Easter in Guerlain

Picture: Easter Egg, with no resemblance
to the fragrances worn….
Photo: Parfumista (c)

And here are my Guerlain choices for the second part of Easter 2019....

 

Easter Eve: Encens Mythique D'Orient - I know that EMD'O is a high quality and well blended perfume but it doesn't team up well with my skinchemistry, at least not when heavily overapplied, applied five tiny spritzes and even if I tried to wash it off, it lingered like a second skin. I'll try only one spritz to do it justice another day. Starts with an interesting accord of cedar, spices that creates that almost eletrical note or dust on warm a light bulb note that is present in Mona di Orios Carnation and Téo Cabanel Kasar. After that I lost contact with EMD'O, it becomes an unstructured muddle of spice, rose and woody notes. But I don't give up that easy, the notes are just my cup of tea and I'll conquer EMD'O sooner or later.

 

Easter Sunday: Apres l'Ondee Edt - A comforting and calming perfume experience compared with the suffocating experience on Easter Eve. Starts with a beautiful, clean, earthy, slight carrot-y irisaccord, after a while violet, anis and heliotrope joins and Apres l'Ondee smells just like the outdoor precursor to L'HB as it also is. Not as powdery and indoor as L'HB, elegant casual and almost fresh. A happy fragrance unlike L'HB.

 

Easter Monday: L'Heure Bleue Edt - As mentioned above, the more powdery, lipstick, deeper and darker variation along the iris-violet-anis-heliotrope theme which isalso  the core of Apres l'Ondee. In L'HB there is also neroli that combined with carnation and balsamic notes creates a more dramatic and sophisticated style than the cheerful Apres l'Ondee. L'HB is melancholy, beautiful and intriguing, one has to take time with this, it's not an easy fragrance. I tested the Edt version today to compare with Apres l'Ondee which also is in Edt. The Edt (vintage from 1989) has a great radiance and longevity, when it comes to Guerlain the Edt and Edp formulas are different variations of the fragence with some differences in notes/accords. It's not som much about strenght and longevity.
 
Wearing Guerlain for six days is not at all boaring, on the contrary, I'll explore the fragrances further.

Parfums de Nicolaï - Rose Royale

Picture: Parfums de Nicolaï Rose Royale,
resting in the snow,
 reminding of the coming Spring
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Rose Royale is a celebration to spring, launched by Parfums de Nicolaï to Valentines Day 2017. This (pink IMO) rose soliflore is inspired of the rosegardens of Palais Royale in the center of Paris.

Rose Royale starts pink rosy with natural smelling fruity accents. The fruity notes are somehow almost dry in appreance and there is nothing too sweet or artifical about it. I especially recoginze the note of passionfruit but lighter and not as prominent as in for example Vero Profumo Rozy Edp or in the tribute to the passionfruit flower from Maître Parfumeur et Ganiter Fraîche Passiflore. In the topnotes also there is also a contrasting glimpse of the fresh, tangy nuance of blackcurrant as also the bergamot which provides the fragrance with a particular chic style. Coriander also brings a light green, refreshing spicy touch to Rose Royale, which togther with the bergamot, provides a slight retro vibe or perhaps it's more appropritate to call it timless.

Picture: Rose Royale
Photo: Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Rose Royale is all about the rose flower itself, with no interference of stems and greenery. Its about the natural fresh smell of the velvet smooth pink rose petals. It's a bright but not at all shrill rose, it is happy and uplifting when waiting for spring in the last days of the winter. When Rose Royale dries further down, I can also recognize a more severe side of the fragrance, there are snapshots from a darker dept where traces of an accord familiar to the metallic, cold, bloody rose of Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin are hiding. This gives an intresting twist to this over all polite, refreshing, pink, rose. The roses of Rose Royale resting in a elegant, well balanced musky smooth, warm, woody base where also a very light immortelle sparkles..

Beeing an "easy to go" EDT aimed for spring, Rose Royale has a good longevity if liberally applied. I can smell traces on skin after more then 12 hours. It's a very wearble daytime fragrance both for work and casual. The sillage is somewhere between close and medium.

Rose Royale is something to tray for those who like a uncomplicated but still wellconstructed, rose soliflore as for example Annick Goutal Rose Pompon, Maison Francis Kurkdijan À la Rose and Téo Cabanel Early Roses.

Rating: 5

Notes: Blackcurrant buds, passionfruit, bergamot, coriander, rose, ambrette, immortelle, sandalwood, guaiac wood, musk

The fragrances of Christmas Eve 2016

Picture: Berliner Junge vom Weihnachtsmarkt, um 1890
Watercolor of Franz Skarbina (1849-1910)
Wikimedia commons
(I found this young Berliner when searching for a
 picture for the Christmaspost.
This sad year of terror,  this picture  will
remind us of the victims.)

