Fragrance(s) of the week (45) - Jaded but enchanted

Picture: Fall is almost already over.
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

The more fragrances I sniff and/or test, of course just a dimunitive part of the steadily increasing flood of new launches and new houses, the more jaded.Even if a good fragrance as such, there is not so often a fragrance really moves me, even if I can apprediate its composition and good ingredients etc. I see myself more and more longing for the classics (even if reformulated) both older and contemporary classics. Also old reaible houses which have been around for a while, don't overdo and mess the fragrances up, or is just too much in appearance, gets my appreciation. Such houses as Guerlain, Chanel, Hermès, Annick Goutal, Robert Piguet, Parfums de Nicolaï, Serge Lutens some Diors, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier. From newer, but today well established houses, Puredistance, Andy Tauer, Ramon Monegal and By Kilian seldom dissapoint.

To wear the classics, if gentle reformulated with the spirit of the fragrance perserved, is enchanted and never boring. Each fragrance has its own individual profile and it's not one in a dozen (at least) of the similar smelling crowd. When writing this I'm craving classic Guerlains; Shalimar, Liu and Mitsouko,classic Chanels as No 22, Cuir de Russie and the contemporary classic No 5 Eau Premiere and the also contemporary Hermès classic Eau de Merveilles. But honestly I seldom wear them as I'm too curious to resist sampling new frags :-).

5 top green summer fragrances

Picture: Crowded on the waterway to Stockholm in July
Photo: Parfumista (c) 

As I wrote in a post recently, I'm perfumwise, in tune with the season this summer i.e I don't long for the darker and heavier fragrances of autumn/winter which is quite common for me. This summer is green in different interpretations to me and even if I don't have time to wear all the fragrances mentioned, there is always some new samples in waiting for test, I sniff them regulary and ensure that the rest of the family wears some of them.

Coton Egyptien (Phaedon): Finally, thanks to Mr Parfumista and the kids who used up my sample, I get this elegant, casual, galbanum light, freshly ironed, high quality crisp cottonfabric fragrance. There is no detergent vibes in this as in for example Serge Lutens L'Eau Serge which is a perfume in a similar style but with a chemical (in a positive way) apperance. The Phaedon line is re-packing in new bottles and it seems as Coton Egyptien is discontinued as it doesn't appear among the re-bottled fragrances. At present Fragrance & Art sells the Phaedons in the old bottles, among them Coton Egyptien, to a reduced price.

Vent Vert (Pierre Balmain): The soapy, slight salty, light musky notes combined with galbanum of the current version reminds me of the archipelago, more particulary the wood-fired sauna with the following bath in the cold seawater. My appreciation of the current version is growing, I like it as much as the older, sharper, more elegant version.

Cologne Friction (Parfums de Nicolaï): This gentle, crisp, grassy cologne is like sunwarmed grass added with a light accord of the non-cocnut classical austrian sunscreen Snikk. I think Cologne Friction is on my top summer fragrances list almost every year, it is so relaxing and versatile. Unfortunately it seems as it's discontinued when looking at the new Parfums de Nicolaï website.

Vetiver (Guerlain): Mr Parfumista wears both one of the later Edt versions and a vintage Edc. Both are great (even) for summer. The Edt version (with better longevity) is a bit soapy, with a lighter touch of vetiver, in the Edc the vetiver is more concentrated, smells almost as, but not as strong, the pure vetivernote in LesNez Turtle Vetiver.

Cristalle Eau Verte (Chanel): Another underappreciated Chanel IMO. This slight flowery, herbal, watery-green fragrance reminds me of a chilly and refreshing vermuthdrink loaded with icecubes a hot summerday. Perfect casual chic for work during the summer.

Teo Cabanel - Méloé

Picture:Hay Harvest at Éragny by Camille Pissarro 1901,
Wikimedia commons, (cc) some rights reserved (PD-1923)

Méloé is created by perfumer Jean-Francois Latty for the perfumehouse Téo Cabanel. This house were originally started in Algiers in 1893 but moved to Paris 1908. The house were re-started 2005 and have launched several new fragrances since then, most famous is the floral-oriental Alahine.

Méloé start with sparkeling citrus-/mandarinenotes, offsetted by a slight bitter (in a good way), powdery bergamotnote. There is also a touch of herbal and spicy notes, nutmeg is appears clearly to me and also a touch of basil. Méloé is fresh but not in a chemical or sweet way and the florals seems equally balanced with herbs and spice and the fragrance feels somehow natural and wellblended. There is also an almost watery-floral touch to Méloé, like in Oscar de la Renta Live in Love and By Kilian Water Calligraphy, but in Méloé the watery impression is much more subdued, even if still there, than in the two related fragrances. In the basenotes there is a white musk supported by mossy and woody notes, which deepens the fragrance in a bit darker nuances of green. All together, Méloé to me is a sort of aromatic-floral, not fruity-floral as I have read somewhere. 

Picture: Méloé in its stylish bottle.
Photo: PR Parfums Téo Cabanel

Méloé is an upliftining, surprisingly longlasting fragrance.The blend is specified as an Eau Légére, which is supposed to be lighter than an Edt, but I can smell whiffs of it after almost 24h on skin and on fabric some days after the day I was wearing it. Méloé is suitable for daytime wear, especially for spring and summer, but also, as lighter fragrances lasts better in autumn/winter, for days when longing for something lighter during the darker and colder.

Even if Méloé bears similarities with other fragrances in the light, refreshing, floral genre it has its own identity, the green herbal tinge and slight bitter (in a positive way) note.

Even if not similar fragrances but similar in expression, those who enjoy De Bachmakov (also herbal notes) from The Different Company, Dior Escale à Pondichéry (the flower and spice) and Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte (the green, slight bitter flowers) also could like Méloé.

