5 top green summer fragrances

Picture: Crowded on the waterway to Stockholm in July
Photo: Parfumista (c) 

As I wrote in a post recently, I'm perfumwise, in tune with the season this summer i.e I don't long for the darker and heavier fragrances of autumn/winter which is quite common for me. This summer is green in different interpretations to me and even if I don't have time to wear all the fragrances mentioned, there is always some new samples in waiting for test, I sniff them regulary and ensure that the rest of the family wears some of them.

Coton Egyptien (Phaedon): Finally, thanks to Mr Parfumista and the kids who used up my sample, I get this elegant, casual, galbanum light, freshly ironed, high quality crisp cottonfabric fragrance. There is no detergent vibes in this as in for example Serge Lutens L'Eau Serge which is a perfume in a similar style but with a chemical (in a positive way) apperance. The Phaedon line is re-packing in new bottles and it seems as Coton Egyptien is discontinued as it doesn't appear among the re-bottled fragrances. At present Fragrance & Art sells the Phaedons in the old bottles, among them Coton Egyptien, to a reduced price.

Vent Vert (Pierre Balmain): The soapy, slight salty, light musky notes combined with galbanum of the current version reminds me of the archipelago, more particulary the wood-fired sauna with the following bath in the cold seawater. My appreciation of the current version is growing, I like it as much as the older, sharper, more elegant version.

Cologne Friction (Parfums de Nicolaï): This gentle, crisp, grassy cologne is like sunwarmed grass added with a light accord of the non-cocnut classical austrian sunscreen Snikk. I think Cologne Friction is on my top summer fragrances list almost every year, it is so relaxing and versatile. Unfortunately it seems as it's discontinued when looking at the new Parfums de Nicolaï website.

Vetiver (Guerlain): Mr Parfumista wears both one of the later Edt versions and a vintage Edc. Both are great (even) for summer. The Edt version (with better longevity) is a bit soapy, with a lighter touch of vetiver, in the Edc the vetiver is more concentrated, smells almost as, but not as strong, the pure vetivernote in LesNez Turtle Vetiver.

Cristalle Eau Verte (Chanel): Another underappreciated Chanel IMO. This slight flowery, herbal, watery-green fragrance reminds me of a chilly and refreshing vermuthdrink loaded with icecubes a hot summerday. Perfect casual chic for work during the summer.

Oriza L.Legrand - Oeillet Louis XV

Picture:Portrait of Louis XV of France (1710-1774)
Maurice Ouentin de La Tour 1748

Oeillet Louis XV is a multilayered and fascinating fragrance from the  venerable perfumehouse Oriza L.Legrand,established 1720. Oriza from gold (or) and rice (riz) as the house started as provider of ricepowder to the whigs which were fashionable at that time. Normally I'm no fan of carnation fragrances but Oeillet Louis XV is the fragrance that could change this (or is the exception) because it's by far the best carnation fragrance I have tested.

Oeillet Louis XV starts with a natural smelling carnation. It's the scent of a fresh and crisp carantion, just picked. The spicy facets of carnation are perfectly balanced and also feels very natural. The carnation in the opening I image as bright red  followed by likewise fresh white and pink carnations in the middlenotes. In this part the carnations are counterbalanced of some cold flowers, white lily and iris. In the basenotes the carnation is darker, the spicier clove appears. The notes interacting in the base together creates a light note reminiscent of  licorice which is very pleasant. The texture of  the whole drydown of Oeillet Louis XV
is powdery and smooth silky with a slight tart note that balances the dry, spicy carnations. When smelling Oeillet Louis XV  it is easy to image the dry ricepowder for the hair, whigs and skin as also the colorful costumes of the rocooera. This is the fragrance of Madame de Pompadour, the most famous of Louis XV:s mistresses, a fragrance for daydreams and nostalgia.

Picture: Full-length portrait of the Marquise de Pompadour
Pastelpainting by Maurice Quentin de la Tour between 1748-55

Oeillet Louis XV is all about carantion, an achivement that many fragrances mimicing this flower fails with. For example Vitroil d'Oeillet (in swedish) by Serge Lutens is more about iris-hyacinth-rose and  lacking the natural freshness. Maître Parfumeeur et Gantier  Soie Rouge is fruity and the carnation note is a bit too weak and fleeting. Both the mentioned carnation fragrances also doesn't manage to keep the scent of carnation sufficiently until the end of the development.

It's seems as I'm wearing Oeillet Louis XV very well as I received compliments spontaneously when testing it and I also feel very comforable in this unusual fragrance. Finally I found the carnation for me :-)

Rating: 5

Notes: Pink pepper, mandarin white carnation, carnation absolute, white orchid, iris, rose, spicy clove rice powder, white musk, white honey, woody notes

Thanks to Fragrances & Art for the sample to test.

Robert Piguet - Blossom

 

Picture:Closeup of mandarin tree  in the Berkeley Botanical Garden
Photo by Allen Timothy Chang (cc) Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved

Another Piguet to like! The fragrances of the house of Piguet seems to be the perfect match for my skinchemistry. Blossom, created by the Piguet housenose Auerlien Guichard, is a part of the Pacific Collection, which is intended the Asian market, but seems to be avaible also in other markets around the globe. The Pacific Collection consists of three fragrances inspired by symbolic plants of China—Blossom, Chai and Jeunesse.