Once again time for the regular Christmas Eve post: The Scent of Christmas Eve 2016 is the luxerious  Oud Sublime by Parfums de Nicolaï which is descibed in the former entry of the blog. A good alternative to this is a high quality blend is Parfums de Nicolaï Incense Oud. Both fragrances are sort of "forest-refreshing" dark green, mossy, woody with the delightful typical for Nicolaï dry, chalky element. Suits this green, warm, a bit sunny and windy Christmas Eve perfect.

Mr Parfumista is breaking his habit wearing Santos de Cartier vintage version for Christmas Eve. SOTD is an excellent  masculine release from this year: Téo Cabanel  Kasar light spicy, especially cinnamon, leathery accords with a touch of a floral note like carnation/clove. A choice when regarded, in style is close to a contemporary interpretation of Santos; leather and cinnamon   Will be reviewed in 2017. Below is the updated list of the fragrances I've worn the last thirteen Christmas Eves:


2015: Rose de Taif Extrait Perris Monte Carlo (high class smooth velvety rose petals)

2014: Impossible Iris Ramòn Monegal (an elegant, contempory iris with a delicious rasperrynote)
2013: Quintaesensia Ramòn Monegal, (a special retro styled blend, furry, ambery, herbal/spicy)
2012: Nothing, knocked down by the worst flu in ten years+.
2011: Betrothal, Grossmith (classic, light and exquisite florals)

2010: Cuir Mauresque, Serge Lutens (saddle leather, orangeblossom, jasmine, spices)

2009: Tribute Attar, Amouage (dark leather, smoke, oud, excellent spices)

2008: Incense rosé, Andy Tauer (rose, mandarine, cardamom, myrrh cedar, incense)

2007: Ambre Russe, Parfum d'Empires (boozy amber, the, wood, oriental)

2006: Jil Sander 4, Jil Sander (dark, overripe fruits, white almost withering flowers, oriental spices)

2005: Nuit de Noël, Caron (dusky, retro flowers, moss and a furry note)

2004: Cabochard,  Parfums Grès (leathery chypre, harsh green notes and retro flowers)

2003: Fracas Robert Piguet (the ultimate classic grand tubereuse)



I wish all of you a Great Christmas! As I'm very curious to know what you are wearing for Christmas, feel free to leave a comment.

Annick Goutal - Les Absolus Ambre Sauvage

Picture: Painting of a family game of checkers
("jeu des dames"), ca 1803
Painting by Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761-1845)

Ambre Sauvage is featuring another staple in perfumery: Amber. Ambre Sauvage is created by Camille Goutal and perfumer Isabelle Doyen.

Ambre Sauvage starts with a soft and smooth amber note, the amber is nor herbal, nor dry gunpowdery, nor candy sweet, just light, refined like a mediumbrown colored silkveil fluttering in the wind. There are no sharp, rough edges of the resins in Ambre Sauvage, it's a balsamic interpretation mixed with the glazed vanilla of Vanille Charnelle. For a short while I can also feel a light, almost salty vibe. As Ambre Sauvage dries down an offsetting slight cold accord with a just detectable iris/lavender appears, balancing the warmth of the amber. A refined, dry and dark patchouli creates a beautiful dept to the perfume. Ambre Sauvage is very well balanced and blended in a way which makes it hard to distinguies the different ingredients, they are just swirling in a comforting, quality flow. Compared to the earlier Annick Goutal amber, Ambre Fetiche, Ambre Sauvage is quiet and soft, Ambre Fetiche is relatively loud and powerful compared to Ambre Sauvage and Ambre Fetiche contains a  considerable amount of incense.

Picture: Ambre Sauvage
Photo: PR Annick Goutal (c)

Ambre Sauvage is a calming fragrance, a fragrance which feels classic in style and apperance. When wearing it I can imagine ladies from the Empire wafting this type of fragrance when moving in their cashmere stoles. Ambre Sauvage is maybe not the right name to this gentle and refined amber as it is not wild at all, on the contrary it's very polished, soft and elegant.

Ambre Sauvage is an excellent comfort fragrance for autumn and winter. It's softspoken and could not offend anyone. Sillage is close and longevity for more than a day. Unisex but leaning to the feminine side.

Even if not smelling the same I think those who likes ambers as the more boozy Parfum d'Empire Ambre Russe, the more woody-spicy Téo Cabanel Barkhane and the a tad sweeter Rania J. Ambre Loup will also appreciate Ambre Sauvage.

Rating: 5

Notes: Patchouli, amber; pink pepper, lavender, iris, vanilla 

Téo Cabanel - Julia

Picture: Our new Swedish royalty HRH Princess Sofia
on her weddingday 13 June 2015.
Photo: From the press, avaible from many sources on internet

Julia is one of the first three releases (together with Alahine and Oha) when the old, venerable house of Téo Cabanel was re-launched in 2005. Julia is a re-working of inhouse perfumer Jean-Francois Latty of an older Julia formula, which I think I read somewhere was worn by Wallis, Duchess of Windsor who was a customer of Téo Cabanel in the most glorious days of the house.