Rating: 4

Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, lemon, lavender, basil, neroli, orange blossom, jasmine, nutmeg, musk, moss, amber, woody notes

M.Micallef - Art Collection Rouge No 1

Picture: The beautiful Rouge No 1 bottle,
created by Martine Micallef herself.
Photo:PR by Parfums M.Micallef (c)

Rouge No 1 is the first part of the summer 2013 limited edition Collection Rouge from the house of the artful and beautiful bottles and perfume M.Micallef. It's a highend fruity floral, created by the M.Micallef houseperfumer Jean-Claude Astier. The red bottles of the two Rouges are stunning to say the least.

Rouge No 1 starts soft vanillic-fruity with an accord that smells almost as smoothed red berries in creme but this is probably the peach interacting with the other notes in this very pleasant gourmand symphony. There is also a contrasting pleasant note of "dry dust on a lighted bulb" which is present in for example Mona di Orio Carnation and makes the opening quite interesting. Particulary in this stage, Rouge No 1 has similarities with the delicious creamy-berry-fruity Jeunesse from Robert Piguet which is a bit more edgy in style. In the next stage Rouge No 1 becomes more floral as also the wellbalanced white musk in the basenotes which gives a certain contrasting dept in this almost edible, yummy blend. The intresting and well balanced "dustnote"weakens during the dry down but a hint is still there in the base, something that I appreciate of course as I usually like  a"weird" twist in a fragrance.

Rouge No 1 is quite linear and confidently recognizable, with its returning but gradually evolving accords, during the dry down. Despite edible as a pastry, Rouge No 1 is not dense and thick or too sweet and therefore also suitable for summer. It blooms beautiful in warm weather, the musk anchors the other ingredients and ensures a good longevity for 12h+.  The overall impression is a fragrance constructed with high quakity ingredients with notes that are arranged in a wellbalanced harmony. Rouge No 1 is a true wrist sniffer,very comfortable and easy to wear.

Rouge No 1 could be interesting to those who like M.Micallef Ylang in Gold as they are close in style and also, there are similarities in the context (expect the patchouli) of Miss Dior Le Parfum and also the, IMO underestimated comfortscent, Chanel Coco Noir.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Peach, mandarine, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, vanilla, musk, benzoin

Historiae - Hameau de la Reine

Picture:  Petit Trianon, parc de Versailles
Photo by  Urban, (cc) some rights reserved
 Wikimedia Commons

Hameau de la Reine is green floral created by Bertrand Duchaufour for the french house Historiae. The fragrance is inspired of Marie Antionette  and her "revolt" against the Versailles court ie  "Marie-Antoinette wants to have her own little village to enjoy the pleasures of the countryside with her children. Her aspiration for a rural paradise is somewhat a result of the Enlightenment. The Queen had her Hameau built in Versailles in 1783, going against the traditions of the old Royal Court".

Hameau de la Reine starts sparkling, light green with citrusy accents. The greeney is like fresh buds with a touch of tart tomatoleaves. The greenery is very natural smelling and soon Hameau de la Reine elicts the image and scent of a sunny midsummer meadow with its wild untamed grass, midsummerflowers and moisty earth  underneath. As Hameau de la Reine dries down, flowery notes gets more predominant and now we are transported from the meadow to the garden of a sweet cottage, just as in Marie Antionettes little artificial, rual, village. Wild roses, mock orange and robust peonies are present over the green backgrund that has become slightly darker and accentuated by woody notes when the fragrance reaches the balanced musky, basenotes.

Picture: Marie Antionette (1755-1793)
Painting of Louise Elisabeth Vigée  Le Brun (1755-1842)
1783

Light green, airy and delightful, Hameau de la Reine is a perfect fragrance for the coming midsummercelebrations. It's a casual fragrance but also suits for work as it can't offen anyone. The sillage is close and the longevity not for a whole day which is surprising as the others tested from the line so far, Orangerie du Roy and Bouquet du Trianon (see previous reviews) both have very good longevity. But Hameau de la Reine is that sort of light fragrance that could be reapplied during the day without causing olfactory disasters, i.e the rule that says: Never apply perfume on unclean skin. But there are some exceptions: Some light and fresh fragrances, preferably citrus, could be used even a day after the previous shower.

Those who like Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte and the new version of Balmain Vent Vert will probably also appreciate the delicate Hameau de la Reine.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Bergamot, blackcurrant bud, tomato leaf, fig leaf, rose, galbanum, peony, geranium, mock orange, ivy, vetiver, patchouli, white wood, musk, honey

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Grossmith - Amelia

Picture: European peony, Paeonia lactiflora
Photo by Frances2000, Wikipedia Commons

Amelia, a part of the Grossmith Black Label Collection released in late 2012, is created in honour of the daughter of the founder of the house (originally established in 1835), Amelia. The fragrance is created by Trevor Nicholl.

Amelia starts with an accord reminding of an upscale version of Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely and Narciso Rodriguez For Her Edt. Amelia than proceed less musky and sweet than the two other mentioned, there are offsetting neroli, white flowery and green notes detectable which balances the fragrance in a delicate way. I also smell a small fraction of that special tart note which is present in many 2012 cretations, probably compliant with the coming regulations. I like this kind of dry tartness combined in one note, the tart note is more clearly presant in for example Chanel 1932. 
The star of the flowery accord is a fresh and dewy peony, a peony that manage to maintain this impression during the whole dry down and doesn't get sour and dull. The base is musky with a counterbalancing typical contemporary chypre accord containing patchouli and vetiver. In the latest stages of the development of the base, the notes seems similar to the baseaccod in Golden Chypre which was reviewed last week. As in all Black Label creation tested so far the notes are well balanced and seamlessy mixed.

Amelia is a perfect fragrance for spring. It is clean without any laudery- or ozonic notes. It fits into most environments and couldn't offend anyone, hence it's the perfect, feminine scent for work. To be a tribute to a woman of the 19th centurary, Amelia feels a bit too contemporary in style. Maybe it is also a bit too perfect, there are absolutely no dangers lurking in the background as in for example the NR For Her Edt mentioned above. Amelia wears close to the skin and the longevity is for a day. The quality is top-notch as with Grossmiths in general.

