fredag 31 december 2021

Best of 2021

2021 was a very good perfumeyear, at least from the few I have tried from the huge output to the market. Below the four fragrances launched (and sniffed) 2021 that I liked the most:



Chanel Les Eaux Paris - Édimbourg
Photo: PR Chanel (c)

Chanel Édimbourg is my current favorite, it is a rare interpretation and contemporary of the classic and not so unusual juniper-fresh notes formula. In Édimbourg the juniper in the opening smells like the real berries followed by a woody note smelling very natural, as the wood of the juniper bush. Everything surrounded by an airy, watery note and a hint of a warm, very soft, slight musky lavender. A juniper of a new era, Édimbourg mediates something new without leaving its proud legacy.


Hermès H24
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

Hermès H24 was controversial when it was launched this spring. I liked it from the beginning and the liking has groning ever since. The more I smell it, my son is the most frequent wearer of it in the family, the more I admire the simple but clever formula. Contemporary dry greenness, a pleasant metallic, not and best of all; the steam- and woolenaccord, as from ironing an excellent coolwool fabric. Unisex IMO. H24 will the precursor for the 2020s green genre. H24  and Édimbourg has something in common. Even if they smells different; both are casual, toned down, contemporary and mediates a sustainable approach.

As Édimbourg and H24 to my nose feels like fragrances in a new style, there were also two perfumes in the more classic field that stole my attention 2021:

Puredistance No. 12
Puredistance No 12
Photo: PR Puredistance (c)

Puredistance No 12, blue, sparkling like a fine sapphire, true clean watery earthy creamy rosy iris-y elegance  which reveals different faces in different wearings. The fine quality ingredients are so well blended, which makes it hard to catch the indivdual notes. A multifacetted pleasure to wear, chic elegance at its best. Here is my full review.


Chanel Les Exclusifs Le Lion
Photo: PR Chanel (c)


Chanel Le Lion (in some markets pre-launched already in 2020) is like a refined Guerlain Shalimar EDP to me.  The rough and though edges  of Shalimar (for example the accord that reminds me of wet, well worn, tweed a grey, rainy autumnday), which are a part of S:s personality  are missing in Le Lion. The wellbehaved Le Lion with its balanced patchouli-amber accord and sophicated vanilla note, which reminds me of the vanilla in the interpretation in Shalimar Ode a la Vanille Sur la Route du Mexique. Like the latter Shalimar, Le Lion with its contemporary vibe is less challenging to wear, but absolutely not dull at all.

fredag 24 december 2021

The Fragrances of Christmas Eve 2021


Picture: Christmas 2021
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The Scent of Christmas Eve (sunny outside and daytime temprature ca -10) and just a little powdery snow is the comforting Tobacco Rose from Papillion Artisan Perfumes created by the founder of the perfumehouse, Liz Moores. Like a very dark red rose placed over moisty but fresh smelling moss, honeyd - beewax accord, almost cold balsamic notes over slight salty ambregris.  Something smelling like pickled juniperberries is also teasing my nose. Overall Tobacco  Rose is very natural smelling and a suitable scent for cold weather when relaxing indoors. Mr Parfumista is wearing a real classic: Knize Ten with its fascinationg and characteristic  notes of  high quality wool fabric. The youngsters are wearing Chanel Les Exclusifs Sycomore EDT respectively no perfume at all.

Below the updated list of the fragrances I've worn for the last eightteen Christmas Eves: 