Julia starts with a tangy accord of rhubarb and blackcurrant, notes thst could be harsh and sharp but obviously not in the skillfull hands of Latty. The accord feels. juicy and sunny which offsets the cold hyacinth dominated, flowery accord which is the heart of the fragrance. The hyachinth is supported by classical flowers as violet and jasmine and a plesant raspberry sweetness which supports the hyachinth-violet in the same discrete way as the iris is supported by the same berry in Ramon Monegal Impossible Iris. The raspberry and the rhubarb adds a contemporary touch to a, taken as a whole, timeless fragrance. The basenotes are elegant, woody, musky slight balsamic and matches the floral, tangy structure of Julia very well.

Picture: Julia
Photo: PR Téo Cabanel

Julia is a fragrance which suits very well for formal daytime summer dressing, it's a fragrance which intermediates confidence and exquisite taste. It´s discrete but in the same time clearly present, a very versatile perfume. Would be a good choice for a royalty like for example our new Princess Sofia for daytime representation. Longevity is good, for at least a day and sillage is medium.

Fragrances that comes to my mind (in style and apperance, they don't smell the same) when wearing Julia are Van Cleef and Arpels First and Purdistance Antonia.

Rating: 4

Notes: Mandarine, rhubarb, black currant, hyachinth, violet, jasmine, raspberry, musk, sandalwood, labdanum, incense

Téo Cabanel - Hegoa

Picture: Hegoa
Photo: PR Téo Cabanel

Hegoa is a light breezy, refreshing fragrance in the natural summerscent category from top quality niche house Téo Cabanel. Hegoa is created by inhouse perfurmer Jean-François Latty.

Hegoa starts teaish with soft, supporting citric notes. The tea is soft green and soon also a watery, dewy white rose joins the breezy blend and Hegoa is fleeting in a discrete and elegant cloud around the wearer. As wearer, it feels like taking a bath in a luxary rosewater with the bathtube full of the white rosepetals. The longer Hegoa dries down, the moore notes of greenery comes forward. The green notes are smooth and delicate, like budding leaves. A soft and discrete musk is emphasizing the top and middlenotes and an ambery glow and some very light woods constitutes the base. Hegoa is a true example of "less is more" carefully blended and balanced with high quality ingredients.The fragrance feels very natural, no sharp chemicals in sight (smell). It's a carefree, casual chic fragrance, refreshing and suitable to wear in daytime, year around even if the fragrance itself  signals sunny summerdays in a wild english styled garden. Sillage is very close and longevity almost for a day.

Even if not smelling the same, Hegoa would probably appeal to those who like light, fleeting rosefragrances such as Parfums de Nicolai Rose Pivoine and Annick Goutal Rose Splendide. Also those who likes Early Roses and Lace Garden from Téo Cabanel, will like Hegoa as  it shares their natural, elegant style but in a lighter and more transparant interpretation.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, citrus, mandarine, rose petals, green tea, violet, wood, musk, amber

PS:  Fragrance & Art also carries the Téo Cabanel line.

Téo Cabanel - Early Roses

Picture: Young woman in a rosegarden
Painting by Umberto Veruda (1868-1904)
Source: flickr.com

Early Roses is created by the inhouse perfumer of the venerable perfumehouse Téo Cabanel, Jean-Francois Latty some years ago. The Téo Cabanel house IMO create high quality, very wearable, natural smelling fragrances with timeless character, a house which should be tested by perfumelovers who likes the styles of the houses of Parfums de Nicolaî and Annick Goutal.

Early Roses starts with a perfectly balanced combination of pink dewy, heady roses and an smooth pink pepper which isn't sharp or dominating at all. There are also natural smelling, light woody notes with a smell which reminds me of some fresh cedarwood and most of all; juniperwood. The pink rose is dewy fresh without any tangy or souer nuances. This stage feels very natural and refreshing and also a bit rare as refreshing roseaccords often involves geranium which isn't the case here.

As Early Roses dries further down, a smooth, fluffy creaminess appears, also this accord is perfectly balanced, nor the musk or the touch of berries are overpowering or too sweet. It's like a clean, minimalist cream where high quality roses are melted down. The rosy creaminess is resting on a warming and golden glowing  amberbase with light woody nuances. The amber is also light, delicate and feels sort of natural, there is not the heavy ambroxstyle, which is present in many contemporary rosefragrances. There is also a pleasant, slight salty touch in the later stage of Early Roses, that creates a slight seaside impression, maybe a hint of ambergris.

Picture: Early Roses
Photo: PR Téo Cabanel

Fragrances which reminds me of Early Roses are for example Coquiliete Tudor for the rosy creaminess, where Tudor is not so well balanced and harsh and screachy in comperasion. A fragrance of high quality which comes to, my mind when wearing Early Roses in its later stages is Parfums de Nicolai Rose Oud which also has delicate ambery, woody, rosy basenotes.