Those who like fragrances in the classical style of Annick Goutal Quel Amour and Parfums de Nicolaï Rose Pivoine will probably appreciate this modern, musky interpretation of the peony-theme.

Rating: 4

Notes: Neroli, osmanthus, rose, jasmine, peony, amber, patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, cashmere musks

Thanks to Fragrances & Art for the sample to test.

Pierre Balmain - Vent Vert (new vs older)

Picture: Vent Vert
PR  Poster (c) Pierre Balmain, all rights reserved

The first green fragrance (at least famous one) for woman Vent Vert originally created by one of the pioneer female noses, Germaine Cellier for Pierre Balmain 1947, is the epitome of spring and early summer. Leafy and grassy notes supported by the scent of bulbflowers creates a sunny and warm green fragrance, just as the feeling of the summer breeze a warm day at the countryside in the early summer. As all great classics, Vent Vert is reformulated severel times. The first major change was in 1990 conducted by another great female perfumer, Calice Becker. After that it has been some changes in the early 2000:s and most reacent, some years ago when Balmain repackaged in the current cube scaped bottles with the golfball cap, the current version was introduced.

Picture: Germaine Cellier (1909-1976),
photo found at Basenotes

Picture: Calice Becker,
photo found at Fragrantica

Vent Vert starts with the sharp and a bit bitter green note of galbanum. In the older version the bitterness and greenness is much more pronounced and much more is going on. In the new version the galbanum is tuned down and a lemon note is evident. As Vent Vert dries down, in the new version, galbanum just wispers soft in the background when clearly preasent in the older version even if it takes a step back here also. In the new version an indistinct, a bit too sweet, floral heart appears and as it dries further down, it goes more and more soapy in character. The soapiness, even if a bit sweet, is fresh in the same time, image the smell of washing off in the sea after enjoying a woodheated sauna in the archipelago. The older Vent Vert on the other hand, is continuing in its characteristic manner, in the middle crispy flowers combined with a delicate spicyness takes the centerstage, underscored by the galbanum. Also when reaching the basenotes the older version has more character, more dept with its mossy and woody notes blended with some warm notes of amber and resins. The current version anchors in a bright and light woodiness which counterplays the sweet soapiness.

Picture: Le Mors à la Conétable
Photo: PR Hermès (c) all rights reserved

To summon up: The new Vent Vert is a bit tame, onedimensional and without dept compared with the older version. The older version is rougher, sharper and distinct in its grassy galbanum and leafy greeness balanced with the scent of the crispy flowers. The older version is the elegant, Hermèsscarf wearing, casual chic lady whereas the current version is classicalstyled, sporty teenager in a navy-striped  woolen Busnel sweater, jeans and Docksides. Even if i personally prefers the older version, I really think the new version should be considered by those who want's a new green scent for the coming, warmer season. The new Vent Vert is  better then most of the mainstream, floral stuff.

Picture: Docksides (R)
Photo: PR Sebago (c) all rights reserved

Vent Vert older version will attract those who like fragrances as Chanel No 19 especially in Edt, Annick Goutal Heure Exquise, Van Cleef & Arpèls First and Puredistance Antonia. I think the new Vent Vert will be appreciated by those who like Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte.

Rating: New 4 and older 4+

Notes:
New version: Galbanum, lemon, lavander, basil, lily of the valley, jasmine, rose, sandal- and cedarwood, moss.
Older version: Lime, orangeblossom, green notes, asafoetida, peach, basil, lemon, bergamot, neroli, violet, freesia, jasmine, hiacynth, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley, rose, galbanum, marigold, spicy notes, iris, sandalwood, amber, musk, oakmoss, sage, vetiver, styrax, cedar

Chanel Les Exclusifs – Gardenia

Picture: Gardenia thunbergia,
Source:Compton Herbarium, Kirstenbosch
Picture by Edith Struben, c 1915

Gardenia is another of the reinterpreted/reformulated Ernst Beaux classics from the 1920s in the Les Exclusifs Collection. The first version of gardenia was created in 1925. The Exclusives version is an Edt like all fragrances in the collection.

Gardenia starts with a blast of the smell of an elegant bath foam, a real bubbly bath. To me Gardenia smells transparent, in between light and dark pink, as a pink a bit viscous liquid. The bubble bath and pink liquid associations leads me to think of the transparent but viscous, pink, bubble bath tubereuse Michelle from Balenciaga but Michelle is stronger and bolder in it’s expression where Gardenia is more polite and unobtrusive. Gardenia, like all gardenia fragrances, is not the scent of gardenia as it can’t be extracted, but a interpretation of the perfumers, and probably also Coco’s, vision of her favourite flower. As the pink texture described, Gardenia to me is most about a delicate, medium sweet tubereuse, some other white flowers, some smooth fruit, some greenery and a contrasting, just a bit dirty, almost dry-furry note among the musky basenotes. 

Gardenia is a discrete, elegant, timeless Chanel fragrance, wearable in most situations, the year around. Blooms in summerheat and gives glimpses of a warmer season when worn during the colder months. Gardenia stays close to the skin and lasts for more than 12h.

Those who enjoy abstract, colder, tubereuse fragrances as  Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Tubereuse  and L’Artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubereuse will probably like Chanel Gardenia.

Rating: 4

Notes: Orangeblossom, green notes, tubereuse, jasmine, gardenia, fruits, coconut, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, patchouli, vanilla

Chanel Les Exclusifs - Chanel No 22

Picture: Greta Garbo in a publicity still for Wild Orchids (1929)
Photo by Ruth Harriet Louise for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio, (this
work is in the public domain) Wikimedia commons

A softer, more flowery version of the icecold, aldehydic, marbel beauty Chanel No 5 that was released 1921, a year before Chanel No 22. Both these classics were created of Ernest Beaux (as usual when it comes to the oldest Chanels). The No 22 I have tested is the Edt-version from the Les Exclusifs Collection and it’s of course just in the case with No 5 reformulated since 1922.

