The Fragrances of Christmas Eve 2018

Picture: This years pretty
Christmas tree
before it get dressed up
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The Scent of Christmas Eve 2018 is Rubj Extrait in honour to it's creator Vero Kern who passed away last week. Vero was so kind, nice  and commited to the art of perfume and I hope that
her unique creations will be continued in production as Vero:s fragrances have to be experienced by
every true parfumista.  As Christmas this year actually is white with snow and  ca - 8 C degrees outside, the glowing, orange, white flowers, light spice of  Rubj  is the perfect warmer.  Yesterday I worn the fab Veroprofumo  Onda Extrait one of the best in the retro genre with its barnyard, soil, damp grass, leather vetiver accord.

Mr Parfumista is wearing  Eau d'Italie Bois d’Ombrie an almost fresh, chilly, woody scent with a pleasant vetiver/whiskey/tobacco/leather accord, inspired of the umbrian forest a rainy day. Eau d'Italie  Sienne l'Hiver would of course have suited even better, but B d'O fit well together with the greenery of the fresh Christmas tree.
 Below is the updated list of the fragrances I've worn the last fiftheen Christmas Eves:

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 Noël, Caron (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)

Wish you a Great Fragrant Christmas! 

Picture: And here it's dressed up
for Christmas Eve
Photo: Parfumista (c)

 

Busy days...

Picture: Bird-cherry tree
Photo: Parfumista (c)

There are so much going on in the early summer and as my storage of edited pre-written reviews is empty there has been a shortage of blog posts lately. When (if :-), everything calms down reviews will appears about new releases from two favorite brands: Eau d'Italie and Carner Barcelona. Maybe also something inspired from the post about Zlatan and a Midsummerpost of course. Until then: Have a nice summer!

5 fragrances for a cold May

May, the month of spring has been very cold so far with tempratures beyond zero in the morning an and just some + degrees Celsius during the days. The crave for sheer and delicate fragrances which normally appears in spring hasn't arrived yet. As my longing for flowers remains unchanged my choices of fragrances are from the stronger and heavier cathegory this May.

Picture: Tubereuse Indiana
Photo: PR Creed (c)

Tubereuse Indiana (Creed): My boss nailed it when entering the room where I was working: "Oh here is the scent of the fine world". That´s Tubereuse Indiana in a nutshell, smooth, velvety, elegant tubereuse and mostly white flowers over the signature Creed ambergrisbase. Retrostyled, yet timeless elegance.

Picture: Honour Woman
Photo: PR Amouage (c)

Honour Woman (Amouage): Another beautiful white floral, this one is on the chillier side, accompanied with watery flowers. Elegant, versatile and comforting, contemporary yet timeless in style. In my book a runner up among the Amouages, it has grown to be one of my top favourites from this house.

Picture: Rose Ishtar
Photo: PR Rania J. (c)

Rose Ishtar (Rania J.): A cold, very dark and dry rose with a herbal/spicy contrast. Gives almost ancient vibes and it's androgynous, sometimes it leans to the masculine side and then suddenly it's strangely feminine. Maybe more of a autumnfragrance but anyway perfect for the moment.

Picture: Marni
Photo: PR Marni (c)

Marni (Marni): Another cold rose, but this time pink and bright with contrasting woody (cedar) and slight peppery notes, just perfect for accompaning a cold, frosty spring like this years. 

Picture: Graine de Joie
Picture: PR Eau d'Italie (c)

Graine de Joie (Eau d'Italie): A lush, fruity, berry floral which has become better the more I have tested it. Nothing chemical or sickenly sweet, just a warm red juicy nectar, giving hope of a coming summer after all. Delicious!

5 Top fragrances for fall

Picture: Maple leaves
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Autumn is late this year but finally it has arrived with its glowing colors, fresh chilly air and damp/moisty scents. Below some fragrances I like/like to wear this autumn, whether they are autumnal or not:

Bois Blond (Parfumerie Generale): Now when my sample is drained after years of occasionally wearing, I suddenly realized how much I will miss this dry, hayish, woody beauty. It's not the easiest fragrance to come close to and probably too masculine for me....Anyway a bottle is on its way.

Galop d'Hermès (Hermès): No toplist without a Hermès, their fragrances are versatile and suits me perfect for everyday wearing. Galop exceed my expectations with its juicy, rosy, soft leather with a slight sort of clean, animalic touch. It's now my favorite Hermès together with my all time feminine favorite from the house: Amazone.

No 5 L'Eau (Chanel): I have to confess I didn't want to like this as L'Eau is a far longer step away from the distinct super aldehydic original No 5 than No 5 Eau Première. Even if I tried to resist when tested in store, this flowing light flowery beauty with many the notes from No 5 but in different proportions and with a lighter base is a new classic.

