Jehanne Rigaud - Imperial Poudré

Picture: Bianca Castafiore
"Milanese Nigthingale" apperant in several albums
of  "Les aventures de Tintin" created by Hergé
(Georges Remi)
Picture borrowed from Comicvine

Jehanne Rigaud is perfumehouse based in Grasse. The inspiration comes from the treasure of vintage perfumes. The style of the house reminds me of Les Nereides, which also provides a range of robust, vintagestyled perfumes. There are also connections to the Oriza L.Legrand style even if find that house a bit less loud and maybe a bit more refined. Imperial Poudré is the first Jehanne Rigaud perfume I've tested.

Imperial Poudré starts with a blast of powder, it's dry and gunpowdery in style and applied with a gigant powderpuff with creamcolored fluff. The dry gunpowder smell reminds me of the dry gunpowder in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre. After a while flowery elements balanced by a delicate, a bit earthy but flowery iris shows up, reminding me of Lorenzo Villoersi Teint de Neige, soon also sweet almond and warm heliotrophe appears. The more Imperial Poudré dries down, the more putty and moist in texture the powder emerges. A big retrostyled musky note supports and creates dept to the other notes during the whole dry down even if more present the longer Imperial Poudré has developed, it dominates in the latest stage. In the basenotes also an intriguing jasmine and rose combo appears which smells clearly vintage, it's a distinct animalic touch in the accord, probably the musk and jasmine contributes to that. In this stage I associate Imperial Poudré to Oriza L.Legrand Jardins d'Armride even if the special accord described is missed in the latter.

Picture: Imperial Poudré
Photo: PR Jehanne Rigaud (c)

Imperial Poudré is a "grand" fragrance, a perfume that makes a statement. It's an evening perfume, a perfume for a ball or the Opera, I can imagine an opera diva wearing this, Bianca Castafiore is the incarnation of Imperial Poudré. Of course one can wear it during daytime but than has to be very careful in application, a litte goes for long. It's a fragrance for the cold months, I suspect it could be cloying in the summer, except for a really cold early summer evening of the swedish type. Sillage is big and the longevity for over 24h. Its a very feminine perfume.

Imperial Poudré is an extreme fragrance of a type which almost isn't produced today. It's as Imperial Poudré originates from another century, a batch was forgotten in some warehouse and now showing up on the market. It's pushy on the verge to vulgar, not in the trashy but more in the nouveau riche way. Imperial Poudré definitly has its own personality and stands out from the crowd, which I really appreciate. Unfortunately Imperial Poudré dosen't mix well with my chemisty and therefore doesn't reach the highest score in my subjective rating.

Rating: 4

Notes: Ylang-ylang, iris, vanille, almond, powder, florals, musk, jasmine, rose, heliotrope

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Puredistance - Sheiduna

Picture: Perfumer Cécile Zarokian holds
the first sample flacon of Sheiduna Perfume
Photo: Puredistance (c)

Finally it's here Sheiduna, the long awaited release from Puredistance, the first since the beutiful flowery White early in 2015. White was also my "Best of 2015" .This time there is an oriental theme, the first oriental from the brand, in the spicy subcategory. Perfumer is one of the stars of later years, the talented Cécile Zarokian, creator of favorites of mine as Parfums MDCI Nuit Andalouse, Laboratorio Olfattivo Kashnoir, Masque Tango and of course, her breakthrough creation as one of the perfumers of Amouage Epic Woman. Sheiduna is released in pure perfume.

Puredistance tolds us about the inspiration of Sheiduna "With the creation of Sheiduna we wanted to bridge the sensuality from the Orient with the elegance from Paris. Wearing Sheiduna one wafts sensuality and at the same time feels like being wrapped up in a warm, soft blanket. Deep colours of Persian rugs touch the senses".