Blossom starts with a delicious, almost natural smell of mandarin. After a while notes of orangeblossom appears and the dry down is dominated by the interaction of those in addition with juicy, green leaves of the orangetree. All these different shades of orange is anchored in a pleasant, not detergent smelling, white musk. Blossom  gives me the imagination of strolling around a sunny day in a mandarin grove in a garden of The Secret City during the Chinese Empire.

Picture: Blossom from the Robert Piguet Pacific Collection
Photo: PR Parfums Robert Piguet (c)

Blossom is a wellbalanced, straight forward "orangefruits" composition which is comfortable to wear year around, especially in the late winter when the sun is warming the snowy fields as a forerunner of the comeing spring. The mandarin note which is the special in this blend is as mentioned above, fresh and natural smelling, not the darker, spicy almost marmelade mandarinnotes of Serge Lutens Mandarin-Mandarine which is more complex and more of a glowing autumn perfume, compared to Blossom. Longevity of Blossom is about a day, sillage is close, this is the perfect inoffensive, happy, officescent that anybody could feel comfortable with.

Those who pronounced orangeblossom perfumes such as Ramon Monegal  Entre Naranjos Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM pour Femme, Elie Saab Le Parfum, L'Artisan Parfumeur Seville à l'Aube and Oscar de la Renta Granada will certainly enjoy Blossom

Rating: 4 (Feb 2013) 5 (April 2013)

Update april 2013: The more I test this fragrance the more I like it. Uplifting, happy and a real pleasure to wear. Also comfortables as a " go-to-sleep" frag, calming despite its uplifting character. 

Notes: Neroli, mandarin, orangeblossom, orangeleaves, musc

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle - Dries van Noten

Picture: Caffè latte as being served in Oslo
Photo by Jazzbobrown (cc), Wikimedia commons

The Belgian fashiondesigner Dries van Noten has released the first fragrance of the house (bearing the houses name) in collaboration with wellknown nichehouse Editions de Parfumes Frederic Malle. This instead of taking the "regular" massmarket channel as most fashionhouses when release their fragrances. The perfumer of Dries van Noten is Bruno Jovanovic.

Dries van Noten smells like almost unsweet pastry, the sweetness is at least subdued.The whole impression of the perfume is like sitting in a café a grey, snowy and chilly day (exactly the weather when I write this review :-) consuming a croissant together with a giant latte. As Dries van Noten dries :-) down the croissant-note becomes apparent. The texture of DvN is somehow like the feeling of smooth, lightcolored suede, even if there is no suedenote recognizable in the blend. There is also a beautiful, smooth sandalwood in DvN, the finest I have smelled in a contemporary fragrance for a long time. As I understand it there is some "substitute"  for Santal from Mysore that has been introduced to the market latly. Probably this has been used instead of the rougher australian sandalwood that is common in woody perfumes released in the latest years.  In the basenotes there are smooth, powdery and a bit sweet woody notes, also almond is detectable as later also a clean, a bit almost sweet herbal note. To my nose DvN is sweeter in the basenotes than in it's earlier stages.

Overall a pleasant and very comfortable fragrance in the transparant gourmand style of Carner Barcelona Rima XI. I like the latter equal to Dries van Noten Rima XI is, even if also transparant and smooth in texture, more pronounced in its gourmand style, more distinctive with its smooth spices and maybe more intriguing as composition. On the other hand Dries van Noten is almost seamless in its development so very delicious and cosy and I think it appeals to a broader group of perfumewearers, it could also have been released as an "highend mainstream". Dries van Noten is very officefriendly, a fragrance that gives the wearer compliments. Perfect for the colder months. I have read complaints about the longevity of DvN but this is not a problem for me, I can smell sufficient traces of it almost 24h after applying it. Sillage is medium in its earlier accords, then close.

Those who likes fragrances in the style of Carner Barcelona Tardes, Parfumerie Generale Praline de Santal, Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau and  Etro Heliotrophe (mini review in swedish) could also appreciate Dries van Noten.

Update late April 2013: The more I wear/test/sniff DvN the more I like its subtle and comforting character and the fact that its longevity is great despite its transparency. The sandalwood note is smooth and has no harsh edges which is sometime the case with the australian sandalwood used as a substitute to the Mysore in many fragrances during the latest years. Overall DvN is a very wearable fragrance. 

Rating: 4, Update April 2013: 5

Notes: Citron, sandalwood, guaiac wood, cashmeran, tonka bean, vanilla, saffron, jasmine, musk

Thanks to Alla Violetta for a sample to review.

Oscar de la Renta - Oriental Lace

Picture: Lace fabric

Photo from Textile talk

Oriental Lace, the oriental in the Oscar de la renta Essentials Collection, has almost none of the classic oriental accords, besides the varm honeyd, vanilla base. It's a fragrance of its own which puzzled me during a day of wearing. First after twelve hours wearing  I could realate to what Oriental Lace reminds me of: Juicy Fruit chewing gum, in a positive way.

Oriental Lace starts with a transparant, sweet spicy (a touch of cinnamon and barely a touch of the fiery jamiacan pepper) accord. After a while it gets a bit thicker in texture, as a dry-creamy-powdery lipstick, a light smell of cacao glimpses. Even if oriental, in this stage there is almost a light chillyness which gives Oriental Lace the character of a somehow frech oriental. Reaching the basenotes, the fragrance gets warmer and deeper, honey, almond  and vanilla take the centerstage.