Baume du Doge (Eau d'Italie): It's such a well balanced myrrh dominated fragence. Infused with orange, resins  and spices, BdG warns during grey and rainy days. To be worn with a cashmere sweater/shawl.

Baptême du Feu (Serge Lutens): A bit weired but intrguing fragances with light gourmand, citric, incense and smoky notes. The incense in style with the clean note in L'Orpheline, the citric notes cold as metal, the gourmand licour and spice, the smoke from gunpowder and campfires. Intriguing during it's whole dry down.

5 Early summerfragrances 2016

Picture: Ulriksdal Palace, one of the Royal Castles,
a morning in early May 2016
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Today it's Swedens nationalday! Early June with it's fresh, fragile flowers and greenery is, just as May, the most beautiful time of the year in this northen part of the globe. Flowery and light, sparkling fragrances are comforting and easy to wear. Below five reaible favourites:

Fleurissimo (Creed): This post continues in a royal setting: The wonderful green bouquet with tubereuse, violet, iris over a light ambergrisbase, was according to the storytelling from Creed, the fragrance made for and worn by Grace Kelly on her wedding with Prince Rainer of Monaco. My skin amplifies the violet/iris and the tubereuse here performs as a supporter, not the star of the show as in most fragrances with tubereuse as one of the main notes. Surprisingly there is a pleasant bananalike note contrasting and smoothing the blend, the nuance shows the tropical side of the tubereuse which is present in warm and lush tubereuse fragrances as in Le Galion Tuberéuse

Rose Essentielle Edp (Bvlgari): A sparkling blend of violet and rose in (to my nose) almost equal propotions. The violet is dominating on my skin most wearings, but sometimes the rose comes through more. Sweet, with a texture like hard candy but in the same time sort of fresh. The base is musky, slight earthy. After more then ten years on the market, Rose Essentielle is still an intriguing and very wearable fragrance.

Photo: Parfumista (c)

Jour d'Hermès Gardenia (Hermès): A tart, clean, minimalistic gardenia without the moist, earty smell of mushroom as in the heavier examples in the genre. Elegant, inoffensive and very easy to wear in most daytime ocasions. Not as grassy as the original Jour d'Hermès Edt .

Magnolia Romana (Eau d'Italie): Sharp green with almost rubbery, juicy white and yellow flowers. Sounds strange but smells so good. This is a fragrance for sunny and windy days, as there is sort of a natural flow in Magnolia Romana. An intriguing, contemporary floral.

Cristalle Edt (Chanel): A day in Cristalle is like a day in a cloud of sparkling Champagne, even if a regular workday. Retro bergamot-citrus fresh but at the same time with a distictive green, mossy body with hints of bulbfowers. A timeless creation, allways right to wear, true casual chic.

Annick Goutal - Les Absolus Vanille Charnelle

Picture: Le Bain
Painting by Alfred Stevens (1823-1906)

Vanille Charnelle is the first one I test from the 2015 introduced Annick Goutal sub-line: Les Absolus. In Les Absolus house perfumer Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal "listen to the whispers of their rawmaterials" and creating exclusive fragrances of the best ingredients which are highligthing one rawmaterial at a time. In this case: Vanilla. In coming reviws amber and oud are featured.

Vanille Charnelle starts with a clean, vanillapod note combined with a milky impression, the marketing buzz says: "Imagine a bath of almond milk laced with vanilla beans in which you want to immerse yourself before meeting your lover". There is no chemical-sweet vanilla like in some cheaper fragrances, this smells like high quality stuff. A hint of a well intergrated pepper soon appears and also a soft, very light hint of flowers. The flowery element is just perceptible, it is not as pronounced as in another clean and bright vanilla also from 2015, Eau d'Italie Morn to Dusk. Just as in the latter, there is no boozy, tobbacco or spicy notes in Vanille Charnelle even if it in the next step of its developement becomes gourmand in its character.  Vanille Charnelle than smells like a fine, delicious, glazed vanilla cake, and just as in the earlier stage without smudgy or cloying elements.Just as Morn to Dusk, Vanille Charnelle is a fragrance in the higher octaves of the olfactory notescale. Even in the basenotes Vanille Charnelle retains its sort of light impression, still gourmand and with a musky touch cleaverly counterbalanced by an almost undetectable vetiver, it's just discerned.