Sheiduna starts with a burst of a peppery note, maybe it's the clove/incense. Soon this fizzy intro steps back and a beautiful sort of deep, lush citric accord appears grounded in a light rosy touch. The tangerinenote appears very realistic, the best interpreation of tangerine I have smelled so far. A light gunpowdery dry note (as in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre) also appears as also something soft and eveloping, slight Asian-kitchen-gourmand, green spicy coconutty note, a soft verision of a similar accord in Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka. This accord is acting as a delightful background also for the rest of Sheidunas drydown. As Sheiduna dries further down, an accord appears dominated by a note of new-laid  vetiver, embedded and sort of glaced in spices and amber/balsamic notes. There is something rooty, green and tart with glimpses of a dry but warm incense, which contrasting the spicy/ambery/balsamic, oriental notes. The gunpowdery element reapperas in the basenotes together with the salty ambery note of ambergris. Blended with other oriental notes, this creates a special, a bit tart, dark, slight orange-y, balsamic, vintage, with a touch of the "old books", smelling accord which maybe is a sort of trademark for Cécile Zarokian as I have smelled it in various degrees in Kashnoir and Tango.A resembling note/accord is also present in Balenciaga Prelude. In the basenotes of Sheiduna I can also smell elements of a deep, soft dark rose.

Picture: The glowing Sheiduna
Photo: Puredistance (c)

When wearing Sheiduna I can understand the Persian inspiration (despite the light Asian-kitchen accord mentioned above), and than not just from the rugs. The fragrance brings forth an impression of spices, dried fruits, dark flowers, the architecture  and most of all the sunset in the desert with the glowing sun over the dunes.

Sheiduna is an intriguing fragrance, the impression shifts with and within each stage of the drydown. Much is going on, like a game where the interaction of the notes/accords quickly turns into contrasts and back again. The fragrance is warm and comforting, perfect for autumn/winter. But the enlighting and contrasting notes doesn't reserve Sheiduna just for the cooler month, the perfume will be a good choice also for humid and warm summer evenings.  The contrasting structure of Sheiduna prevents this contemporary oriental fragrance to become cloying and dense.

Sheiduna is classified as unisex which I agree with even if I think it lends a little bit more to the feminine side. The longevity is very good, traces are left after 24h, sillage is significant.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lemon, tangerine, geranium, rose oil, incense, myrrh, vetiver, patchouli, labdanum, ambergris, benzoin, tonka absolute, vanilla absolute,

Parfums de Nicolaï - Ambre Cashmere Intense

Picture: Autumn oakleaves
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Ambre Cashmere Intense is the latest addition to the perfumeline of Parfums de Nicolaï, the reaible, quality niche house founded by the Guerlain descendant, perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï . The house celebrated a quarter of a century last year.

Ambre Cashmere starts with a beautiful, sparkling accord dominated by a full and round lemony note cleverly mixed with pepper. The pepper is not at all dominating, which unfortunately is very common with this note. Instead of beeing overdosed the pepper adds sparkle and contributes to a dry and warm impression. The lemony note has some green accents which adds an very elegant texture to the fragrance.I recognize this accord from other Nicolaïs as for example L'Eau Chic and Vanille Tonka, it's seems to be something like a signature for the casual chic style of Nicolai. When Ambre Cashmere reaches the middlenotes, a slight buttery note with a floral touch appears. Despite the buttery texture there is something almost ozonic, fizzy appearing for a while. A beautiful, dry vanilla which feels unprocessed and natural appears, there is not the candy sweetness nor the woody old-book smelling vanilla version. The vanilla in the basenotes is balanced with smooth, rounded resins, a powdery tonkabeen with a touch of patchouli which together with a light musk adds dept and longevity to the scent. Ambre Cashmere is intresting also in the basenotes, the fragrance is shifting in its performance, for example suddenly the base becomes a tad spicy, an almost cinnbar like note which I recognize from (but here it appears in a lighter form) the very special, most unusual patchouli secnt I have sniffed so far, Patchouli Homme which I think is renamed to Patchouli Intense. Further in the drydown the spicy patch gets cleaner, earthier but still discrete and supporting, not at all dominating.

Picture: Ambre Cashmere Intense
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Ambre Cashmere is a light, soft and uplifting amberperfume. The amber is not dominating as the name implies, the amber is discretly present, surrounding the fragrance and creating a soft, golden aura around the wearer. When it comes to the overall gentle apperance and texture of the fragrance, the "Intense" part of its namn it hard to understand. Ambre Cashmere is a perfect perfume in the first beautiful part of the autumn with the golden sunlight and the leaves shifting in orange and yellow. Something with Ambre Cashmere reminds me of Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre even if not smelling the same, the MdO Ambre is more distinct with a dry gunpowdernote. Anyway both fragrances are light ambers in the higher octaves of the notescale, powdery and cashmerelike in texture. Wearing these fragrances is like to be wrapped in a featherlight cashmereshawl.

