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

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.

L'Artisan Parfumeur - Quick impressions of some classic L'AP:s 1(2)

Picture: One of the L'Artisans,
Drôle de Rose
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

After becoming disappointed with the new sub-line L'Explosions de Emotions from the old (one of the very first niche-houses, only Diptyque was earlier) reaible L'Artisan Parfumeur, I had to test/re-test some of my samples from the house to get my confidence back. Below some quick impressions of some classic L'Artisans from different genres.

Bois Farine: A 2003 Jean-Claude Ellena inspiration from an unusual tree in the Caribbian. Sweet, powdery, like flour, woody with some spices. The opening smells like peanutbutter. Delicious, mouthwatering and comforting (if properly dosed) to wear cold and grey days. Unfortunately Bois Farine now is discontinued, so it's time to stock up.

Voleur de Roses: Created by Michel Almairac as early as 1993 and it's a forerunner to the whole dark, earthy, moisty, dark, red rose and patchouli that I like so much. VdR is somehow the unpolished gem (ruby) of the genre the patchouli is dirtier and moistier, the red rose is darker and bolder than in the more polished followers such as Guerlain Rose Barbare, Juliette has A Gun Lady Vengeance, and Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady.

Drôle de Rose: A powdery, cosmetic, lemony, cherful, sunny take on the combined violet and pink rose theme, created by Olivia Giacobetti in 1996. Also a forerunner to fragrances such as Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose which more formal in appearance and with more pronounced violet than in DdR and Etat Libre d'Orange Putain des Palaces which is a dramatic, dark and dirty variation of violet-rose.

To be continued in the next post.

L'Artisan Parfumeur - Explosions D'Émotions 2 (2)

Today impressions of the two remaining Explosions D'Emotions.

Picture: Skin on Skin
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

Skin on Skin "a wanton embrace" also for this fragrance the marketing blurb is fitting. Skin on Skin embraces you with an obtrusive, chemical candynote which interplays with a sweet irisnote, passably dimmed with soft saffron somewhere in the middle of the fragrance and moved to a note similar to hairspray. A musky, smoky (probably the Whisky mentioned among the ingredients) suede is lurking in the background, contrasting the hairspray and the sweet  notes. As the fragrance is strong and shrill, one should be careful with application. Skin on Skin seems almost as sort of an experimental mockery of a great iris-suede as Histoires de Parfums Tubereuse 1 Capricieuse which, despite its name, foremost is an iris-suede with gourmand accords of cacao and saffron. Skin on Skin could also be one of the sketches to Duchaufours own L'Artisan creation Traverseé du Bosphore. 

Picture: Amour Nocturne
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

Amour Nocturne "the intimacy of the night" Amour Nocturne shocks with a loud and garish chemical note of cocos + milk chocolate like a liquid Bounty Bar. As it dries down to the middle- and basenotes, the scent softens and a milky accord infused  with some sweet candynotes contrasted with a dry burned (probably hints of the gunpowdernote), plastic slight flowery note (as in Parfumerie Generale Psychotrope but I like the latter much better)  dominates the fragrance until it's fading out about 24h after the initial application. After going through the jarring top notes, Amour Nocturne despite or maybe because of the burned, plastic  is quite pleasant and comforting to wear in a small dose. Just as with Skin on Skin: Beware to overapply this!

To sum it all up: Probably I'm too old school and doesen't understand anything from this avantgarde(?) creating: Probably I also have a too ironic mind because when sampling Explosions D'Émotions I almost suspect Bertrand Duchaufour for making fun of his public and the current exalting of niche, taking it too serious. After all, these fragrances are more expensive than the IMO overall much better L'Artisans in the regular line. Seems like he's taking the concept a famous name (the perfumer and brand) + nice bottle + an OK juice + some "exclusive" marketing chit-chat to the extreme. An interesting concept and the fragrances as such is very well worth sampling (thanks to Fragrance & Art for the samples) as a reflection of the state of niche today or just to find an unconventional and (in some phases of them if applied sparingly) comforting fragrance.