No 22 starts with an elegant, subdued white floral but sparkling aldehydic accord, reminiscent of No 5 but softer and somehow less aggressive even if a huge dose of delicate aldehydes. After a while the dry, gunpowder note that I appreciate so much in different strengths and interpretations, comes through. It’s a smooth and finetuned version of the gunpowder of Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige, Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre and Antonio Visconti Temps d’Hiver. The white flowers, with a note of tubereuse with a light and pleasant almost nailpolishnote coming forward, is still there and now and then a slight tart, orange-citrusy note glimpses by. When No 22 settles down in a slight powdery, soft incense base where a light, fresh vetivernote, balanced some sweetness, is clearly present. In the later stages of the basenotes, the smooth incense becomes clearer as also the dry, almost transparent vanillanote.   

Chanel No 22 is a seamless blend with a timeless, sophisticated, elegance, a fragrance for a timeless beauty like Greta Garbo. It’s a fragrance which makes most of the contemporary perfume selection to appear as rude and loud. Even the elegant Chanel No 5 seems a bit unpolished compared to the most refined No 22. It’s like No 5 could be imaged as the pushy, extrovert older sister and No 22 as the quiet, intellectual and refined little sister. Chanel No 22 has an almost regal aura and I can see it be worn by a royalty by some reception. It’s a real pleasure to wear and a fragrance that makes me think of cleaning out considerably in my fragrance collection. Sillage is close and longevity almost for 24h.

Those who like interpretations of aldehydic, powdery, elegant fragrances as for example Puredistance Opardu, MDCI Chypre Palatin, Montale Powder Flowers and Oscar de la Renta Esprit d’Oscar will probably also like Chanel No 22.

Rating: 5 

Notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, neroli, peach, jasmine, tubereuse, ylang-ylang, rose, iris, vetiver, vanilla, incense

Fragrance(s) of the week (1) 2013

Photo: Parfumista (c)

Almost every week there is a fragrance or fragrancestyle that I particulary crave. Maybe I wear the fragrance some day that particular week, just sniff it, tray it or just let the longing persist as I'm often totally off-season when it comes to what I crave and the season current. To examplify: The week before Christmas I suddenly started to long after the sparkling, grassy and green springlike Chanel No 19 Edt, this in the middle of the cold and darkest winter, with lot of snowing. The same phenomena, but in the opposite fragrancedirection, is happening in the middle of the summer, some years as early as around Midsummers Eve. Than in the warmth and brightness of the Nordic summer, I start longing for dark and deep fragrances as ambers, dark roses, ouds, patchouli. Another observation when it comes to my perfumecraving during the latest half year is an increasing need and appreciation for the classics as the classic Chanels, Guerlains, Rochas or Diors. When it comes tocontemporary perfumes, I prefer perfumes created in the classic style as the offerings of Puredistance, Parfums de Nicolï and Parfums MDCI or more complicated contemporary perfumes with many dimensions as the perfumes of Ramón Monegal, Amouage or Mona di Orio.

To conclude this philosophising: 1) Fragrancewise I'm often in the reverse season 2) Fragrancestylish the circle is completed, I'm back where it all started, with the classics or  classic styled, well-crafted fragrances.

For 2013 I will start to notice (and post) if there is a/some special weekly cravings. Here are my observations for the first week of January 2013:

- The longing for springfragrances has intensified. Today (chilly and grey outside) I'm wearing  the Guerlain iris/violet/mimosa/guerlinade classic Apres l'Ondee Edt and I'm constantly sniffing my wrists.

- The other perfume that influenced me this week and I really liked to wear at New Years Eve was a perfume that not belongs to any of the categories mentioned above: Miss Dior Le Parfum which IMHO is a well crafted, contemporary mainstream with some dept and body to it. Features that is becoming more and more rare these days,  both within mainstream and niche.

Lanvin – Arpége

Picture: Gedenktafel 10707 Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Zähringerstraße 13,

 Wohnung der Tänzerin Anita Berber

Photo: Wikinaut (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Sometimes when testing all these well behaved and well adjusted contemorary niche and designerhouse fragrances I as a contrast just want to smell something wild, old fashioned and provocative to the average perfumeconsumer of today (from my preconception). Than the classical aldehydic bomb Arpége from Lanvin is a fragrance that will fit the bill. Before spritzing I have to prepare Mr Parfumista (it’s usually during weekends I wear severe classics like this) that today I will wearing an “old ladies scent”, I hate this expression but it well illustrates a certain category of mostly classic fragrances from which I like many, that he wil not like the smell etc. If not warned he sometimes I have found that he becomes a bit irritated as he don’t like the smell from Arpége and it’s companions on me anyway, because the comment is always “It not suit you and maybe there is something with the chemistry because it’s ok on the scentstrip”. Maybe the old aldehydes and chypres dosen’t suit me the best but anyway I sometimes long for them and want to smell them as they are interesting and difficult creatures to discover.

Arpége (the latest Edp-formulation in the black bottle) starts with a strong aldehydic blast that almost knocks my nose out. The aldehydes are somehow robust, rough and demanding in Arpége, in Chanel No 5 Edt they are more gracile and even more and also champangeny bubbly in Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere and Esprit d’Oscar by Oscar de la Renta. In the middle the aldehydes withdraws but are defintly still there supporting the dark decadent flowers with an uplifting sparkle. Something almost dark and dense leathery also apperars in the backround in this stage and it’s discreetly present even thereafter.

In the basenotes a dark and wet vetivernote that mediates a dark green almost mossy impression dominating. The vetiver reminds me of the dense and dark accord Encre Noire by Lalique and Route de Vetiver by Maître Parfumerur et Gantier, both gendered as masculine fragrances. As I remember it, the vetiver is more prounanced in this Arpége formulation compared to the one before in the transparent bottle where the mossy, woody notes were much more apparent. But the same expression dark, mossy, woody texture and image of the fragrance is preserved. To me Arpége is feminine but it’s also unisex, the opening aldehydic accord leaning at the feminine side but when reaching the basenotes it’s whichever.