Ambre Cashmere is a discrete fragrance with close sillage but  clearly present to the wearer and to those who are in 1-2 meters distance. A wearable and elegant fragrance, even if classified as unisex it's IMO leaning to the feminine side. Longevity is good, last unfragmented for a day and when it comes to this aspect of the perfume, it deserves the epithet "Intense". Even if not the most exciting or innovative perfume, Ambre Cashemere is very well made, elegant, relaxing to wear and as always with Nicolaï. perfectly blended and balanced.

Raring: 4

Notes: Black pepper, mandarine, citron, orrisrooth, violet, cloves, vanilla, labdanum, benzoin, tonka been, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, musk

Oriza L.Legrand - Héliotrope Blanc

Picture: Héliotrope Blanc
Photo: PR Oriza L.Legrand

Héliotrope Blanc is a recreation of a 1886 Oriza L.Legrand release on the sweet. powdery heliotrope-theme. Responsible for the recreation is as always, Oriza co-owner Hugo Lambert.

Héliotrope Blanc starts powdery mixed with the orangeblossom/violet. The powder is of the dry gunpowder type which is clearly present in fragrances such as Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige and Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre, especially in the topnotes. After a while a bit strange, not at all unpleseant, vegetal note appears as some mouldering leaves where thrown into the brew. The vegetal note soon steps in the background and the powdery flowers continues featuring the sweet, but not sugary sweet, warm heliotrope. Tonkabean is also prominent in some stages. From the middlenotes to the late drydown in the basenotes where Héliotrope Blanc is secured with the typical Oriza ricepowdernote. Héliotrope Blanc makes an overall linear impression, no particular twists and changes, but cosy and nice to wear. When it comes to other Orizas, Héliotrope Blanc in style most reminds me of the more intricate Jardins D'Armide. Another fragrance with similarites to Héliotrope Blanc is Parfums de Nicolaï Kiss me tender, which is sweeter, cookielike and smells as it is edible.

Héliotrope Blanc has close sillage and god overday longevity. Suitable for most seasons and occasions but would not be recommended for the warmest months. A good, easy to wear, Oriza styled fragrance but not as intricate as especially the earliest  re-releases from the house.

Rating: 4 (2015)  /5 (2016)

Reassessment February 2016: Wearing Heliotrope Blanc is like relaxing in a cloud of fluffyness, HB is incredibly cozy and smells just fab. An uncomplicated fragrance which creates a cherful mood. Perfect for grey days and Mondays.

Notes: Orangeblossom, violetleaf, almond, heliotrope, iris, mimosa, musk, risepowder, benzoin, tonkabeans

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.

Chanel Les Exclusifs - Chanel No 22

Picture: Greta Garbo in a publicity still for Wild Orchids (1929)
Photo by Ruth Harriet Louise for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio, (this
work is in the public domain) Wikimedia commons

A softer, more flowery version of the icecold, aldehydic, marbel beauty Chanel No 5 that was released 1921, a year before Chanel No 22. Both these classics were created of Ernest Beaux (as usual when it comes to the oldest Chanels). The No 22 I have tested is the Edt-version from the Les Exclusifs Collection and it’s of course just in the case with No 5 reformulated since 1922.

No 22 starts with an elegant, subdued white floral but sparkling aldehydic accord, reminiscent of No 5 but softer and somehow less aggressive even if a huge dose of delicate aldehydes. After a while the dry, gunpowder note that I appreciate so much in different strengths and interpretations, comes through. It’s a smooth and finetuned version of the gunpowder of Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige, Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre and Antonio Visconti Temps d’Hiver. The white flowers, with a note of tubereuse with a light and pleasant almost nailpolishnote coming forward, is still there and now and then a slight tart, orange-citrusy note glimpses by. When No 22 settles down in a slight powdery, soft incense base where a light, fresh vetivernote, balanced some sweetness, is clearly present. In the later stages of the basenotes, the smooth incense becomes clearer as also the dry, almost transparent vanillanote.   

Chanel No 22 is a seamless blend with a timeless, sophisticated, elegance, a fragrance for a timeless beauty like Greta Garbo. It’s a fragrance which makes most of the contemporary perfume selection to appear as rude and loud. Even the elegant Chanel No 5 seems a bit unpolished compared to the most refined No 22. It’s like No 5 could be imaged as the pushy, extrovert older sister and No 22 as the quiet, intellectual and refined little sister. Chanel No 22 has an almost regal aura and I can see it be worn by a royalty by some reception. It’s a real pleasure to wear and a fragrance that makes me think of cleaning out considerably in my fragrance collection. Sillage is close and longevity almost for 24h.