Picture: Les Absolus Vanille Charnelle
Photo: PR Annick Goutal (c)

It seems as there  currently is a trend with a sort of fluffy, clean and pristine vanillas which are very comfortable to wear, so far I have tested Vanille Charnelle and Morn to Dusk and I am convinced there already are or will be more fragrances released in this style.Vanille Charnelle has very little in common with the earlier Annick Goutal vanilla Vanille Exquise which is (as I remember it) sharper, greener, fizzy and more distinctive compared to Vanille Charnelle.

Vanille Charnelle is cozy and comforting to wear in the dark seasons and could also be appropriate for cold and rainy summerdays. Labeled as unisex but I find it more feminine. The silage is close, a skinscent, with longevity for a day. Summed up Vanille Charnelle is a very well balanced, skillful crafted fragrance which, not surprisingly, is also priced thereafter. 

Rating: 4

Notes: Ylang-ylang, mandel, pepper, vanilla, tonka bean, white musk, vetiver

Les Cocottes de Paris - La Belle Otero

Picture: Agustina Otero Iglesias (1868-1965)
"La Belle Otero"
Photo: PR Les Cocottes de Paris (c)

Les Cocottes de Paris is a brand started by Anaïs Biguine who also started the Jardins d'Ecrivains brand, inspired by litterature and gardens, some years ago. In the new brand, the inspiration comes from some famous nineteenth century courtesans who were active in the french capital. La Belle Otero is the first of three fragrances to be tested, inspired of a spanish artist, Agustina Otero Iglesias, who is said to have "devoted her life to dancing, men, precious stones, gambling, parties and all above freedom". The fragrance is said to be an invitation to misbehave and I can agree with that when testing La Belle Otero.

La Belle Otero starts sharp, fruity, boozy, chemical, almost as something that could be a sweet fruity floral celebrity fragrance but less sugary. Than the fragrance becomes more flowery, the violet accentuated by a crispy narcissus takes the center. There is almost a lipsticknote present but without the characteristic powdery-creamy smell that is the lipstick standard. The fruity note is still present in the basenotes, balanced by sandalwood and with musk which reinforces the blend. There is something vaugly dirty and decadant glimpsing through the floral-fruity facade, like dirty underwear hiding under a brand new amazing haute couture gown.

Picture: La Belle Otero
Photo: PR Les Cocottes de Paris (c)

Strong syntetical violet and narcissus over a light sandalwood infused by fizzy. musky, fruity elements is the synthesis of La Belle Otero. It's a demanding fragrance with rough edeges but in the same time a somehow pleasant fragrance to wear. It's a dangeroues fruity floral, something dark and beastly are lurking in the background. I think the syntetic smell is a bit too much in La Belle Otero but leaving that a aside, this is a intriguing and in the same time happy and taken as a whole, nice to wear fragrance.

Those who likes fragrances as Rober Piguet Jeunesse, Eau d'Italie Graine de Joie, Parfums MDCI Cio Cio San and By Kilian Playing with the Devil (which is much darker) could probably appreciate La Belle Otero.

Rating: 3

Notes: Neroli, pepper, absinthe, ginger, fig, violet, musk, lavender, narcissus, buchu, lavender, iris, frankincense, sandalwood 

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Eau d'Italie - Morn to Dusk

Picture: Amor and Psyche, children 
Painting 1890 by
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905)
Wikimedia Commons

Morn to Dusk is the latest release from italian nichehouse Eau d'Italie. Morn to Dusk is created by Annick Menardo, the nose behind many sucesses around Y2K for example Dior Hypnotic Poison, Bulgari Black and Lolita Lempicka.As I like Annicks bold style, it's a bit exciting testing a new vanilla from her.

Morn to Dusk starts vanillic, just like fresh baked vanilla bread, right out from the oven. Soon a light, crispy lilylike flowernote appears, similar to an airy lily of the valley. A smooth musky base, not chemical or loud but fluffy like light clouds in the summer sky, anchors the smooth, flowery.vanilla.The fragrance which I'm thinking of when wearing Morn to Dusk is Elie Saab L'Eau Couture  but Morn to Dusk is a smoother and not loud version and without the orangeblossom and characteristic almond of L'Eau Couture. Morn to Dusk is going on like this in a linear and very pleasant drydown and one think this is all. Until in the very late dry down, when I thought the Morn to Dusk had vanished and I suddenly smelled a finetuned oriental, very light gunpowdery, vanillic accord, tinged with the withw flower  but in a deeper and muskier way than before. The fragrance had turned to be almost retro in style in its last phase, something reminding of a smooth and easy version of Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige. The sillage when this beautiful accord appears seems to be wider, and whiffs are diffusing in the room and remaining for some moments in fluffy, angelic clouds.