L'Artisan Parfumeur - Explosions D'Émotions 1(2)

The Expolsions D'Émotions trio are fragrances signed Bertrand Duchaufour for L'Artisan Parfumeur that must have been created with the intention to provoke the smell of sense. The fragrances are wellcrafted and unconventional, and seems to be almost a sort of experimental fragrances ie nothing for daily wearing but something to stuck in and analyze a day staying at home. Explosions D'Émotions are bottled in a new stylish design of the L'Artisan bottles.

Picture: Déliria
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

Déliria "exhilaration of the senses" according to L'Artisan marketing blurb and that's true. Déliria starts with a note close to sweet pinapple (BD inspired from Jean Patou Colony?)contrasted with the dry, dirty, unaired ambernote that is present in one of my favorite ambers, L'Ombre Fauve from Parfumerie Générale. After the contrasting opening, Déliria proceeds in a bubblegum note close to the classical pink, swedish bubblegum namned Bugg. Then the sweet notes are more nondescript, its more of a candystore and later the fragrance softens, like the note of candyfloss. The candy notes are darker, deeper and better blended then the regular sweet candy fragrance, a more serious interpretation of this pink-sugary genre.

To be continued in the next post.....

Etat Libre d'Orange - La Fine du Monde

Picture: A scene from the last phase of Ragnarök (1905)
Painting by Emil Doepler (1855-1922)

Who could imagine the Armageddon so quiet and undramatic, almost relaxing? I image chaos, horror and fear but this is not what is expressed in the latest Etat Libre d'Orange fragrance La Fin du Monde created by Quentin Bisch .

La Fin du Monde starts with an iris accord emphasize the rooty, carrot smell. But the carrot isn't raw, instead it's softer, like stewed carrot, an impression that I also get from Huitèime Art Naiviris but in the latter the stewed impression is more intense. After a while a smooth peppery, fizzy, spicy note come up, probably the pepper/cummin. The cummin seems to be a stripped down version, without the sweat (strange that the sweatish component is missing when thinking about the dramatic inspiration for La Fin du Monde). Then a torrid, slight burned note appears, a light interpretation of gunpowder. A sweet, a bit nutty note, reminding me of a almondcake glimpses by, contrasting in the dry, black lead-like accord. In the next stage a slight salty nuance appears and soon a mild popcornnote arrives. The popcorn is gentle and natural in style compared to the candied popcorn note in Miss Dior Cherie (original 2005 version). The composition is grounded in a light, very dry woody-resin base, with the soft gunpowdernote continuously present. The gunpowdernote is much more soft than in fragrances such as Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre or in Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige.

The overall impression of La Fine du Monde is a connection to another recent gunpowdery-slight gourmand interpreation: Amour Nocturne by L'Artisan Parfumeur (an analyze will be published in the coming weeks), but it seems as the names are interchanged.La Fin du Monde is soft, quiet and balanced compared to the much stronger, louder and chaotic Amour Nocturne, which seems to be an experimental and provoking fragrance. La Fin du Monde on the other hand, is very wearable, pleasant and officefriendly, a fragrance many could like, not as extreme as the earlier ELd'O fragrances. When wearing La Fin du Monde, I spontaneously received very positive remarks from when it comes to perfume fastidious Mr Parfumista. La Fin du Monde has close sillage and good longevity, about 12h.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Popocorn, carrot seeds, cumin, sesame, black pepper, freesia, vetiver, sandalwood, ambrette, iris, styrax and gunpowder.

Thanks to Riktig Parfym for the sample.

Parfums MDCI - Nuit Andalouse

Picture: Innenhof der Alhambra, 1892Painting by Adolf Seel (1829-1907)
Wikimedia commons

Nuit Andalouse is the other of the two latest launches from Parfums MDCI, Cuir Garamante was reviewed in the prior post. Nuit Andalouse is created by the risning star in the perfumers Pantheon: ISIPCA graduated perfumer Cecile Zarokian which created (together with Daniel Maurel) the epic Epic Woman for Amouage when she still was a trainee at Robertet!