Besides  Juicy Fruit chewing gum oriental Lace also reminds me of a merrier and brighter alternative to Serge Lutens Rousse. There is also something that reminds me of the transparant sweet, spicyness of Carner Barcelona Rima XI. Oriental Lace, even if a bit different, is a uncomplicated, comfortable and non-disturbing fragrance, perfect to wear at work. There is something very appealing to it, probably the transparent take of the very sweet notes: The honey/vanilla is undoubtedly sweet and those who like dry-woody vanillas, may think it's too sweet. But as transparant in character, the sweetness never overwhelms. Sillage is close, longevity very good, 24h.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Honey, almond, cacao, waxplant, vanilla

Puredistance - M

Picture: The spirit of Puredistance M, 

Puredistance (c) all rights reserved

M is the masculine (or most masculine) fragrance in the excellent Puredistance line. It's a masculine oriental in the classical style, featuring soft leather notes. Even if classified as masculine, the elegant and smooth construction of the fragrance makes it suitable also for a brave woman, the same situation as with Aramis JHL. M is created by Roja Dove.

M starts with topnotes dominated by a natural leathernote, a leathernote like the scent of an elegant briefcase. After the leathery start, M transforms into a close wellbalanced spicyness with clear notes of carnation and clove. The leather takes a step behind but is still recognizable in the background. In this stage a very light and smooth note that reminds me of a soft, refined curry appears among the other spicy notes. On my skin anyway, this note is not clearly apparent on Mr Parfumista. In the basenotes, M get balsamic-resiny and more leathery again, a deeper and muskier leather than in the topnotes. To conclude it all: On my skin M is a harmonious mix of leather,carnation and spices.

Overall M gives me the association of resting in a wellworn armchair, nestled in a cashmereblanket, sipping an excellent cognac, in front of the fireplace at some old country estate.
M is most of all a masculine fragrance, but is so gentle and refined that it could also be worn comfortably by a women. In that sense M is unisex. M is a wellcrafted, comfortable fragrance made of quality ingredients and it suits both for formal worksituations and for festivite occasions. With its warmth M perfectly suits the colder months of the year, but I suspect it could also be fine for chillier summerevenings.

M is similar to Hermès great Bel Ami but to my and Mr Parfumistas noses, M is more leathery, darker, boozier and closer than the current version of  Bel Ami, but the style, and apperance is the same. M is even more close to the old Bel Ami-version in the "coctail-shaker-bottle" which is thicker, spicier and somehow boozier in texture. There are also similarities between M and the real leather classic Knize Ten and the contemporary but classic in style Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens. My nose also find some traces (the spicy cinnamon-warmth) of JHL (original formula).

M wears closer to the skin than Bel Ami but then M also is in perfumestrength whereas Bel Ami is in Edt concentration and therefore has a more extensive radiation. Longevity is about the same for both fragrances, they lasts for about 24h.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, lemon, jasmine, rose, carnation, vanilla, vetiver, patchouli, wood, labdanum, moss, cinnamon, clove, leather, musk

Carner Barcelona - Rima XI

Picture: Meadow Elves (Ängsälvor), oil on canvas
by Nils Blommér 1850

Rima XI is a transparant spicy, floral, light gourmand perfume created by perfumer Sonia Constant for the Barcelonean nichehouse Carner Barcelona. Sonia Constant also created the powerful Cuirs for the house last year and with Rima XI she explores a quite different, lighter and more delicate style. The appearance of Rima XI lies in between Tardes and D600 by Carner Barcelona and closer to Tardes of the two.

Rima XI starts with an almost gourmand accord, similar to the bread and apricot acccord in Serge Lutens Jeux de Peau or the gourmand sandalaccord of Parfumerie Generale Praline de Santal, which to me is a Jeux de Peau follower. There is an almond, cardamon accord that shows up early in Rima X and which is more and less present during the dry down of the perfum. After a whlie, Rima XI suddenly evokes the olfactory image of a sort of sharper Bois Naufragé by Parfumerie Generale, the wood dried in the sun at the beach by the sea and the woody, sandy, slight salty nuances that emerges from this. After a while the sweet, gourmand, character appears again, like an almondcookie, it’s almost like the smell when sniffing in a cookie jar. There is also a discrete flowernote sneaking in to the blend.  This pastry impression remains during the whole development of Rima XI. There is not a oversweet impression, it’s surprisingly light and transparent and there is absolutly no risk that Rima XI will be overwhelming. The almondcookie seems to be offset by a note similar to spicy tea and this balances the fragrance in a delicate way. This accord reminds me of yet another Parfumerie Generale fragrance, Un Crime Exotique but tuned down multiple levels. As UCE is an extreme when it comes to “spieced beverages” inspirated perfumes, readers that dislike UCE should not fear trying Rima XI. As Rima XI is resting in the basenotes the impression still are flowers, almondcookies, spices and tea supported by woody notes.

Rima XI to me is a very versatile fragrance, contemporary in style despite its inspiration from a poem of the 19th Spanish poet G.A.Bécquer: “I am a dream, an impossible; vain ghost of mist and light; I am bodiless, I am untouchable; I cannot love you. – Oh, come, you come!”. IMHO this poem also could describe a the subtle precense of a beautiful perfume, like for instance Rima XI.

Rima XI is wearable year around and could be described as a comfortable and reliable parfume with a close sillage which makes it very officefriendly. The longevity is good. The spicy character, even if light, makes it suitable for daytime wearing during the upcoming Christmas just like another good fragrance for daytime Christmas fragrance, Aus Liebe Zum Duft No 1 (from the excellent german perfumeshop with the same name) which has similariteis in style with Rima XI but as a stronger and masculine alternative.

