Parfums de Nicolaï - Amber Oud

Picture: Amber Oud
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Amber Oud is one of two newly launched perfumes by Parfums de Nicolaï containing the famous oudnote. As always the owner of the house the Guerlain descendant, ISIPCA graduated perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï has created the fragrance.

Amber Oud starts with a light animalic, almost barnyard like accord followed by lavender and herbal notes. Something in the mix, probably the interaction between some of the ingredients, smells almost as dry pineapple with hints of an also dry vanilla note. In this part Amber Oud strangely enough reminds me of an unsweet version of Sonia Rykiel Belle en Rykiel. The lavender cinnamon that is present in Amber Oud also reminds med of another Nicolaï, the bolder Maharadjah. As Amber Oud continues to develope in the heart, light spices and the amber emerges. The amber is of the herbal, not boozy or vanillic, variety, the same style of amber as in Maître Perfumeur et Gantier Ambre Precieux but softer. Parfums de Nicolaï Amber Oud should therefore not be compared to its namesake ByKilian Ambre Oud as the latter is of the amber-vanillic type. In Nicolaï Amber Oud there are also woody notes supporting the spices and one of them is oud which blends seamless with the other and add some dept to the woody part. This is just like the contribution of the oud in Mona di Orio Oud where the oud is so well integrated that I don't think of it as a oudfragrance, but as as a well balanced fragrance with woody notes. In the basenotes the animalic vibe from the start of Amber Oud returns but in this stage it is smoother, surrounded by balsamic and slight powdery notes, and later on a deeper, darker, slight boozy note which also is present in Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Doré (another fragrane on the amber-oud theme but less herbal despite it's heritage from Ambre Precieux) appears and is present until the last traces of Amber Oud, almost 24 h after application.

Despite Amber Ouds extensive notelist, the fragrance is overall minimalistic in apperance, it is comforting as in the same time casual chic. The fragrance developes step by step in a wellbehaved manner and it is classic in apperance and very wearable. Even if not smelling alike, I  instinctively come to think of Guerlain Heritage but also Habit Rouge when it comes to the well mannered style of Amber Oud. As a wearer, one have to appreciate a developement "in the small" as Amber Oud is all about nuances, there is nothing bold or glaringly with it. Amber Oud is polite and proper in many situations and will not interfere for example in the workplace. Even if unisex I think this one is the most masculine of the two Nicolaï oud-launches.

Amber Oud is a good representative of the "second oud generation" fragrances where oud is one of the interacting and supporting notes and not the dominating note and theme of the fragrance as the "first
oud generation" like the Montales, Juliette Has a Gun Midnight Oud etc. Amber Oud is a fragrance with oud which I don't think of as an oud, to me it's an aromatic-spicy-balsamic fragrance.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lavender, thyme, sage, artemisia, cinnamon, saffron, oud, cedar, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, tonka bean, styrax, musk, castoreum, amber.

Guerlain Shalimar - comparison between different versions

Picture: Shalimar perfume
Photo: PR Guerlain (c)

Shalimar the greatest, or at least the best known, of the classics of the honorable house of Guerlain is avaible in different concentrations and formulations from different decades. Here are my impressions from a side-by-side test on scentstripes of some Shalimars.

Shalimar EDC current version: The EDC is faint in apperance compared to all the other versions tested. It has not the same dept and emphasizes light lemony and almost smoky, airy woody vanilla notes whereas the darker resins are playing the second role. The composition is more transparent, paler and colognelike than the rounder, fuller and more lemony Eau de Shalimar. Just as the latter, Shalimar EDC is suitable for the warmer months.

Shalimar EDT ca Y2K version: This one is much stronger, deeper and much heavier on the resin, balsamicnotes. The bergamotaccord in the topnote are much more distinctive and dirty than the lemony note of the EDC. This Shalimar EDT is a favorite of mine, on my skin it transforms to the pleasant smell of a clean but wet woolen sock.

