Peonies

Picture Peonia Suffruticosa
Photo: Aberlin (cc) Wikipedia commons,
some rights reserved

Now it's the time when the wonderful., lush peonies starting to bloom and as a Perfumista I start longing for wearing the note. Peony is not a common soliflore in the world of fragrance and when it appears as the leading part it's almost always (just as most soliflores) backed up with another floral note, most common is rose. Below some peonies I've tested and like very much:

Picture: Vert Pivoine
Photo: PR Histoires de Parfums (c)

Vert Pivoine (Histoires de Parfums): Starts fizzy, dry, green and almost light peppery. Dries down to a lush, fullblown, almost in the first phase of withering, musky peony, supported by a rose and a contrasting  tart wellbalanced, berrynote. There is also an earthy note in the late drydown. Smells very good and feminine.

Picture: Peoneve
Photo: PR Penhaligon's (c)

Peoneve (Penhaligons): Another great smelling, feminine, lush peony, also supported by rose but the blend smells like lily of the valley is the second player. It's the lush peony contrasted with the green tangy, almost poisonous tartness of the LOTV.

Picture: Rose Pivoine
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Rose Pivoine (Parfums de Nicolaï): Here the rose and peony are acting on more equal themes, the peony doesn't take over the composition. The chamomille freshens and cooling the mix and the fruits smoothen the edges of the protagonists. A lighter and airier composition than the previous two.

Picture: Quel Amour
Photo: PR Annick Goutal (c)

Quel Amour! (Annick Goutal): Uplifting, sparkling, bubbly, slight green, peony/rose smoothed by peach and berries There is also a something contrasting, tart in the fragrance which creates a fresh and almost chilly feeling. Quel Amour is happiness in a bottle. The same lighter style as Rose Pivoine.

Grossmith - Amelia

Picture: European peony, Paeonia lactiflora
Photo by Frances2000, Wikipedia Commons

Amelia, a part of the Grossmith Black Label Collection released in late 2012, is created in honour of the daughter of the founder of the house (originally established in 1835), Amelia. The fragrance is created by Trevor Nicholl.

Amelia starts with an accord reminding of an upscale version of Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely and Narciso Rodriguez For Her Edt. Amelia than proceed less musky and sweet than the two other mentioned, there are offsetting neroli, white flowery and green notes detectable which balances the fragrance in a delicate way. I also smell a small fraction of that special tart note which is present in many 2012 cretations, probably compliant with the coming regulations. I like this kind of dry tartness combined in one note, the tart note is more clearly presant in for example Chanel 1932. 
The star of the flowery accord is a fresh and dewy peony, a peony that manage to maintain this impression during the whole dry down and doesn't get sour and dull. The base is musky with a counterbalancing typical contemporary chypre accord containing patchouli and vetiver. In the latest stages of the development of the base, the notes seems similar to the baseaccod in Golden Chypre which was reviewed last week. As in all Black Label creation tested so far the notes are well balanced and seamlessy mixed.

Amelia is a perfect fragrance for spring. It is clean without any laudery- or ozonic notes. It fits into most environments and couldn't offend anyone, hence it's the perfect, feminine scent for work. To be a tribute to a woman of the 19th centurary, Amelia feels a bit too contemporary in style. Maybe it is also a bit too perfect, there are absolutely no dangers lurking in the background as in for example the NR For Her Edt mentioned above. Amelia wears close to the skin and the longevity is for a day. The quality is top-notch as with Grossmiths in general.

Those who like fragrances in the classical style of Annick Goutal Quel Amour and Parfums de Nicolaï Rose Pivoine will probably appreciate this modern, musky interpretation of the peony-theme.

Rating: 4

Notes: Neroli, osmanthus, rose, jasmine, peony, amber, patchouli, vetiver, sandalwood, cashmere musks

Thanks to Fragrances & Art for the sample to test.

