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söndag 23 december 2018

Parfums de Nicolaï - Néroli Intense

Picture: La Carmencita (1890)
Painting by John Singer Sargent  (1856-1925)
Musée d'Orsay
Néroli Intense (NI) is an elegant nérolicentered fragrance, created by perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï. NI is not a stronger version of Cap Néroli from this summer, it's a variation (just as with the different concentrations of classic Guerlains and Chanels) on the néroli-theme with less higher and lighter citrus notes and more of warm, sweet, dense and dark oriental notes. If NI had a color it's would be like the muted orange color of the dress of La Carmencita above. If it had a texture it would be like bitterorange marmalade

Néroli Intense starts like a massive warm glowing wall of orange néroli and other inteacting sweet and bitter citrus essences with a clever contrast of a dark green, "fat" herbal tarragon note. If Cap Néroli is the sunrise and the scent of a summer morning, NI is the golden sunset of the late afternoon.   There is an almost bloody, metallic accord that seems to rise from the depts of the fragrance and serves as an intriguing contrast to the elegant and well behaved notes of néroli and orange. This accord make me think of a similar twist in Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin. Maybe this impression is created with a combination of the beewax absolue and the herbal tarragon. The musky base with patchouli is not like a separate stage of the fragrance, it's blended in the fragrance to support the other notes in a very well balanced way.  Another PdN fragrance that NI reminds me of is the discontinued dark hebal-néroli  Eau sOleil, an Eau Fraiche with good longevity. Even if I remember that one as creamier, almost soapy, with less néroli, with more other with flowers and a note of fresh mint accompained by other herbs.


NI is dense like velvet in it's structure but not at all cloying. Timeless in appreance, it has a clever retrotouch. NI is a top notch nérolidominated perfume with high quality ingredients, there absolutely no syntetic vibes about it. To me NI is leaning more to the feminine side of unisex, but just as with Cap Néroli, wearable for both. NI is an elegant fragrance and just as with Cap Néroli it goes well in the boardroom but for autumn and winter instead. NI would also be a perfect companion to our
patient, committed and beautiful Queen Silvia when celebrating her 75th birthday today. Long live the Queen!

Go for Néroli Intense if you wan't some glowing, warm, elegance for winter.

Rating: 5

Notes:

Picture: Olfactory pyramid of  Néroli Intense
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï


Thanks to Parfums de Nicolaï for the opportunity to test Néroli Intense. Néroli Intense is also avaible by Fragrance & Art.

måndag 7 maj 2018

Parfums de Nicolaï - Cap Néroli

Picture: Parfums Nicolaï Cap Néroli
Photo: PR Nicolaï

Cap Néroli is the new 2018 EDT from Parfums de Nicolï, a real favoritehouse of mine. Last years release was Rose Royale, a celebration to the pink roses of the palacegarden in the center of Paris. this year is celebrating néroli and what a celebration: This is not the usual soliflore niche stuff, this is lika a full fragrance, a bouquet of notes which makes one think that Cap Néroli doesn't belong to the soliflore genre.

Cap Néroli starts with an uplifting, cheering, burst of juicy, natural smelling full orange, like fresh oranges squeezed  in the sun by noon on the terrace of a villa in chic mediterrain surroundings. The orange liquid squeezed is natural, with fruit fibres, tick and not diluted or sugared. This is the accords of a early summer sunny day bearing all the expectations of the wonderful days which will come. In the nexte stage a chilly green, minty note appears blended with a herbal touch. The orange becomes more elegant, restrained and sincere in this stage, the néroli oil appears. Also a dry, salty note enters, a note similar to sea salt and also the scent which reminding me of old school bath salts, in this stage Cap Néroli has left the soliflore stage and enters the domains of a more complex fragrance. The salty ant bath salty aspects are also apperant in  Deco London Lawrence even if the latter is greener and colder in style, like an early summerday of the coast of Britan instead of the shores of the Mediterrain. Cap Néroli is grounded in oakmoss and musk an probably this is a part of the secret of the elegant retro feeling of the fragrance. The timeless elegant, green freshness could be the sign of the oakmoss and the herbs even if I guess that some of the typical Nicolaï geranium (think l'eau Chic) could be embedded in the base accord. During the whole drydown the slight herbal minty note gives Cap Néroli a certain sparkle and together with the salty note, offset the sweetness of the flowers of the fragrance. Compared to my other favorite Nicolaï neroli, Eau sOleil, Cap Néroli is brighter and higer on the fragrance note scale. Eau sOleil is the warm, glowing and slight spicy fragrance for the golden sunsets of the late summer, the orange of Eau sOleil is darker, with velvet nuances of gold and brown.