2020: Rubikona Puredistance (contemporary chypre fresh - earthy and green accord, surounded and contrasted by smooth ,elegant creamy flowers). 
2019: Gold Puredistance (with a beautiful myrrhnote, a sort of smooth resin/sap and a cold (but not freezing) outdoor -in the wood - impression 
2018: Rubj Extrait by Vero Kern (warm, glowing orange in spices and elegant white flowers) 
2017: Vert de Fleur by Tom Ford (elegant retro but also contemporary austere flowery-green.)
2016: Oud Sublime Parfums de Nicolaï (quality "forest-refreshing" dark green, mossy, woody) 
2015: Rose de Taif Extrait Perris Monte Carlo (high class smooth velvety rose petals) 
2014: Impossible Iris Ramòn Monegal (an elegant, contempory iris with a delicious rasperrynote) 
2013: Quintaesensia Ramòn Monegal, (a special retro styled blend, furry, ambery, herbal/spicy) 
2012: Nothing, knocked down by the worst flu in ten years+. 
2011: Betrothal, Grossmith (classic, light and exquisite florals) 
2010: Cuir Mauresque, Serge Lutens (saddle leather, orangeblossom, jasmine, spices) 
2009: Tribute Attar, Amouage (dark leather, smoke, oud, excellent spices) 
2008: Incense rosé, Andy Tauer (rose, mandarine, cardamom, myrrh cedar, incense) 
2007: Ambre Russe, Parfum d'Empires (boozy amber, the, wood, oriental) 
2006: Jil Sander 4, Jil Sander (dark, overripe fruits, white almost withering flowers, oriental spices) 
2005: Nuit de NoëlCaron (dusky, retro flowers, moss and a furry note) 
2004: Cabochard, Parfums Grès (leathery chypre, harsh green notes and retro flowers) 
2003: Fracas Robert Piguet (the ultimate classic grand tubereuse) 

I wish you a Great Fragrant Christmas, stay healthy and safe

söndag 7 november 2021

Puredistance No 12

 

Picture: No 12, 17,5 ml
Parfume extrait 25%
Photo: Puredistance (c)

Puredistance No 12 is the last creation in the Puredistance circle of extraits de parfum. There will be just twelve fragrances at time in the Magnificent XII Collection, when a new fragrance is launched, it will replace one of the other twelve. But fear not, the retired perfumes will still be able to order directly from Puredistance from a Private Collection.

Puredistance No 12 is created by masterparfumer Nathalie Feisthauer the creator of  many fragrances for example two favourites of mine  ELd'O Putain de Palaces and Hermès Eau des Merveilles (with Ralf Schweiger).The opening of No 12 is bright and shiny, there is a clean and abundant, full mandarine note which, even if close in its texture is not at all sweet and thick like marmelade. It's paried with an elegant vintage touch of bergamot, and bracing cardamon. In the frirst spritz of No.12, the opulence of this contemporary chypre with vintage vibes, is obvious. Almost in the same moment as the topnotes hits the skin, other layers in the blend introduces themselves. The beautiful, clean rose, the flower, no torns and greenery either not the rubbery note of roseoil, the seamless blend of jasmine and other classic notes as orange flowers, narcissus, lily of the vally and orris. The notes are so masterfully blended and therefore the different notes are hard separate, they just  mingles in smooth, creamy accords, fleeting like a heavenly (blue) symphony. 

The patchouli in the base of No 12 is together with rose, orris, mandrain and cardamom the note that, to my nose, stands out the most in the fragrance. The patchouli in No 12 is not used that much in todays perfumery: It's a clean (but not stripped down), cosy, soft like cashmere, sort of dry, almost powdery earthy dark chocolate type, which smothness blends lovely with the notes mentioned and with the ingredient of all real chypres: Oakmoss. The patchouli and oakmoss combo adds a clean dept to No 12.  I've found something close to this particular patchoulinote in  two totally different and more one dimensional interpretations; in  Perris Monte Carlo Essence de Patcholuli and Davidoff Zino Davidoff. None of them as smooth, elegant and creamy as No 12, theese fragrances are more of "one note"  patchouli fragrances. Another fragrance that comes to my mind is the beautiful floral chypre La Perla (the original version from 1987), although No 12 is more contemporary in style.

Picture: No 12 in all sizes
Photo: Puredistance (c)

The impression of No 12 is that of total cleanness, like clean water in a mountian stream. But the water is thick and accompanied by many nuances, for example something like a clean luxury soap even if the texture of No 12 is not soapy. It's a fragrance that surprise, with different wearings, different accords/notes stands out, some wearings I can smell a faint leather note (smooth leather from inside a luxary handbag),iris paired with a clean earthy impression. 

Compared to last years  Rubikona, No 12 is brighter and higher on the fragrance note scale, Rubikona is more muted and dark, like silky velvet, where No 12 is like fluid tick silk in texture. Both are chypres, where No12 is more of an elegant carefree daytime fragrance and Rubikona is more serious, leaning to a evening event, although both could be worn around the clock. The blue No 12 to me is a glimmering faceted, cornflower blue saphire, framed in white gold, whereas Puredistance Gold which I associated with a saphire, is a darker, cabochon cut dark saphire framed in muted gold. 

