, light oudy accord underscored with smokey notes accentuated by a light note almost close to grilled meat or burned leather. This meat/leather note but more distinct is present in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Cuir and to a lesser extent in Amouage Interlude Man where it's matched with a tangy almost rhubarbnote. Further on flowery elements steps forward, the flowers are interwoven with woody elements in an intricate pattern which gives an impression similar to flowery oud, I think it's the cambodian variety. In this stage I recognize the oudy, flowery style of Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud which smells more "vintage/perfumery" (in a positive way). As Bois d'Oud dries further down, the fragrance becomes more woody-spicy and Montale Amber & Spices comes to my mind, later on another Montale shows up the flower-sandalwood Sandalsliver which is brighter, sweeter and is playing in the higher octaves of the notescale. In the basenotes Bois d'Oud reminds me much of a darker, less sweet and more balsamic Sandalsliver with sudden whirls of the smokey notes.

Picture: Bois d'Oud
Photo: PR Perris Monte Carlo (c)
Bois d'Oud as a fragrance captures the mystical, dark, forest atmosphere in the Caspar David Friedrich painting above. It's appropriate for dusky autumn and winterdays but it's also developing very well when tested in summertempratures. Bois d'Oud is a strong fragrance, a little will go for long. Longevity is for 24h and sillage is medium or more. Its intensity makes it suitable for a night out. If worn in the office, gently application is recommended.

Rating: 5

Notes: Peach, plum, jasmine, rose, iris, orange blossom, oud, cedar, blackwood, patchouli, vanilla, ambergris, labdanum, musk

måndag 2 november 2015

Brecourt - Les éphémères - Poivre Bengale

Picture: Capturing the spirit of
Poivre Bengale
Photo: PR Brecourt (c)
Brecourt is a small nichehouse founded by IPSICA pefumer Emilie Bouge in 2010. Besides the regular line, Brecourt some years ago introduced  "Les éphémères" a collection which presents exclusive natural ingredients and highlights them in fragrances dedicated to each ingredient. Poivre Bengale is the second fragrance in the Les éphémères collection.

Poivre Bengale starts peppery, a very nautral, freshly grounded pepper. The pepper is Bengal pepper which I have learnt is not rounded, instead it's oblong. This was the pepper which was first introduced in Europe during the Antiquity and it's sweeter than the usual pepper. Soon also fizzy nuances of ginger appears as also nutmeg and Poivre Bengale reminds me of another spicy favorite of mine, Montale Amber & Spices (swe) where Poivre Bengale is less sweet (despite the description of the character of the pepper above) and doesn't contain any rosy elements. The smooth sandalwood is also a note that is clearly present and common for both fragrances. Overall Amber & Spices is more "spicy gourmand" to my nose than Povre Bengale. When reaching the middlenotes, the fizzy ginger element is withdrawn and a pleasant, very well balanced clove note appears, clove in some fragrances tend to take over, which is not the case here. The spicy notes are interacting with the woody base, where the sandalwood gives it a warm impression. In the basenotes an almost leathery note contribute with a dark and just slight moisty dept. There is also something that reminds me of a very light mintnote in the second part of the fragrance, probably it appears in the combination of some of the other notes. Taken as a whole Poivre Bengale is very dry, warm and in the same time clean and, I know it sounds strange, refreshing fragrance. Wearing Poivre Bengale in sunny, dry and warm weather (ca +25 C) gives that strange clean, refreshing, effect, probably due to the lack of sweetness and the well composed dryness. Another fragrance that appears on the olfactory radar when enjoying Poivre Bengale is Lorenzo Villoresi Piper Nigrum which is airier, sort of thinner in apperance, also presents herbal and green elements and has a tangy aura, almost similar to turpentine. Edition Frederic Malle Noir Epices is also coming to my mind when wearing Poivre Bengale, where Noir Epices just as Amber & Spices, is a bit sweeter and is including some flowery elements. Also some elements from Lubin Idole Edp are present.
Picture: Poivre Bengale
Photo: PR Brecourt (c)
As mentioned above, Poivre Bengale is fab in warm weather and here is a spicy fragrance that works for all seasons, which is not common. Sillage is medium + and longevity very good, traces are left 24h after application. Poivre Bengale is unisex, leaning slight to the masculine side.

Rating: 4

Notes: Bengal pepper, ginger, clove buds absolute, nutmeg, sandalwood, leather, cashmere woods, ambergris

Thanks to ParfumMaria for the sample to try

söndag 1 november 2015

Blog anniversary 9 years today

Picture: Autumn roses
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)
Time flies, it doesn't feel that long since I wrote the last anniversary post, that for the eight years anniversary of the blog.

At the moment I crave some wonderful fragrances from the house of Perris Monte Carlo, reviews will start soon and are planned to be running during the winter. I have also some intriguing samples waiting for test from one of the very best online nicheperfumeshops Fragrance & Art which carries some unusual fragrancelines. Also a sample of the new By Kilian is on its way from Paris.

When it comes to the fragrances worn during weekdays i.e when not much testing going on I can't see any particular trend. It's everything from the heavy YSL Opium to the light Annick Goutal Les Colognes Eau d'Hadrien, maybe this broad variety mirrors the relatively mild weather this autumn, with only a few colder days until now.

And now, lets go for the decade :-)