Nuit Andalouse starts with a sort of stripped down, elegant gardenia and cool violet, green notes contrasted with a zesty orange. This is not the usual big white floral burst which is the start of  most orange, this is more elegant and muted. As Nuit Andalouse developes, the flowery notes gets sweeter and deeper, but not as sweet and liqueur-ish as in By Kilian Sweet Redemption, this is a natural, floral, nectar sweetness. A restrained and almost dry in texture musk is present in during the whole drydown, contributing with a slight hay-ish impression. The whole impression of Nuit Andalouse is that of a transparant but not at all cologne-ish orangeblossom fragrance.

Picture: The Deluxe falcons of Parfums MDCI,
there is also a plain version
Photo: PR Parfums MDCI (c)

Nuit Andalouse is a beautiful, well-made, elegant and very wearable orangeblossom fragrance. Maybe not that innovative or avantgarde but a high-quality, classic fragrance in a style that is timeless. Perfect to wear year around, both for office and dressed up. This is a fragrance that really cheers up a grey, chilly winterday and blooms a hot summerday. Sillage is medium and longevity for 12h+.

Those who like lovely and uplifting orangeblossoms such as L'Artisan Parfumeurs Seville à l'Aube, Robert Piguet Blossom, Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM Femme and Oscar de la Renta Granada will probably also like Nuit Anadalouse.

Rating: 4

Updated rating November 2015: 5 

After more wearings since the review this one has grown and I have to adjust the rating as it's a very versatile and beautiful orangeblossom with excellent longevity, on fabric for weeks.

Notes: Orange, violet, green notes, gardenia, ylang-ylang, rose, orange blossom, vanilla, sandalwood, musk, amyl salicylate (light flower/cutted gras musk note)

PS: Parfums MDCI offers generous 12 ml bottles in the samplesets on their website 

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.

Chanel Les Exclusifs – Gardenia

Picture: Gardenia thunbergia,
Source:Compton Herbarium, Kirstenbosch
Picture by Edith Struben, c 1915

Gardenia is another of the reinterpreted/reformulated Ernst Beaux classics from the 1920s in the Les Exclusifs Collection. The first version of gardenia was created in 1925. The Exclusives version is an Edt like all fragrances in the collection.

Gardenia starts with a blast of the smell of an elegant bath foam, a real bubbly bath. To me Gardenia smells transparent, in between light and dark pink, as a pink a bit viscous liquid. The bubble bath and pink liquid associations leads me to think of the transparent but viscous, pink, bubble bath tubereuse Michelle from Balenciaga but Michelle is stronger and bolder in it’s expression where Gardenia is more polite and unobtrusive. Gardenia, like all gardenia fragrances, is not the scent of gardenia as it can’t be extracted, but a interpretation of the perfumers, and probably also Coco’s, vision of her favourite flower. As the pink texture described, Gardenia to me is most about a delicate, medium sweet tubereuse, some other white flowers, some smooth fruit, some greenery and a contrasting, just a bit dirty, almost dry-furry note among the musky basenotes. 

Gardenia is a discrete, elegant, timeless Chanel fragrance, wearable in most situations, the year around. Blooms in summerheat and gives glimpses of a warmer season when worn during the colder months. Gardenia stays close to the skin and lasts for more than 12h.

Those who enjoy abstract, colder, tubereuse fragrances as  Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Tubereuse  and L’Artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubereuse will probably like Chanel Gardenia.

Rating: 4

Notes: Orangeblossom, green notes, tubereuse, jasmine, gardenia, fruits, coconut, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, patchouli, vanilla

Oriza L.Legrand - Relique D'Amour

Picture: Relique D'Amour
PR-picture from Oriza  L.Legrand (c)

Relique D'Amour from the venerable  ricepowderhouse Oriza L.Legrand founded 1720 is said to be inspired from the old chapel of a cisterian abbey. Moss on cold stonewalls, waxed wood of altar and pews, incense and myrrh in the air. Fresh lilies on the altar and the smell of fresh green-woody, herbal notes from the outside.