Rating: 4

Notes: Cardamom, black pepper, mint, saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, jasmine, coriander, cedarwood, sandalwood, vanilla, benzoin, soft amber, musk

Serge Lutens - Une Voix Noire

Picture: Billie Holiday and her dog Mister, backstage dressing room,
probably at the Downbeat, NYC, Juni 1946
Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Wikimedia Commons

Une Voix Noire, the latest exclusive from Serge Lutens is a strange creature, almost as last years exclusive De Profundis. I suppose Une Voix Noire is created by Christopher Sheldrake as almost all the Lutens fragrances. Voix Noire is inspired of, and a homage, to Billie Holiday with her dark, dramatic voice (and life), often wearing a gardenia in her dark hair.

Une Voix Noire starts with a dreamy, almost dusky, putty, gardenia accord or a white flower that could be gardenia as it is somehow indefinable. The abstract gardenia is not fresh, it’s a gardenia that just started to wilting. There is also a green, slight mentholic note following, a note that is also present (but more clearly) in Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle. As Une Voix Noire further developes, a note of strawberry appears. The note is not the syntetic, sickly, sweet strawberry note in candy or bubbelgums, the note is less sweet, darker and as the smell of the whole plant, the strawberries, leaves, steam and root with some dry, sandy earth on the rootlets. Soon thereafter a metallic note emerges, a note of steel but also with facets of blood. This stage is a bit gruesome and there is also a dusky, moist, almost sour and rottening vegetating note in the background, a facet that reminds me of the damp floral water note in Kerosene Whips and Roses. There are no distinct basenotes, of course they are there, some slight woody nuances could be noticed, but overall Une Voix Noire seems to be anchored in subtle dark rummy and tobbacconotes. The booziness is dark and minmalistic as is the tobbacco. There is not the blond, dry and almost fresh tobbaco of, for example Frapin Speakeasy, but a dark, slight moisty pipe tobbacco just taken out from the tobbacco envelope to be stuffed in the pipe. The dusky gardenianote is fleeting in the blend, making Une Voix Noire to a beautiful, dark, mysterious and strange composition that leaves me wanting to try this fragrance repeatedly, just as De Profundis a year ago. After two days of wearing it finally klicked which fragrance Une Voix Noire reminds me of when it has dried down and lingers there on the skin until the morning after: The a bit weird and special creation Psychotrope by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale, which I like much. The Psychotrope is lighter in its tonality and there are different flowers but there I something in the texture, in the metallic and in some facets almost syntetic feeling that unite these two fragrances.

Just as the stunning De Profundis, Une Voix Noire is a contemplative fragrance that demands peace and quiet to be properly perceived and to evoke the imagination of the wearer. Une Voix Noire could of course evoke the picture of the dark jazzclubs where Lady Day performed, but I also think it has an almost macabre side, the bloody, metallic accord that also could conjure some unpleasant associations.

As concluded from above, Une Voix Noire is a fragrance for quiet days at home, at least until the wearer is familiar with this strange creature. Then it could be worn anyway, preferably during autumn and winter. The sillage is medium and the longevity is very good. 

Rating: 5

Notes: Gardenia, tobbacco, rum 

Ramón Monegal – White Musk

Picture: Gardenia jasminoides
Photo by Erin Silversmith (cc) Wikimedia Commons,
some rights reserved

If  Musc Intense by Parfums de Nicolaï that I reviewed earlier this week is a subtle, classical musk which evokes associations to the 18^th centruary and the powder-pastels of Madame de Pompadour, Barcelonean perfumer, Ramon Monegals White Musk is the opposite. It’s a true contemporary, high quality, imaginative, interpretation of a flowery white musk that certainly stands out even from the white musk niche-crowd. Just as with Musc Intense, the musk in White Musk is not the typical “mainstream white musk” if anyone can’t stand that interpretation of this interesting basenote.

White Musk starts with a intense cascade of gardenina blended with vanilla and the musk accompanying in a moist, creamy way, it’s like the gardenia is cracked and mixed together with cream and vanilla. The opening is an almost gourmand accord also somehow resembeling the smell and also the texture of coconut. This coconutty texture remains during the whole dry down of White Musk.In the middlenotes the gardenia note is becoming increasingly clearer, the sweetness from the vanilla is tuned down and a light, perfectly balanced, resiny peppery note is accompanying in the background, adding an interesting contrast to the creamy flower. The gardenia note is that of a perfectly fresh gardenia, a gardenia that just have entered the full blooming stage, it’s not the gardenia just started to wilting as in Serge Lutens Une Voix Noire. There are also some subdued, green, crispy notes that could be sensed, just like some of the leaves also are crushed down in the blend. Later on the gardenia gets more fragile, almost papery in texture, similar to the gardenia in the beautiful Gardenia by Isabey. All these notes are mingeling with a well balanced white musk that anchors and depening this sensual blend together with dry resinnotes, almost light blond woody in character. Later on in the further development of the basenotes, there is a sort of clear, a bit wet accord, that in smell and texture reminds me of the Helmt Lang cult-frag Cuiron.

White Musk, even if loud, requires lot of space and is not wellmannered as my top Monegal Impossible Iris, is definitly one of my favourites after testing almost all from the wellcrafted and beautiful Ramon Monegal line. I remember this was the one that immadiately caught my attention when I was “screening” all of the Mongeals samples by just sniffing them from the outside. As almost all Monegals, White Musk is a fragrance that involves the wearer during the dry down, there are many interesting twists and nuances to be find during the journey. White Musk almost also rivals my favoritemusk so far: Mona di Orio Les Nombres d’Or Musc but fortunately they are in quite different musk-genres: White Musk is a bold tropical musk when LNd’O Musc is a traditional, elegant, slight flowery, subdued musk.