Shalimar EDP late 00-version: A rounder, smoother and softer version than the Y2K EDT-version. The radiance is less, it's more powdery in the texture and it's overall a more polite and well behaved Shalimar than the EDT-version. And more wearable as the dirtyness of the bergamot is pared down.

Shalimar EDP 2010 version. Thierry Wasser had to rework Shalimar 2010 probably because of several IFRA-restrictions that became effective this year. This version still has the spirit and aura of Shalimar and it's not so different from the late 00-version but it's sweeter, more vanillic, less resinous and lacks some of  the dept of the earlier version. The most wearable if related to the common perfumetaste of today, very comforting a grey and chilly day.

Overall even if some of the characteristic, dirty, deep, resinous notes have been significantly tuned down, Shalimar is still a great fragrance. It has managed to adapt to new eras and avaible ingredients and is also in its current interpretation much more interesting then most other fragrances, especially mainstream but also the majority of niche.

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 :-).

Guerlain - Myrrhe et Delires

Picture:  Commiphora myrrha by Franz Eugen Köhler,

 Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen,1897, Wikipedia commons

Myrrhe & Delires is the latest creation in the Guerlain L'Art et Matiere-line. It's created by the current Guerlaan inhouse perfumer Thierry Wasser.

Myrrhe & Delires starts sort of resinous, fresh and airy. There is also an accord that reminds me of classical, oriental/chypre perfumes fleeting in and out in the basic structure of the perfume during the top and middlenotes. The classical accord reminds me of the typical chic "french" smell of Balenciaga Prelude and also hints of Quadrille from the same house. This typical french-chic note is also present in Balmain Ivoire vintage version even if the latter fragrance is green, aldehydic, flowery, soapy which is not the case with the former fragrances. Quite early in the dry down the to some myrrhe fragrances typical licorie note appears. In M&D this note is light and airy, contrasting to for example Huitieme Art Myrrhiad (in swedish), is dark, dense and mysterious compared to M&D. There is also a streak of the cold, dark, slight smoky accord of Juliette Has A Gun Calamity J. but tuned down and expressed in a softer and smoother way. The rest of the dry down is soft, sweet, resinous and retains the airy interpretation of licorie. To me the opening accords (as with most of the fragrances I have tried from the L'Art et Matiere-line )  are the most interesting part of the fragrance, but the linear dry down that follows later is beautiful, very comforting and easy to wear. To my nose there are some similarities between the composition of the base of Tonka Imperiale and Myrrhe & Delires as also with Cuir Beluga.

As Myrrhe & Delires is'nt overly sweet and almost airy in it's texture, the fragrance is wearable for both day and evning during the whole year, except for the warmest days in the summer. Sillage is close, longevity about 24h.

Those who likes Annick Goutal Myrrhe Ardente, Serge Lutens La Myrrhe (in swedish) and Mona di Orio Jabu (even if myrrhe in Jabu is just a supporting note) will probably enjoy Myrrhe & Delires too.

Rating: 4

Notes: Bergamot grapefruit, osmanthus, jasmine, rose, violet leaf; patchouli, incense, tonka bean, vanilla, myrrh, licorice

Guerlain - Tonka Imperiale

Picture: Roman Emperors

Source: http://vaticanarthistoriantours.com

Tonka Imperiale is one of the later creations in the Guerlian exclusiveline L’Art et la Matière. Tonka Imperiale is a true warm and slight, gourmand sweet oriental, created by the Guerlain houseperfumer Thierry Wasser.

