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

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

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

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

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.

Chanel - No 19 Poudre

Bild: Iris aphylla Foto: Jerzy Opioła (cc)

some rights reserved, Wikimedia Commons

Jag vet, som parfymtyckare "ska" man inte vara positiv Chanel No 19 Poudre. En sådan blek och obalanserad komposition jämfört med gamla hederliga Chanel No 19. En ren pastisch på några andra dofter på marknaden, dessutom med kort hållbarhet under dagen. Skapad av seniorerna Polge (och ibland nämns även Sheldrake som medkreatör) som enligt vissa har tappat känslan och är helt ur tiden. Även andra är inte heller så positiva. Det finns faktiskt andra positiva, recensioner i bloggosfären också men om några av de "stora" är negativa så brukar många andra följa efter.

Kanske jag fäst mig vid de negativa reviewerna eftersom jag, mot förväntan, efter att ha läst dem, gillar Chanel No 19 Poudre. Egentligen kanske jag inte ska uttala mig i en review då jag bara "lätt-testat" No 19 Poudre; två sprits på vrist/underarm + på sticka från affären. Poudre inleds med irisnot, lite lätt morot skymtar på mig och sedan kommer en i mitt tycke ganska rejäl dos av apelsinblomma. En grönhet av någon slags galbanum light finns, det är inte den stränga, klassisika galbanumen som märks i Chanel No 19. Blommigheten fortsätter med jasmin och iris som landar i en myskig bas med lätta tonkabönanoter. Tonkan till trots tycker inte jag att Poudre är särskilt pudrig under hela sin utveckling. Däremot har den en lätt aldehydisk känsla och vissa aldehyder är just pudriga. Kritiken om att Poudre är fantasilös och bara en mix av redan existrande storsäljare kan jag i och för sig hålla med om. För visst finns där Infusion d'Iris, lite Infusion de Fleur d'Orangers, lite Bas de Soie och en textur som påminner om Esprit d'Oscar. När det gäller släktskapet till  Chanel No 19 så tycker jag att de inte är särskilt lika, det är två gröna tolkningar med iris. Jag tycker inte heller att de behöver vara lika, som jag förstår det har man av komersiella skäl lånat No 19:s gångbara namn precis som i fallen Chanel No 5 Eau Premiere och i Cristalle Eau Verte. Den förra har ganska stora likheter med Chanel No 5 medan den senare är en egen doft, precis som Poudre. Hållbarheten anser jag inte att det är något fel på, på doftstickan håller den tämligen ofragmenterad över en vecka. Jag tycker inte heller att Poudre klappar i hop och att allt som blir kvar är en modern, vit myskighet. Det som jag bär med mig är ljus iris, neroli och mysk.

Summa sumarum är Chanel No 19 Poudre en elegant, glad och bärbar doft. Perfekt parfym om dagen i till exempel jobbsammanhang.

Betyg: 4+

Noter: Neroli, galbanum, mandarin, iris, jasmin, vetiver, mysk, tonkaböna.

Eau d'Italie - Jardin du Poete

För den grapefrukt, apelsin-grönblommiga Jardin du Poete har italienska nichehuset Eau d'Italie återupplivat (eller det kanske bara har legat i träda ett tag) samarbetet med den snart uttjatade supernäsan Bertrand Duchaufour.

Jardin du Poete inleds friskt, obs inte kemiskt fräscht utan just friskt, och lite bittert med en not som jag tycker liknar en blandning av apelsinblomma, apelsin och grapefrukt. När dessa noter tonar ned, men fortfarande finns i en mer nedtonad version, blommar gröna blommor och blad och något färskt örtigt ut och fortsätter grönt, behagligt, friskt under resten av dagen. Det händer helt enkelt inte mycket mer. Nyckelordet är friskt när det gäller JdP.