Early Roses is a officefriendly fragrance for days when craving a delicate pink rose, regardless season. Sillage is medium and longevity for about a day.

Early Roses is a fragrance in the same transparent, elegant, flowery style as the latest release from the Téo Cabanel brand, the delicate white flower-tubereuse Lace Garden. Both fragrances could be equaled to olfactory Monet gardens.

Rating: 5

Notes: Jasmine, water, rose, pink pepper, musk, amber, wood

Teo Cabanel - Lace Garden

Picture: Lady in Flower Garden, 1891
Painting by Childe Hassam (1859-1935)
Wikiart 

The venerable french perfumehouse Téo Cabanel founded 1893 in Algeria, moved to Paris 1908, has some glorius decades then declined and almost closed down around Y2K. The house was restored by Caroline Ilacqua, a relative to the founder in 2005. Téo Cabanel produces high quality fragrances, most of them in a timeless style with some resembles to the fragrances of Annick Goutal and Parfums de Nicolai. Personally, I (and my nose) think this hidden gem of perfume house is worth much more attention among perfumecritics/ perfumewrites.

Lace Garden is a delicate, white floral bouquet which starts with accords highlighten a transparent tubereuse with its classical white flower supporters; jasmine and orangeblossom. The tubereuse is less prominent and more integrated with the rest of the bouquet than in L'Artisan La Chasse aux Papillion  or Annick Goutal Gardenia Passion which ar two classics that comes to my mind, when it comes to the tubereuse part, wearing Lace Garden. A smooth magnolia is contrasting with its pale yellow, slight lime flowery scent. The base is soft and discrete vanillic, balsamic, woody seamless blended and the overall expression, style and scent reminds me of the signaturefragrance of Gianfranco Ferré which bears the same name, of the delicate bouguet Floral Veil from Grossmith and the first fragrance from Parfums de Nicolaï Number One.

Picture: The beautiful bottle of Lace Garden
Photo: PR Téo Cabanel (c)

Lace Garden is fleeting and transaperant, the name is a perfect description of the impression which this lovely, very feminine fragrance conveys. The fragrance feels natural, there are no traces of the artifical notes smell which often are present in contemporary "high-octave" florals. Lace Garden is the perfect spring and summer fragrance but it is also suitable for winter when longing for the warmer months. It's elegant in style and suits well for festive occasions, it's a perfect bridal fragrance IMO. A must try for lovers of delicate white flowers.

Rating: 5

Notes: Ylang-ylang, lemon, tubereuse, jasmin, orangeblossom, magnolia, vanilla, wood, benzoin, powdery notes

Téo Cabanel - Alahine

Picture: Alahine in its current extravagant bottle.
Photo: PR Téo Cabanel (c)

Alahine is probably the most famous of the Téo Cabanel fragrance and the third one released since the house re-started 2005. Alahine is created by Téo Cabanels in house perfumer, Jean-Francois Latty.

To me Alahine is the image of the floriental fragrance, even if Alahine has a contemporary slight gourmand twist, a strange but sucessfull interaction between pepper and liqueurlike notes. Alahine starts with an instant flowery sweetness of ylang-ylang supported by rose and the classical whites: Jasmine and orangeflower. Those accords are contrasted by fizzy peppery notes and soft notes of pencilshavings (not the sharp varity) also appears. The liqueur note which, just like the notes of pepper and pencil shavings, stays all through the dry down of Alahine. There is a warm and resin-y dept of Alahine which lends the fragrance a velvet soft quality. If Alahine has a color it's definitly red, medium jelly like (a bit transparent) red in the beginning and dark, red, thick, silky velvet in the end. Alahine is very sweet but the woody and peppery notes are contrasting the sweetness in such a well balanced manner and Alahine never gets cloying. When comparing an older sample with recent I don't find any notable differences between the versions. The older version is a bit deeper in character and the newer is just a notch more flowery.

When tested Alahine I come to think of another original red, liqueur, pepper, pencilshaving, floral which preceeded Alahine with six years, Chopard Madness. Madness is loud and sharpedged compared to Alahine but Madness is a forerunner and definitly ahead of its time. Another loud, red and spicy fragrance which comes to my mind when wearing Alahine is Vivenne Westwood Anglomania. Compared to both these red's, Alahine is wellbehaved, elegant and somehow the perfection of the theme. Alahine is a fragrance for autumn and winter, a blanket in grey, cold and rainy weather. Longevity is good, 12h+ and sillage is medium.

To sum up:Alahine IMO still holds its number one position among the Téo Cabanels even if Barkhane is a close runner up.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, orangeblossom, pepper, iris, labdanum, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, musk

Téo Cabanel - Barkhane

Picture: Erg Chebbi, Morocco, Africa
Photo: 84514010 Author Rosino (cc),
Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Barkhane inspired of Saharian dunes of transverse form, is the latest release from the house of Téo Cabanel. Barkhane is created by the housenose Jean-Francois Latty.