Tonka Imperiale starts with a warm, sweet but in the same time light and subtle, a bit powdery accord of tonka been. After a while a very balanced note that reminds me of a rounded cedarwood note appears, maybe it's one of the woody notes or maybe it's the mix of wood, herbs and spices that induces this impression. An almost liquorlike note of tobacco, balanced with light, almost not detectable flowers appears and contrasts after a while with "fresher" colder, balmy notes of incense and fir. As in all of the L’Art et la Matière fragrances I have tried so far, the ingedients are so well balanced, rounded and fine tuned that there is hard to distinugue them separately from each other. Tonka Imperiale is no exception It's a very well crafted fragrance with gourmand undertones. In the basenotes there is a slight powdery caramelnote, similar to the one in Prada Candy (in swedish) but darker, less sweet and a bit stronger. In Tonka Imperiale the tonkabeen is not combined with vanilla which is common, and that probably tempers the sweetness to a pleasant, moderate level. In the texture Tonka Imperiale has similarities with the elegant immortelledominated Guerlain Cuir Beluga, it's like a pushier, more masculine (even if unisex) interpreation of a similar theme. Both are beautiful fragrances but Cuir Beluga to my nose, is a bit more original.

Tonka Imperiale is perfect for autumn, winter and the chilly early spring. Even if moderatly sweet I suspect it could be overhelming in warm summerdays. Tonka Imperiale is a true comfort fragrance, it's not overpowering if applied with care and therefore a perfect officescent that brings comfort also to other than the wearer. Sillage is medium and longevity for 24h.

Those who likes the fragrances mentioned above as also Carner Barcelona Tardes, Parfumerie Generale Tonkamande, Etro Heliotrophe and Parfums Nicolaï Kiss me tender , even if the two latter is more floral, will also like Tonka Imperiale

Rating: 4

Notes: Bergamot, rosemary, jasmine, almond, tonkabeen, tobacco, incense, cedar, pine

Guerlain – Cruel Gardenia

Picture: Gardenia flower from the gardens at Monticello
Photo:Querbubbles (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Cruel Gardenia is a part of the Guerlain L’Art et la Matiere Collection where Guerlain let mostly “off-house” noses create based on one single note. Cruel Gardenia is composed by perfumer Randa Hammami in 2008.

As written so many times before, there is not possible to extract from the gardenia flower by any technique. Therefore there are many different white flower interpretations pretending to be gardenia. Cruel Gardenia starts with a bouquet of white flowers where quite soon the mushroom note typical for some gardenias shining through very clearly to me. I can’t feel a cheesy note that also is present in some other gardenia, but probably that is just another facet of the fresh, mushroom note. When the mushroom is faded a wonderful, creamy, thick, white floral blend is appearing and is the linear main theme during the whole dry down. There is also an accompanying, fresh fruity almost citrus, slight ozonic like note balancing the creamy white flowers and all this beauty is anchored in a white and clean musky base. The impression of Cruel Gardenia is that of a luxury bodycreme and the style and associations of smelling the scent reminds me very much of the beautiful Puredistance I. I isn’t as thick as Cruel Gardenia, it’s lighter and more ozonic in texture.

Even if Cruel Gardenia is not a groundbreaking composition, it’s an very wearable, utterly elegant comfort scent made of high quality ingredients and seamless blended. The longevity is very good, almost 24h and the sillage is medium.

I think Cruel Gardenia could be appreciated by those who like Cartier Baiser Volé and Ramón Monegal White Musk (Cotton Musk).

Rating: 5

Notes: Neroli, peach, rose, gardenia, ylang-ylang, gardenia, musk, sandalwood, tonka been, vanilla

Guerlain – Iris Ganache

Picture: Three Godiva truffles
Author: Ginny (cc) Wikimedia commons 

Iris Ganache, created by Thierry Wasser is the irisinterpretation in the Guerlain gourmandepos L’Art et la Matiere. Iris Ganache is the first from the line that has been discontinued but some bottles could still be aviable.