Relique D'Amour starts with the intriguing smell of the paper in old, antique, dry but in the same time a bit damp and dusty books. It's the best interpretation of that smell that I have smelled so far. The opening is therefore close to an other old book opneing, the opening of the floral oriental Trouble (swe) by Boucheron even if the opening of Trouble is a tad sweeter. As I have understand it, papernotes almost always smells more or less of vanilla as vanillic notes are a natural part of wood, which is used to create the papersmell. In old books this vanillic notes thus are radiating slowly from the paper.

As the development of Relique D'Amour goes further a clear note of a grand, white lily appears. Here Relique D'Amour in its appearance reminds me of a bolder version of  L'Artisan Passage d'Enfer, despite much lighter on the incensenote. When drying down further, Relique D'Amour continuing to smell like a less sweet Trouble accompanied with some notes of the forest like a smell of confier and wood. The fragrance never gets sharp as it is embedded in a powdery texture, something that seems to be a common denominator to the Oriza L.Legrand fragrances I have smelled so far and an obvious reflection of the history of the parfumehouse.

Relique D'Amour is as timeless as the olfactory image from the old chapel above. The fragrance conveys the feeling that it could have been created an worn in any century just as Sideris and Exultat from Maria Candida Gentile.

Relique D'Amour is comfortable and pleasant to wear, suitable for the coming Easter with its lily, light vanillic sweetness and of course incense. The incensenote is subdued and not as dominating as in Passage d'Enfer or even Rêve d'Ossian also from Oriza (reviewed last week). Sillage is medium and longevity is 12h+.

Rating: 4

Notes:Herbs, pine, powdery notes, white lily, pepper, oak, incense, myrrh, elemi, musk, moss, waxed wood, woody notes, pepper

Thanks to Fragrances & Art for the sample to test.

Fragrance(s) of the week (12) 2013

Picture: Hermès Elixir des Merveilles
Photo: PR Hermès (c) all rights reserved

Havn't anything perfume-wise to say this week except that my craving for orange and orangeblossom  in the sunny but very cold weather is evident. Robert Piguet Blossom and L'Artisan Seville à l'Aube are my choices. As is it very cold for the season I'm still remains in the oriental wardrobe with frags as Parfum d'Empires  Ambre Russe and Hermès  L'Ambre des Merveilles and Elixir des Merveilles, where the latter is the perfect  formula for the situation as it combines orange and oriental notes.

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

Oscar de la Renta - Granada

Picture: Patio de los Arrayanes, Alhambra, Granada.

Photo by Jan Zeschky, (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved.

Granada is a beautiful orange/orangeblossom fragrance which is a part of the 2012 introduced exclusive line of Oscar de la Renta - Essential Luxuries. In Sweden the Essential Luxuries will be introduced in February 2013.

Granada starts with a juicy orangenote, very true to how a fresh cutted orange smells. Inch by inch, Granada settles into a flowery blend where the orangeblossom interacts with jasmine and rose. The flowery blend is creamy in texture and there is a  sort of balsamic note present. Now and then the juicy orange shows up in short glimps, even in the base this tempting note is present. Granada is sort of circular in it's dry down, the some notes appears, disappears and re-appears. Except from the juicy start, Granada is very close to Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM pour Femme, in some stages they are almost equal. To my nose APOM poue Femme is a bit greener, woodier, sharper and with a light detergent note that is not present in Granada. Granada is the nice little sister to the tougher big sister APOM pour Femme. Granada could evoke images of the inner courtyards of the palace of Alhambra during the time of the Moors, the rippling water of the fountains and ponds, the voices and laughter of the girls of the harem.

Even if  not a complicated fragrance (or despite of that), Granada is very plesant to wear and it lightens up a grey and cold winterday with its warm and happy appearance. Perfect for work or pleasure year around, a fragrance to choose when it's hard to decide what to wear. Longevity is very good, about 24h and the sillage is medium.

Granada is highly recommended to those who like L'Artisan Seville à l'Aube, Elie Saab Le Parfum and both MFK APOM pour Femme and APOM pour Homme.