White Musk is wearable the year around, I can image it will blooms perfectly a warm summer evening as it will warm up a grey and cold winterday. Not suitable for scentofobic offices, its more of a comfort, casual- or a great evening fragrance. White Musk is, like most of the RM:s, a concentrated fragrance and as it’s very intense, (a changes of name with Musc Intense would be appropriate :-) ) it has to be applied sparingly to avoid knockning the ambient. Sillage is huge (if not careful in application) and longevity extraordinary, 24h+.

I don’t find any “alikes” at the moment but I can image that those who likes Montale Intense Tiare and Les Nez Manoumalia will like this unusual, stunning creation.

Rating: 5

Notes: Rose, gardenia, olibanum, vetiver, vanilla, white musk

Serge Lutens - Santal Majuscule

Picture: Castel del Monte, Wikimedia commons


Santal Majuscule is created by Christopher Sheldrake (I guess) for Serge Lutens as the third interpretation dedicated to sandalwood from the house of Serge Lutens. First the warm, indian-spicy Santal de Mysore was created in the early 1990s followed by the almost subdued Santal Blanc ten years later.

Santal Majuscule starts with a slight rough, but in the same time almost smooth sandalwoodnote. A gourmand creaminess occours,some subdued roses reminiscent in style of the rose in Pasteum Rose by Eau de Itally. But most the scent of crushed leaves and stems of the roses emphazises, close to the green tangy accord in Rose Splendide by Annick Goutal.

Beyond these individual notes that I seem to distinguish, Santal Majuscule to me is a woodier and slight green version of one of my favourite Lutens the buttery, peach and bread, santal gourmand Jeux de Peau. IMHO I think they are too close to justify buying both of them, even if both are lovely, and Jeux de Peau a bit lovlier :-) . Of the other sandal Lutens Santal Majuscule just as Jeux de Peau are closest to Santal Blanc, even if both Jeux de Peau and Santal Majuscule both are more interesting than Santal Blanc.

Santal Majuscule even if a contemporary sandalwood somehow feels timeless and takes me to journy of time.To me it mediates the picture of medivial monks writing detailed majuscule and miniscule letters. Or a knight returning to his castle, such as above.

Santal Majuscule is the perfect comfortscent for the colder month of the year but I'm convinced it will suits even in summer as the "green crushed leaves and stem" tangy note developes well under warm conditions.Sillage is medium and longevity good, +12h.

Rating: 4

Notes: Sandalwood, rose, cocoa, tonka been

Balmain - Ivoire (new)

Picture: Place Vendome, a picture of  the spirit of Ivoire.

Photo by Dimitris Distigues  (CC) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

The 1980 classic Ivoire de Balmain is re-launched 2012 (this week in Sweden) in a new and very successful interpretation/formulation created by Michel Alamirac and Jacques Flori.

The new interpretation of Ivorie starts much smoother and gentler than the older galbanum-tinged formula with elegant fruity-flowery notes. The pleasant fruitiness has an accompning role inr the middlenotes where elegant flowery interpretations of are mingeled with the traditional galbanum of old Ivoire in a considerably lighter dose. An interesting twist is the addition of some slight peppery notes. It sounds hazardly for such an elgant blend as Ivoire but the pepperiness is so skillfully handled, it's acting in the background as an uplifting note that gives sparkle to Ivoire and I don't percieve the spritzy-sharpness that are present in many peppery creations.  The soapiness of the old Ivoire is tuned down a bit in the earlier stages of the new, this is not strange at all as the galbanum isn't preseant in the early stage. As Ivoire continues to dry down the similarities, among them the lovely sopainess, with the older formula are even more obvious, despite the fact that the soapiness is of a smoother and gentler kind. It intermediates the feeling of wearing a soft, white cashmerejumper, the same feeling as I precieved with the wonderful lilyinterpreation Cartier Baiser Volé. In the elegant base which mediates a vintage sense of mossiness, the new Ivoire has much in common with the old version, to me it's like the more Ivoire dries down, the closer to the old Ivoire it appears. The expression of both the fragrances is the same and I can recognise the same structure and scent but the new Ivoire has a smoother, gentler and fruitier aura as the older is greener, sharper, rougher and more edgy.

The new Ivoire also preserves the same very french elegance as the older version. Ivoire still reminds me of an elegant french lady in a well-cutted, less-is-more, ivory silkdress, dining at a likewise elegant restaurant a bit cool summer evening at a place like Place Vendome. Ivoire creates the same feeling of elegance as Puredistances Antonia even if Antonia is edgier and closer to the original Ivoire whit its charactersitic note of galbanum. The casual-chic daytime alternative to Ivoire, a scent with resembling notes but interpreted in outdoor style is one of my all time favorites Hermès Amazone.

Both versions of Ivoire is definitly worth owning for the lovers of the old Ivoire, they are great complements to each other, where the newer "contemporary" version is a bit easier to wear and I also think it appeals to a wider group of perfumebuyers than the orignal. Besides the fragrances mentioned above I also think that people that enjoys Bas de Soie by Serge Lutens will like Ivoire, both the new and old version, fans of Chanel No 19 Poudre I think will appreciate the new Ivoire.

The longevity of Ivoire is very good, it lasts over a whole day to late in the evening.

