Carner Barcelona - Latin Lover (Floral Collection)

Picture: Latin Lover
Photo: PR Carner Barcelona (c)

For summer 2017 catalonian nichehouse Carner Barcelona introduces the Floral Collection which is in the opposite style compared to the excellent Black Collection of last year. The Floral Collection presented in stylish white bottles vs the Black Collection in stylish black ones. First out for test from the florals is the wristsniffer Latin Lover created by perfumer Jordy Fernandez.

Latin Lover strats with a burst of beautiful a tad watery flowers, dominated by magnolia sweetened by ylang-ylang. Magnolia usually is a bit tricky note for me as it could be almost harsh and sour to my nose. But balancing with ylang-ylang obviously is the trick, the magnolia blooms beautiful. Later on a clean, flowery jasmine and a detactable also flowery (not powdery lipsticknote), violet steps forward and add a certain elegance to the perfume. The bouquet is grounded in a just enough musky base with some contrasting, almost dark, a bit moisty, earthy elemets, probably the patchouli. The dark of Latin Lover is like sitting in the shadow of a pinetree near the sea a hot summerday. There is something familiar with Latin Lover and after a days wearing I know: It smells similar to Lalique Edp by Lalique but less sweet and fruity. Other fragrances I come to think of (even if not smelling the same but the same feeling/style) when wearing Latin Lover are Puredistance WHITE, By Kilian Water Calligraphy and Amouage Honour Woman.

Latin Lover is a happy fragrance which is a pleasure to wear, perfect for a mediterranean summerevening or just to cheer up a summerday which is spent in the office. The longevity is for at least a day and sillage is medium. Classified as unisex but to my nose lending to the feminine side. After my acquaintance with Latin Lover I have high hopes for the other two in the Floral Collection, Besos and Sweet William. Reviews will follow.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, ylang-ylang, violet, jasmine sambac, narcissus, benzoin, patchouli, musk

Parfum d'Empire - Osmanthus Interdite

Picture: The northwest corner of the Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Photo: Attribution Charlie Fong, (cc), some rights reserved,
 Wikimedia.com

Osmanthus Interdite by Parfum d'Empire is a fragrance inspirerd from the scents and overall impressions from the imperial gardens in the Forbidden City in Beijing. Like all the high quality Parfum d'Empire fragrances, Osmanthus Interdite is created by the Parfum d'Empire founder,  IPSICA perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato. The review is made from a sample from the latest edition of Osmanthus Intedite, the version in the new bottledesign.

Osmanthus Interdite is fresh, floral, dry chalky fruity matched with light, white tea notes. There is also some deep, almost dark passages, as shadows from the bushes besids the ponds a sunny afternoon in the palace garden. Smooth and very well balanced accents of the osmanthus flower like soft deep apricot, velvety leather as suede and dry fresh haynotes create a sofisticated, pleasant aura around the wearer. The tea notes are smooth without any harsh edges. In the base of Osmanthus Interdite, a pleasant chalky note steps forward, adding a deeper layer to the fragrance. In texture Osmanthus Interdite reminds me of a feather light, almost transparant cashmere shawl worn over an elegant, white, casual chic outfit. Some how Osmanthus Interdite has a calming and meditative effect, it's a relaxing fragrance to wear. Fragrances with the same relaxing and elegant, white aura that comes to my mind (even if not smelling the same) when wearing Osmanthus Interdite is By Kilian Water Calligraphy, Imperial Tea and Bamboo Harmony as also Dior Homme Cologne 2013 version.

Picture: Osmanthus Interdite, new bottle
Photo: PR Parfum d'Empire (c)

Osmanthus Interdite is quite linear in constuction, with its accords flowing back and forth during the dry down of the fragrance. It's discrete with a close sillage, with good longevity, about a day. It's the perfect office fragrance for spring, summer, early autumn but could be worn in any season. As I remember the previous version in the old bottle, I can't detect any differences, probably there is no reformulation in connection with the switch in bottledesign.

Osmanthus Interdite is the osmanthus fragrance that I've experienced so far and I also think it's one of the best tea fragrances on the market.

Rating: 5

Notes: Osmanthus, green tea, apricot, jasmin, rose, fruit, musk, suede

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

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 :-)

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 - Flower of Immortality

Picture: Peach Blossoms  (1878)
Oil on canvas by Winslow Homer
 Wikimedia commons

Flower of Immortality is the third installment in the By Kilian Asian Tales line. FoI is, like most of the Kilians, created by Calice Becker. The Asian Tales line is aimed to the asian market and features subtle, transparant fragrances as these type of fragrances is said to be preferred there. The first two fragrances of the line were the elegant but in the same time refreshing Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony.