JdP är en välbalanserad doft av god kvalitet som passar utmärkt sommartid eller när man drömmer om sommaren under en ruggig, grå-slaskig vinterdag. Särskilt gillar jag det bitter-grapiga inslaget kombinerat med soliga apelsin och apelsinblommenoter som är särskilt tydligt i början av doften. Smickrande toppnoter där inte samma höga nivå hålls i mellan och basregistren brukar dock inte vara något för mig. Och mycket riktigt, trots framförallt en fin öppning, så klickar inte JdP till för mig, den är på något sätt alldeles för perfekt och förutsägbar. Precis som min upplevelse av en annan, om än i en annan doftfamilj, av sommarens stora och bland parfymnördar hyllade dofter, By Kilians Sweet Redemption. I skrivande stund kommer jag inte på någon annan doft som är snarlik JdP men den förmedlar lite av samma känsla (inte doft) dvs lätt grönblommig casual-chic, som Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte, även om Eau Verte är mer chic och JdP mer casual.

Tyvärr verkar det som att Eau d'Italie lite har tappat stinget. Både förra årets blommiga Au Lac och i viss mån orientaliska Baume du Doge och Magnolia Romana åren innan tycker jag har tappat den kraftullhet och originaliet som de tidiga dofterna Paestum Rose, Sienne l'Hiver och Bois d'Ombrie stod för liksom att den första vid namn rätt och slätt Eau d'Italie var en fin klsssisk citrusbaserad doft med en modern tvist. Men och andra sidan är säkert de senaste två dofterna betydligt mer säljbara en de tidiga mer extrema kompositionerna.

Betyg: 3

Noter: Grapefrukt, bitterapelsin, basilika, immortelle, angelica, peppar, vetiver, mysk, cypress

Midsommar i Chanel

Foto: Herr Parfumista (c)

Något som är så fascinerande med dofter är att jag aldrig vet var luktsinnet för mig. Såsom varande planerad, struktuerad och kontrollerad (förnuft) är det bara bra att näsan (känslan) tar kommandot ganska ofta. Som nu i midsommarhelgen. Planen var att under helgen testa och analysera en av mina allra största favoritparfymörer, Mona di Orios, nya dofter i Les Nombres d'Or-serien: Vétyver, Vanille och Tubéreuse. Men så händer följande:

I tisdags kväll ropade herr Parfumista "Det är ett program om Chanel på TV, ska du inte titta?". Efter ett tag började jag titta och såg nästan hela dokumentären, som var mycket intressant. Det Coco framförallt tjänade sina pengar på var parfymen, Chanel No 5 precis som i hela branschen idag alltså. Efter programmet tänkte jag att i morgon måste jag hedra Coco med att bära en Chanel. Men givetvis glömde jag det i brådrasket. På hemvägen hade jag ärenden på det lokala Åhléns och på väg ut vid stängningsdags, jalusinerna var redan på väg ned, korsade jag av en slump (?) parfymavdelningen. Där, såsom en hägring står plötsligt Chanel dofter för utförsäljning till halva priset. Där fanns Cristalle Eau Verte, Cristalle EDP och Chanel No 5 i parfymkoncentration. Dofterna ska underligt nog utgå från sortimentet (det lokala förutsätter jag). Kanske var det Coco själv som fjärrstyrde mina steg till detta Eldorado?

Jag slog till på Eau Verte, har tidigare varit tveksam för "den är ju inte Cristalle EDT". Nej just det, den är inte det och ska heller inte vara. Utan Cristalle Eau Verte är en modern men ändå i stilen klassik doft i samma anda som Cristalle EDT och med den typiska, lätt strikta Chanelkänslan. En doft som står på egna ben. Dagen efter trivdes jag utmärkt i Cristalle Eau Verte och på midsommarafton kunde jag inte låta bli Cristalle EDT för att jämföra och för att jag mentalt gått in i en Chanel-mood.

Får ta i tu med Mona nu i veckan. Eftersom det är en vanlig arbetsvecka blir det inte tillfälle för den djuplodande analys som Monas dofter egentligen kräver. Men det är alltid bra att börja samla intryck.