Rating: 5

Notes: mandarin, violet, orange, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang, black pepper, galbanum, vanilla, vetiver, cedarwood, patchouli

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier - Soie Rouge

Picture: Gartennelke (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Photo: Darkone (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

MPG:s Soie Rouge is one of several fragrances that was launched when Jean Laporte started the MPG house in 1988. Soie Rouge is MPG::s interpretation of the, to my nose, difficult note carnation. I'm not particulary fond of carnation dominated fragrances,Carons Bellodgia is to strong and clovy, Etros Dianthus too clovy and Serge Lutens Vitrioil d'Oeillet to weak on the cranation.

Soie Rouge starts with somthing like a dry fruity mess accompanied by a slight laudry/detergent smell. Fortunately this part is passing quickly and than a more pleasent note that seems familiar to the passionflower in MPG Fraiche Passiflore passes by. After fifteen to thirty minutes the carnation takes the centerplace and the fruity notes are tuned down to a supporting background. The carnation is without that mandatory clove which I find to be a great relief. A clean carnation supported by a soft, dimmed fruitiness and a something smooth, creamy, that reminds me of a rose note, even if it's not among the ingredients. All the notes are resting on a rather pale musky, sandalwoody base. Soie Rouge recalls memories from my childhood, from dinners in my grandmothers beautiful Jugendhaus. Probably  handsome aunt Birgit was the one that wore the carnation, maybe Bellodgia. My own mother was even then faithful to Dior; mostly Diorissimo but also Miss Dior, Dioressence and Diorama. How I wish she hadn't use up those bottles....

Soie Rouge is a good carnation, the best tested so far to me. I like that it's not paired and soaked with clove and more true to the flower. The blend is soft and very polite to be a MPG of 1988, the sillage is very colse to the skin and there is some longevity issues. But on the other hand, I have put Soie Rouge on a hard test: Shuffling heavy snow during an hour in the cold swedish winter, it is probably not fair to judge.

Update August 2012: Fortunately the winter has not arrived yet here in the north, there is still summer :-) This review was written when I tested Soie Rouge last winter and has been waiting in the archives since then.
Rating: 3

Notes: Pineapple, dried fruits, carnation, iris, jasmine, heliotrophe, apricot, musk, sandalwood, amber

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

Amouage - Interlude Woman

Picture: Zyklus der Monatsbilder, Szene: Der düstere Tag (The Gloomy Day)

(Monat Februar oder März), oil on panel by Pieter Brueghel the elder, 1565

Be warned, this is the most perplexing fragrance that I have tried in many years. It indeed shows a dual personality to me and this is one of the trickiest reviews that I have written.The new Amouage  Interlude Woman doesn't start pleasent at all .When just applied there is a smell almost like fortified wine. There are grapelike and some almost fermented fruity notes. Shortly thereafter the blend turns in a grey and gloomy mud note, supported with some subdued flowers, that mediates the atmosphere of mutued grey, beige and dark red colors of a gloomy day, just like the painting above. From other reviews I have read that many of the reviewers are experiencing an explosion of a great number of bright colors in this stage, but all I percive is this messy gloominess. There is also a fuggy smell, like a sultry closet with old, wollen clothes. When wearing Interlude Women very light applicated, the muddled note is less dense but nevertheless gloomy. A whiff of an accord containing the cold flower of crysanthemum also appears and reminds me a bit of the Serge Lutens beauty De Profundis (review in swedish). Experienced from many years of perfumsniffing I know that a challenging opening of a fragrance often leads to something even more interesting and sometimes also beautful. In Interlude Woman the muddled texture slowly decreases and now and then short whiffs of the excellent Amouage frankincense appears. When reaching the basenotes Interlude Woman clears up considerable, the mud is drying to a pleasent putty note.The fermented fruits developes to a note that could be described as "preserved prunes with leather " with a glimmer of the incense and some peppery oud added. As the drydown futher progresses there is also notes that reminds me of bay leaf and pickled juniperberries. This part of Interlude Woman I experience as more masculine than feminine in style and to me the fragrance is quite unisex. The basenotes are the best part of Interlude Woman and in this stage is both interesting and enjoyable, not as the top and middlenotes, which are almost solely interesting but not particulary enjoyable. The basenotes are lasting for long, during at least a whole day. The sillage is medium.

In Interlude Woman I find some similarities, i.e the mud note and the almost messy impression, with Amouage Opus III, but for me Opus III is better. Both Opus III and Interlude Woman is created by perfumer Karine Vinchon Spehn and maybe she uses some accord that doesn't goes well with my chemistry, as obviously Interlude Woman fits so many others.

All in all Amouage Interlude Woman isn't true to me even if  my appreciation of  the basenotes is growing. As mentioned above it's probably my skinchemistry as I havn't read a negative or not even neutral review of Interlude Woman. Could I come over the first part of the fragrance...But on the other hand my wallet is reliefed as it not has to live under the constant pressure from a new Amouage (from the regular line). These bottles almost always are screaming "own me".

Despite my shortcomings wearing this fragrance, I think of Interlude Woman as an interesting and demanding fragrance of high quality that also is strangely beautiful when reaching it's basenotes. And I somehow suspect that one day I will like it, I will get back to my sample the coming winter in order to reassess it. Even if challenging in character, to be an Amouage Interlude Woman is almost subdued and it is wearable in many different situations.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Bergamot, grapefruit, ginger, tagete, rose, frankincense, jasmine, orange blossom, helichrysum, opoponax, sandalwood, nut, coffee, kiwi, honey, agarwood, vanilla, benzoin, amber, sandalwood, oakmoss, leather, tonka, musk

Thanks to Amouage for providing a sample to try.

