Fragrance(s) of the week (14) 2014 - Kilian and more....

Picture: Kilian Hennessy,
the founder of  ByKilian
Photo: PR ByKilian (c)

Today I'm testing one of the new ByKilans from the Asian Tales collection: Sacred Wood. A great fragrance which I'll review when I have tried it a few more times. This week, I entered the Kilian-universe again, wearing the delicious honeyed tobacco Back to Black which has been neglected for too long. This made me think of one of my favorites flowers last summer, Water Caligraphy which is a fragrance that I have grown to love. See my updated review. The other floral favorites last summer was Annick Goutal Néroli (the discontinued Edt) and the perfect pink rose Rose Perfection by Robert Piguet. Now I'm longing for summer and the fragrance summer wardrobe.

PS: What a coincidence, the two "coverboys" of the perfume world, Pierre Guillaume and Kilian Hennessy in two entries in a row :-)

Best of 2013

Picture: Summer evening in Stockholm Archipelago 2013
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

2013 was another year with a flood of releases, many good and well constructed but too close to other perfumes too really catch my attention. The fragrances of the best of list are such that immidiately caught my attention and a "wow" feeling appeared.

For Her: Le Parfum Couture Denis Durand pour M.Micallef Already during my first wearing of this dark rosy, retro, skanky perfume I knew this would be the perfume of the year to me and it made it to the end.

For Him: Royal Vintage from M.Micallef fresh mangled, exquisite, linen tablecloths worthy a the Royal table. Notes of a just lit cigarette with hints of a minimalistic dry jasmine complements.

For Both: Oumma by Stéphane Lucas Humbert 777 a runner up tested the weekend before Christmas. A fragrance in a class of its own, balsamic resins, rose and a smooth expression of saffron and precious woods.

Close runner up's/ Honorable mentions: Oriza L.Legrand Chypre Mousse, Neela Vermiere Cretations Mohur Extrait, Andy Tauer PHI Rose the Kandahar, Robert Piguet Rose Perfection, Puredistance Black, By Kilian Playing with the Devil, Oliver Durbano Lapis Philosophorum and Aedes de Venustas Iris Nazarena.

2013 apperantly was a good year for Martine Micallef and her house nose Jean-Claude Astier, releasing special and wearable fragrances that stands out to me and make my jaded nose a bit excitetd. The sampling of Oumma was pure luck, random choosing from a sachet of Aus Liebe zum Duft samples. About all the fragranes which almost made it (I'm also almost sure I've forgot to mention some interesting releases): They are all very good and I or Mr Parfumista are delighted to wear them.

Which fragrance is your best of 2013?

Historiae - Mystic Oud

Picture: The awesome bottle of Mystic Oud
Photo: PR Historiae (c)

Mystic Oud is a contrasting fragrance in the up today classical "garden perfume" inspired line of the french niche house Historiae. Orangerie du Roy, Bouquet de Trianon, Hameau de la Reine, Rose de France and Violette Imperiale. As most of the Historiaes Mystic Oud is created by no other than the famous Bertrand Duchaufour.

Mystic Oud starts intriguing with a fruity, boozy note, probably the davana, soon followed by a pink, creamy rose which smells almost like a luxurary face creme. After a while red roses, without the creamy feel, fizzy and a bit tart the same impression as in Annick Goutal Rose Splendide (swe) but not as prounounced, joins the blend and contrasts the comfortable creamy impression. Further on the oud appears but not as the demanding note as in so many oud fragrances. In Mystic Oud it acts more as a dark, woody, contrasting note to the roses and the oud is acting balanced  together with the others in the accord. The boozy note returns darkens and intensifies in the basenotes together with a note of natural honey which lend a slight animalic character to Mystic Oud. The rosy mix is still present in the base, both the creamy pink ones and the tart red ones.

In an early stage of the developement of Mystic Oud I got strong associations to a favorite pink rose of mine, Burberry Body Edp  (swe) but overall Mystic Oud gives a rosier, cleaner and more minimalistic impression compared to Burberry Body which is more of a mixed bouquet but dominated by roses to me.  I think Mystic Oud is a proper name for this rose dominated blend as the oud is (as mentioned above) sort of hidden among the other deeper notes of the fragrance.

