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