Ramón Monegal - Impossible Iris

Picture: The Impossible Iris personified

H.R.H Crownprincess Victoria of Sweden,

Photo: Mattias Edwall/Royal Court (c) 

The Impossible Iris, a creation of senior parfumer Ramón Monegal for his own house, which also bears his name, is all but impossible. It's a beautiful irisfragrance in which the perfumer manages to curb the sharp, rough, carrot-earthy notes that are present in the topnotes of almost every orris-root dominated perfume as in for example Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist or Heeley Iris de Nuit. The carrot is there but it's soft and rounded, in texture as cashmere. Another fragrance where I have percieved this sensation is in Naiviris the Pierre Guillaumes creation for his Huitième Art line. After a while the iris note in Impossible Iris get an almost buttery (the orris-butter?), but at the same time airy quality. Soon also an unexpected twist for such a pure, elegant creation like this appears: A red berry note, but handled in a way that supports and balances the cold iris, ther is no typical sweet, fruity-floral, vibes at all. The warm and almost powdery note of mimosa is also clearly present to balance out the iris. In this stage there is a powdery-cosmetic feel that is characteristic for elegant iris fragrances but in Impossible Iris it's tuned down and constitute one of all the interesting facets of this fragrance. The whole delicate blend rests on a light woody-cedar base, integrated in a seamless way with the rest of the ingredients.

Impossible Iris is high quality stuff, very versatile, it's the perfect officescent, a sort of first-class Prada Infusion d'Iris Edp replacement. Impossible Iris is also the perfect "lunch at some elegant restaurant fragrance" or something to wear at a day time reception, would be a perfect choise to our Crownprincess Victoria for the official celebrations of her 35th birthday today. If Impossible Iris is to be personified, Victoria is my choice. When wearing Impossible Iris another high quality iris comes to my mind, the XerJoff Irisss (review in swedish). Both these fragrances have the elegant, gently, airy quality but to me the orris root are more present in Impossible Iris whilst Irisss to my nose is more about the iris flower. Of the two IMHO Impossible Iris has more interesting twists whereas Irisss is more of a conventional, classical iris.

Even if Impossible Iris is easy to wear, the developement is interesting during the whole dry down, something that I demand from my favourite fragrances. The longevity is great, + 24 hours in warm, humid summer weather, a feature that is not common when it comes to fragrances with this smooth and gentle character. Often such fragrances falls apart and fade away, but not this incredible,beautiful (Im)possible Iris.

Rating: 5

Notes: Iris, mimose, raspberry, ylang-ylang, jasmine, cedar

Thanks to Ramón Monegal Parfums for getting the opportunity to sample this beauty. The Ramón Monegal Parfums are also avaible at Aus Liebe zum Duft .

Scented thoughts – June 2012

Scented thoughts – June 2012

The summer weather this June has been very unstable with lots of rain and some (one or two) days as cold as + 4- 5 C during the day. Not so inspiring when it comes to using typical light summerfrags even if I appreciate big florals for the moment. And as always there is lot of scented thoughts as:

-         Gardenia seems to be the note de jour. Serge Lutens will launch a gardeniadominated perfume Voix de Noire inspired of Billie Holiday in the exclusive line. I’m already anticipating a blind buy in early autumn. Read more at Perfume Shrine .

-         From Andy Tauers blog , it  seems as he is started the work on a gardenia and I’m sure will be something special.

-         Seems as I have to dig out my Isabey Gardenia sample in the near future, I really appreciate its velvety, subdued, white floral elegance.

-         Thinking of gardenia and white flowers: The other day on the fly I tested Madonnas tuberose Truth or Dare, one spritz on skin and as I wore CdG Avignon that day it was a big contrast. My son commented when I picked him up from school that I was smelling pink and pink is exactly the colour I perceive when smelling ToD and a velvety texture. To me ToD is reminiscent of a medium powdery pink luxuary slik velvet.

-         Gardenia is of course also an important note in ToD, as in many tuberoseperfumes. ToD is, as mentiond many times in many blogs, not groundbreaking but it’s a well blended sweet tuby. The slight gourmand touch reminds me of something in Parfumerie Générales lovely Tubereuse Coture.

-         Indirectly Madonna with this release supports and educate in “good” perfumeculture. Launching a wellbalanced, classical blend with a modern twist, following in the steps of Piguets Fracas to a wide audience to a reasonable price is just great. As an almost collector of tubys, I will go for a 30 ml.

-         In the latest months I have sufferd from a sort of perfumerelated stress. I’ve have been in the state of constant hunting for new impressions, acquiring samples and some bottles too, constantly sniffing and evaluating. In the same time I have tried to going through my perfumewardrobe to find fumes to sell to avoid the collection to grow uncontrolled. This situation causes that I don’t live with and appreciate the frags that I already have.

-         To calm down I ‘ve decided, or to be more precise Mr Parfumista influenced me, to use and evaluate the stuff I alredy have to a much greater extent than I try and evaluate new samples.This year the circumstances have been in the total opposite.

-         This week I therefore have used some neglected, beauties, most of them more or less big florals. More about this in the next post.

Serge Lutens - Bois de Violette

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Scroll down for an english version.

Det är alltid svårt att reviewa stora klassiker som så många redan har ventilerat sina åsikter kring. Serge Lutens Bois de Violette är just en sådan hyllad (5:a enligt Luca Turin) och av en hel del faktiskt också dissad doft. De som dissar den tycker att den dofter syntetiskt trä och syntetisk viol, vilket också är helt korrekt eftersom det rör sig om syntetiska noter.

