Photo: Mr Parfumista (c) |
lördag 1 juni 2013
Fragrance(s) of the week (22) 2013
torsdag 30 maj 2013
The Vagabond Prince - Enchanted Forest
Picture:The beautiful artwork bottle of Enchanted Forest Photo: PR The Vagabond Prince (c), all rights reserved |
Enchanted Forest is an unsual fragrance, centered around the black currant accord. Even if black currant and its buds, are frequently used in different fruity and fruity green accords, that the blackcurrant rarely is the mainplayer. Another fragrance where this is the case is Lalique Amethyst which I havn't smelled. The initial accords of Enchanted Forest is like diving in a blackcurrant bush, the notes of the juicy berries and the green tart leaves are very natural, luminous and vibrant. Probably the aldehydes helps to lift the black currant, with its intensity it could otherwise easily be cloying. When Enchanted Forest dries down in the middlenotes, the blackcurrant calms down but is still easily recognizable as the mainnote. Green light woody and fizzy notes as vetiver, pepper and especially coriander sparkels offsetted by some smooth flowery notes that just balances the blend and plays in the background. The base are slight musky dark but not heavy with distinct tart woody (fir,cedar) and resinnotes. There is also a transparant, fresh earthy, patchoulinote combined with a slight animalic vibe. The sweet notes are very subdued and not recognizable as separate notes, but they create a softness that balances the dark and earthy woodiness.
Enhanced Forest is a fragrance that I think could be worn year around despite it evokes the image of a wild forest in early autumn to me, a cold, mossy dampness contrasted with the sunrays defying the high confiers and hitting the ground. Enhanced Forest as an idea and in its structure with green, aldehydic tartness, somehow reminds me of the earlier in 2012, Duchaufour creation for Aedes de Venustas with the same name, even if that one highlights the rhubarb.
Enhanched Forest is a strong fragrance that should be applied in moderation, if not, it could be overwhelming. The sillage is big to be a contemporary fragrance and longevity on skin is about 24h.
Rating: 3+
Notes: Pink pepper, aldehydes, sweet orange, flower cassis, blackcurrant leaf, hawthorn, rum, wine, rosemary, davana, blackcurrant buds absolute, blackcurrant, russian coriander seed, honeysuckle, rose, carnation, vetiver, opoponax, benzoin, amber, oakmoss, fir balsam absolute, patchouli, castoreum absolute, cedar, vanilla, musk.
Thanks to the Vagabond Prince for the sample to test.
måndag 27 maj 2013
Guerlain Mahora and Mayotte - Quick comparison
Picture: Mahora in its special tropical styled bottle and box Photo: PR Guerlain (c) |
Picture: Mayotte in the Parisienne bottle Photo: PR Guerlain (c) |
"I did try the Mahora yesterday by itself and it is similar (as in containing the same notes) as Mayotte but it's definitely not the same. The beginning is harsher and trashier, a metallic note is more pronounced and I don't get any gardenia. The drydown is longer and very similar the heart of Mayotte. Next step is to wear them side by side, we'll see if I stick to my words by then :)"
Notes:
Mahora: Orange blossom, almond blossom, green accords, ylang-ylang, neroli, tuberose, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver
Mayotte: Neroli, frangipani, tuberose, indian jasmine, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver
lördag 25 maj 2013
Fragrance(s) of the week (21) 2013 - That note
Photo: Parfumista (c) |
torsdag 23 maj 2013
M.Micallef - Royal Vintage
Picture: Robert Comte de Montesquiou-Fézensac (1855-1921) Painting by Giovanni Baldini (1842-1931) |
Royal Vintage starts familiar classy cologne notes, similar to Geoffery Beene Bowling Green but more delicate and smoother in structure. Then a soft but in the same time slight fizzy, pink peppercorn note appears giving sparkle to the blend. There is also a dry, almost papery note apperant in this stage, not as strong and intense as the papyrusnote in Gucci Pour Homme, which also appears in a sweeter and spicier context than the cool and clean papernote in Royal Vintage.
When reaching its heart, Royal Vintage smells like the image of a clean and freshly ironed shining white linen napkin and tablecloth where an elegant gentleman just had lit a fresh cigarette made of high quality tobbacco. This accord, probably it's the among the notes mentioned cypress that creates the clean linen impression and the soft and smooth leather the fresh cigarettenote, is wellbalanced and lasts during the whole drydown, slight deepening in the basenotes. Overall the compostion evokes the image of a dandy.
Picture: Royal Vintage by M.Micallef Photo: PR Parfums M.Micallef |
Royal Vintage really deserves its name, with its understated elegance, its well balanced precense and longevity this would perfectly match (even if not dandy-like) my favourite royalty H.R.H Prince Daniel in his daily duties. Until the princely nose will detect this gem, Royal Vintage will serve under anything but royal circumstances in Mr Parfumistas office, because for once, he has found something he judge as full bottle worthy.