Arpége was created 1927 by the perfumer Andre Fraysse in collobaration with Jeanne Lanvins daughter Margurite as a gift from Jeanne to celebrating the thirtieth birthday of her daughter. But tom me Arpége don’t exactly mirrors the elegant enviorment of the mother and daughter Lanvin rather to me it mirrors the decadant setting of the 1920s legendary cabarets and nightclubs in Berlin. Arpége is THE fragrance for the 1920s wild artist Anita Berber , the predesessor to artists as Madonna and Lady Gaga.

Arpége is an interesting fragrance, a darker, warmer, woodier and rougher than Chanel No 5 It has stood the test of time and reformulations very good. Even if a bit oldfashioned it’s in the same time eternal and a great frag to wear when the urge to wear something different that stands out from the clean, floral, fruity, patchouli, peppery, woody, odors of  contemporary perfumes. Arpége is also resonable priced especially compared to new launches and it definitly provides value for money.

Rating: 4 (on me if positive a 3, but considerating the history and peculiarity of the fragrance, the character the ability to create images and the smell on the sample strip, all together a 4)

Notes:  Bergamot, aldehydes, peach, orangeflower, honeysuckle, orris, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, coriander, sensitive plant, tuberose, violet, geranium, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, vanilla,musk

Vero Profumo - Mito

Picture: Gardens of Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Italy
Photo: mmxbass, Wikimedia commons

Two of my favoriteperfumers lives in Zürich, Andy Tauer and Vero Kern. Maybe it's the fresh air from the alps that have formed their excellent sense of smell which makes them creating beautiful and innovative perfumes. Anyway, this month Vero Kern will launch another gem in her artful parfumeline Vero Profumo - Mito.

Mito is an olfactory interpretation of Veros impressions from the park of Villa d'Este in Tivoli, the flowers, the water in the basains, the moistiness in the shadow, the fresh grass, the sunshine, the architecture and the planning of the park. To me Mito really reflects these impressions of strolling around in a classical park wearing a casul-chic summeroutfit.

Mito starts with a mellow, very warm yellow lemonnote which to me is close to the real fruit. It's lika an explosion of sunshine when the topnotes developes. After a while the flowers skilfully blended with the green sharpness of galbanum shows up. The flowers, especielly the classical galbanum-hyachint duo somehow curbes the sharpness of the galbanum and creates an almost creamy, moisty but in the same time warm texture. Mitos appearence is close to the typical 70s citrus-flowery chypres as Chanel Cristalle Edt and Eau de Rochas, but warmer and more mellow in charachter. The magnolia is also mellow and warm, it's not the somehow stripped down almost cold version as is present in Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte. The jasmine is clean and proper, not an animalic, dirty one. The moisty, dark green moss is present as the perfect setting and the cypress adding some dry woodiness to the blend. A fragrance that comes to my mind during the flowery stages of Mito is Estee Lauders Private Collection Jasmine White Moss which is the same type of  contemporary, green and mellow, whiteflowery chypre. PCJWM to me is a tad sweeter and a bit more flowery in style. Another modern interpretation in this genre is Tiare by Ormonde Jayne.

Mito is an easy to wear fragrance considering it's an Vero Kern perfume. It is not quite as original as Rubj, Onda and Kiki but it's a very wearable fragrance, suitable year around, especially for the colder month, to remember the sunny and warm summer days. As the sillage  is very close there is a risk that the heat of a summerday will be to though to Mito, as with most fragrances heavy on citrus. This minor weakness  is the reason to that Mito doesn't receive the highest rating, but almost:

Rating: 4+

Notes: Citrus, magnolia, champaca, jasmine, galbanum, hyachint, cypress, moss

Ramón Monegal - Mon Cuir

Picture: La Debacle by Theodore Robinson (1892)
Wikimedia commons

Mon Cuir is one of two leather inspired creations in the spanish perfumeline who bears the name of it's founder the very long experienced (over thirty years) perfurmer Ramón Monegal.

Mon Cuir starts with one of the most realistic leather accords that I have experienced in perfume. It's far away from the rough and tough, smoky leather of for example Mona di Orio Cuir but it's also a bit away from the smooth, elegant leather of a a pair of long evening gloves as the light leather in such different frags as the contemporary Hermès Kelly Caleché or the classic Chanel Cuir de Russie. Instead the leather of Mon Cuir is somewhere in between, the opening gives the impression of a well-kept two coloured ( brown and mossy green) weekendbag in leather. Just as the leathery accord mellows into the middlenotes with the traditional orangeblossom accord, a glimpse of an almost minty note appears for a short while. This intermidiates a streak of something chilly in a otherwise warm and comforting fragrance and it reminds me a bit of Parfum d'Empires Cuir Ottoman. This is an example of one of those unexpected moments which are typical for the perfumes of Ramón Monegal. In the rest of the middlestage the flowery-leather accord becomes almost creamy and at the same time cocoapowdery.

Mon Cuir dries down in a tonka been powdery,slight musky, resin base with a light flowery impression still lingering. In the this stage Mon Cuir reminds me of a smoother and gentler version of one of the floral oriental icons of the 80s, the ingenious Joop Femme.

My impression of Mon Cuir is that of a soft and a bit sweet "feminine leather" (for someone who cares about division in gender when it comes to perfume) unobtrusive and "officeproper". Mon Cuir lingering close to the skin but giving away some inscrutable whiffs now and then. Mon Cuir is great for the autumn and winter months but also for chilly summerevenings. And of course for a relaxing weekend at the countryside, with the luggage carried in that perfect leather, weekend bag.

Rating: 4

Notes: Leather, orange blossom, labdanum, musk, sandalwood, patchouli, nutmeg

My nose is out of order....