Morn to Dusk is a very pleasant, straight forward vanilla with floral notes. It's not the thick, boozy vanilla of for example Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Vanille or L'Artisan Parfumeur Havna Vanille (Vanille Absolument), Morn to Dusk is very easy to wear, smooth, angelic, fluffy without no sharp edges. My nine years old daugther just loves Morn to Dusk, with it's soft, vanillic, fluffy, cloudy aura. Thankfully she has'nt approached the Victoria Secrets, which seems to be the regular type of fragrances worn (if/when someone wears something) in her agegroup.

Picture: Morn to Dusk
Photo: PR Eau d'Italie (c)

Morn to Dusk is a very pleasant fragrance when searcing for something cosy but in the same time light and non-offending. It's clean, non-cluttered, seems to be simple in construction and could therefore be misjudged if not worn for several times, taking the time to sniff carefully and evaluating. Morn to Dusk suitable for daytime wear autumn, winter, spring and for grey, rainy summerdays. Sillage is close and longevity for at least a day.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, freesia, lily of the valley, vanilla, cedarwood, musk

Eau d'Italie - Acqua Decima

Picture: Acqua Decima, the color of the bottle
describes the juice perfectly.
Photo: PR Eau d'Italie (c)

Acqua Decima is the perfect summerfragrance from Eau d'Italie , dreated by Alberto Morillas. Acqua Decima was launched already 2013 and is the only Ed'I I havn't tested. Until now. The review of the new Morn to Dusk will follow later as vanilla goes well in the autumn.

Acqua Decima is said in the PR to be inspired by the scented notes which could be smelled along The Path of the Gods a mountain walk that links the Amalfi coast with the Bay of Sorrento, through cliffs in the wilderness over a glimmering blue sea. The gold of lemons and mandarins, the warmth of Neroli, the fresh coolness of petitgrain, enlivened by zesty notes of mint leaves.

Acqua Decima starts with a distinctive citrus accord, the mandarine must be the bitter version as there is almost no sweetness in the fragrance, it is of a herbal kind. Soon mint tunes in and takes the centerstage.It's not the chemical thoothpaste mint, this one is fresh and herbal. I can also smell something similar to tomatoleaves and for some moments I smell a modern version of Sisley Eau de Campagne. The herbal, minty accord, is wrapped in the citrusnotes which plays the supporting part after the very first accord.  The fragrance goes on very green, dry and quite linear. The basenotes are light woody green, constituting as the calm background to the sparkling, Sharp, just cutted greenery in the earlier stages. Overall Acqua Decima is edgy and contemporary in style, a member of the new colognes which are not as traditional in structure as the old citrus, light herbal ones. Despite classified as unisex, Acqua Decima to me is quite masculine, it's sharp and has no smothness or sweetness at all. Therefore I can't rate it after my wearing and have to rely on Mr Parfumistas judgement. Some of the other Eau d'Italies have the herbal, outdoorsy, sharpness also, I'm thinking of the original Eau de Italie and Magnolia Romana (worn by me in late spring/summer) both of them have more flowery components which creates a bit smoother, more feminine aura. When Mr Parfumista wears Acqua Decima he also detect a note similar to a lavander in the herbal accord. Overall he find it to be a well constructed fragrance, easy to wear and a fragrance that many people could like. Despite that he founds Acqua Decima a fragrance of much at it's own, there are some similarities to antoher fragrances but not so many. Mr Parfumista smells a hint from the classic cologne Bowling Green from Geoffrey Beene.
Aqua Decima is a genuine daytimefragrance for summer. The sillage is medium and the longevity for almost a day.

Rating: 4

Notes: Lemon, mandarin orange, mint, neroli, petitgrain, white wood, vetiver

Parfums MDCI - Cio Cio San

Picture: Poster for Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini,
Author: Alberto Hohenstein (1854-1928), Wikimedia commons

Cio Cio San is the latest addition to the high quality Parfums MDCI line. Just as the intriguing Nuit de Andalouse from 2013, Cio Cio San is created by one of the brightest shining stars on the perfume heaven in the latest years: Cecile Zarokian. Cecile seems to have good hand (and nose) with oriental styled parfumes, she has created some of my favorites in the genre; Masque Tango, Laboratorio Olfattivo Kashnoir and Amouage Epic Woman.