Barkhane starts dark, boozy and almost edible. The amber is not the sweet vanillic type, nor the typical herbal version, but  traces of spices are evident. A refreshing note of geranium shines through in the early stages of Barkhane and somehow the ease that the geranium provides to the fragrance, remains during the developement of Barkhane. Despite all the heavy ingredients, Barkhane doesn't become dense or cloying and in the later third of the fragrane a dry,on the verge to powdery, paper-like quality appears which is close to a much less sweet version of the papernote in Boucheron Trouble. Probably this comes from the vanilla note as vanillin like notes could be extracted from wood. This dry papernote is interacting beautiful with the dark, underlying, boozy, woody notes. There is also a wellcrafted, dark, minimalistic patchoulinote coming forward in the pleasant base of Barkhane. The spices also comes forward in the later atages of Barkhane, the almost putty, slight metallic curry tree note gives the spicy blend a special touch.

Barkhane is, as all Téo Cabanels tested so far, a well crafted, classic styled (but with a contemporary touch) oriental blend of high quality ingredients, very wearable in many situations. The fragrance is also affordable taken in consideartion the steep increases in the prices of niche. It's a perfect fragrance for winter but as it's note dense or cloying I also think it would be nice to wear in late summerevenings. Longevity is good, about 12h and as the stylish creation it is, the sillage is just right, not at least intruding but not just a skinscent.

Fragrances which comes to my mind when wearing Barkhane is Parfum d'Empire Ambre Russe similar lightness despite the boozy amber, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Doré the dark, mysterious notes and the cult amber Farmacia SS. Annunziata dal 1561 Ambra Nera also dry, dark, almost powdery and with some spices. Also The Different Company Oriental Lounge comes to my mind and probably this comes from the spicy qualities of Barkhane, in particular the curry tree note that both fragrances have in common. I think those who considering the mentioned fragranses should also try Barkhane before the final decision what to buy.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Bergamot, cumin, geranium, curry tree, patchouli, vetiver, oud, labdanum, myrrh, tonka bean, vanilla, musk

Téo Cabanel - Oha

Picture: December roses
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Oha from the venerable house of Téo Cabanel is an old school styled chypre. Oha is created by the house nose or Téo Cabanel, Jean-Francois Latty, a skilful perfumer when it comes to fragrances in the the high quality classic style of Téo Cabanel. I have tested a recent sample and an older one with juice from a bottle of the old design.

Oha starts grandly with a slight powdry and bitter bergamot with contrasting accords of different roses, I can image both pink and red roses. When Oha reaches its middlenotes the roses is still dominating but has deepened and has become darker and tarter. Jasmine and iris is supporting in a robust classic flowery accord with some cool spicyness from the cardamom. There is very little sweetness, if none in Oha, even the musky base is woody and dry powdery, the vanilla and tonka are barely detectable but I suspect these notes prevent Oha from being too austere. Even if lacking oakmoss which seems to have be replaced with musk and woods, Oha is old school chypre-ish in style, something that fails most modern fragrances in this genre.  Ohas lack of sweetness and robust chypre character makes it to an unusual fragrance.

Picture: Oha (in the current bottle)
Photo: Téo Cabanel (c)

Comparing the two samples of Oha, despite just  the older one is more classic, deeper, boozier and less musky powdery with slightly better longevity. The current sample is more musky powdery, a bit sweeter in the roses and reminds me especially in the opening of Narcisco Rodriguez for Her Edt. Oha is said to be an evening scent but I think it's also appropriate for formal daytime wear as it is close to skin. Longevity is good, ca 12h.

Those who like fragrances in the style of Sisley Soir de Lune, Estee Lauder Knowing, the original Agent Provocateur, Niki de Saint Phalle, but also a bit more spicy blends as Chanel Coco, will probably also appreciate Oha.

Rating: 3 +

Notes: Bergamot. tea, rose, jasmine, cardamon, iris, vanilla, tonka been, woods, musk

Teo Cabanel - Méloé

Picture:Hay Harvest at Éragny by Camille Pissarro 1901,
Wikimedia commons, (cc) some rights reserved (PD-1923)

Méloé is created by perfumer Jean-Francois Latty for the perfumehouse Téo Cabanel. This house were originally started in Algiers in 1893 but moved to Paris 1908. The house were re-started 2005 and have launched several new fragrances since then, most famous is the floral-oriental Alahine.