Update January 2015: Mr Parfumista is testing Creed Aventus and his conclusion is that the Creed, even if a good perfume, is sweeter and more "perfumery"/pungent than Royal Vintage. As Mr Parfumista comments: "If I haven't already known and owned the much more distinctive Micallef, I had probably considered Aventus",
Rating: 5
Notes: Bergamot, pink pepper, cypress, leather, patchouli, musk
måndag 20 maj 2013
M.Micallef - Ylang in Gold
Picture: Vintage Cote d'Azur PR poster |
Ylang in Gold starts amazing with an accord that smelle like a golden nectar. Creamy fruity notes, sprinkled with uplifting citrus and an almost liqour like note paired with coconut and slight green notes offsetting the sweetness. The flowers in Ylang in Gold is smooth, rounded and sweet yellow in appearance (even if not yellow in reality), just as the protagonist of the fragrance, the warm, sweet and sunny ylang-ylang. The base is musky in a wellbalanced way with a damp mossy note offsetting the warm and sweet coconut, vanilla and sandalwood in the base. The whole composition is linear in style, extreamly pleasing and comfortable. Despite Ylang in Gold is consisting of powerful notes, the fragrance is surprisingly transaprent and subtle, sometimes almost not detectable for the wearer even if other can smell it. Ylang in Gold reminds me of a classic powerful floral-fruity-oriental from the early 90s, Chopard Casmir but in a current more transparent, smooth and less sweet interpretation. Casmir is louder, sweeter, darker and heavier with its vanilla-resin base but there is a chord that smells very similar that goes through both of these fragrances.
Picture: The beautiful presentation of the delicious Ylang in Gold Photo: PR Parfums M.Micallef, (c) all rights reserved |
Ylang in Gold is a shining, yellow fragrance, casual chic, mediating a happy and sunny Cote d'Azur impression. Its texture reminds me of the cocosnutty and creamy character of the dessert gourmand Unkown Pleasures from Kerosene. I also think that those who like Estee Lauder Bronze Godess/Azuree Soleil will appreciate Ylang in Gold. And of course, fans of the original Hanae Mori, with the same name, as that 90s fruity-floral has similarities with Chopard Casmir from the same era.
Rating: 4
Notes: Peach, lichi, tangerine, fruity notes, geranium, sage, rosemary, artemisia, bitterorange, ylang-ylang, rose, lily of the valley, magnolia, mint, sandalwood, musk, moss, vanilla, coconut
Etiketter:
Azuree Soleil,
Bronze Godess,
Casmir,
Chopard,
Estee Lauder,
Hanae Mori,
Kerosene,
Le Parfum Couture Denis Durand for M. Micallef,
M,
Micallef,
Review,
Unknown Pleasures,
Ylang in Gold,
ylang-ylang
lördag 18 maj 2013
Fragrance(s) of the week (20) 2013 -Random perfumeimpressions
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c) |
Samples that I ordered from Aus Liebe zum Duft swiftly arrived during the week and some is already in testing on myself or familymembers. Impressions:
From the descriptions of the fragrance, Lostmarc'h Iroaz is a wild rose from the rosebushes of the shores of Brittany. This is a sort of airy, like the moist seaair, pink rose. Reminds me of the roses in Jean Patou Un Amour de Patou and Montale Crystal Flowers. A wearable, non-sweet rose.
Speaking of Montale, yesterday I couldn't resist trying one of the Montale samples I've ordered. Have sampled so many light, springappropiate fragrances the latest weeks (June will be a light fragrances reviw month) I now long for heavier stuff. Aoud Ever is a quite recent Montale blend that seems to consist of some Aoud Lime at the start lime but here added whith a dose of lemon which dominates the citric part. Then one of my favorite Montales, Amber & Spices appears but in Aoud Ever the peppery notes in the spicy mix are a bit more prounonced and are resting on a base dominated by sandalwood and of course oud.
Mr Parfumista is testing the new Comme des Garcons Black.Starts as a powerful fragrance containing elements of some other of Mr Parfumistas CdG favorites, the cool cypress and pine-like notes of Kyoto and the balsamic spice of Jaisalmer. There are also notes that resembles of a weaker and short lived version of the rough, almost burned leathernotes of one of Mr Parfumistas top favorites ever: Mona di Orio Cuir.
Myself is sampling the new Andy Tauer Noontide Petals. Starts as the powerful Incense Rosé but calms down very soon and then smells like a dimmed version of Incense Rosé with powdery accents. As the Incense Rosé accords tuning out, but still remains in the background, aldehydic flowers appears and the composition becames weak compared to the first half of the dry down. Nice fragrance but a bit messy in the same almost chaotic way as Histoires de Parfums L'Olympia Music Hall ie both these frags somehow intermediate an impression of don't be able to decide what direction to have. As I like or love almost every Tauer creation released so far, I definitly will give Noontide Petals further trials. Update May 28 2013: There was a beautiful scent lingering in a pashmina which I suspected was traces of Noontide Petals and today I have tested Noontide Petals again. This time in a lower dose than before and that was the trick. Today the fragrance was neiter messy or chaotic in the later drydown just perfect powdery, a bit soapy notes that embeds a typical Tauerstyled accord, most similar to Incense Rosé mixed in the smoothness of luxury aldehydes. Contemporary elegance and in the same time comfort. Great, this is a 5 rated perfume for me and unfortunaly a new lemming!
Sniffing on a napkin saved since the lunch with Fragrantfanatic this Thursday where there are dots of different fragrances from the spanish house Oliver & Co. from a discoveryset that FF has borrowed from another parfumista. One of the M.O.U.S.S.E fragrances stands out from the fragrancedots and I think it's the first Mousse where the clove is very pronounced and combined with balsamic spice as in Jaisalmer. This one could really be something! Also the balsamic dot that I think is Resina and La Colonia appeals to me. Overall, Oliver & Co. seems to be a house to explore further.
As Fragrantfanatic recently has visited Paris and there acquired a bottle of Guerlain Mayotte I'm now a happy owner of a vial of this that would be compared with its precursor Guerlain Mahora. And as FF now has a sample of Mahora, it will be very interesting to compare our findings from our respective coming side-by-side tests of these two heavy, tropical Guerlains.
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