Ormonde Jayne - Vanille d'Iris

Picture: Iris Germanica (Deutsche Schwertlilie)
Drawing by Franz Eugen Köhler, 1897
Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen,
Wikimedia commons

Vanille d'Iris is a 2015 release from Ormonde Jayne created by Geza Schon.

Vanille d'Iris starts with an iris with an light, fresh carrotnote, like from a tin and small carrot "priemeur", harvested in the early summer. After a while Vanille d'Iris becomes more flowery, the carrot disappears as in most irisfragrances which are starting up with the rooty accord which gives an intriguing and sort of fresh, despite the earthy connction, impression for the irisgenre. After a while a non-sweet vanilla shows up and it reminds me of the chalky vanilla of Parfums de Nicolaï Vanille Tonka. The iris as the protagonist among other florals which dominates the heart and reminds me in style of the Le Galion Iris and Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile even if both these fragrances are more lush, flowery and warmer in apperance. Vanille d Iris goes quickly through the flowery phase but iris is also clearly evident in the woody-green accord of the basenotes , reminding me of a contemporary iris-woody classic as Heely Iris de Nuit. The iris in the base is balanced by a clean vetiver as also a barely detectable vanilla, adds an opposing smoothess which, together with a light glowing amber, almost precisely placing Vanille d'Iris just over the border in the feminine iris territory. But Vanille d'Iris is perfectly wearable for men who likes for example Dior Homme where the lipstick texture actually is more feminine in style than the subtle vanilla/amber addition in Vanille d'Iris.The base is also lightly infused with a clean but not powdery or soapy musk which higlights the other notes and makes the fragrance last for long.

Picture: Vanille d'Iris
Photo: PR Ormonde Jayne (c)

Vanille d'Iris is a good, elegant, "basic iris" wearable year around. It doesn't bring anything new to the genre but is well crafted and well worth  sampling if searching for a(nother) basic iris. It's a perfect office fragrance if carfully applied as it's a strong formula which despite its clean character could be overbearing if to much is spritzed, three-four spritzes is the limit. Longevity is very good about 24h, sillage is heavy.

Those who likes irises in general both flowery and woody, will probably also like Vanille d'Iris.

Rating: 4

Notes: Coriander, bergamot, carrot seed, pink pepper, oris, jasmine, magnolia bud oil, osmanthus, vanilla, cedarwood, vetiver, amber, musk

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Maison Nicolas de Barry - L'impératrice Sissi

Picture: Emperess Elisabet of Austria (1837-1898)
Painting by Amanda Bergstedt (1841-1918)
Wikimedia commons

L'impératrice Sissi from the historic line of Maison Nicolas de Barry is inspired of the Empress of  Austria-Hugary the beautiful  redhead Elisabeth of Bavaria. L'impératrice Sissi is create by Nicolas de Barry and Eddie Blanchet.

L'impératrice Sissi starts sparkling, flowery where natural smelling violets blended with iris, the flowery irisinterpretation are featured. Later on the fragrance goes more cosmetic, like the smell of lipstick, a bit putty- powdery, and this impression deepens as the dry down goes further on. The base is slight vanillic, musky powdery in a  pleasant way.

L'impératrice Sissi is a well made, not candy sweet pastille smelling violet, the flowery iris blances the violet in a perfect harmony. Simple in notes but well balanced and with good ingredients, L'impératrice Sissi is pleasant to wear year around, this is not the typical transaprent spring violet. It's a comforting but in the same time casual chic fragrance, wearable in most occasions.

Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose and L'Artisan Drole de Rose are fragrances in the same vein as L'impératrice Sissi in its later stages. The flowery opening is more in the style of Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile and Le Galion Iris.

I don't konw why  Elisabeth inspired to a violet fragrance, maybe because she liked to wandering in the nature or simply because violets where popular in the romantic era in the 19th century.

Rating:4
Rating: 5 (November 2016)

Re-testing Sissi in November 2016 - its a really great fragance, I like it even better now, the natural vanilla together with an almost herbal facet shines through in a much better way this time. 

Notes: Bergamot, violet, iris, vanilla

Thanks to Fragrance and Art for the sample to try

Le Galion - Iris

Picture: HRH Katherine Duchess of Cambridge,
in June 2012 - the perfect Iris wearer
Photo: Carfax2, cropped by Surtsicna (cc)
Wikipedia commons, some rights reserved 

Iris is another of the Le Galion soliflores, Tuberéuse is reviewed in the latest post. The original Iris was created by Paul Vacher 1937 and the reorchestration is made by Thomas Fontaine.

Iris starts with a soft carrot note which is not sharp or too earthy. After a while it steps backwards and Iris becomes more flowery when a sweet flowery note similar to violet appears. Until now Iris is quite similar to most comfortable and easy to wear irisfragrances. Then something peculiar happens, a tart green note, similar to celery apperars, offsetting the flowery  sweetness. The celerypart lasts for quite a while, the special green note doesn't disappear completely but it is very discrete in the rest of the flowery, musky drydown of Iris.In this part lily is the dominating flower and to be honeset, not much of the iris is present in the lovely boquet. The base is musky, slight woody in the same style as Tubéreuse but without the light animalic touch of the latter.

Iris, just as Tubéreuse, is an elegant, well made of good ingredients, classic flowery composition, refershing, very easy and comfortable to wear. Longevity is for a day and silage medium. Iris is suitable for daytimewear, perfect as a classy officescent as there is nothing chemical or sharp about it. Iris is a typical "don't know what to wear fragrance" something to put on when one doesn't for something challenging and demanding. Somehow I can imagine Iris is something that HRH Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge would wear.

Those who're searching for a feminine and flowery iris, or more precisely a good floral bouquet which features iris and lily notes, have to try this wonderful fragrance. Iris are in the same octaves on the note scale as Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile. Those who like irisfragrances such as Laboratorio Olfattivo Nirmal (sweeter), Prada Infusion d'Iris Edp (woodier), XeJroff Irisss (irisi-er) and Ramón Monegal Impossible Iris (frutier) would probably also like Le Galion Iris even if the irisnote is more prounanced in most of them compared to LG Iris.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, citron, mimosa, hibiscus, iris, lily, rose, galbanum, cedar, amber, musk