Iris Ganache starts with an elegant, wellcrafted iris, almost compleatly without the carrotnote that is present in the more orris-rooty iris interpretations. The iris is blended with a light,  leathernote, like the image of smooth, white or beige colored leather used in a pair of long, glacé-gloves, matching an elegant ball-gown . When Iris Ganache dries down to the middlenotes it becomes sweeter and a note that reminds me of white chocolade occurs: The flowery iris is still there, and brings a coolness that counterbalances the sweetness in a wellblended manner. This impression lasts during the rest of the drydown where the musk, vanilla and patchouli which the blend contains, isn’t recognizable as separate notes but as a wellblended, smooth and pleasant base for the iris-gourmand accord. Iris Ganache is described as containing powdery notes, but to my nose these notes are subdued and just slightly recognizable, to my nose Iris Ganache has an almost bubble bath-y note in the late drydown. Iris Poudre by Parfums Editions Frederic Malle is much more powdery IMO.

Iris Ganache is comfortable and elegant in the same time. It’s a perfect scent both for dressed up occasions as for work to cheer up and to convey a pleasant olfactory presence. The longevity of Iris Ganache is for more than a day and the sillage is close, this is an elegant and subtle skinscent. 

Those who appreciate iris scents in the style of Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris, Prada Infusion d’Iris Absolue, Huiteme Art Naiviris and Xerjoff Irisss will probably also like Iris Ganache.

Rating: 4

Notes: Cinnamon, bergamot, iris, white chocolate, patchouli, cedar, musk, vanilla, amber 

Guerlain - Bois d'Armenie

Picture: Haghartsin monastery, Armenia
Photo:Fhen (cc) Wikimedia Commons some rights reserved

Bois d'Armenie  by Annick Menardo is the fourth installment in the Guerlain L'Art et Matiere line. It's the most subtle and gentle true woody oriental fragrances I have tested so far. To me Bois d'Armenie is totally unisex even if marked as male in some descriptions.

Bois d'Armenie starts soft spicy woody with some very smooth incense and a note that reminds me of nectar. The nectarnote later on becomes sort of a soft note of honey that glimpses by. Maybe I'm anosmiac to something in Bois d'Armenie because during the drydown I percieve the same linear, smooth, a bit sweet, spicy, gentle, light woody scent and it's faint to me. Cosy and nice, well blended of good ingredients, but no challenges or excitement. A safe fragrance for everyday wear except for the warm summerdays. The least appealing fragrance to me in the L'Art et Matiere line, even if good quality there is not much going on in this according to my nose.

Rating: 3

Notes: Iris, pink pepper, incense,coriander, benzoin, guaiac wood, patchouli, white musk, copahu balm

Guerlain - Cuir Beluga

Picture: Beluga whale, 

Photo: Attribution premier.gov.ru.

(cc) Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved 

Cuir Beluga, created  2005 by Olivier  Polge as one of the first three fragrances for the Guerlain exclusive Les Art et  la Matière line, is the most elegant and polite immortelle dominated fragrance I have tried so far.

Cuir Beluga is an almost linear, gourmand moderatly sweet, composition. A soft and gentle immortelle is the maincharacter complemented with warm  and moderate sweet supporting notes as heliotrophe, vanilla and amber. There is also a slight herbal touch in some stages of Cuir Beluga. The leather, reflected in the name, is a soft, utterly discrete suedenote that unfurls gradually and is most present in the baseaccord. The immortelle of Cuir Beluga is perfectly rounded, smooth and almost on the edge to powdery, it has no rough edges and lacks the syrupy note and loud charachter as the reference imortelle of all times: Annick Goutals predecessor Sables. Also the immortelle in Histoires de Parfumes Tubereuse 3 Animale is rough, tough and loud compared to how the note is presented in Cuir Beluga.The immortelle in Cuir Beluga is complemented with a discrete honey-like note that gives me associations to Serge Lutens tobacco fragrance Fumerie Turque. A more masculine and less subtle (even if also subtle) is Guerlain Tonka Imperiale.  The texture and imaged color of Cuir Beluga is soft suede white, just as the sweet Beluga whale on the picture above. Somewhere (I think it was on Basenotes) I have read that the Beluga in the name of the fragrance refers to this soft whale living in the cold arctic waters and not the russian caviar. Just like the beluga whale is a revelation of smooth comfort in such a harsh environment, Cuir Beluga is a true comfortscent during a cold winterday.