Méloé start with sparkeling citrus-/mandarinenotes, offsetted by a slight bitter (in a good way), powdery bergamotnote. There is also a touch of herbal and spicy notes, nutmeg is appears clearly to me and also a touch of basil. Méloé is fresh but not in a chemical or sweet way and the florals seems equally balanced with herbs and spice and the fragrance feels somehow natural and wellblended. There is also an almost watery-floral touch to Méloé, like in Oscar de la Renta Live in Love and By Kilian Water Calligraphy, but in Méloé the watery impression is much more subdued, even if still there, than in the two related fragrances. In the basenotes there is a white musk supported by mossy and woody notes, which deepens the fragrance in a bit darker nuances of green. All together, Méloé to me is a sort of aromatic-floral, not fruity-floral as I have read somewhere. 

Picture: Méloé in its stylish bottle.
Photo: PR Parfums Téo Cabanel

Méloé is an upliftining, surprisingly longlasting fragrance.The blend is specified as an Eau Légére, which is supposed to be lighter than an Edt, but I can smell whiffs of it after almost 24h on skin and on fabric some days after the day I was wearing it. Méloé is suitable for daytime wear, especially for spring and summer, but also, as lighter fragrances lasts better in autumn/winter, for days when longing for something lighter during the darker and colder.

Even if Méloé bears similarities with other fragrances in the light, refreshing, floral genre it has its own identity, the green herbal tinge and slight bitter (in a positive way) note.

Even if not similar fragrances but similar in expression, those who enjoy De Bachmakov (also herbal notes) from The Different Company, Dior Escale à Pondichéry (the flower and spice) and Chanel Cristalle Eau Verte (the green, slight bitter flowers) also could like Méloé.

Rating: 4

Notes: Bergamot, mandarin, lemon, lavender, basil, neroli, orange blossom, jasmine, nutmeg, musk, moss, amber, woody notes

By Kilian - Rose Oud

Foto: Herr Parfumista (c)

Åhhh, jag vet inte var jag ska börja. Rose Oud är en doft som gör mig färdig att utrangera halva parfymgarderoben, innan jag kommer till sans igen och inser att det i längden ändå är variation som gäller. Rose Oud är en sådan där mörk, dov och mystisk rosendoft som jag bara älskar. Dessutom med en av mina favorittränoter oud. Jag får aldrig nog av den här typen av doft, känns som att jag kan prova och njuta av hur många varianter på temat som helst utan att tröttna. Rose Oud är en del av By Kilians orientaliska kollektion Arabian Nights och är skapad av Calice Becker som gjort de flesta av By Kilians dofter. Review av Incense Oud finns från april.

Rose Oud inleds med ros och en lätt oud. Det är inte en tuff och dominerande oud som i flera av Montales dofter utan den är snällare, mjukare och finstämt harmonierande. Det finns, vad jag läst, en del äkta oud inblandad men jag gissar att det som i de flesta västerländska ouddofter också finns en del syntetisk vara. Saffransnoten är inte särskilt dominant utan jag upplever den som en supportnot som ger värme och kraft till Rose Oud. Rosendoften känns som om den kommer av högkvalitativ rosenolja och den varierar och uppträder olika i olika stadier av doften. På mig känns den, konstigt nog, först mörkröd och mystiskt djup för att senare anta ljusare och fruktiga facetter. I denna fas kan man tro att det finns fruktiga ingredienser tillsatta även om några sådana finns inte angivna och rosenolja av viss sort och i viss kombination antar just en fruktig karaktär. Ett dygn senare känns något som påminner om en pudrig mellanrosa ros och det finns också inslag som dofter som en nyponrosbuske en varm sommardag. Troligen är det, som notlistan antyder, flera varianter av rosenolja (och säkert även syntetisk ros) inblandat eftersom jag känner så många rosendoftsvarianter.

Rosenvariationerna gör verkligen Rose Oud till en unik doft där det under hela parfymens utveckling händer nya spännande saker. Ändå känner jag likheter med flera andra favoriter i mörk ros genren. Först och främst med Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle:s Portrait of a Lady som Rose Oud är mest lik även om jag upplevar PoaL som ännu mörkare. Men Rose Oud har också många gemensamma noter med Téo Cabanels Alahine även om den senare har mer dragning åt klassisk pudrig oriental och Rose Oud åt mörk trädoft med ambroxan. Även om ambroxan inte finns angivet bland ingredienserna så tror jag nog att den lurar där i basen, precis som i PoaL. I den fruktigt rosiga fasen finns noter som påminner om Andy Tauers Une Rose Vermeille.

Rose Oud är en i mitt tycke klart feminin ros-oud kombination med en lagom projektion och en elegans som gör att den passar väldigt bra till fest även om jag tycker att man ska få njuta av sådana här underbara dofter också i den grå vardagen.

Betyg: 5

Noter: Saffran, ros-tincture, oud, guaiac-trä

By Kilian - Incense Oud

Bild: Frankincense from Yemen,

Foto: snotch, some rights reserved, Wikimedia Commons

Det blir en sakral inledning på Påsken. Incense Oud är den tredje i By Kilians orientaliskt inspirerade serie Arabian Nights. Incense Oud är enligt de flesta källor skapad av Sidonie Lancesseur, enligt andra av Calice Becker som skapat de flesta av By Kilians och så även de första två dofterna i Arabian Nights.