MDCI Parfums - Rose de Siwa

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose de Siwa is created in 2006 by Francis Kurkdjian for MDCI Parfums. Rose de Siwa is a classical rose fragrance in the light and bright genre. It's a medium pink colored rose underscored with a sweet fruitiness from the litchi. There is also hints of other flowers to smooth out the rose and the whole composition rests on a distinct musky base.

Even if Rose de Siwa clearly is a rosefragrance, the rose is not heavy or predominant at all. It's a well blended fragrance and the notes are floating in a seamless manner. Rose de Siwa is a fragrance in the elegant, classical style, composed of high quality ingredients and there are no traces of detergent, plastic or sharp notes. Rose de Siwa first of all reminds me of the original Paris of YSL, in it's original formulation from the eightis, they have the violets and the pink roses in common. Other clean, bright, pink roses in the same style as Rose de Siwa is Rose Pivone by Parfums de Nicolaï and Quel Amour by Annick Goutal. In both of them the peony is more pronounced than in Rose de Siwa and they are also less sweet and fresher than the latter.

Even if not groundbreaking, Rose de Siwa is an elegant and at the same time versatile daytime fragrance.
As YSL Paris was a favorite of mine in my youth, I also have a ceartian weakness for Rose de Siwa.

Rating: 4

Notes: Litchi, peony, hawthorn, rose, violet, cedar, vetiver, musk

Inga vårkänslor....

Vårtecken, foto: Herr Parfumista (c)

Trots att våren äntligen är här så lyser längtan efter vårliga dofter med sin frånvaro. Inte ens mina trevliga gröna, som är ett bra sätt att inleda våren med, lockar. Nej jag framhärdar i mörka rosor, ouder, gourmander och kryddiga kreationer. Efter helgen får det vara nog. Nästa vecka är det jag som kommer att tvångsparfymera mig i för årstiden mer "passande" dofter. Kommer jag bara på spåret så är jag nog snart på banan. Och det går ju alltid att smyga in någon dag då och då med en mörk och dramtisk doft-skönhet.

För att påbörja den mentala omsvängningen har jag så smått börjat fundera på vilka jag ska prioritera. Chanel No 19, Annick Goutals Heure Exquise och Vero Kerns Onda står på menyn i den gröna gruppen. Hermès Amazone, MPG:s Magnolia Pourpre och Annick Goutals Quel Amour! lockar i den ljust blommiga gruppen. Se där, "lockar", allt är precis som när det gäller det mesta annat bara en fråga om att ändra mindsetet. Och så är jag sugen på  Pradas Infusion d'Iris, Les Nereides Musc Samarkand och Serge Lutens Sa Majesté la Rose, obs; ljus och grön ros.

Midsommardofter

Så var den officiella midsommarafton här även om det känns lite konstigt att det vände redan i måndags. Men låt oss inte tänka på hösten (och dess trevliga dofter) utan på vad som matchar så här mitt i sommaren. Eftersom det blir en varm och solig midsommar så känner jag till skillnad från de två senaste åren för dofter som nog kan sägas tillhöra kategorin "sommardofter"som:
Eau de Campagne (Sisley): Mångårig gräsfavorit med en ton av galbanum och tomatblad. En doft som personifierar en frodig gräsmatta en solig sommardag.
Vie de Chateau (Parfums de Nicolaï): Självklart måste en doft från sommarens favorithus Nicolaï smyga sig in. Härligt, höigt, torrt gräsig på en lätt chyprebas. En doft som personiferar det torkade gräset i stekande sommarsol.
Quel Amour (Annick Goutal): Lätt, transparent, chic blomblandning som domineras av pion och en rosa ros. Personiferar det alternativa, eleganta midsommarfirandet med cocktails på slottsterassen.
Eau Pure (Caron): En aquatisk doft som inte har mycket gemensamt med den vanliga aqua-kemifabriken, förutom det inledande ackordet som snabbt tonar ut. Talkig, pudrig vintagekänsla kombinerat med doften av en våt träbit som spolats upp ur havet.  Personifierar okonstlad fräschhet.

Ha en Glad Midsommar!