Cio Cio San is also oriental styled but a floral oriental with intriguing, supporting fruity notes which are lightened up with skillfull handled teanotes which are note sharp or chemical at all. Cio Cio San starts sparkling with pink, lush floral notes, accentuated with fruits, with litchi as the leading star. I can't say that I can distinguish the cherry blossoms but I suppose they are involved in the sparkling, pink flowery opening.
From the very beginning Cio Cio San reminds me of a sort of reversed and less sweet Graine de Joie from Eau d'Italie. Where the fruits are the protagonists, supported by flowers in Graine de Joie, the flowers takes the central position in Cio Cio San even if distinctly supported by the fruits. Soon also deeper nuances appears in Cio Cio San which shows a wider spectrum of accords than in Graine de Joie. After a whlie a dark, rubbery note, similar to the rubber note of rose oil appears and as rose isn't mentioned I guess it comes from the peony. There is also a light glimpse of a fresh almost petrollike note in this stage. Soon also a dark woody note appears, it's similar to a light touch of oud (also not mentioned among the notes) and there is also something almost boozy lurking in the woody musky depths of Cio Cio San. Even in the deeper and darker dimensions of the fragrance, the loveliness of the flowers and fruits are clearly present. The teanote is perfectly intergrated and creates an airy and almost light impression also in the basenotes. There is also a pleasant sort of  tingling (maybe the ginger) tartness present during most of the dry down. The notes of Cio Cio San doesn't smell chemical which could be a problem in some fruity-florals and tea fragrances, respectively.

Picture: The "bust bottle" of Cio Cio San, there
is also a version with a plain cap.
Photo: PR Parfums MDCI (c) 

Just as Cio Cio San herself aka Madame Butterfly, the fragrance Cio Cio San is a fragrance with at least two faces: The happy one just as in the very beginning of the opera, then the melancolic and sad expression just as the way to, and the end of, this tragic drama. Another beautiful flower fragrance which honors Madame Butterfly is Amouage Honour Woman (swe) which is a creamy, well blended, but less original white floral which plays in a less dramatic scale and in higher octaves than Cio Cio San.

Cio Cio San is a intriguing fragrance where different ascpects/facetts are highlighted in different wearings depending for example from how much of the scent is applicated. I'm looking forward to test Cio Cio San also in cold weather as I suspect it will wears nice then too. For summer it's great. Cio Cio San is appropriate for many occasions, both for work and casual, but not for sports, it's too complex for that.
Sillage is somewhere between close to medium, longevity for at least a day with traces on skin the morning after.

Those who like good quality fruity florals as Neela Vermeire Creations Bombay Bling, By Kilian Playing With The Devil and Robert Piguet Jeunesse I suspect will also appreciate Cio Cio San.

Rating: 5

Notes: Yuzu, lemon, ginger, grapefruit, cherry blossom, peony, litchi, tea, guaiac wood, cedar, mus

Eau d'Italie - Un Bateau pour Capri

Picture: Overlooking Capri harbor from
the rotunda in Villa San Michele
Photo: Morn the Gorn (cc) Wikipedia Commons.,
some rights reserved

Un Bateau pour Capri is an Eau d'Italie fragrance inspired from the neighbourhood of Positano, the beautiful Island Capri. The fragrance is composed by Jacques Cavallier. When it comes to Capri I remember, many years ago, I almost missed the boat from Capri, strolling around in Villa San Michele, built around the turn of the century 1900, for the highsociety physican and philantrophe Axel Munthe, (sometimes called "the swedish Rasputin" as the gossip said he almost spellbound the swedish Queen consort Victoria at the time. Anyway, they were friends and had some Capri-projects about taking care of animals together.) When I was aware of that the bus had left for the harbour, I had the great luck to find a cab up there on the mountin and after a fast ride I caught the ferry and could re-join to our group just in the last minute. Now, over to the Capri inspired fragrance: Un Bateau pour Capri.

Un Bateau pour Capri starts with an aldehydic, fruity, fizz with an almost hairspray like tonality. There is also a cold, watery flowercomponent supporting, probably the peony brightened up with the freesia. Soon also a tart note appears, creating a contrasting, sort of deep freshness of the fragrance. The tart accord is following through the whole fragrance and deepens when it mingles with the woody-musky base. This tart fruity/woody aldehydic note is prounonced and what makes UBpC characteristic. The note is almost off-putting but in the same time somehow pleasant and this is what makes UBpC interesting. In the drydown, UBpC is much more floral, a dark, dense, rose-jasmine accord and despite a distinct cedarnote, the fragrance is very feminine in its expression. The rose-cedar accord remins me of my favorite Eau d'Italie fragrance so far, Pasteum Rose, which is morse unisex in style than UBpC. The aldehydic fizz is present even in the base but in dark and slight soapy way. When wearing Un Bateau pour Capri, besides Pasteum Rose, two fragrances especially  comes to my mind: Esprit d'Oscar by Oscar de la Renta for the aldehydes in the first stages of the perfume and Perles de Lalique for the cedar-rose combo, even if the cedarnote is much more prominent in the latter.