The overall impression of Cuir Beluga is that of an elegant and well balanced skinscent, it's there to comfort the wearer and those who comes close. The sillages is close and the longevity is for almost 24h. At first, Cuir Beluga was a fragrance of growing liking to me. It's a scent that I start to crave after a few days after my latest wearing. Once when I woke up in the middle of the night I could smell a beautiful, soft and calming scent from my pillow, suddenly I realised it was Cuir Beluga. Since that moment this fragrance finally has made me surrender and it's my absolute favorite in the LAelM-line.

Rating: 5

Notes: Aldehydes, mandarine, immortelle, heliotrophe, patchouli, suede, amber, vanilla

Guerlain - Rose Barbare

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose Barbare is created 2005 by Francis Kurkdjian for the Guerlain L'Arte et la Matiere line. Rose Barbare were one of the first three released fragrances of the line, the other was Cuir Beluga and Angelique Noir all created by different for the occasion specially, by Guerlain invited perfumers. As an admirer of complex roseperfumes, Rose Barbare is the fragrance I most appreciate in the L'Arte et la Matiere line. Rose Barbare is a gourmand rose, just as all the fragrances of the L'Arte et la Matiere line is oriented towards the gourmand theme.

Rose Barbare opens with an accord of a creamy and intense pink rose accentuated with greenery. After a while the fragrance deepens in darker notes of patchouli and wood. In this stage with the dark and deep notes, Rose Barbare shows similarities with another Francis Kurkdjian composition, Lady Vengeance from Juliette Has A Gun. The creamy, honyed accord in Rose Barbare, remains and soften the composition during the whole dry down. The concept with the flower embedded in a smooth creamy texture is also used in Cruel Gardenia in the same perfumeline.  There is also an almost vintage touch of Rose Barbare, passages during the development that reminds me of a classy, vintage perfume.

Rose Barbare is an elegant perfume. Just as its siblings in the L'Arte et la Matiere line Rose Barbare is very comfortable, interesting and absolute beautiful. In the same time it's uncomplicated and easy to wear and I suspect that this is a bestseller. Combing those factors is a true work of art and creates a classic. Rose Barbare is a perfect companion for festive events but also to brighten up a gloomy day. Sillage is medium and longevity 24h+.

Rose Barbare would be appreciated by those who like rose scents in the range from  moderate to dark. For example Rose de Nuit and Sa Majeste la Rose by Serge Lutens, Une Rose by Parfums Edition Frederic Malle, Eau Suave by Parfume d'Empires and Roses Musk by Montale.

Rating: 5

Notes: Aldehydes, rose, honey, fenugreek, patchouli, wood

Guerlain – Angelique Noir

Angelique Noir is one of the first fragrances of the Guerlain L’Art et la Matiere Collection. Angelique Noir is created by perfumer Daniela Andrier in 2005.

Angelique Noir starts with a sweet almost almondcake, counterbalanced by a dry fresh hay like note, like newly mown hay. In the background a deep, dark flower is lurking together with a contrasting, almost crispy, flowery note, similar to the note of freesia. The dark, flowery mix is very sweet but not cloying at all. Angelique Noir is very thick in texture, like a viscous, dark liquid or a black, heavy, velvet robe. Indeed, this could be a dark, fallen angel. The angelica note seems to be very concentrated compared with for example the transparent angelicanote in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Musc where it seems to be used more as a sweet, herbal-spicy, flower accent. A fine vanilla note is counterbalancing the dark, slight herbal-spicy flowery notes and the gourmand accord created seems almost edible.

Angelique Noir is a fragrance of it’s own, there are not many of it’s like. It’s a sweet but balanced with dry notes, floral gourmand oriental and as the skilful composes fragrances Angelique Noir is, it’s never being cloying in spite of it’s dark sweetness.