Incense Oud inleds med milda och runda rökelseträ noter, de är inte så starka, skarpa och offensiva som i exempelvis Montales Full Incense eller Comme des Garcons Avignon. Men mitt allra första intryck är för några microsekunder faktiskt något från öppningen i Teo Cabanels Alahine !. Jag känner också en lagerbärsliknande ton bland rökelseträet och en mjuk kådighet. I den andra delen av Incense Oud är det trä och patchoulli som dominerar balanserad med ros på ett så subtilt sätt att den bara anas som en stödjande not. Visst har Incense Oud likheter med sina föregångare i Arabian Night serien Pure Oud och Rose Oud, även om dessa faktiskt som namnen äger innehåller oud. Basen i Incense oud har likheter med den i Pure Oud, minus oud, läder och gummiartade "tuffa"noter. Till exempel den lagerbärsliknande noten känner jag igen från Pure Oud. Kan tänka mig att Pure Oud utgör basen i serien runt man varierar övriga dofter. Reviewer av Pure Oud och Rose Oud kommer längre fram.

För mig är Incense Oud en sofistikerad rökelseträdoft men ingen ouddoft. En sådan där mörk, hemilghetsfull parfym i genren incense-patchoulli-mörk ros-oud-kådor-ambra-musk som är min absoluta favoritgenre av doft och som gör att jag inte kommer igång med vår och sommardofter hur mycket jag än vill!

Vad jag hänger upp mig på i Incense Oud är att man kallar den oud även om jag inte känner någon oud och ingrediensen heller inte finns angiven i notförteckningen. Kanske är det som Elena på bloggen Perfume Shrine spekulerar: Att man lagt in ordet oud av rent marknadstekniska skäl, för rida på slutfasen(?) av oudtrenden se http://perfumeshrine.blogspot.com/2011/02/by-kilian-incense-oud-fragrance-review.html. I min värld är Incense Oud istället en typisk mukhallat dvs en blandning, som kan innehålla oud men inte behöver göra det. Så den borde alltså heta Mukhallat Incense.

Sammanfattningsvis är Incense Oud en mild, rund, sammetsmjuk och diskret doft med liten projektion. Det är en doft som bäraren njuter av för sig själv. Passar utmärkt både i formella och informella sammanhang, helt enkelt en mycket användbar doft. Värd att prova även om man redan har en typisk rökelseträdoft, Incense Oud har sin egen tvist på temat. Enda negativa är att Incense Oud har en, i mitt tycke, för liten projektion.

Betyg: 4

Noter: Kardemumma, peppar, ros, geranium, grapefrukt, papyrus, cederträ, patchoulli, rökelseträ (incense), sandelträ, ekmossa, labdanum, mysk,

Grossmith - Sammanfattning

Bild: Buckingham Palace 1837

by J Woods after a picture by Hablot Browne and R Garland

Att prova Grossmiths parfymer Hasu-no-Hana, Phul-Nana och Shem-el-Nessim är att ge sig ut på en historisk utflykt och det är viktigt att vara på "vintagehumör" när man gör det. Tänk det sena artonhundratalets mode med turnyrer och korsetter. Grossmiths dofter fångar en helt annan tidsanda (huset startade så tidigt som 1835) och har inte mycket gemensamt med de dofter som skapas idag, inte ens av niche-husen. Detta kombinerat med dofternas höga kvalitet gör det mycket spännande att prova dem. Men på något sätt kräver de att man känner sig drömmande, mellankolisk eller nostalgisk,  Grossmiths parfymer är inte några vardags parfymer, så vida man inte ständigt befinner sig i den drömmande mooden. Att testa parfymerna kan också liknas med att befinna sig på ett museum och ta till sig av det som varit. För den som är ordentligt parfymintresserad är det definitivt värt att prova dofterna, bland annat för att få den här historiska vinklingen.

Det är också intressant att prova Grossmiths dofter eftersom de väcker så olika reaktioner hos olika "doftare", vissa håller dem mycket högt andra anser att de borde ha fått fortsätta att vila i frid. Många har recenserat de här dofterna varav flera finns i min "bloggroll" så leta gärna där efter andras intryck.
Dofter som väcker motstridiga känslor brukar ha unika kvaliteter och Grossmiths dofter tillhör onekligen den kategorin. Så till ett sammanvägt betyg: När det gäller kvaliteten får de absolut en 5:a från mig men när det gäller bärbarheten vinklat efter hur de passar mig och min sammanlagada upplevelse en 3 - 4:a. På mig börjar alla dofterna mer lovande än hur de avslutas, de håller inte riktigt hela resan igenom. De blir liksom lite "platta" vilket kan ha att göra med att man använt mycket naturliga ingredienser, naturingredienser har ofta den egenheten, de behöver ett lyft av "kemikalier".  Det slutliga intrycket av respektive doft blir ganska neutralt relativt de förhoppningar som både topnnoterna och för den del även hela doftkonceptet ger. Och jag vill att en doft ska engagera mig ända ner till sista basnotsnivå, iallafall  om den befinner sig i den här prisklassen. Det kan förstås bero på att jag har en bit kvar i min olifactoriska utveckling men jag har märkt att jag generellt dras mer till dofter som är mer moderna i sin struktur.