Those who like interpretations of aldehydic, powdery, elegant fragrances as for example Puredistance Opardu, MDCI Chypre Palatin, Montale Powder Flowers and Oscar de la Renta Esprit d’Oscar will probably also like Chanel No 22.

Rating: 5 

Notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, neroli, peach, jasmine, tubereuse, ylang-ylang, rose, iris, vetiver, vanilla, incense

Parfums MDCI - Chypre Palatin

Picture: The bias cut look of Madeleine Vionnet
from the 1930s evokes the spirit
and texture of Chypre Palatin



Chypre Palatin is a beautiful fragrance with a strong retro vibe from the french nichehouse Parfums MDCI. Chypre Palatin is created by the, to said the least, very active perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Chypre Palatin is presented as a masculine fragrance by the perfumehouse but when it comes to my nose, it’s unisex leaning a bit to the feminine side.

Chypre Palatin starts powdery dry, with that almost gunpowdery note that is present in Les Nombres d’Or Ambre by Mona di Orio. A multiple grades stronger interpretation of the gunpowdernote is the classical beginning of Teint de Neige by Lorenzo Villoresi. As the dry down continues, some soft, very wellblended flowery notes (particular from bulbous plants) shows up, supported by smooth tonka and different resins that creates a warm and delightful oriental-chypre (more oriental than chypre) fragrance in the style of Dior Dioressence, but smoother and without the rosy effect of Dioressence. But beneath all the wellbalanced pleasure of Chypre Palatin there is a slight, animalic note (probably the costus) lurking that gives this beautiful fragrance an interesting contrast. Also a sublime, dark, plummy, note is present in the later stages of the dry down.Chypre Palatin to me evokes the image of a fragrance from the 1930s worn by an elegant lady also wearing a bias cut dress by Madeleine Vionnet, but Chypre Palatin is interpreted in a contemporary style ie in a smoother and officefriendly shape. The oakmoss is invisable compared to the fragrances of the former era but probably there in the small IFRA restriced dose that is allowed today.

Chypre Palatin is a fragrance in the ongoing trend of retro inspired, elegant, powdery, fragrances that seems to be en vogue at the moment. Other representatives, even if featuring different notes besides the powdery notes, are Puredistance Opardu (lilac), Huiteme Art Poudre de Riz (tobbacco and tropical flowers) and Parfums de Nicolaï Musc Intense (powdery rose).

Chypre Palatin is a pleasant, versatile, elegant and very wearable fragance that could be worn in daytime for office or formal events year around except during warm summerdays. The sillage is very close and the longevity is almost a day. My only objection to this classy blend is that I which it was a bit more radiant, now it is almost a bit weak on my (dry) skin. As a fragrance of high quality, it’s still there, unfragmented at the end of the day. Maybe this is not  an issue for wearers with moistier skin.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lavender, labdanum, hyacinth, galbanum, sage, clementine, aldehydes, iris, jasmine, gardenia, rose, plum, styrax, benzoin, tolu balsam, vanilla, castoreum, leather, costus, oakmoss, immortelle

PS: Parfums MDCI has an affordable sampleset sold from the website that could be highly recommended. For EUR 90 (within Europe) 5x12 ml of their fragrances will be sent by the mail.

Mona di Orio - Les Nombres d'Or Rose Etoile de Hollande

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose Etoile de Hollande is maybe not Monas last creation but as a formula that she has worked on for several years and was finished before her tragical death last December, it's a deserving tribute to a great perfumer. A perfumer that is my most preferred.

- Pink rose with some of the to the rose oils typical rubbernote in the top/early middlenotes, but the rubbernote is gentler than in for example Annick Goutals Rose Absolue a high quality rose soliflore.

-Later on in the developement REdH is like a almost dry not especially sweet gourmand scent. This stage reminds med of Andy Tauers wonderful Une Rose Vermeille (minus the sweet jammy rosiness). In it's texture and the feeling REdH is close to Les Nombres d'Or Musc with some powder (minus the crackling dry gunpowder powderness) from Les Nombres d'Or Ambre. In the base there is darker, spicy, resiny, velvety dry notes. A fine, gentle leather note is also shining through. In the last stages it feels retro in style, with dark and dramatic facets, like a well mannered Rochas Femme. There is also a slight dusty note that reminds me of the "dust on a glowing bulb" note (minus the glowing) in Monas first creation of her own house: Carnation.