A welldone, and even if not the most innovative fragrance ( I find Burberry Body more innovative, maybe because it is IMHO the prototype in this contemporary rosy genre), an intriguing and in the same time comforting  rosefragrance to wear. Sillage is medium and longevity 12h +. The best of all: Mystic Oud is reasonably priced compared to most niche ouds (SEK 830, EUR 93 and USD 124) in Fragrance & Art  webshop. Mystic Oud is quity priceworthy when it comes to quality, there are far more expensive fragrances of lesser or same quality out there.

Those who like rose perfumes and ouds in the style of Ramon Monegal L'Eau de Rose, Robert Piguet Rose Perfection and  Montale Aoud Damascus (swe), I think also  will appreciate Mystic Oud.

Rating: 4

Notes: Aldehydes, bergamot, orange, rose, davana, saffron, rose, peony, geranium, clove, oud, vanilla, benzoin, vetiver, castoreum, amber, patchouli, sandalwood, oak moss

Robert Piguet - Rose Perfection

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose Perfection is another new creation by Aurelien Guichard the housenose of the venerable perfumehouse Robert Piguet. Before creating a bunch of new fragrances the latest years, Guichard also has re-interpreted most of the Robert Piguet classics. Rose Perfection was launched as an Harvey Nichols exclusive.

Rose Perfection starts with a quick whiff of the typical green rubberlike not which is typical for natural roseoils. Soon the fragrance transforms in a fizzy very pink velvet rose. It has a natural sweetness and the scent of the pink petals are dominating even if slight offset by just a gentle dose of the green tart smell from the stem, leaves and thorns. In other bright rosefragrances where the tart note is more distinct, the impression of the rose is more of rosewater from a wild rosebush  as for example Annick Goutal Rose Splendide and Lostmarc'h Iroaz. Rose Perfection is far away from this wild roses, Rose Perfection is a highly cultivated rose with an impressing pedigree growing in the symmetrically designed garden of a french renaissance castle. In style and apperance Rose Perfection reminds me of Serge Lutens Sa Majesté la Rose another elegant pink rose primarily focusing on the delicate rosepetals instead of the rose as a whole. The beautiful, perfect, almost airy clean rose of  Rose Perfection is said to be a blend of different matching notes from destilations of different types of roses. A slight musky base supports and highlights the rosy perfection.

Rose Perfection is perfect for summer, capable to manage even a warm day as it has a great longevity (24h) and stays lightly on my skin also after the morningshower. The sillage is medium and it blooms beautiful a summerday. I'm also convinced that Rose Perfection will do well  also during the colder month especially as the rose has a soft, almost velvet character and not the lighter texture of rosewater.

To me Rose Perfection is the rose equivalent to Robert Piguets beautiful  interpretation of orangeblossom Blossom and just as the latter, highly addictive. Both fragrances are bright, happy, sparkling and in the same time comfortable, relaxing and real pleasure to wear. Just perfect!

Rating: 5

Notes: Citrus, rose, floral notes, musk

Fragrance(s) of the week (25) 2013 - Midsummer

Picture:Night on the Eve of Ivan Kupala
Painting by Henryk Siemiradzki (1892)
Wikimedia Commons

This week I been strolling in a the rosegarden testing Robert Piguets wonderful pinke rose, the new Rose Perfection  varied with Ramon Monegals intriguing and long lasting variation of the light rose, L'Eau de Rose. Serge Lutens metallic slight bloody but later in the drydown jammy rose La Fille de Berlin added some drama for a day.

On Midsummer Eve I forced myself to take a break in the roseparade, wearing something more non-descript floral/grassy/hayish to match this special day, my choice was the very versatile Jour d'Hermès. Smells very good but IMO with some longevity issus, it just last for 6-8h under out-of-doors conditions.

Fragrance(s) of the week (24) 2013

Picture: New Robert Piguets are tempting me
Photo: PR Robert Piguet (c) all rights reserved

In the middle of my "reviewing light and summery fragrances period" I drooling over these interesting (to say at least) new Robert Piguets. I'm so curious, and soon I'll also be able to sample two of them: A perfect bright rose, Rose Perfection (even if the line already has the IMO perfect bright rose blended with powdery orris, Calypso) and a floral chypre (I love chypres) Alameda. Hopefully I also get the opportunity to test the leather Knightsbridge later on but now I'm so thrilled to dive in these two beauties, which I already know they are in advance. After all they are Piguets and this genuine house has proven to be the most versatile for me beside Guerlain and Chanel which is a great achievement as the two latter are giants with houndreds of perfumes in their lines compared to this little quality house.