Rating: 4

(As a follower to APOM pour Femme, Granada falls sligthly in points. If Granada has been the first of the two fragrances, the same had happened to APOM pour Femme)

Notes: Jasmine, rose, orange blossom

Place des Lices – Pepper/Poivre

Picture: Piperaceae - Piper nigrum, Curtis’s botanical magazine,

 London 1832, Wikimedia Commons

My favourite from the house of Place des Lieces from what I have tested so far is the light and clean incensefragrance Pepper/Poivre which I reviewed in Swedish a year ago. Despite its name, to my nose Poivre is first of all an incense frgrance and second a pepperfragrance, but of course I’m no expert. Below is an extract in English of what I wrote about Poivre a year ago:

The Incense of Poivre

is high and clear, it’s not a heavy, dense church incense but more of the incense sticks burned outdoors in Asisa, perhaps outside a Buddhist temple high up in the Himalya. I think the incense note is reminiscent of a more modest and subdued version of the high and clean incense in Andy Tauers wonderful Incense Extreme. When it comes to Pepper / Poivre there is no risk of overdosing, which may occur in case Incense Extreme Pepper / Poivre also gives me associations to the wonderful interpretation of the air and surroundings in Bhutan, the wonderful Dzongkha by L’Artisan Parfumeur.

Pepper / Poivre, has a refreshing and almost cleansing effect. It is subtle and close to skin and fits perfectly in most settings during the day all year round. Can imagine that it is perfect in summer just as it feels like a welcome relief from all the spicy, sweet and mulled wine scents of the coming Christmas. Despite Pepper / Poivres lightness and transparency, it remains, although weakened, but unfragmented until the evening. Another plus with Pepper / Poivre is that it is a nichefragrance which is reasonable priced.

Rating: 4

Notes: Pepper, pink pepper, cummin, sage, leather, patchouli, musk, amber

Robert Piguet - Mademoiselle Piguet

Picture: The Reader, oil on canvas by Jean-Honoré Fragonard ca 1770-1772,
captures the warm and comforting spirit of Mademoiselle Piguet

Mademoiselle Piguet is another fragrance in the great Nouvelle Collection from Robert Piguet created by the "house nose" Aurelien Guichard.

Mademoiselle Piguet could be described as beeing vegetal, combined with orangeflowers with a sweet honeyed texture. The vegetal note is not damp and almost on the verge to rottening (but in a positive way)as in some interpretations for example Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle Edp and Annick Goutal Passion, the vegetal note is almost fresh and reminds me of a fresh sugar pea. A similar impression is expressed in a Fragrantica review by clover.chen who refers to processed mung beens in desserts, something that I havn't tasted myself but can image when smelling the greenery of Mademoiselle Piguet. The orangeflower I perceive as very natural and fresh, not chemichal at all. The note has a wonderful honeyed nectar texture and smells just sweet delicious, probably the apricot adds this facet. There is something in the orangeflowernote that reminds me of the same note in Fracas, but in Mademoiselle Piguet it is somehow domesticated.

To me the structure of Mademoiselle Piguet is linear, the notes are preseant at the same time even if the vegetal phase is more apparent in the first part of the dry down of the fragrance and later instead is acting as one of the supporting notes in the background. To me the sweet , honeyed,  Mademoiselle Piguet also seems to be the female counterpart to the (to my nose) much more masculine dry, herbal-orangeblossom NoteS which I reviewed earlier this week, they are fragrances of the opposite side of the interpreation of orangeblossom-scale and are interesting to wear as complementary fragrances for different moods and occasions. As NoteS is more complicated, strict and a excellent choice for daytime professional wear, the Mademoiselle is a fragrance both for evening and comforting daytime wear, versatile enough to warming up during cold winterdays and to bloom beautifully in the summerheat. Mademoiselle Piguet, thanks to the interesting and well harmonised vegetal notes, has its own identity even if partly familiar to other fragrances featuring the orangeblossomnote.The longevity of Mademoiselle Piguet is extraordinary for an orangeblossom scent, I can smell the orangeblossom on my skin more then 30h after application.

I think Mademoiselle Piguet would be appreciated by those who like L’Artisan Seville à l’Aube, Maria Candida Gentile Hanbury and Annick Goutal Tubereuse (even if featuring another white blossom note I think Tubereuse and Mademoiselle Piguet have a similar pleasant, honeyed texture).