Photo: Parfumista (c)

Having a tough cold since Thursday, couldn't smell a note during the whole Friday with Mona di Orio Vétyver which all in a sudden became my SOTD . Thankfully I now seem to recover, could recognize whiffs now and than of the SOYD Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte and most of (I think) the powerful Amouage Lyric Woman of today. It seems as I finally got Lyric, maybe it need to be filtrated thorough a stuffy nose to give me the right impression.

Anyway, let's got to the point with this entry: The cold has compleatly messed up my disiplinated test-and-review schedule. Often I try to have a link between the scents reviewed  the same week. Some common denominator or theme, for examples fragrances from the same house and even better resembling frags from the same house, or frags with the same dominating note or style or frags that somehow causes the same perception, or seasonal frags, or frags or the same perfumer and so one. Last week the common link was elegant, new launches with a retro flair the new ie Ivoire and Opardu. As the cold broke out there where one review of each of three different themes for the coming weeks compleated and as it's impossible to catch up there will be a mixed theme next week. Hopefully there is possible to return to the "theme concept" the week after the coming week.

Puredistance - Opardu

Photo: Opardu by Puredistance, all rights reserved (c)

It's hard to find the right words to describe Opardu, the new creation (will be released in November 2012) by masterperfumer Annie Buzantian for the Austrian/Netherlands nichehouse Puredistance founded by Jan Ewoud Vos. Even if Opardu is classical in it's texture and gives a familiar impression, it's hard to find obvious perfume references. Opardu is one of it's own kind. Opardu is said to be inspired of the vibrant nightlife of Paris in the 1920s. It is classical but not at all dated in style, and it express the feeling of the nostalgic looking back of years gone by.

Opardu starts with soft green floral notes, emphasizing floral. The greenery is more of the violet leaf type, not the rougher (but in a surprisingly gentle way) galbanum that is present in my favourite of this classy line so far, Antonia. Already from the start I percieve the same level of elegance as is present in Antoina, but Antonia is more of a pronounced daytime elegance where Opardu is the contrasting, mysterious and graceful night bird.

The flowery notes confuses me, a note similar to violet is present and something that reminds me of hints of orris but without the famous carrotnote.The mysterious flower is lilac and Opardu in color and texture is just as a bale of exclusive lilac silk velvet. Good lilac scents is not very common, After My Own Heart by Ineke is a well crafted example from the genre but AMOH is fresher and more outdoor in style.

Opardu also presents a pleasent almost slight creamy powdery accord that has some similarities with a subdued lipsticknote. The powder probably emerges from the heliotrophe but I also think aldehydes is included as Opardu (despite differences in flowery notes and scent) has some of the texture and expression of Esprit d'Oscar by Oscar de la Renta but Opardu is more polite and polished in style.

In the basenotes the lilac accompanied by an pleasant slight almondy heliotrophe, supported by a light handed white musk together with a beautiful soft cedarwood that blended with the heliotrophe smells close to sandalwood. Opardu ends as a soft, woody, lilac.

Opardu is an example of a wellcrafted, quality fragrance that unfold it's secrets in different very well blended layers, just as a budding flower.It's a relaxing fragrance that gives a calming almost sad/biitersweet pleasure during the whole drydown. Regarding the vibrant 1920s inspiration of Opardu, my impression is it's a perfume created for the sofisticated nightlife, visiting the Opera and dining at an elegant restaurant instead of dancing wild on a jazz-club. Personally I feel a connction between Opardu and the decade before, the early 1910s and the fashion of Paul Poiret with it's peacock feathers, muted velvet silk, sweeping, comfortable silk dresses with sophisticated oriental patterns, something I think is intermediated by the Puredistance advertesing picture above, just as the original below.

Picture: Poiret model 1914

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Opardu is avaible in perfumeconcentration and therefore it wear close to the skin. The stayingpower is good, Opardu lasts good for a day. To compare, Antonia (also pure perfume) is more radiant and has a 24h+ stayingpower. Opardu is also suitable to wear in daytime and I can image it will be particularly appealing duirng the chilly but bright, early winter-spring days.

I think fans of (among themselves as different scents) Chanel No 5 Parfume, Amouage Gold (in swedish) and Dia, but also Histoire d'Parfums Blanc Violette, and Guerlain L'Heure Bleue will appreciate the beautiful Opardu. And of course; every true admirer of a wellcrafted perfume.

Rating: 5

Notes: Tubereuse, gardenia, rose, lilac, carnation, jasmine, heliotrope, cedarwood, musk

Balmain - Ivoire (new)

Picture: Place Vendome, a picture of  the spirit of Ivoire.

Photo by Dimitris Distigues  (CC) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

The 1980 classic Ivoire de Balmain is re-launched 2012 (this week in Sweden) in a new and very successful interpretation/formulation created by Michel Alamirac and Jacques Flori.

The new interpretation of Ivorie starts much smoother and gentler than the older galbanum-tinged formula with elegant fruity-flowery notes. The pleasant fruitiness has an accompning role inr the middlenotes where elegant flowery interpretations of are mingeled with the traditional galbanum of old Ivoire in a considerably lighter dose. An interesting twist is the addition of some slight peppery notes. It sounds hazardly for such an elgant blend as Ivoire but the pepperiness is so skillfully handled, it's acting in the background as an uplifting note that gives sparkle to Ivoire and I don't percieve the spritzy-sharpness that are present in many peppery creations.  The soapiness of the old Ivoire is tuned down a bit in the earlier stages of the new, this is not strange at all as the galbanum isn't preseant in the early stage. As Ivoire continues to dry down the similarities, among them the lovely sopainess, with the older formula are even more obvious, despite the fact that the soapiness is of a smoother and gentler kind. It intermediates the feeling of wearing a soft, white cashmerejumper, the same feeling as I precieved with the wonderful lilyinterpreation Cartier Baiser Volé. In the elegant base which mediates a vintage sense of mossiness, the new Ivoire has much in common with the old version, to me it's like the more Ivoire dries down, the closer to the old Ivoire it appears. The expression of both the fragrances is the same and I can recognise the same structure and scent but the new Ivoire has a smoother, gentler and fruitier aura as the older is greener, sharper, rougher and more edgy.