- REdH appers to me as softer and gentler then many of the earlier Mona creations. The sillage is close, almost as a skinscent but with occasional wiffs of the beautiful, pink rose on it's deeper and darker background.

- REdH conveys the sensation of soft cashmere and angora to me. It's clearly feminine in style.

- I tested REdH in summer but I also think it will fit very well (if not even better) in the cold season. Tender but in the same time sparkling like a little far away twinkling dimond star a starry winternight. A star like Mona.

- Monas companion, Jeroen Oude Sogetoen, has dedicated the name Rose Etoile de Hollande to Mona. Mona is the Star of Holland, Holland where their perfumehouse is domiciled and also where Mona have her final restingplace.

- To summon it all up: I love this rose, it fullfilled my very high expectations, but as always I could trust Mona handling one of my favouritenotes. REdH is not as dark as I had expected but that is absolutly not a disadvantage. On the contrary, darker roses are often more rough in characher. This one goes from bright to medium on a dark, contrasting background, it's one of those fragrances that demands attention during the whole developement which to me is the essence of a fine perfume.

Rating: 5

Notes: Aldehydes, white peach, bergamot, rose, cloves, geranium, leather, patchouli, cedar, heliotrope, vanilla, benzoin, amber, peru balsam.

Thanks to Parfums Mona di Orio for sending me a sample to test. REdH is avaible at Aus Liebe zum Duft.

By Kilian - Ambre Oud

Picture: Resiny wood. Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

By Kilian latest creation in the Arabian Nights collection Ambre Oud is a well-mannered amber composed by the (almost) housenose Calice Becker.

In the topnotes Ambre Oud starts as a relatively clean amber, followed by some traces of a light powderness. As the scent drys down it becomes a little darker and also sweeter as ther is a obvious note of a fine vanilla (like vanilla pods) in the base. The vanilla reminds me of the vanilla note in Havana Vanille by L'Artisan Parfumeur. There are also woody notes in Ambre Oud but not much oud, to my nose anyway. Maybe Ambre Oud is build among the same idea as the earlier release Incense Oud, a parfume without oud that are intended to get the olfactory image of oud. But Ambre Oud doesen't even give me that oud image as Incense Oud does.

To me Ambre Oud is a good but not groundbreaking amberperfume, wearable for most occasions during the colder months. A good choice among others for customers who are searching for an elegant basic amberperfume without oddities. It's an alternative to the likes of Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan or Ormonde Jaynes Tolu. Ambre Oud never gets as dry, fluffy and (gun)powdery as Mona di Orios Les Nombres d'Or Ambre nor dark, dusky and slight dirty as L'Ombre Fauve by Pafumerie Générale, my two favorite ambers.  

Rating: 4 +

First I rated this 3+ because I don't think it's original enough even if well balanced and of good quality. That rating made Mr Parfumista upset as he thinks Ambre Oud is a very good fragrance and deserves a rating at least as 4 or actually higher. As he is very picky about fragrances I had to reconsider my earlier rating and raise it a step. Mr Parfumistas own rating of Ambre Oud ís at least 4+. 

Notes: Amber, benzoin, vanille, cedar, laurel.

Isabey - L'Ambre de Carthage

Picture: Ruins of the Punic Quarter on the Byrsa hill, Carthage.

Photo: BishkekRocks, (cc) Wikimedia Commons.

From the description of L'Ambre de Carthage, it seems that the 2011 introduced fragrance  is a reworking of a Isabey oriental from 1924. The fragrance is intended to be "pour homme" but to me L'AdC is totally unisex.

When first applied L'AdC somehow reminds me of Dune by Dior. Later in the drydown there is also similarities with Scent Intense by Costume National but L'AdC is more ambery and has no special characteristics as SI:s the- and hibiscusnotes. L'AdC to me is a typical, contemporary, resiny amber, with some incense and I also think I can sniff my good friend mr Ambrox in the mixture. Nice blend but very conventional. Nothing like my favourite ambers, the two opposite interpretations of  amber: The dark, dirty, animalic  L'Ombre Fauve from Parfumerie Generale or the sparkling, crackling dry, gunpowdery Les Nombres d'Or Ambre from Mona di Orio.