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, orangeblossom, almond, apricot, tonka been

Huitième Art - Poudre de Riz

Picture: Pierre Guillaume celebrates ten years as perfumer

with his own house Parfumerie Generale.

Couldn't resist borrowing this picture from Fragrantica

Photo: Fragrantica (c)

I said it before and had to repeat it again: Pierre Guillaume is too tough for my creditcard. This autumn he  seduces me with two beautiful fragrances, the Djhenné as I reviewed earlier this week and now Poudre de Riz, a totally different beast from his “showcasing one special note surrounded by other high quality ingredients collection”; Huitième Art.

Poudre de Riz is instant love, opposed to Djhenne which was growing on me during the testing. Poudre de Riz is a warm and very comforting slight powdery floral woody musky blend with oriental vibes. Poudre de Riz is dominated by tropical flowers blended with coconut and vanilla, which create a warm and very comfortable feeling. To me there is something in the top and middlenotes that smells like blond, fresh tobaccoleaves (even if tobbaco is not mentioned) mingled with vanilla and a dry coconut and later on with a subdued rose-iris accord accompaning in the background. These flowery notes fleets in and out during the rest of the dry down, it creates a depth and a certain elegence to the fragrance. Poudre de Riz gives me retro vibes, I image a fragrance created about hundred years ago, in the era before WWI. In the basnotes, besides the flowery, slight wet musky impression, powdery notes from tonka and benzoin appears. There is also an almost balsamic warmth present. A fragrance that reminds me of Poudre de Riz is Kèora by Jean Couturier with it’s warm, tropical flower blended in vanilla. Also Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Fleur des Comores has something similar in style even if Fleurs de Comores is sweeter, more flowery and a bit dirty compared to Poudre de Riz. There is also a dry vanillanote that is close to L’Artisan Parfumeur Havana Vanille which also contains the tobacconote. Maybe the note similar to tobacco is a facet of vanilla, I don’t know. In texture and expression there something in Poudre de Riz that reminds me of a clean variation of the slight dirty Etat Libre de Orange Putain des Palaces, maybe the powdery, dense feeling.

Poudre de Riz is first of all the true comfortscent for the colder months. I also think it will fit also for warm summerevenings as the sweetness is subdued and the powdery musk creates an almost cool impression under the right conditions.

Rating: 5

Notes: Tiare, coconut milk, vanilla, rice, maple sap, rice, caramel, iris, sandal- and cedarwood, rose, tonka been, benzoin, tolu balsam

Ramón Monegal - Mon Patchouly

Picture: Cacao (Theobroma cacao), Photo: Luisovalles,

(cc)  Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved

The patchouli of the Ramón Monegal line, Mon Patchouly is not a variation of the earthy,woody, fresh, almost herbal theme of the note. Nor is it the other typical warm amber-patchouli variation. Mon Patchouly is a variation of the gourmand patchoulitheme in the tradition of Serge Lutens delisious Borneo 1834, but MP is a softer and more well-behaved interpretation.

Mon Patchouly starts with a scrumptious blast of cocapowder the note is dry in texture even if some sweetness is glimpsing through. There is also a whiff of an almost "men colognish note" but in a good way, not an "old mans scent" but something more elegant with amber. There is also a subdued flowery note with slight green almost moist facets, probably the moss. Even if vanilla isn't mentioned among the ingredients there is an accord in the middelnotes/early base that reminds me of the unsweet vanillapod note like in Montale Boisée Vanille blended with some dark ruhm similar to the vanilla-ruhm accords in L'Artisan Havana Vanille and Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Vanille. As the MP dries down further in the base, the mossy note becomes clearer and more dominant, a sort of dark-green freshness is added to the ruhm-patchouli-ambra. The overall impression of the texture and style is something elegant as the original Chanel Coco to mention a recent example in the wake of the launch of the new Coco Noir.