The new Ivoire also preserves the same very french elegance as the older version. Ivoire still reminds me of an elegant french lady in a well-cutted, less-is-more, ivory silkdress, dining at a likewise elegant restaurant a bit cool summer evening at a place like Place Vendome. Ivoire creates the same feeling of elegance as Puredistances Antonia even if Antonia is edgier and closer to the original Ivoire whit its charactersitic note of galbanum. The casual-chic daytime alternative to Ivoire, a scent with resembling notes but interpreted in outdoor style is one of my all time favorites Hermès Amazone.

Both versions of Ivoire is definitly worth owning for the lovers of the old Ivoire, they are great complements to each other, where the newer "contemporary" version is a bit easier to wear and I also think it appeals to a wider group of perfumebuyers than the orignal. Besides the fragrances mentioned above I also think that people that enjoys Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens will like Ivoire, both the new and old version, fans of Chanel No 19 Poudre I think will appreciate the new Ivoire.

The longevity of Ivoire is very good, it lasts over a whole day to late in the evening.

Rating: 5

Notes: mandarin, violet, orange, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, black pepper, galbanum, vanilla, vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli

A Coco week

Last Sunday and the workdays Monday to Friday this week have been dedicated to the different Chanel Coco interpretations (some of them anyway, I havn't tested Coco and Coco Mademoiselle in EDT and parfume yet). During the six Coco-days I spent three with Coco Noir, two with Coco Mad and one with Coco.I have enjoyed all the Cocos to the fullest and I have to confess that I, by now at least, like Coco Noir a tiny bit better (just a very tiny little bit) than good ol' Coco. Maybe it just depends on my personal shape of the day that day, but I found Coco a bit too loud in it's orietal spiciness compared with the more subdued Coco Noir. Don't get me wrong, I still love Coco but Coco Noir is favoured these days, maybe it's just the charm of novelty.With Coco and Coco Noir struggeling in the top, Coco Mad, even if I like it much too, comes a step behind, it's somehow sharper and not so seamless blended as the both Coco:s in the top. Anyway Coco Mad is a good, wearable and comfortable fragrance which I will revisit another Coco week. Already looking forward to such a week :-)

Chanel - Coco Noir

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

I really have tried to resist to like this frag as described as a disappointment in the perfumeblogosphere. There has to be a lot of weaknesses with it, something that better trained noses than mine understand
:-) . After a rapid skintesting from the tester in the store and from sniffing a scentstrip during a day, I have to confess: I really like Coco Noir and I even think it match the beautiful bottle and the story behind it quite well. I think it's a very wellcrafted floral musk with sweet fruity patchouli notes. When reading this one can be missleaded and think it's just another pink, berry/fruity, patch, but to my nose it isn't. First of all, even íf a fruity-patch-musk, it has the elegance and aura that is Chanel and that separates Coco Noir from hundereds of other in this genre. Second Coco Noir is not pink at all. It is dark, fruity, flowery, patchy which notes are contrasting the initial blast of light citrus bergamot. Third, there is tuned down traces of Coco Mademoiselle (in swedish) a fragrance that I unlike most perfumenerds like very much. Fourth the longevity is very good.

As stated above, Coco Noir starts light with the citrus/grape-bergamott infused accord. Then a moderate sweet, dark fruity-green-flowery, patchouli accord takes over and creates a distinct contrast to the topnotes. This stage is a bit dangerous because if too heavy applied, I suspect that it could be sickly sweet. After a whlie a rosy green geranium note appears and it adds a beautiful soapy quality to the blend, a soapiness that I feel very comfortable in. The soapiness creates an interesting retro vibe to Coco Noir. In the base there is a withe musk anchoring the blend, together with a soft and powdery tonka been and some light woody, slight resiny notes.

Strangely enough, I percieve Coco Noir as quite noir, other fruity-patchy blends are sweetly pink in comparison. When I first sniffed Coco Noir my first reaction was the similarity to the original muskfrag by Les Nereides, Musc de Java. The same sort of fruityness, almost berrylike, the patch and the musk are similar to each other but Musc de Java, even if more robust and rough, is thinner in it's texture and has an original hay-note that is not included in Coco Noir. Musc de Java is also brighter and lighter and is lighter on the soapy note. Coco Noir is a full and mature variation on the Musc de Java theme.

As with last year Chanel No 19 Poudré (in swedish) that also was not well received (at first anyway) in the perfumeblogosphere, I think one have to judge the flankers completely separate from the original fragrance and look at them as they where released under brand new names. Just as with Chanel No 19 Poudré compared to Chanel No 19, Coco Noir has little or no relation to the original, the beautiful oriental spicy Coco (despite the noir vibe), I think most of us perfumepundits starts to compare it with Coco and Coco Mademoiselle and therefore don't judge Coco Noir on it's own merits.

To me Coco Noir is a wearable and comfortable fragrance, definitly fbw and I just wonder for how long I will be able to resist...

Rating: 5
Rating update March 2013: 4  
Rating update April 2018: 5

Seems as CN wear better in warm and humid weather than in cold and dry. I perceive CN as less  integrated between it's different stages and that the sweet accord stands out a bit too much in the top- and middlenotes. Reaching its basenotes, CN is just as good as last late summer. 

As times has gone by and I have worn the Coco family even more and become familiar also with the Edt versions of Coco and Coco Mad as also Coco Mad Intense, Noir is back as a 5 rated member of the family.