The overall impression of Cap Néroli is classic retro elegance, interpreted in a modern way. Cap Néroi is a modern take on the classic chypre accord, it's minimalistic and scaled down but still some of the moisty mossiness is there together  the with retro salty, slight soapy cleanness and retro freshness, elegant freshness as in vintage Eau de Rochas. To me Cap Néroli as a whole is more of a formal summer fragrance, it goes well in the boardroom. Both the radiance and longevity are very good to be an EDT, Cap Néroli lasts for over twelve hours. The fragrance is unisex, just as good on my skin as on Mr Parfumistas even if my skin amplifies more of the orange notes and his the green, salty and herbal notes. This fragrance shouldn't be missed, its perfect for effortless elegance both in formal and casual chic summer gatherings.

Rating: 5

Notes: Petitgrain bigaride, orange, mandarine, rosemary, mint, neroli, ylang-ylang, jasmine, orangeblossom, oakmoss, musk

måndag 24 mars 2014

Vero Profumo - Rubj Voile d'Extrait

Picture: Bayâd singt zur Laute vor der Herrin und ihren Dienerinnen
Bild im "
Die Geschichte von Bayâd und Riyâd" (« Hadîth Bayâd wa Riyâd »),
Maghrebinisches Manuskript, 13 Jh, Wkimedia Commons
Rubj Voile d'Extrait from Vero Profumo is, just as Onda Voile d'Extrait reviewed a few days ago, a lighter and brighter variation of the Extrait version of the fragrances. Rubj Voile d'Extrait is created by Vero Kern.

Rubj Voile d'Extrait starts brighter and fresher than more spicy and darker Rubj Extrait with its dirty notes of cumin. In the Voile d'Extrait, even if not mentioned in the notelist, I almost smell a note of a fresh lavender instead of the cumin. Just as in Rubj Extrait, the orangeblossom note is very beautiful, deep and full and without any syntetic wibes as in many orangeblossom fragrances. Also the jasmine is full bodied in texture, natural and blends perfectly with the orangeblossom. Even if Rubj Voile d'Extrait lays an octave or two higher than the Extrait, it also intermediate the image of resting on a couch, hiding from the heat at noon in the palace gardens of Alhambra during the days of the Moors in Al-Andalus. The Extrait is like resting in the same place in the warm and velvet dark evening, lighted by the stars, the full moon and the torches in the palacegarden, listen to the sparkling of the fountains and the music from the lute and other strings.

Overall, to my nose, Rubj Extrait is a bit more complex with its dirty, retro notes and Rubj Voile d'Extrait is easier to wear and could therefore be appreciated among a wider audience.  Rubj Voile d'Extrait is as indicated above, proper for daytime wear and the mysterious Extrait is better suited for evenings and nights even  if I don't care about such "rules" and wears the Extrait also at daytime. Longevity for both fragrances are about 12h, the Extrait a bit longer and the sillage is good, with a bit better radiance from the Voile d'Extrait.

Rating: 4+ (Extrait still 5)

Notes: Orange blossom, jasmine, musk, cumin

torsdag 6 februari 2014

Parfums MDCI - Nuit Andalouse

Picture: Innenhof der Alhambra, 1892Painting by Adolf Seel (1829-1907)
Wikimedia commons
Nuit Andalouse is the other of the two latest launches from Parfums MDCI, Cuir Garamante was reviewed in the prior post. Nuit Andalouse is created by the risning star in the perfumers Pantheon: ISIPCA graduated perfumer Cecile Zarokian which created (together with Daniel Maurel) the epic Epic Woman for Amouage when she still was a trainee at Robertet!

Nuit Andalouse starts with a sort of stripped down, elegant gardenia and cool violet, green notes contrasted with a zesty orange. This is not the usual big white floral burst which is the start of  most orange, this is more elegant and muted. As Nuit Andalouse developes, the flowery notes gets sweeter and deeper, but not as sweet and liqueur-ish as in By Kilian Sweet Redemption, this is a natural, floral, nectar sweetness. A restrained and almost dry in texture musk is present in during the whole drydown, contributing with a slight hay-ish impression. The whole impression of Nuit Andalouse is that of a transparant but not at all cologne-ish orangeblossom fragrance.
Picture: The Deluxe falcons of Parfums MDCI,
there is also a plain version
Photo: PR Parfums MDCI (c)
Nuit Andalouse is a beautiful, well-made, elegant and very wearable orangeblossom fragrance. Maybe not that innovative or avantgarde but a high-quality, classic fragrance in a style that is timeless. Perfect to wear year around, both for office and dressed up. This is a fragrance that really cheers up a grey, chilly winterday and blooms a hot summerday. Sillage is medium and longevity for 12h+.