Angelique Noir is an elegant comfort scent, perfect for the cold and dark autumn and winter. Sillage is medium and longevity about 24h.

As I can remember, I haven’t tried any fragrance that is close to Angelique Noir so far. Even if not smelling the same fragrances in the same spirit as Angelique Noir are:  Dior Addict (old version), Tom Ford Black Orchid, and Guerlain Insolence Edp but also fragrances in the, form the former fragrances different style, as Parfumerie Générale Drama Nuui and The Different Company Jasmin de Nuit.

Rating: 5

Notes: Angelica, red berries, pear, caraway, jasmine, vanilla, cedar

Read this

Picture: Patricia de Nicolaï - a true Master Parfumer
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolï (c)

Speaking of Guerlain, there is a very interesting interview on Fragrantica with the Guerlain descendant and true pillar of good and timeless perfumery; Patricia de Nicolï. I really  like her down to earth and
straightforward opinions about the current trends in perfumery.

Unfortunately, one can read between the lines, that future increases in prices are possible as the brand will start with marketing activities and has/will straighten up the bottledesign from their IMO old charming bottles with non-conform labels. So probably all the complainers about the "ugly bottles" finally reached their goal: Raised prices for the last affordable niche line.

Fragrance(s) of the week (40-43) 2013

Picture: The first three fragrances of  L'Art et la Matiere line,
promotionpicture from Guerlain (c) Guerlain

Or to be correct, fragrances of the following weeks: I will be publishing my impressions in reviews of the Guerlains from the L'Art et la Matiere line (less Spiritueuse Double Vanille but that one wasn't originally belonging to the line) which I appreciate very much. The fragrances are delicious and gourmand in style, great perfumes for the coming dark and cold months. The "event" is starting on Monday with the mysterious Black Angel....

Neela Vermeire Creations - Mohur Extrait

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Mohur Extrait (or Espirit de Parfum) is the perfumeversion of Mohur in Edp which was one of the first three Neela Vermeire Creations in early 2012. The Extrait will, just as Ashoka, be launched soon.

I find the Mohur Extrait deeper and darker than the Mohur Edp. Mohur Edp is a bright medium pink rose to me, smooth, almost creamy, spicy and with some fizzy green notes. There is also a leathernote that reminds me slightly of tobbacco. The Extrait gives me the image of heavy silkvelvet in the color of dark purple with golden stiches and loads of roses in the same color, all surrounded by a smooth almost creamy saffron and other delicate spiced stored in smooth leather pouches. The leathernote in Extrait is darker and deeper than in the Edp.The woody notes of oud and sandalwood is gentle and not at all overpowering.  I can also smell a note or part of an accord that reminds me of Annick Goutal Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille (swe). Probably this is an effect of iris and violet interacting, underscored by dark deep notes, in Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille. patchouli and in Mohur Extrait oud. The Extrait has a retro vibe even if not as evident as in Mon Parfum Cheri, par Camille. 

Picture: The matching bottle to the Mohur Extrait
Photo: PR Neela Vermeire Creations (c)

The Extrait, as the perfumestrength in general, is close to the skin wheras the Edp has more radiance. Longevity is good  about 12h in warm weather and as also the Edp, Mohur really blooms when the skin gets warmed. I think both are as good, they complement each other, one for the day and on for the night.  the Extrait is a perfect calming fragrance to sleep in, as it is also for festive evening occasions.  Mohur Extrait just as Mohur Edp is a must try for lovers of intricate oriental rosefragrances such as Guerlain Rose Nacree du Desert d'Orient.

Rating: 5 

Notes: Cardamom, coriander, ambrette, carrot seeds, pepper, elemi, iris, jasmine, rose, violet, almond, leather;sandalwood, amber, woody notes, patchouli, oud, benzoin, vanilla, tonka bean

The Neela Vermeire Creations are avaible here

Guerlain Chamade - Quick comparison between vintage and current

Picture: Chamade
Photo: PR Guerlain (c) 

A fun activity as a part of the perfumehobby is the side by side comparisations on skin or on scentsstripes. When comparing frags by skintesting I normally compare just two, one on each arm.