Flower of Immortality starts with mouthwatering topnotes of peach (the fruit) accompanied by a note that feels like peachblossom. The peachnote is very realistic and I havn't smelled peachblossoms but I can image a scent like this. This is the best peachaccord since MDCI Parfums Peche Cardinal even if that one is denser and a bit darker in its peachy loveliness. In the middlenotes the peaches calms down but is still clearly present when the contrasting, cool iris accompanied by a subtle rose appears. There is not the carrotsmelling earthy iris, which surprises me as according to the list of ingredients there is also carrotseeds in the blend, the iris is clean, powdery and polite, just as the texture of FoI in the middle and basenotes. I also think that the tonkabeen mentioned among the ingredients adds a powdery warmth to the fragrance.

Picture: By Kilian Flower of Immortality
Photo: PR By Kilian

Flower of Immortality is a polite, elegant, refreshing, officefriendly and easy to wear fragrance, perfect for spring and summer especially for days when the only wish perfumewise is to be ensured smelling very good. In some way FoI is almost too perfect, it smells so good, is so wellconstructed and is so wellbehaved that I suspect the wearer could be a bit bored if wearing this to often. The only drawback is that FoI fades away quickly and is just a too faint trail of the scent after a few hours.

Rating: 4

Notes: White peach, carrot seeds, iris, black currant, rose, tonka bean

By Kilian - In the City of Sin

Picture: Still Life With Compotier, 

Painting by Paul Cezanne (ca 1879-1882)

Collection Mr. and Mrs. Rene Lecomte, Paris

Wikimedia commons

Sorry, but I get no sinful associations at all from this fleeting Calice Becker creation In the City of Sin. In the City of Sin is one of three initial offerings from the new ByKilian sub-line In the Garden of Good and Evil from handsome Hennessy heir, Kilian Hennessy. In the City of Sin is said to be "The temptation which leads to carnal desire".

In the City of Sin starts with a sparkling clean bergamot-cardamom dominated accord. Then some natural smelling fruity nots follows, there are no harsh chemical notes, instead the fruity notes are round, soft, fresh and perfectly ripe. The fruits reminds me of a tamer version of the fruity notes of Bombay Bling from Neela Vermeire creations.  The fruity notes are supported by a bright, pink rose and tha blend is grounded in a rather cold woody cedar-patchouli base.

As hinted above, instead of sinful, In the City of Sin is a quite innocent, very officefriendly scent that could be worn daytime year around but preferably during spring, summer and the early autumn. Nice and friendly but to be honest, nothing special when taking into account that In the City of Sin is created by the flower-champion Calice Becker. I have to admit that I like the two of many perfumistas critizised offerings of the Asian Tales line (Water Calligraphy and Bamboo Harmony) much better than this mediocre composition.

The question what is happening with the ByKilian brand is justified when smelling this fleeting (probably already fully IFRA-compliant) fragrance. Earlier there was body and strength in the By Kilians. The Arabian Nights collection is great as also many of the fragrances of the initial L'oeuvre Noire line.

Rating: 3

Notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, cardamom, apricot, plum, turkish rose, incense, atlas cedar, patchouli

Place des Lices - Fiordlatte

Picture: Summer Evening on the Souther Beach,
 oil on canvas by  Peder Severin Kröyer, 1893

Fiordlatte from Place de Lices starts a bit sharp with notes of green grass and some flowery notes. I bet I can smell a moderated galbanum, even if not mentioned in the notelist. When Fiordlatte settles a bit, a pleasant, soapy, glabanumlike, note appears. It’s similar to the “antique, bathroom, chalky” note that is also present, but more intense, in Vanille Tonka from Parfums de Nicolaï. This accord is fading, but not disappear completely, in a nice, a bit paper-dry in texture, white floral accord. Despite the “bathroom” vibe it’s not a watery floral of the kind that is en vouge by now for exemple Live in Love by Oscar de la Renta or Water Calligraphy from By Kilian. The white floral note feels more timeless and the dry white floral impression is more in the style of Un Amour de Patou by Jean Patou and Montale Crystal Flowers (even if rose centered) but subdued in comparasion.In the basenotes Fiordlatte becomes light musky and moistier. A slight sour note (in a positive way) which is present in many light rosefragrances becomes detectable and I think it’s the note of peony.