Those who like lovely and uplifting orangeblossoms such as L'Artisan Parfumeurs Seville à l'Aube, Robert Piguet Blossom, Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM Femme and Oscar de la Renta Granada will probably also like Nuit Anadalouse.

Rating: 4

Updated rating November 2015: 5 

After more wearings since the review this one has grown and I have to adjust the rating as it's a very versatile and beautiful orangeblossom with excellent longevity, on fabric for weeks.

Notes: Orange, violet, green notes, gardenia, ylang-ylang, rose, orange blossom, vanilla, sandalwood, musk, amyl salicylate (light flower/cutted gras musk note)

PS: Parfums MDCI offers generous 12 ml bottles in the samplesets on their website 

onsdag 26 juni 2013

Annick Goutal - Les Colognes Néroli

Picture: Glass vial containing Neroli Essential Oil
Photo: Itineranttrader, Wikimedia Commons
Le Cologne Néroli is, just as the original Néroli Edt, created by the housenose of Annick Goutal, Isabelle Doyen in collaboration with Camille Goutal.

Le Cologne Néroli starts with fresh, pale green orangeblossom/neroli notes. The opening is sparkling and moist compared to the Edt-version, which I suspect is discontinued. The Edt starts with the orangeblossom/neroli but  supported by notes that gives it a herbal touch. After a while  notes smelling almost as fresh mushrooms appears in the Cologne, while the same passage in the Edt smells like a well kept stable with happy horses. The Cologne Néroli has the same typical, fresh luxurary linen colognenote as Le Cologne Eau d'Hadrien and lots of other better colognes. Just as the Hadrien Cologne, there is a fine, white musk base that intermediates a moisty impression. Overall the cologneversion is more flowery and sparkling, in the Edt version the orangy notes are combined with a herbal touch. Even if the Cologne Néroli is more similar to other nérolicolognes i prefer it slightly to the Edt.

Le Cologne Néroli has better longevity on me than the original Edt. I suspect that the white musk, just as in Le Cologne Eau d'Hadrien, is the facilitator of this. The Cologneversion lasts for more than a day with fragments left after 24h and the Edt lasts for almost a day.

Those who likes Hermès Eau de Cologne d'Orange Verte, Historiae Orangerie du Roy and the likes will probably appreciate Le Cologne Néroli.

Rating: 4+

Notes: Neroli, orangeblossom, petitgrain, heliotrophe, white musk

torsdag 6 juni 2013

Historiae - Orangerie du Roy

Picture: Louis XIV of France (1638-1715)
oil on canvas 1701 by Hyacinthe Rigaud (1659-1743)
Orangerie du Roy is an excellent orangeblossom dominated fragrances composed by Bertrand Duchaufour for the house of Historiae. This house creates fragrances inspired of the spirit of different eras of the french history.

Orangerie du Roy is inspired of the "Sun King" Louis XIV which adored the freshness of the orangeblossom. The King started a new era parfumevise directed to fresh, flowery perfumes, preferably orangeblossoms, after being overdosed with musk for many years.

Orange du Roy starts with a natural smelling, clean, orangeblossom, without musky or laudery details. The flower is contrasted by light, green herbal notes, somehow smooth and on the verge of soapy but the fragrance doesn't enter the soapy territory, just touches it. The orangeblossom is classic-fresh and recalls the scent of freshly pressed linen sheets in cool and shady room during a warm summerday in a luxury Mediterrian hotel. Even if Orange du Roy is linear or maybe circular in its structure it is not dull at all, it evokes images not just from Mediterrian hotels, I can also see the old Sun King in his warm whig, strolling in the gardens of Versailles a warm summerday. Orangerie du Roy is well balanced and made of fine ingredients of an impression number for a eaux styled fragrance. It's also reasonable priced ca EUR 25 for 15 ml/ ca EUR 49 for 50 ml.
Picture: Orangerie du Roy Edt
Photo: PR Historiae (c)
Orangerie du Roy is a real wristsniffer, perfect both for work and casual, especially during spring and summer. The longevity is very good for a an eaux styled edt, it lasts for more than a day.

I think those who sheer orangeblossoms as Prada Infusion Fleur d'Oranger and Hermès Cologne Orange Verte will also like Orangerie du Roy.