On of the most exciting excercises is to compare current and vintageversions of fragrances. Below are my short impressions comparing Guerlains green flowery classic Chamade from 1969, the forerunner to other clsssics as Chanel No19 (1971), Van Cleef & Arpels First (1976) and Annick Goutal L'Heure Exquise (1984).

Left arm Guerlain Chamade Edt vintage don't know exact age probably ca 20y.The topnotes its off and I have read on the Guerlain expert, Mr Guerlains blog ,that Chamade doesn't age well. After the oldsmelling topnotes have evaporated the sharp galbanum, the edgy smell of the bulbflowers and a dry gunpowdernote comes forward. The basenotes are warm and comforting, compared to the cool and balmy base of No 19.

Right arm: Chamade Edp current version some pleasant fruity notes blended among the green crisp bulbflowers and no sharp galbanumnote, it's sort of rounded out for the fruity notes. Overall, the current Edp have not the same dept and strenght as the vintage Edt.The Edp is more pleasant and wearable, probably because of the damaged topnotes in Edt. All together I prefer the Edp for wearing and Edt for testing to investigating the deeper facets of the fragrance.

Jardins d'Écrivains - La Dame aux Camélias

Picture: Marie Duplessis (1824-1847)
Watercolor by Camille Roqueplan (1802-1855)

La Dame aux Camélias from french nichhouse Jardins d'Écrivains is something so unusual as a Cologne de Nuit, a cologne to be used for bedtime pleasures. Of course any type of light fragrance could be used if one have the need to be perfumed round the clock but La Dame aux Camélias seems to be perfectly composed for the purpose as it not has the effervescent and uplifting effect as citrusdominated colognes.

La Dame aux Camélias starts with classic orangeblossom cologne notes blended with green and supported with a very smooth cardamom. The impression is that of  freshly laundered high quality linen sheets but without any contemporary detergent note. After a while an accord of delicate, subtle a bit oldfashioned (in a good way) and chilly flowers joins. The scent is clean but underneeth there is something almost on the verge to dirty, light animalic and maybe it's the indolic facet of orangeblossom that makes itself known combined with the musk and powdery tonka of the base. La Dame aux Camélias is a fragrance that triggers the imagination, I can well imagine that this was the scent of the exclusive linen sheets of the real Dame aux Camélias, the courtesan Marie Duplessis who also was the mistress of Alexandre Dumans the younger and the model for Marguerite Gautier in his novel La Dame aux Camélias (1848).

Beeing a colognestyled fragrance, La Dame aux Camélias should be applied liberally and if so, it lasts for a day, anyway if the weather is rainy and the conditions are humid. La Dame aux Camélias is intruiging and in the same time easy and pleasant to wear, entirely officefriendly. And the genereous 250 ml bottle is so beautiful....

Picture: La Dame aux Camélias
Photo: PR Jardins D'Ecrivains

Those who like fragrances such as Prada Infusion de Fleur d'Oranger, Guerlain L'Heure Bleue Edt and Parfumerie Générale Corps et Ames Eau de Toilette Apaisante will probably also appreciate La Dame aux Camélias.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Verbena, cardamom, orange blossom, violet, rose, camellia, tonka bean, musk, juniper wood

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample of  La Dame aux Camélias

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.

Fragrance(s) of the week (30) 2013 - About Mitsi

Picture: Autumn Red peach
Photo: Jack Dykinga, USDA, Wikimedia Commons

Earlier this week I performed a side by side comparasion between the current version of Mitsouko Edp and an earlier version about 10 years old (golden box with yellow fields). The overall impression is similar but I perceive the current version as brighter and thinner in texture, the peachnote is also a tad less ripe. There is also a note close to light vetiver in the base, probably some mossubstitute as I recognize this note from some contemporary chypres and such as Grossmith Golden Chypre. The older version is deeper, darker, moistier and mossier and the impression is more "old-styled". The peachnote is more ripe and light spicy, the base is darker and mossier.  The longevity is about the same for both versions.