L'AdC is a well-behaved and well balanced blend of good quality. It is wearable in various situations during the cold season and for evenings during the summer. L'AdC has a good sillage and the longivety is at least twelve hours. But despite all it's merits, L'AdC doesn't move me at all. Sample from good ol' Aus Liebe zum Duft

Rating: 3

Notes: Bergamot, labdanum, osmanthus, jasmin, amber, olibanum, sandalwood, patchouli

Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or - Ambre, Cuir and Musc - update December 2011

Picture: Novemberrose (end of November 2011)

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Further thoughts regarding the first three Les Nombres d'Or fragrances after additional testings.

Ambre: Update 12/16/2011:  My latest wearings of Ambre has deepen my affection for it. For my first testings in fall/winter 2010 I used a small spray-samplevial. But it seems that this airy, dry, gunpowdery, ambery beauty that gives me the image of a pale salmon pink cashmere jumper paired with a pearl necklace, have to be dabbed to obtain its full beauty. The large splash sample that I received earlier this fall from Monas businesspartner Jeroen Oude Sogtoen at Mona di Orio Parfums only allowed dabbing and that's obviously the key to the soul of Ambre.

Rating increased to 5.

Cuir: Update 12/15/2011: Cuir is the roughest leather I have tried, Kölnisch Juchte included. It is like a well worn, heavy, black leather jacket infused with the smell from the smoke of the campfire. The cardamonnote is present to me during the full dry down and in some strange way it (or something else) embeds the smoky-leathery aromas in slight soapy texture which mediates the feeling of tarsoap. Even if I really enjoy Cuir I think it is more of a masculine type of leather, a departure from the usually so über-Femme fragrances of Mona. But Cuir definitly has it place in this household, it's a ideal fragrance for Mr Parfumista.

Rating still 5.

Musc: Update 12/17/2011: Today my impression of Musc is more soapy (which I love) than during my earlier testings. Before I found it more powdery but compared to the dry Ambre, Musc appears soapy. The impression of a soft pale, pink rose interacting with soapy neroli resting on a bed of warm heliotrophe and powdery tonka consists. Just as Ambre, Musc is a fragrance that perfectly fits when wearing soft chasmere in a pale pastel colour. But as Ambre is the more sensual thight fitting cashmerejumper, Musc is the proper and decent twinset.

Rating still 5.

To sum up: Excellent, retrostyled perfumes that makes the wearer dream. No doubt that Mona has more than fullfilled that intention with her beautiful creations.

Mona di Orio - Les Nombres d'Or Musc

Foto: Parfumista (c)

Fortsätter med nästa pärla i Mona di Orios EDT-serie Les Nombres d'Or nämligen Musc. Les Nombres d'Or Musc är i mitt tycke ännu en fullträff från Mona, men jag verkar och andra sidan gilla det mesta som Mona skapar, hennes speciella stil berör. Till och med hennes "entonsserie" känns diskret och hemligt spännande. Precis om Les Nombres d'Or Ambre häromdagen är Musc klassad som unisex men jag tycker att båda dofterna är ytterst kvinnliga. Kanske det är därför flera manliga revieware inte verkar gilla dem.
Les Nombres d'Or Musc är för mig inte så mycket en myskparfym även om det är mysk som är det genomgående temat. Eller den mysknot som skapas genom att lägga samman noter från växtriket med syntetisk mysk, alltså ett substitut till den animaliska mysken. Musc har inte mycket som påminner om den typiskt mer distinkta, eller ska jag kalla den mer påträngande, "cleana" mysk som man kan känna i många vita myskdofter. Exempelvis Les Nereides Musc Samarkand och Annick Goutals Musc Nomade har ett tydligare myskigt inslag än Musc. Musc är för mig en mjuk puderpuffsdoft, heliotrope, tonkaböna och en lätt, blekt rosa ros är de noter som accentureras mest på mig. Musc är mycket komfortabel, diskret och elegant, den har inga kantiga, sträva eller dissonanta noter. En typisk "pärlcollier med kashmirkoftsset i blek pastell" doft, lika kvinnlig som Mona själv (även om hon är mer färgstark). Själv bara äääääälskar jag Musc, den får mig att känna mig så väl till mods, sin eleganta stil till trots.