Rating: 4

Notes: Lemon, sweet orange, petit grain, basil, mint, bergamot, orangeblossom, ylang-ylang, honeysuckle, lavendel, thyme, mock orange, patchouli, vetiver, oakmoss, musk

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

måndag 11 mars 2013

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

måndag 28 januari 2013

Oscar de la Renta - Granada

Picture: Patio de los Arrayanes, Alhambra, Granada.
Photo by Jan Zeschky, (cc) Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved.

Granada is a beautiful orange/orangeblossom fragrance which is a part of the 2012 introduced exclusive line of Oscar de la Renta - Essential Luxuries. In Sweden the Essential Luxuries will be introduced in February 2013.

Granada starts with a juicy orangenote, very true to how a fresh cutted orange smells. Inch by inch, Granada settles into a flowery blend where the orangeblossom interacts with jasmine and rose. The flowery blend is creamy in texture and there is a  sort of balsamic note present. Now and then the juicy orange shows up in short glimps, even in the base this tempting note is present. Granada is sort of circular in it's dry down, the some notes appears, disappears and re-appears. Except from the juicy start, Granada is very close to Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM pour Femme, in some stages they are almost equal. To my nose APOM poue Femme is a bit greener, woodier, sharper and with a light detergent note that is not present in Granada. Granada is the nice little sister to the tougher big sister APOM pour Femme. Granada could evoke images of the inner courtyards of the palace of Alhambra during the time of the Moors, the rippling water of the fountains and ponds, the voices and laughter of the girls of the harem.

Even if  not a complicated fragrance (or despite of that), Granada is very plesant to wear and it lightens up a grey and cold winterday with its warm and happy appearance. Perfect for work or pleasure year around, a fragrance to choose when it's hard to decide what to wear. Longevity is very good, about 24h and the sillage is medium.

Granada is highly recommended to those who like L'Artisan Seville à l'Aube, Elie Saab Le Parfum and both MFK APOM pour Femme and APOM pour Homme.

Rating: 4

(As a follower to APOM pour Femme, Granada falls sligthly in points. If Granada has been the first of the two fragrances, the same had happened to APOM pour Femme)

Notes: Jasmine, rose, orange blossom

fredag 9 november 2012

Robert Piguet - Mademoiselle Piguet

Picture: The Reader, oil on canvas by Jean-Honoré Fragonard ca 1770-1772,
captures the warm and comforting spirit of Mademoiselle Piguet
Mademoiselle Piguet is another fragrance in the great Nouvelle Collection from Robert Piguet created by the "house nose" Aurelien Guichard.

Mademoiselle Piguet could be described as beeing vegetal, combined with orangeflowers with a sweet honeyed texture. The vegetal note is not damp and almost on the verge to rottening (but in a positive way)as in some interpretations for example Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle Edp and Annick Goutal Passion, the vegetal note is almost fresh and reminds me of a fresh sugar pea. A similar impression is expressed in a Fragrantica review by clover.chen who refers to processed mung beens in desserts, something that I havn't tasted myself but can image when smelling the greenery of Mademoiselle Piguet. The orangeflower I perceive as very natural and fresh, not chemichal at all. The note has a wonderful honeyed nectar texture and smells just sweet delicious, probably the apricot adds this facet. There is something in the orangeflowernote that reminds me of the same note in Fracas, but in Mademoiselle Piguet it is somehow domesticated.

To me the structure of Mademoiselle Piguet is linear, the notes are preseant at the same time even if the vegetal phase is more apparent in the first part of the dry down of the fragrance and later instead is acting as one of the supporting notes in the background. To me the sweet , honeyed,  Mademoiselle Piguet also seems to be the female counterpart to the (to my nose) much more masculine dry, herbal-orangeblossom NoteS which I reviewed earlier this week, they are fragrances of the opposite side of the interpreation of orangeblossom-scale and are interesting to wear as complementary fragrances for different moods and occasions. As NoteS is more complicated, strict and a excellent choice for daytime professional wear, the Mademoiselle is a fragrance both for evening and comforting daytime wear, versatile enough to warming up during cold winterdays and to bloom beautifully in the summerheat. Mademoiselle Piguet, thanks to the interesting and well harmonised vegetal notes, has its own identity even if partly familiar to other fragrances featuring the orangeblossomnote.The longevity of Mademoiselle Piguet is extraordinary for an orangeblossom scent, I can smell the orangeblossom on my skin more then 30h after application.

I think Mademoiselle Piguet would be appreciated by those who like L’Artisan Seville à l’Aube, Maria Candida Gentile Hanbury and Annick Goutal Tubereuse (even if featuring another white blossom note I think Tubereuse and Mademoiselle Piguet have a similar pleasant, honeyed texture).

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, orangeblossom, almond, apricot, tonka been