I like both versions and just as with the Edt I think that the modern version is more wearable as it is better suited to the tastes of the 2010s, despite retro in style compared to most of the current fragranceofferings. The older version is more oldstyled and reserved for the days when the retromood appears. Overall the new version is a wellcrafted fragrance more intriguing and special even than most of todays niche-offerings.

Guerlain Mahora and Mayotte - Quick comparison

Picture: Mahora in its special tropical styled bottle and box
Photo: PR Guerlain (c)

As wellknown among perfumenerds the warm and full tubereusedominated tropical flower Guerlain  Mayotte in the Parisienne line (bee-bottles with a ribbon on its neck) created 2006 by Jean-Paul  Guerlain is said to be the same (or almost the same) as the Y2K creation of Jean-Paul Guerlain Mahora in the regular line, I think it's discontinued since many years. As mentioned in an earlier post, I received a sample of Mayotte from fellow perfumeblogger Fragrantfanatic to compare with Mahora.

Picture: Mayotte in the Parisienne bottle
Photo: PR Guerlain (c)

Accomplish a side-by-side test of the two I can conclude they are not the same fragrance even if very close to eachother. I suspect that Mayotte is a "lightweight" further development of Mahora, a adjustment to the taste to smoother and more discrete perfumes during the later years.  Compared to Mayotte, Mahora is shrill and loud with some almost vegetale (on the verge to decaying) notes, more in the style of a 1980s perfume. Mayotte is smoother, fuller more discrete and elegant in apperance and therefore easier to wear, a comfortscent that could be used anytime. Wearing Mahora you have to be in the right mood. All in all: The two fragrances are so close that one just have to own one of them. Below I insert the comment from Fragrantfantic the other week as she nails it when she conveys her impressions:

"I did try the Mahora yesterday by itself and it is similar (as in containing the same notes) as Mayotte but it's definitely not the same. The beginning is harsher and trashier, a metallic note is more pronounced and I don't get any gardenia. The drydown is longer and very similar the heart of Mayotte. Next step is to wear them side by side, we'll see if I stick to my words by then :)"

Notes:

Mahora: Orange blossom, almond blossom, green accords, ylang-ylang, neroli, tuberose, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver 

Mayotte: Neroli, frangipani, tuberose, indian jasmine, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver

Fragrance(s) of the week (19) 2013 - Hurry up!

Picture: Miss Dior
Photo: PR Christian Dior (c)

When I a few days ago was reading  this scary entry on the parfumehistorian/perfumeexpert Octavians blog 1000Fragrances, I can not help feel contended with my perfumecollecting strategy during the latest 6-7 months. I have stocked up and complemented with some classics that I really like or think a "full" perfumecollection should contain.

Of course these classics have been reformulated many times since they first appeared but as I have understand from reading the experts as Octavian and Elena at  Perfumeshrine the new regulations will almost completely ruin many of the greats. So the latest half year I have neglected  investments in current perfumereleases, of course I have tested as many as always from samples, but as FB investments I have given the classics the total priority. And even there are some very nice stuff in the current releases tested, overall I get a greater experience with these by this operation salvaged classics as Dior Miss Dior (orginale but the version before the Orignale was added to the name) back-up bottle and Dolce Vita, back-up bottles of Thierry Mugler Angel, Guerlain Shalimar, Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue and also the 2010 version of Yves Saint Laurent Opium to spare my ca 25 ml left of the vintage Edt-version.

Today, it's only 61 days left, so hurry up if you want to be sure to secure some of the perfumelegacy for your collection.........

Picture: Guerlain Mitsouko
Photo: PR Guerlain (c)