Kvaliteten och det spännande greppet att försöka återskapa historiska dofter*), även om de så klart inte luktar lika men ger en idé om hur de doftade, överväger ändå så det helt subjektiva, sammanvägda betyget blir: 4 +

*) Idéen att återskapa historiska dofter har många anammat, Tèo Cabanel återupplivade 2005 det sedan länge nedlagda husets dofter även om det skedde genom en nutida näsas tolkning, Jean-Francois Latty.

Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle - Portrait of a Lady

Skulle ha varit en mörkare ros...men det gröna är rätt nyans. Foto: Herr Parfumista (c)

Portrait of a Lady (PoaL) är den senaste doften i Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle. PoaLär skapad av de mörka blommornas mästare Dominique Ropion.

Jag ska inte sticka under stol med att jag är vääääldigt förtjust i PoaL och jag får nog reviewa den igen längre fram när jag inte är färgad av den första entusiasmen. Den mörka rosen, den osöta kryddigheten, patchoullin, ett lätt stänk av oud, mysk och ambroxan är så väl balanserade och ger en upplevelse utöver det vanliga. Jag har burit doften flera dagar på rad i det kyliga vädret och den passar årstiden perfekt. Samtidigt har den en kyla som gör att den också kommer att passa svala sommardagar/-kvällar. Det syntetiska ambrox/ambroxan som ersätter/tolkar på ett nytt sätt ambra/mysk och ambregris noter har blivit utskällt av en del försåsigpåare men jag måste säga att när det ger basnoter som de här så bara älskar jag ambrox. PoaL har en väldigt bra hållbarhet på huden och den sitter som berg på mig.

PoaL ger mig bilden dels av riktigt mörkt grön sammet och dels av en dam med elfenbensvit hud och mörkt hår i turnyr som åker i en täckt vagn under sent artonhundratal. Den ger mig bilden av May (Wiona Ryder) i kostymfilmen "Oskuldens tid" (The Age of Innocence) fast den kanske borde ge bilden av hennes rival grevinnan Olenska (Michelle Pfeiffer) för PoaL är inte oskyldig.

I stilen påminner mig PoaL om flera mörka rosendofter exempelvis: Amouage Lyric, Lady Vengeance frå Juliette Has a Gun och Téo Cabanels Alahine även om den senare är något ljusare, sötare och mindre rosig.

Aboslut en av toppdofterna 2010!

Betyg: 5

Juldofter - Orientaler

Först några smakprov ur doftfamiljen som man mest associerar med julen, orientalerna:

Coco (Chanel): Denna klassiska, barocka Jacques Polge oriental från 1984 står sig. Den ger associationer till guldbroderad, djupröd sammet, päls och rysk vinternatt.

Alahine (Teo Cabanel): Att denna klassiska, otroligt välgjorda doft kom så sent som 2007 är svårt att tro. Varm, med blyertspennenot på mig iallafall har inte sett någon annan nämna denna cedertränot, ylang-ylang och ambra. En lite blommigare Shalimar.

Shalimar (Guerlain): Jag älskar Shalimar i alla dess olika former, den skarpare mer bergamott dominerade Edt och den mjukare, rundare och dovare parfymen. Garanterat minst en Shali-dag i jul.

Nuit Noire (Mona di Orio): Denna lortiga, animaliska, dunkelt blommigt, farliga oriental kanske inte är hekt comme il fâut för julen. Men och andra sidan, det är så det luktar i stall.

Så till den kryddiga avdelningen:

Opium (YSL): Först något riktigt, stort och klassiskt kryddigt: Opium. Passar perfekt när det är mörkt och kallt. En verklig klassiker och förebild för många dofter i den genre. Och glöm inte: Ju äldre formula desto bättre.

Oriental Lounge (The Different Company): Celine Ellenas (just det JCE:s dotter) moderna, mjuka, djupa originellt kryddiga (curryblad) ambrerande oriental. Som att krypa in i en cashmeresjal. En av de absolut bästa jag sniffat in under 2010, sen som jag är, doften är från 2009.

No 1 (Aus Liebe zum Duft): Den förträffiliga butiken/nätbutiken ALzD:s jubileumsdoft när man fyllde tio år voriges Jahr. Transparant-kryddig men hållbar, torr med mycket peppar, ingefära och kardemumma på läder, trä och skalad modern ambra. Egentligen i första hand en herrdoft, men vem bryr sig.