Les Nombres d'Or Musc är, trots att den är en lätt, transparent och ljus doft, hållbar minst hela dagen.  Den passar dagtid året om och fungerar säkert ypperligt som kvällsdoft om sommaren.

Betyg: 5

Noter: Neroli, kamomill, ros, heliotrope, tonkaböna, mysk.

Mona di Orio - Les Nombres d'Or Ambre

Bild: The White House Entrance Hall. The grand piano was built by Steinway

Foto: White House (Zhen-Huan Lu), Wikimedia Commons (cc)

Avbryter tillfälligt serien med juldofter för att med anledning av Mona di Orios tragiska bortgång istället publicera reviewer av några av Monas dofter som ursprungligen var inlagda för publicering i januari/februari 2012. Reviewerna är alltså skrivna långt innan Monas bortgång.

Mona di Orio har en särskild serie EDT:er - Les Nombres d'Or som utgår från klassiska parfymnoter. I de tre första dofterna i serien, ambra, mysk och läder. I Les Nombres-dofterna är Mona mer minimalistisk (även om ordet minimalistisk och Mona di Orio i sig känns som två motpoler) i jämförelse med sin i de flesta i huvudlinjen så otroligt mångfacetterade och i vissa fall barocka kompositioner.

Mona di Orios Les Nombres d'Or Ambre tillhör inte den örtiga, lite maskulina typen av ambraparfym, exempelvis MPG:s Ambre Precieux eller Histoires d'Parfums Ambre 114. Den tillhör heller inte kategorin kådigt, fylllig, mörk patchoulliaccentuerad ambradoft, exempelvis Estee Lauders Youth Dew Amber Nude eller Farmacia SS. Annunziatas Ambra Nera.

Ambre inleds med något som jag tycker liknar en lätt krutnot och ett grönt, lite pepprigt inslag som påminner om torra grönpepparkorn. När det gäller krutnoten påminner den om en mycket nedtonad och torrare variant av krutnoten i Lorenzo Villoresis Teint de Neige. Herr Parfumista tycker att Ambre i toppnoterna påminner om den klassiska herrdoften Dunhill, och något ligger det faktiskt i det, kanske är det krutnoten. I mellanregistret kommer en diskret ambra, träiga och pudriga noter som benzoin och doften blir till en lätt och diskret oriental. Mellan och basregistren smälter samman och resten av dagen känns Ambre rätt linjär. En not jag känner i basen är knastertorr papyrus och det är den noten som finns kvar morgonen efter en dag med Ambre. En av provningarna tyckte jag mig känna stråk av ambrox och möjligen finns spår av denna moderna ingrediens i basen även om den inte anges i notlistan. Att göra det kanske skulle förta lite av retrokänslan i doften.

Monas Ambre är en lätt, kvinnlig, pudrig, elegant men ändå väldigt komfortabel ambra. Den är transparent och ger bäraren en elegant och diskret aura samtidigt som den räcker ofragmenterad hela dagen. Det känns som jag vandrar på små puffiga, ulliga moln när jag bära Ambre. Det är också en intellektuell doft, papyrusnoten framkallar bilden av ett slottsbibliotek med gamla torra skinnband, Anbre är en perfekt doft för bokmalar. I andra reviewer har jag läst att den doftar som ett gammalt mahoganypiano och visst påminner Ambre om doften av innanmätet till en öppnad flygel, har själv provsniffat.

En av testomgångarna med Ambre gick jag runt för ärenden i city. Ambre kändes som en slags sköld och som en sådan raffinerad kontrast till alla kemiska fruit-chulli, woody-spicy dofter som slår emot mig i follvimlet. Därmed inte sagt att Ambre inte är kemisk, jag anar ju stråk av min kära super-kemiska komponent ambrox, även om den inte finns angiven. Även om jag gillar ambrox är den (om den nu finns) lite irriterande just i den här kreationen, den känns för brutalt modern i det övrigt så klassiska, intellektuella, komfortabla molnet.

Ambre är mycket bärbar och användbar året om utom under högsommaren. Främst en doft för dagen men passar bra kvällstid under svala sommarkvällar.

Rating: 5 (updated rating winter 2011 see update posted 12/30/2011)
Rating: 4 (fall/winter 2010)
Noter: Ylang-ylang, cederträ, benzoin, tulubalsam, ambra, vanilj.