Picture: Map of Capri. Uses terrain data from SRTM3
Author: modified by Morn the Gorn (cc)
 Wikipedia Commons, some rights reserved

Despite the aldehydes and the darkness of Un Bateau pour Capri, the fragrance is refreshing worn a warm summerday, maybe in the restful shadows from the threes in the garden of Villa San Michele. If Un Bateau pour Capri had a color it would be dark blue shifting in purple as the Mediterrean sky at
dusk. Un Bateau pour Capri is casual chic in style, appropriate for a holiday on Capri and the Amalficoast. Sillage and longevity are both outstanding for this fragrance, it lasts for more than 24 hours. UBpC is also approved by Mr Parfumista who complemented it in different phases of the dry down, such statement is quite rare taking in account the many fragrances I test.

Rating: 5

Notes: Peony, freesia, peach, rose, jasmine, heliotrophe, musc, wood, cedar

Eau d'Italie - Graine de Joie

Picture: HRH Prince Carl Philip and his fiancee Sofia Hellqvist
on their engagementday June 27th, 2014.
Photo: Expressen Sven Lindvall (c)

Graine de Joie from italian nichehouse Eau d'Italie is a red berry boost raised to ten. Graine de Joie is created by Daphne Bugey. The fragrance is said to be inspired by the idea of love and according to the marketing blurb "we have decided to celebrate love, and to create a fragrance that conjures up the irresistible light-headedness of when you fall in love." Graine de Joie would have been the olfactory background for the great royal news of last Friday: The handsome HRH Prince Carl Philips engagement with his charity working, from a small village, middle class background, girlfriend Sofia Hellqvist. Another Cinderella story following the one of HRH Prince Daniel. The color and expression of Graine de Joie is exactly the red color of Sofias elegant dress.

Graine de Joie starts very uplifting with ripe redberries and pomegranate, red, lush and mouthwatering delicious. The berry-pomegranate combo goes through the whole fragrance supported by a fizzy freesia who is contrasting and lighten up the fragrance. There are also a contrasting, tart note, maybe some redcurrant leaves is added to the mix or the note just picturing the tartness present in the berries themselves. Not unexpected, the berry-bowl is grounded in a well balanced musky, light woody base.

Picture: The sunny spirit of Graine de Joie
Photo: PR Eau d'Italie (c)

Beside the royal engagement, Graine de Joie gives me the image of a bowl with ripe red berries and fruits avaible when relaxing in a sunny mediterrian garden in the peak of the summer.Graine de Joie is a perfect fragrance for the season, something that departs from the usual fresh aquatics or citrus scents. The fragrance is much richer than the usual sommerfragrances and despite its full blown berry sweetness, it doesn't becames sickly sweet or smells chemical. It's an uncomplicated happy and easy to wear fragrance, appropriate both for work or casual wearing. Graine de Joie is a good composition in the floral-fruity genre. I find it more ordinary in style than the intriguing and demanding earlier Eau d'Italie compositions such as the burnt, spicy, woody Bois d'Ombrie, the green, rough, woody Sienne l'Hiver, the dramatic rose Pasteum Rose and the special cologne styled first fragrance Eau d'Italie which I personally prefer.

When it comes to similar fragrances, first of all Robert Piguet Jeunesse comes to my mind, though that one has more dept and contrasting non-berry/fruity notes. Also the fragrances in By Kilians subline In the Garden of Good and Evil are in the same style, reviews of In the City of Sin, Good Girl Gone Bad, Forbidden Games and Playing with The Devil.

Rating: 4

Notes: Red berries, red currant, pomegranate, freesia, flowers, praline, musk,cedar

Vero Profumo - Onda Voile d'Extrait

Picture: Onda Voile d'Extract
Photo: PR Vero Profumo (c) 

Onda Voile d'Extrait is swiss perfumer Vero Kerns of Vero Profumo alternative interpretation of the original Onda Extrait (released 2007). To me, the Voile d'Extrait is more similar to the Extrait then the Edp with its passionfruitnote which is the characteristics for the Edp versions of Onda, Rubj and Kiki.

