Deco London - Quick reviews 2(2)

Deco London is a fragrancehouse which debuted with six fragrances in 2015, three for women and three for men. Deco London pays homage to the golden age of perfumery and elegant, flamboyant 1920s London. Here some thoughts about the gentlemens trio:

Ernest: Aromatic everyday, classic fresh with a contrasting, slight oriental depth which adds a certain balsamic sweetness to the aromatic structure. Lavander, vetiver, different woods, leather, amberand vanilla. Reminds me a tad of a oriental interpretation of Caron Pour un Homme but without the metallic almost bloody accord which is present in the latter. Ernest is a versatile, daytime fragrance in a timeless style.

Picture: Deco London Lawrence
Photo: PR Deco London

Lawrence: Smells like a warm bubblebath, which reminds Mr Parfumista of the classic Badedas bathoil. There is also something dry and salty, which is distictive for the fragrance. There is also a light spicy, tangy lime, blended with white flowers, lavender, vetiver and some greenery. First I come to think of a cologne dominated by orangeflowers (for example Les Colognes Néroli from Annick Goutal), when inhaling I can smell nothing of the orangeflowernote, but the structure/texture is similar. A special fragrance with a vintage but in the same time timless aura. The most intriguing in the Deco London collection IMO and a Mr Parfumista favorite.

Quentin: This one is close to good ol' Givenchy Gentleman at least in the earlier stage. Starts with a dark green mossy patchouli, just like Gentleman. After a while the development of Quentin takes a different path. Where Gentleman focuses on the dark, moisty moss, backed-up with a dark herbal patchouli, Quentin goes to radiate just a herbal patchouli, first with hints of old books as a tame version of Les Néiréides Patchouli Antique and later transformed to a nice slight soapy texture. A nice moderated patchouli, a unisex fragrance IMO.

To summon up the Deco line, three-four of them are similar to, or in some cases (Loretta & Millicent), very close to already excisting designer fragrances. Loretta & Millicent to my nose are gentler, more finetuned but not as distinctive as their designer equals.

Deco London is avaible from Fragrance&Art.

5 Top Late Summer fragrances 2016

Photo: Late Summer 2016
Mr Parfumista (c)

The summer is in its final stage, after a cold and rainy week in the middle of August, the sun and warmth are back, as often when school and work starts again. When it coming to perfumechoices, this late summer is a bit confusing compared to my earlier middle/late summer cravings which were for dark and dense autumn/winter appropriate perfumes. This year it seems as I havn't any cravings for a particular fragrancecategory at all, everything goes. Wearing fresh and bright fragrances is common this late summer compared to earlier years. Below five choices from the latest weeks, both bright and dark ones.

Vent Vert (Pierre Balmain): The windy-green Vent Vert  is the archetype of a spring/early summer fragrance but even as good in August. I like the new and the older 1990:s version equal, this time I've worn the new version which smells less flowery and more tart and musky than the older version. A fragrance which receives compliments.

Les Colognes Néroli (Annick Goutal): A contemporary reworking of the classic Annick Goutal Néroli Edt. The cologne is a somehow oldfashioned but not dated, sopay, musky, bittergreeen, neroli with an outstanding longevity to be classified as Cologne. Probably this is due to the musk which is present in many contemporary fragrances which aspires as Colognestyled, for example the whole line of Atelier Cologne.

Cuir Garamante (Parfums MDCI): Mr Parfumista goes for some dark stuff and Cuir Garamante is perfect in the glowing, damp heat of the late summer. The late summer conditions are perfect for the intriguing dry down of CG:s dark leathery, boozy, dark woody accords. This fragrance shows different aspects in different wearings and there is still new twists to discover. CG is one of the very best in this genre, from what I have smelled so far, IMO the best.

As Sawira (Penhaligon's): As Sawira is deep and mysterious, featuring dark frutiy, floral and spicy notes over a gentle resin, amber and slight oudy base. Not the standard oud-saffron-rose accord even if all three of them are present. As Sawira blooms a gray day with high humidity and some rain.

Rose Ishtar (Rania J.): A dry, spicy, dark, tart and watery rose with glimpses of a mens cologne and some almost herbal aspects. Even if close to the skin, Rose Ishtar is an intense and very present fragrance. A very special rose.

Maison Nicolas de Barry - Louis XV

Picture: Louis XV  (1710-1774)
Painting from 1730
  by Hyacinthe Riguad (1679-1743)
Wikipedia commons

Louis XV is the masculine counterpart to Madame de Pompadour also from Maison Nicolas de Barry reviewed earlier this week. Louis XV is created by Nicolas de Barry and Eddie Blanchet and part to the line inspired of historic royalties.

Louis XV starts with a sunny blast of sweet honeyed orangeblossom contrasted with the green and a tad bitter facetts of neroli. The opening is golden, as the rays of the sunset. As the fragrance developes, a classic bouquet of  flowers emerges and acts as a solid backgrund to the orange maintheme. The texture of the fragrance is as a smooth, silky golden velvet, suitable for a royal robe, worthy Louis XV himself. From the bouquet there are certain crispy green notes fleeting around in the blend, more or less noticeable as the flowery theme varies. Overall the composition has a citric tingeThe base is warm ambery, slight musky with just a small touch of soap. Louis XV is far from as ambery as Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV is a varitaion of the usual orange-/neroli theme and a much more straight forward white floral.

