Aedes de Venustas - Copal Azur

Picture: Views of the South Seas, a set of four,
HMS Resolution and Discovery in Tahiti
Watercolour by James Cleveley (1747-1786),
Wikipedia commons
 

New York based perfumstore and also perfume house Aedes de Venustas has, like so many others, also accelerated their launch rate the latest year. Copal Azur realeased in late 2014 is their second latest one. Copal Azur is composed by Bertrand Duchaufour.

Copal Azur starts with an accord dominated by a sort of smooth, rounded but in the same time distinct incensenote. The incense is not as heavy or sharp as in the traditional church insence personified by the classic  Commes des Garcons Avignon. Further on an accompanyng accord appears. This accord reminds me of a something woody, coconutty in a airy, humid, salty surrunding, there is also a slight woody-green note present. I get an image of a palm-tree situated on a beach, the weather is becoming worse, grey skies are appearing over the sea and the wind is increasing and with flurries. From the still sunwarmed palm-tree trunk, one can smell the tree resin, balsamic-woody with hints of coconut. As Copal Azur dries down further down, the resin qualities strengthens as also the spicy ones and in the same time the fragrance also becomes  ambery sweet. Maybe, at least when it comes to my nose, a bit too sweet when compared to the intitial airy-incense phase of the fragrance. Even if a different incensesmell, the airy pine-incense Oriza L.Legrand Relique D'Amour comes to my mind as it's also the airy incense concept but sutiated in the North whereas Copal Azur is the airy incense of the shores in the countries around the equator.
Recently I watched a documentary on television about Captain James Cook and I can imagine the smell of Copal Azur when the ship anchored by the islands in the South Pacific.

Picture: The beautiful Copal Azur bottle.
Photo: PR Aedes de Venustas (c)

Copal Azur is refreshing and pleasant to wear especially in spring and summer but could also be suitable in autumn and winter when in the right mood for this type of high and airy incense. It's a daytime fragrance, perfect for both work and casual. Silllage is medium and longevity for a day. Copal Azur is totally unisex.

Those who likes different kinds of airy incense fragrances as for example the dry, woody, high Incense Extreme by Andy Tauer, the light slight flowery incense Encens d'Ange by Autour de Parfums as well as the airy-aldehydic "Chanelesque" incense of Montale Full Incense could also like Copal Azur.

Rating: 4

Notes: Incense, salt, ozonic notes, patchouli, cardamom, tonkabeen, amber, myrrh

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to try

Autour du Parfums - Encens d'Ange

Picture: Two Winged Putti (ca 1748-50)
Drawing of Francois Boucher (1703-1770)

Encens d'Ange is a perfect name for this light incese fragrance from Autour du Parfums a line that I have to say is quite affordable, ca EUR 43 for 50 ml.

I also have to confess that I'm not so fond of the opening accord of Encens d'Ange as it somehow reminds me of ELDO Jasmine et Cigarettes but without the cigarette butt note of the latter but with the same almost wast flowery note as JeC. And that even if there are no flowery notes mentioned in the notelist. But topnotes are there to fade and after a while Encense d'Ange becomes deeper with confier and incense notes. The incense is still light and the green softwood/fir needle lends some a sort of forest freshness to the composition. There is also a well balanced note of pencilshavings typical for cedarwood somewhere in the middle of the fragrance. As Encens d'Ange deepens in the basenotes, there are plesant notes of resins amplified by a discrete musk which together creates a sort of pleasant moisty, earthy note with almost a touch of fresh tabacco.

 Encens d'Ange in its somehow fresh lightness, is a perfect incense fragrance for summer, it blooms used during a warm and a bit humid summerday. It's appropriate to wear both for work and casual. The longevity is very good, for at least a day and the sillage is medium.

Those who like uplifting incenses as L'Artisan Parfumeur Passage d'Enfer and Dzongkha, Serge Lutens L'Eau Froide and Andy Tauer Incense Extreme will probably also appreciate Encens d'Ange. That even if the exemplified fragrances are more distinctive in charchter and Encens d'Ange smoother and easier to wear.

Rating: 4

Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, incense, perubalm, tolubalm, firbalm, benzoin, cedarwood, musk, cistus labdanum

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample of Encens d'Ange.