Fiordlatte is the perfect outdoor casualscent especially for spring and summer, preferably at sea as the dry white flowers will balance perfectly with the salty air by the seaside. Fiordlatte is also a nice casual or officescent when one has to be reminded of the lighter seasons of the year.

Rating: 3

Notes: Jasmine, cottonflower, peony, vanilla

Oscar de la Renta - Live in Love

Picture:Flower of Nelumbo nucifera, bean of India
Photo by T Voelker, (CC) some rights reserved, Wikimedia commons

Live in Love is an elegant, easy to wear, daytime green floral created for Oscar de la Renta by three perfumers in colaboration: Jean-Marc Chaillan, Carlos Benaim and Ann Gottlieb.

Live in love, despite its notes of classic though green notes as bergamott, hyacinth and galbanum, starts as a modern, fresh, clean green floral but without either the detergent note or the "just climbing out from the shower"freshness. The flowers are bright but not weak in appearence and there is also a complementing, subdued fruitiness present. All together this creates a watery impression, as of waterflowers in a pond. There is similarities with ByKilian Water Calligraphy and with the overall impression of Bulgari Omina Coral even if that one is much more fruity and sharp compared to the better balanced Live in Love.

After a while a shining almost incenselike note appears and starts to interact with the wet florals and their supprting slight fruity notes. This incensenote create an interesting contrast to the fruity notes and helps to put them forward. The incense like note I think is a subdued ginger and maybe traces of soft cedarwood (if looking at the notelist anyway).A very successful ginger interpretation as ginger often is too screamy, bubbeling andspritzy, almost as an overdose of  freshly minced white pepper.This interesting and appealing interaction between the "incense" and the fruity-floral notes goes on duirng the middlenotes and as the ginger tunes down the flowery/fruity notes lands in a pleasant woody, musky base.

Live in Love with it's sort of unsweet elegant slight fruity,wet floral, green notes and the classical ingredients (galbanum, hyacinth, bergamot) interpreted in a modern way is the perfect officescent suitable year around but especially for spring, summer and the early autumn. It's present but quite close to the wearer and can't offend (almost) anyone. The longevity is great,it lasts for 24h.

Live in Love is an evidence that good "mainstream"/designerfragrances could be created today also. It's seems that Oscar de la Renta has revived some of it's former glory in perfume especially with the launch of the beautiful aldehydic composition Esprit d'Oscar but also Live in Love is a good example of what could be created if the intention is there. The coming Essential Luxuries seems also very interesting and I hope I get the opportunity to smell them later on.

Live in Love could be appreciated for the fans of the fragrances mentioned above but also for those who like Dior Escale à Pondichery, Gala de Dia (review in swedish) by Loewe and By Kilian Bamboo Harmony.

Rating: 4

Notes: Hyacinth, galbanum, bergamot, lily-of-the-valley, orchid, jasmine, orange flower, rose sandalwood, cedar, woodsy notes, amber, musk

By Kilian - Water Calligraphy

Picture: Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies, 1899,

Oil on Canvas by Claude Monet (1840-1926), Wikimedia Commons

Taking a break in my spring-violet serie, reviewing the new ByKilians:

Sorry Kilian! Despite the creation Water Calligraphy by Calice Becker for ByKilian is a very nice, well executed water lily - lotus flower dominated fragrance it is a disappointment to med. This because WC :-) smells just like old (1996) Gala de Dia by Loewe rebottled.

Starts slight fruity, followed by white watery flowers which  conveys a natural, non-chemical, watery impression. It's like sitting in the shadow during a hot summerday at a small pond with water lilies and greenerys. WC is liniar in it's structure, well blended and with a great longevity and this fragarance willl cope with the hottest days during the summer. Wearable both for casual and to work. WC has similarities in style with Bulgaris watery, fruity, flowery Omnia Coral but the latter is sharper and headier than the sleeker WC.

To summon up: A nice, well blended, refreshing frag that I really like but it lacks the originality and non-copied style that I expect from a house in ByKilians pricerange.

Update April 2014: Water Calligraphy has grown to be a favorite watery, flower to me. I find it minimalistic and beautiful, it is calming and relaxing. It was in the end of last summer when Water Calligraphy suddenly "klicked" for me. I think that the minimalistic approach makes it easy to dismiss some of the Kilan fragrances at first. But the Kilian fragrances are not simple at all, on the contrary, they seems to have hidden layers that ensures the wearer will not loose interest over time. They are of god quality and easy to wear, sort of fragrance wardrobe staples. 

Rating: 5 (April 2014)
Rating: 3+ (April 2012)

Notes: Water lily, grapefruit, jasmine, magnolia, vetiver, cardamom