Louis XV is a very good orangeblossom interpretation, there is no harsh edges or artificial feeling. It's round and warm, very flowery, without the cologne texture common among many orangeblossom fragrances and also not as soapy as many of them. Louis XV to me is unisex and could be worn in most ordianry occasions, this is a fragrancs that adds everyday comfort and casual elegance. It also draws compliments. The sillage of Louis XV is medium and longevity not as great as the Madame P, Louis on my skin lasts for a day reapplied. This is strange as Annick Goutal Les Colognes Nèroli lasts for about a day without reapplication.

Picture: Louis XV
Photo: PR Maison Nicolas de Barry (c)

Fragrances that Louis XV reminds me of are Historiae Orangerie du Roy which is fresher and more colognestyled, Annick Goutal Neroli, which is thinner and less flowery, as well as it has some similarties with the more masculine, woody neroli Eau de Cardinal also from Maison Nicolas de Barry.

Rating: 4

Notes: Neroli, orange, roses, jasmine, violet, gardenia, hyacinth, daffodil, tubereuse, amber

Thanks to Fragrance & Art  for the sample to test

Parfums de Nicolaï - Eau sOleil

Picture: Eau sOleil
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Eau sOleil is the latest addition to the successful Parfums de Nicolaï Eau Fraiche-line in which one light and casual fragrance is released each summer. Eau sOleil, created by Patricia de Nicolaï as always, is featuring neroli.

Eau sOleil opens with a mellow nerolinote, creamy, on the verge to powdery, in texture. The image it evokes is dark , just like the background of the picture above. The neroli is contrasted by a mix of fresh citrusnotes and fresh note of thyme and the bitter herbal note from wormwood. As the citrusnotes decline, Eau sOleil gets more flowery, with the orangeblossom still dominating. The creaminess is present during the whole dry down of the fragrance and it lends Eau sOleil a smooth and pleasant expression. The blend is anchored in patchouli and musk which gives Eau sOleil an excellent longevity for a fragrance categoreized as an Eau Fraiche. The musky base is also present in the rework of the classic Annick Goutal soliflore Néroli, Les Colognes Néroli, but cleaner in this lighter and more straightforward neroli interpretation.In the basenotes, Eau sOleil is almost retro in style and it reminds me of the beautiful La Dame aux Camélias from Jardins d'Ecrivains. The neroli interpretation also has resemblance with the Patricia de Nicolaï classic Cologne Sologne but that one is simpler in construction and more of an old school cologne IMO.

Eau sOleil is not the bright, spakling, fizzy soliflore "Eau de Neroli", Eau sOleil is a deeper and a bit more complicated fragrance with its contrasting herbal and creamy notes. To me it's a orange/herbal dominated standard Edt not a lighter/brighter Eau Fraiche and I think one should take that into consideration when judging Eau sOleil. I have read some reviews which are slightly dissapointed on Eau sOleil, among other complaining about the restrained neroli in the dry down. Probably the reviewers expect a sparkling colognestyled fragrance and therefore doesn't judge Eau sOleil on its own merits. To me, Eau sOleil is the best and most intriguing fragrance in the Patricia de Nicolaï Eau Fraiche-line so far.

As almost always with Patricias creations, a well blended and casual chic fragrance. Very versatile and appropriate for daytime wearing year around. Longevity for 12 h+ with medium sillage. Those who likes Prada Infusion Fleur d'Oranger will probably also appreciate Eau sOleil.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Lemon, mandarin, bergamot, petitgrain, herbal thyme, wormwood, jasmine, ylang-ylang, neroli, patchouli, musk

Thanks to Parfums de Nicolaï for the sample to test

Annick Goutal - Les Colognes Néroli

Picture: Glass vial containing Neroli Essential Oil
Photo: Itineranttrader, Wikimedia Commons

Le Cologne Néroli is, just as the original Néroli Edt, created by the housenose of Annick Goutal, Isabelle Doyen in collaboration with Camille Goutal.

Le Cologne Néroli starts with fresh, pale green orangeblossom/neroli notes. The opening is sparkling and moist compared to the Edt-version, which I suspect is discontinued. The Edt starts with the orangeblossom/neroli but  supported by notes that gives it a herbal touch. After a while  notes smelling almost as fresh mushrooms appears in the Cologne, while the same passage in the Edt smells like a well kept stable with happy horses. The Cologne Néroli has the same typical, fresh luxurary linen colognenote as Le Cologne Eau d'Hadrien and lots of other better colognes. Just as the Hadrien Cologne, there is a fine, white musk base that intermediates a moisty impression. Overall the cologneversion is more flowery and sparkling, in the Edt version the orangy notes are combined with a herbal touch. Even if the Cologne Néroli is more similar to other nérolicolognes i prefer it slightly to the Edt.

Le Cologne Néroli has better longevity on me than the original Edt. I suspect that the white musk, just as in Le Cologne Eau d'Hadrien, is the facilitator of this. The Cologneversion lasts for more than a day with fragments left after 24h and the Edt lasts for almost a day.

Those who likes Hermès Eau de Cologne d'Orange Verte, Historiae Orangerie du Roy and the likes will probably appreciate Le Cologne Néroli.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Neroli, orangeblossom, petitgrain, heliotrophe, white musk