Bois de Violette känns som en melankolisk doft för mig. Den påminner mig mer om hösten och bruna löv strax innan snön gör sitt intåg än om små fina violer om våren. Doften inleds med viol och gröna viol blad och ganska snart känns den karaktäristiska cederträbasen som finns i Serge Lutens boisserie. Jag känner igen mycket från den doft som föregick boisserien, Shiseidos Feminite du Bois men FdB är mörkare, kryddigare, ett distinkt inslag av kanel, och träbasen är tyngre. Det kan i och för sig bero på att jag här jämför FdB från nittiotalet med en tämligen ny version av Bois de Violette, den var tidigare mer kraftfull somjag förstått det.

Efter ett tag känns BdV som en cederträ ask där man förvarat violblad. I nästa fas är det som om asken malts ned till ett mycket finkornigt pulver och doften blir träigt pudrig på mig. Cederträet är milt, inte så blyertspennelikt och liksom rått som det kan vara i vissa tolkningar. I slutfasen är BdV lite tvålig och ger mig vintagekänsla.

Bois de Violette är en mycket fin och bärbar doft, en sådan där att ta på sig när man inte riktigt vet vad man ska ta på sig. Doften är på något vis meditativ och lugnande. Den har en intressant utveckling där den går igenom de faser jag beskrivit ovan. En sådan där doft där, när jag sniffar på handleden, upptäcker att det hänt något nytt sedan sist (om jag inte sniffar för ofta vill säga). En sådan livfullhet i kompositionen är ett tydligt tecken för en högkvalitativ parfym. Projektionen är ganska nära och hållbarheten under dagen god.

It's always hard to review the great classics that so many reviewers already have vented their views about. Serge Lutens Bois de Violette is just such a  praised fragrance (rated 5 according to Luca Turin) but in the same time there are a lot of reviews that actually is anything but positive about this special violet-woody scent. Those who are not positive states that BdV smells of synthetic wood and synthetic violet, which is also correct because the case of the use of synthetic notes.

Bois de Violette is a fragrance that evoke melancholy feelings to me. It reminds me more of the autumn and the brown leaves just before the snow makes its way than the of the small fine violets in the early spring. The fragrance starts with violet and green violet leaves and pretty soon the distinctive cedar base found in Serge Lutens boisline make its entrance. I recognize much from the fragrance that preceded the whole boisline: Shiseidos Feminite du Bois. But FDB is darker, spicier, I can smell a distinct hint of cinnamon, and the wooden base is heavier. This in and of itself maybe because I compare FDB from the nineties with a fairly new version of the Bois de Violette, BdV in it's earlist formulations was much more powerful as I have understood it.

After some time of wearing the smell from BDV reminds me of a cedarbox where violet leaves have been kept.The next phase is as if the whole box with it's violet content, had been ground down to a very fine powder and the smell becomeswoody powdery on my skin. The cedarwood is soft, not as pencil-like and somehow raw as the note is interpreted in some fragrances. In the final stage  BDV is a little soapy and gives me some vintage feel.

Bois de Violette is a very good and wearable scent, one of those to put on when you do not really know what to wear. The scent is somehow meditative and calming. It has an interesting development when it goes through it's different stages. BDV is one of those fragrances which, when you sniff your wrist during the day, you will discover that something has happened new has happend since you sniffed it the last time, this vividness in the composition is a true sign of a quality fragrance. The projection is pretty close to the skin and the longevity is good.

Rating: 4+

Noter/Notes: Viol (blomman), violblad och cederträ./Violet (flower) Violetleaf, cedarwood

Serge Lutens - L'Eau Froide

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

L'Eau Froide is the second release in the controversial Eau-line of Serge Lutens. Controversial as SL is famous for its distinctive contemporary oriental style even if the house haven't been totally faithful to the initial theme during the receant years. L'Eau Froide is inspired of the smell of the snow and the frozen ground just about when it starts to melt in the late winter.

L'Eau Froide starts with an evident citrus detergentnote followed by an infusion of a crispy, icy incensenot. The citrusnote (even if citrus is not listed) is more pronounced than the opening of the first creation of the Eau-line, L'Eau Serge Lutens. The citrusnote is similar to the one in DoubleYou Norvége  and MPG Eau de Camelia Chinois and I have started to wonder if this is a new note, created to be complinat to the IFRA citrusrestrictions. After a while a fresh pinenote comes forward, pine seems to be fashionable this days. The note is evident also in Annic Goutals Nuit Etoliée , but contrary to the cold L'Eau Froide, I precive Nuit Etolieé as a warm fragrance. At the pine-phase of L'Eau Froide I can recognize a similarity to the pine and incense in Olivier Durbanos Black Tourmaline but both notes are more pronounced and according to my opinion better executed in Black Tourmaline.

When L'Eau Froide reaches the basenotes something very familiar appears after a while: The vegetal base of the particular flowery SL Nuit de Cellophane. This vegetal baseaccord are deepen as L'Eau Froide drys down and it's mainly accompanied by the opening citrus and with some pale wiffs of the cold incense.

L'Eau Froide smells good but I prefer the vegetal base paired with flower as in Nuit de Cellophane. I percieve the scent as a mix of distinctive elements from L'Eau de Serge and Nuit de Cellophane paired with incense. L'Eau Froide is an ideal officescent wearable year around but preferably for spring and summer.

Rating: 3

Notes: Olibanum, seawater, mint, incense, musk, vetiver