L'Artisan Parfumeur - Quick impressions of some classic L'AP:s 2(2)

More impressions from my random L'Artisan samples sniffing. Today from the lighter fragrances department:

Picture: Thé pour un Été,
refreshing, retro jasmine
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

Coeur de Vetiver Sacré: A creation of Karine Vinchon Spehner from as late as 2010 which seems to have flopped as it would be discontinued if I have understand i right. Despite the name that indicate this is a vetiver dominated fragrance, the said note is discrete and interacting in a subtle and wellbalanced way with incense, spices, light fruity and woody notes. Calming and relaxing and a bit misunderstod IMO.

Thé pour un Été: A creation from the era of fresh perfumes, the 90s (1995), by Olivia Giacobetti. A refreshing jasminetea blend with some lemony sparkle and contrasted with a very light spicyness. TpuE has a certain retro feeling, when I smell it I immediately come to think of Catherine Deneuve in the movie Indochine from the colonial French Indochina. TpuE is gentler and doesn't get the smell as much of wet wipe that is common in many tea fragrances form the era, for example the iconic Bulgari Eau Parfumeé au Thé Vert. TpuE seems also to be a gentler forerunner to another jasmine-tea-spicy fragrance Dior Escale à Pondichéry.

Verte Violette: A bit strange 2001 violet creation by Anne Flipo. Starts smelling like Yves Saint Laurent Paris and after a while a note of water melon appears and adds an aquatic but also vegetal impression.When it alls calms down, a beautiful, sleek, violet flower note remains. In the same group as Annick Goutal La Violette which is (despite the name) greener and with a crispy candy feeling and Parfums de Nicolaï Violette in Love which is more fruity/sparkling.

To summon up: In the flood of all new releases, don't forget to look back and revaluate the old gems from the fragrance houses which has stood the test of time.

Robert Piguet - Chai

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Chai is a green fragrance accentuated by  flowery notes grounded in subtle and smooth, lingering teanotes. Chai is a part of the Robert Piguet Pacific Collection which is created by Aurelien Guichard.

Chai starts with a burst of the same fresh teanote that is the maintheme of the classic Bulgari Eau Parfumee au The Vert. The fresh teanote quickly enters to the background but emphasizes the sparkling green freshness of the scent of just cutted  greenery and a gentle touch of white flowers, probably orangeblossom. A touch of a subdued citrusnote is also present. As Chai reaches the basenotes a wellbalanced smoky teannote joins the light teanote and the pronounced notes of greenery. A waxy note smoothens and warms the texture of Chai. Teafragrances are often cold and bright but Chai is warm and gentle in it's apperance. The smoky note is gentle, it's not the sharp smokiness of Lapsang souchong but a smooth smokiness. The smoky note reminds me somehow of a light version of the pleasant almost cigarette smoky note of my favourite Carner Barcelona, D600 . This smoky note is also present in another favourite, Annick Goutals herbal, smoky Nuit Etoilee. Finally there is (of course) also similarities to the smoky teanotes of L'Artisan Parfumeurs masterpiece Tea for Two but the smoky notes are subdued in Chai compared to Tea for two.

Chai is the perfect daytime spring and summerfragrance, also wearable in the colder month when longing for the summer. This green fragrance is suitable both for work and casual and even if bright and light in texture, Chai is sort of compact and not att all fleeting in its structure. The sillage is medium and the longevity for at least 12h.

Chai is suitable for wearers who likes the two perfumestyles indicated above: "Pure" tea fragrances and fragrances grounded with transparent, fresh lighten cigarette smoky notes. Other tea fragrances that comes to my mind when testing out Chai are Dior Escale à Pondichery (bergamot, jasmin, spices, black tea) and ByKilian Bamboo Harmony (bergamot, neroli, spices, tea).

To me Chai is the star of the Pacific Collection. An uplifting, comfortable fragrance, just in time with the color of 2013: Green.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot leaves, white tea, (white flowers), beewax, mate tea