Picture: Queen Maxima of the Netherlands,
in the Mellorio Sahppire Tiara
Photo from: Pinterest photographer unknown/
Royal roaster tumbler dot com (c) 


If Rubikona evoked the vision of  the "fit and proper" powerwomen, the EU President Ursula van der Leyen, No 12 is the perfume of a Queen. The queen I come to think of is, appropriately Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. As it seems from what is written in the press, a warm, colourful and sparkling personality sometimes appearing in an elegant, bohemian chic style. The color of No 12 is regal blue, like the saphires in Maxima's imposing tiara.

Although Rubikona and No 12 are in the same family, very elegant well constructed and wearable modern chypres, I could not choose a favourite. Both are equally good and complements each other, one have to have both for variation. The overall impression of No 12 is like a sunny day, with blue sky, full of joy and complete effortless.  The parfum is timeless and proper both for casual chic and formal events. Regardless of the occasion No 12 really lifts the spirits and is a ride in true comfort. 

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, Mandarin, Cardamom, Coriander, Ylang Ylang, Narcissus Absolute, Jasmin Absolute, Rose, Geranium, Lily of the Valley, Orange Blossom, Osmanthus Absolute, Orris Butter, Heliotrope, Hedione, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Oak Moss, Tonka, Ambrette, Ambroxan, Vanilla, Musk

måndag 27 september 2021

An early Autumn stroll in an amazing fragrance

 

Picture: Royal Castle Ulriksdal ca 1638-45
Photo: Parfumista (c)


This weekend there was sunny weather and with summertempratures. Perfect for a walk combined with capturing the first impressions of a  wonderful perfume. This perfume seems to be created for a royal but at the same time it's somehow relaxing in its performance. 


Picture: The Victoria Tower on the horizon, contemporary
 
architecture 
dedicated to the Crownprincess of Sweden
 
Photo: Parfumista (c)

If this multifaceted perfume had a color, it is definitly blue as in the pictures from my walk. The texture is like a dense fluid, as if clean water could be dense like flowing, thick silk. Even though the fluid impression, this perfume is also somehow dry in its texture. 

Picture:  Reminds me of the texture of
the amazing fragrance I was wearing during the walk...
Photo: Parfumista (c)
 

The excellent ingredients of the perfume are combined in different layers and in a a way that gives new experiences with each wearing. Yesterday during the walk the clean fluid character with a smooth patchouli, oakmoss and orris (?) was the dominating impression, today the performance was more on the dry side and  for a moment I could smell a  soft exquisite leathernote in the dry down. 

So much is going on in this beautiful fragrance, it's like a fragrancejourney in itself.  Of course it requires  more evaluation  and  I'm planning to continue with a "proper review" later this autumn. 

Last but not least, Which one is this Master Parfume? Thank you Puredistance for the opportunity to try Nathalie Feisthauer's PUREDISTANCE NO.12


Picture: Puredistance no.12 in its beautiful
blue flacon
photo: puredistance (c)


söndag 12 september 2021

Early autumn 2021

Last weekend a sunny early autumn day, Mr Parfumista and I was in the hunting ground to chase the gold of the forest; the delicate yellow chanterelle.
The first hours the catch was so-so...
.... but later it was much better. Even if just a avarage catch, the most important...
...is the relaxing and healing effect of spending a day walking around in the silence of the woods....
.....and smell all its natural scents, sunwarmd greenery and woods, the slight honeyd heather, damp earth, the fresh moss etc
And when it comes to scents, the not so natural ones, that fits a day trip like this, both me and Mr Parfumista chose two of the most (by us) proven ones for feeling comfort in forest environment: Mr Parfumista Caron Yatagan one of the woodiest (to my nose juniper wood with som e cedar wood) fragrances ever. Ca 2015 formula still very good and close to his earliar bottle ca 1998 which had some more dept, probably from real oakmoss. I was in one of my alltime favorites Hermès Amazone Edt with it's greenery and not sweet fruits and flowers, ca 2000 forumla (not the same bottle as the new one pictured above), wild and fresh, sporty, casual chic, one of my most versatile fragrances.
Photos 1-6: Parfumista (c)
Photos 7-9: From Fragrantica (c)