Notes: Grapefruit, bergamot, rose, narcissus, geranium leaf, jasmine, tonka bean, sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, white musk, frankincense

The mainstream niche

As I strolled around in the local chain-perfumstore some perfumed insights just popped up. In these days when the launches of many nichelines becomes more and more bland and not distinguishable from other niche and mainstream offerings (we can call it "mainstremification" of the niche) an opposing movement occurs automatically when it comes to some "mainstream" parfumes or maybe better referred to "designer"parfumes. Just looking around in the ordinary assortment of the chainstore I visited, I came to some conclusions:

- The classics still remaining in the assortment  is way more interesting then the majority of the new niche realeases. A perfume that have survived five to ten years or more, even if gradually reformulated, has stood the test of time and is something special. Examples: Rive Gauche (YSL), No 5 & Coco (Chanel), Angel & Alien (Thierry Mugler), Infusion d'Iris (Prada), Aromatic Elixir (Clinique)

- There are good new releases too, even if increasingly rarer (in relative terms) i.e exactly the same phenomen as in the niche sector. From the latest two years: Esprit d'Oscar (Oscar de la Renta), Le Parfum (Elie Saab),  No 19 Poudre (Chanel), Body (Burberry), Candy (Prada).

- The, in some cases quite distinctive reformulations of some fragrances, with the new Dior policy as a hallmark, suddenly makes a ten year old bottle with an pre-reformulation formula to an almost niche fragrance. Examples are of course in particualar from the Dior range: Dior Addict, Dune, Miss Dior Cherie Edp. I will  definitely treasure my (not so) old Diors :-).

-This store had a tester of Miss Dior labled as that and not the new Miss Dior Originale. I bet the MDO version formula is somehow tweaked too.

When writing this I'm yearning for these and other distinctive "mainstream" fragrances. As I'm almost always  sampling different nichefragrances, a week or two in "mainstream" would be a great relief.

Chanel Les Exclusifs - No 28 La Pausa

Pic: Iris squalens, Photo by Bernd Haynold, (cc)

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Scroll down for an english version.
Aromatiskt cederträ med citrus och lätt irisrot är mitt sammanfattande intryck av Chanels ljusa irisdoft No 28 La Pausa som skapades av Jacques Polge som en del i Les Exclusifsserien 2007. Dofter mer åt Acqua di Gio hållet (än Chanel No 19 Poudre) är herr Parfumistas spontana kommenter och jag kan delvis hålla med. Irisen är mer irisrot än blomma men en lätt och ozonisk sådan, inte morotstonad, som längre fram i doftens nedtorkning får en mycket diskret, knapp märkbar, ton av läppstift. Cederträet ger en fin ton av nyvässad blyertspenna och den är mycket väl balanserad, blir inte pepprig eller för skarp och dominant. Citrus ger en fräschör och lyfter doften medan irisen balanserar och tillför en avslappnad elegans. I basen finns slutligen en lagom grön och lätt vetiver som ett ankare för No 28 La Pausa.

La Pausa är en i mitt tycke klassiskt modern doft som mycket väl även kan användas av herrar. Den är diskret och passar därför det doftofobiska kontoret. Många klagar på dålig hållbarhet under dagen men så är inte fallet för mig. La Pausa håller ofragmenterad mer än tolv timmar men projektionen är hela tiden låg vilket också är idén bakom många moderna dofter. Den finns där för bäraren och dem som kommer mycket nära men invaderar på intet sätt det gemensamma doftutrymmet. La Pausa är sammantaget en mycket bärbar doft för dagsbruk och den passar året om.

Jämfört med Chanels No 19 Poudre är La Pausa mer aromatiskt träig, fokuserar på irisroten och är i mitt tycke unisex. No 19 Poudre fokuserar på irisblomman med jasmin och lätt apelsinblomma som fond över en välmodulerad myskbas. Poudre är en i mitt tycke mycket mer feminin doft. Båda är lätta i projektionen men håller ofragementerade på bärarens hud. Båda har en plats i samma parfymgarderob då de är sinsemellen så pass olika, iristemat till trots.

In english:
Aromatic cedar with citrus and a light orrisroth is my general impression of Chanel's bright iris fragrance No. 28 La Pausa, which was created by Jacques Polge 2007 as part of the Les Exclusifs line. Smells more like in the Aqua di Gio way than iris as in Chanel No. 19 Poudre, is Mr. Parfumistas spontaneous comment and I can partly agree with that impression. The iris in La Pausa is more of the irisroot than the flower but a light and somehow cleande up ozonic root, without the typical carroteffect. Later in the drydown of the scent the iris gives a discreet, almost not detectable note of lipstick. Cedarwood gives a nice tune of a just sharpened pencil and the cedar is very well balanced, not peppery or too sharp and dominant. Citrus gives a freshness and lift to the fragrance while the iris balances and adds a casual elegance. Finally in the clean woody base of No. 28 La Pausa there is also a moderately green and light vetiver as an anchor for the composition.

No. 28 La Pausa is in my opinion, a classic contemporary scent that also fit men as well. It is very discreet and tuned down and therefore perfectly fits the scentofobic office. Many reviewers of La Pausa complain of poor durability during the day but this is not the case for me. La Pausa is still unfragmented on my skin more than twelve hours after application but the projection is low during the whole dry down, which is also the idea behind many modern fragrances. The fragrance is there for the wearer and those who come very close but by no means invades the common scentspace. To summon up: La Pausa is a wearable fragrance for daily use and it fits all year around.

Compared to Chanel No. 19 Poudre La Pausa is more of a aromatic, woody blend that  focuses on a sort of cleaned up iris root and La Pausa is in my opinion unisex. No. 19 Poudre focuses on the iris flower supported by jasmine and a light orange flower interacting over a well modulated white muskbase. Poudre is in my opinion definitly a more feminine scent. Both fragrances are light in the projection, but the longevity is good as they are both remaining unfragemented no me after wearing them for a whole day. Both have a place in the same fragrance wardrobe as they represents so very different interpretations of the iristheme.
Rating: 4

Noter: Fruktiga noter, iris, blomnoter, vetiver, träiga noter/ Notes: Fruity notes, iris, floral notes, vetiver, woody notes