In both Onda Extrait and Voile d'Extrait the vetivernote is dominating and in both fragrances in a different way than in most vetiverfragrances, especially the extrait is unusual. In both fragrances the vetiver is surrounded by spices, herbs, mossy and woody elements which creates the perfect image of the smell of early spring, when the snow has just melted and the sun is warming up the soil in the forestground. That was the situation when I tested Onda Voile d'Extrait and I took a walk around the small lake in the woodland nearby. Onda Voile d'Extrait matched perfectly as well as the drops of the Extrait that I worn on my left arm as reference. When comparing the two Ondas I think the Extrait is the more difficult of the two. The Extrait starts deeper, darker and almost animalic, dirty whereas the Voile d'Extrait is ligther and more sparkling, it has more of the fizzy gingernotes where Extrait has deeper and warmer spicy notes. The Extrait is more retro in style, with powdery, a bit dirty  notes and the vetiver is seamless blended with the other ingredients. The Voile d'Extrait is clearer, the vetiver is greener and more distinct and the composition is somehow fresher in appearance. I think the Voile d'Extrait will appear to a broder public than the Extrait which is more complicated and to generalize, more of a "perfumista fragrance". I like both versions but prefer the Extrait as it is more challenging during it's developement.

Onda Voile d'Extrait is suitable for casual daytime wear but it's also good for office. It's perfect for late winter and spring, the sillage is medium and longevity for 12h+.

Those who likes vetiver fragrances such as Chanel Sycomore and L'Artisan Parfumeur Coeur de Vetiver Sacré, sharp, dark, smoky greens as Hermès Eau de Gentiane Blanche and Eau d'Italie Sienne l'Hiver will probably also appreciate Onda Voile d'Extrait.

Rating: 4  (Onda Extrait still 5 just as when I tested 2009 and 2011)

Notes: Vetiver, ginger, nutmeg, coriander

Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule

Picture: Castel del Monte, Wikimedia commons


Santal Majuscule is created by Christopher Sheldrake (I guess) for Serge Lutens as the third interpretation dedicated to sandalwood from the house of Serge Lutens. First the warm, indian-spicy Santal de Mysore was created in the early 1990s followed by the almost subdued Santal Blanc ten years later.

Santal Majuscule starts with a slight rough, but in the same time almost smooth sandalwoodnote. A gourmand creaminess occours,some subdued roses reminiscent in style of the rose in Pasteum Rose by Eau de Itally. But most the scent of crushed leaves and stems of the roses emphazises, close to the green tangy accord in Rose Splendide by Annick Goutal.

Beyond these individual notes that I seem to distinguish, Santal Majuscule to me is a woodier and slight green version of one of my favourite Lutens the buttery, peach and bread, santal gourmand Jeux de Peau. IMHO I think they are too close to justify buying both of them, even if both are lovely, and Jeux de Peau a bit lovlier :-) . Of the other sandal Lutens Santal Majuscule just as Jeux de Peau are closest to Santal Blanc, even if both Jeux de Peau and Santal Majuscule both are more interesting than Santal Blanc.

Santal Majuscule even if a contemporary sandalwood somehow feels timeless and takes me to journy of time.To me it mediates the picture of medivial monks writing detailed majuscule and miniscule letters. Or a knight returning to his castle, such as above.

Santal Majuscule is the perfect comfortscent for the colder month of the year but I'm convinced it will suits even in summer as the "green crushed leaves and stem" tangy note developes well under warm conditions.Sillage is medium and longevity good, +12h.

Rating: 4

Notes: Sandalwood, rose, cocoa, tonka been

A summary of Neela Vermeire Creations

At first as I read about the Neela Vermeire Creations I was sceptic because the fact that the hyper-producitve Bertrand Duchaufour is the nose. I have to make clear that I really like many of BD:s creations for example Nuit de Tubereuse and Dzongka are two of my top favourites and his Sienne l'Hiver and Bois d'Ombrie are performing well on Mr Parfumista. But in the latest years Bertrand seems to be everywhere, he works for so many houses and projects that it is easy to assume that he will be exhausted and loose the artistic feeling. Therefore my expectations, when I ordered the discovery set, was: High quality perfumes, blends of superior ingredients and technical perfected but without the artistic sense.

I could not be more wrong. All three of Neela Vermeires creations is all of that mentioned above but also with a great artistical sense that is able transmit the images of India (and lot of other images) that the perfumes will convey. Maybe it is Neela who stands for the sentiment of those lovely creations, but also Bertrand definitly demonstrates his artistic skills.

All three of the Neela Vermeire creations are just great and a pleasure to wear. I had a hard time ranking them and even if I have rated all of them as 5 there is of course a ranking within the best rating. Before testing, from what I had read about the pefumes, I thought the rose-oud Mohur would be my favorite as like oud/rose combinations since years. But as often in perfumeland, the obvious candidate in advance, is overtaken by another when it comes to the real test. up to day the spicy oud Trayeé is number one, followed by the original, best fruity blend so far, Bombay Bling with the beautiful pink rose Mohur in bronze position. I guess that Mohur got distanced because I think it's the one of the three fragrances that is as least original compared to other perfumes.

Neela Vermeire Creations is definitly some of the very best fragrances launched during 2011.