Mon Patchouly is a delicious and comfortable scent in the gourmand style. On me the patchouli is not especially dominating, it's one of the prominent notes togther with amber and moss. I think its gourmand character makes it a perfect cold weatherscent and I will definitly re-test it in autumn-winter. Mon Patchouly is a perfect choice for evening wear and even if unisex I think it (despite the man cologne note) lean towards the feminine side. As many of Ramón Monegals fragrances, Mon Patchouly is very concentrated and just a few spritzes is quite enough, it's easy to overapplicate this one. The sillage is also extensive, the wearer will be noticed, but in a good way if using the right, minimal dose. Longevity 24h+.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Patchouli, olibanum, oakmoss, geranium, jasmine, amber

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.

Place des Lices - Pepper/Poivre

Bild: Piperaceae - Piper nigrum, Curtis’s botanical magazine,

 London 1832, Wikimedia Commons

Place des Lices är ett casual - de Luxe - hudvårdsprodukthus från fashionabla St Tropez. De parfymer jag hittills testat, tack vare prover från eminenta  Fragrance & Art är lyxigt fräscha, men tack och lov inte tvättmedels cleana.

Pepper/Poivre är en sådan ren och enkel men ändå intressant doft. Namnet till trots är den, utifrån vad min obildade näsa kan identifiera, först och främst en rökelse- och inte en peppardoft. Fast det är enligt ingredienslistan ingen rökelsedoft utan en krydd- och örtdoft. Men jag envisas ändå att kalla det rökelse eftersom det i mitt tycka doftar så. Rökelsen är hög och klar, inte en tung och tät kyrkorökelse utan mer rökelsestickor som bränns utomhus, kanske utanför ett buddistiskt tempel högt upp i Himalya. Jag tycker att rökelsenoten påminner om en mer modest och nedtonad variant av rökelsen i Andy Tauers underbara Incense Extreme, Pepper/Poivre är det inte någon risk att man överdoserar, något som kan ske i fallet IE. Pepper/Poivre ger mig också associationer till delar, de Himalyanska, av L'Artisans underbara Dzongkha.

Pepper/Poivre har liksom en uppiggande och upprensande effekt, är diskret och hudnära och passar perfekt i de flesta omgivningar dagtid året om. Kan tänka mig att den är perfekt sommartid precis som den känns som en välkommen befrielse bland julens alla kryddtunga, sötsliskiga, glöggiga dofter. Trots Pepper/Poivres lätthet och transparens, finns den kvar, visserligen försvagad, men ofragmenterad ända fram på kvällskvisten. Ett ytterligare plus med Pepper/Poivre är att den är en klart prisvärd nichedoft .

Betyg: 4

Noter: Salvia, kardemumma, peppar, rosépeppar, läder, cederträ, patchoulli, mysk, ambra

Huitième Art - Fareb

Bild:Spices at central market in Agadir Morocco,

Foto: Bertrand Devouard (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

I Pierre Guillaumes kryddiga Fareb träder tämligen omgående en lagom balanserad kumminnot fram. Den vilar på en bädd av torra kryddor som känns äkta, inte sådär parfymigt kryddigt. Doften är torrt kryddig rakt igenom, det är inte någon kummin bland torkad frukt och äpplen som till exempel Aziyade, Al Oudh eller Traverseé de Bosphore. Det som känns som en kumminnot är tydligast i topp- och mellanregistret, i basen har den blandat ut sig med de andra kryddorna och en slags lätt tvålighet innfinner sig. Fareb är i slutfasen ganska lik de klassiska spanska Maja-tvålarna från Myrurgia. Det konstiga är att det enligt ingredienslistan inte finns kummin i Fareb, utan immortel och ingefära. Möjligen känner jag en del ingefära då doften har vissa drag av min favorit Montales Amber & Spices. Någon sirapsliknande immortell som i Annick Goutals Sables känner jag överhuvud taget inte. Kanske är blomman torkad och mald i Fareb.

Efter en ganska utmanande start med den av mig upplevda kumminen så blir Fareb till en bärbar och ganska originell kryddig parfym. Perfekt för grått höstväder och vinterslask. Passar som överiga Huitième Art i många sammanhang, är vilsam och tar inte över en hel miljö. Provet kommer från Fragrances & Art

Betyg: 4

Noter: Immortel, ingefära.