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

Inflation

....i Bertrand Duchaufour? Som alla läsare av olika parfymbloggar säkert noterat så är Bertrand involverad i nästan hysteriskt många doftprojekt. Få se nu, direkt ur minnet: Husnäsa hos L'Artisan där han varit väldigt produktiv det (drygt) senaste året: Traversée du Bosphore, Nuit de Tubereuse, Al Oudh och Havna Vanille. Senaste nyheten är att han blivit husnäsa i det av far och dotter Ellena hittills dominerade The Different Company (TDC). Celine Ellena har tydligen börjat hos en av de större dofttillverkarna och pappa JCE har sedan flera år lämnat TDC för att vara Hermès husnäsa. Åter till inläggets huvudperson Bertrand Duchaufour som på kort tid gjort två dofter för Penhaligons Amaranthine och Sartorial, flera för Eau d'Italie som Pastum Rose och Baume au Dodge, men det var ett tag sedan så det samarbetet pågår nog inte längre. Dessutom har han skapat Frapins senaste doft 1697 liksom Parfums MDCI:s La Belle Helene och det för mig okända märket Marc Atlans Petite Mort.

Bertrand har gjort några av mina favoritdofter Dzongka, Pastum Rose och Nuit de Tubereuse men nu undrar jag var det bär hän. Vad är det som pågår, en slags mainstreamifiering av niche? Det verkar som flera hus nästan i panik anlitar det just nu säkert mest säljande namnet. Trygg investering visserligen men risken är förstås att, med den produktionstakten, dofterna kommer att likna varandra för mycket. Alltså precis det som gruppen doftnördar anklagar segmentet designerdofter för. Tydligen har, enligt vad jag har läst, La Belle Helene många likheter med Traversée du Bosphore. Och Bertrand, ska han månde snart gå i pension och mjölkar ur allt han kan ur sitt varumärke? Annars kan jag inte förstå att han faktiskt riskerar sitt namn på det här sättet.

Själv tror jag att jag håller mig ifrån Bertrands nya skapelser. Fast det kan och andra sidan vara kul att prova och se om mina teorier stämmer så det blir nog en och annan sniff ändå.

Mer av Parfumistans reviewer - Niche 1(2)

Fortsättning på föregående inlägg med länkar till reviewer våren/sommaren 2010 på min förra blogg "Parfumistans dagbok". Listan nedan gäller reviewer av nichepafymer.

Montale Oud Red Flowers: http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=596113

Eau d'Italie Pasteum Rose: http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=596655

Parfums de Nicolaï L'Eau Mixte: http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=604201

 Parfums de Nicolaï Patchouli Homme : http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=604298

Parfums de Nicolaï Violette in Love:  http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=606623

Histoire de Parfums Tubereuse  1 Capricieuse: http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=604241

Histoire de Parfums Tubereuse  3 Animale: http://blogg.expressen.se/parfumistansdagbok/entry.jsp?messid=604286

Fortsättning i nästa inlägg.

OBS: Eventuella kommentarer på något av inläggen lämnas här då jag inte checkar av Parfumistans dagbok

Dagens Doft - Paestum Rose

Den här rosen är alldeles för ljus men vad göra. Mitt bildbibliotek är inte enormt. Foto:Parfumista (c)

Eau d'Italies Paestum Rose börjar där Montales Deep Rose slutar i en purpurfärgad ros som allt mer övergår i nästan svart. I PR är rosen en ingrediens som liksom ingår i mixen. Om man jämför den med Aoud Damascus häromdagen där rosen utgör bortåt 50% av doften som samspelar med övriga ingredienser som delar på restrande 50%.
Den mörka rosendoften är som tydligast i toppnoterna sedan finns den där tillsammans med rökelsträ, myrra, mycket patchoulli (som jag älskar, den ger rosor en dramatisk touch), något lite ormbunkslikt, en lagom dos cederträ (kan bli för skarpt och pepprigt med för mycket) vetiver och harts. Det finns såklart mycket mer i doften men detta är något om stilen. För mig är den främst mörk ros, patchoulli och cederträ. PR är skapad av den superhypade Bertrand Douchaufour och jag tycker att PR vid sidan av Dzongkha tillhör hans bättre skapelser.
PR är en mycket dramatisk och melankolisk doft, den passar året om men inte när det är som varmast. Perfekt denna kalla vår. Väldigt stark för att vara en EDT och kan lätt överappliceras vilket hände mig en gång vilket gjorde att jag inte vill använda doften på månader. Vid närmare eftertanke så påminner PR en hel del om Laliques fina Perles de Lalique , men den senare är tyngre på cederträet.

Betyg: 4+