The mainstream niche

As I strolled around in the local chain-perfumstore some perfumed insights just popped up. In these days when the launches of many nichelines becomes more and more bland and not distinguishable from other niche and mainstream offerings (we can call it "mainstremification" of the niche) an opposing movement occurs automatically when it comes to some "mainstream" parfumes or maybe better referred to "designer"parfumes. Just looking around in the ordinary assortment of the chainstore I visited, I came to some conclusions:

- The classics still remaining in the assortment  is way more interesting then the majority of the new niche realeases. A perfume that have survived five to ten years or more, even if gradually reformulated, has stood the test of time and is something special. Examples: Rive Gauche (YSL), No 5 & Coco (Chanel), Angel & Alien (Thierry Mugler), Infusion d'Iris (Prada), Aromatic Elixir (Clinique)

- There are good new releases too, even if increasingly rarer (in relative terms) i.e exactly the same phenomen as in the niche sector. From the latest two years: Esprit d'Oscar (Oscar de la Renta), Le Parfum (Elie Saab),  No 19 Poudre (Chanel), Body (Burberry), Candy (Prada).

- The, in some cases quite distinctive reformulations of some fragrances, with the new Dior policy as a hallmark, suddenly makes a ten year old bottle with an pre-reformulation formula to an almost niche fragrance. Examples are of course in particualar from the Dior range: Dior Addict, Dune, Miss Dior Cherie Edp. I will  definitely treasure my (not so) old Diors :-).

-This store had a tester of Miss Dior labled as that and not the new Miss Dior Originale. I bet the MDO version formula is somehow tweaked too.

When writing this I'm yearning for these and other distinctive "mainstream" fragrances. As I'm almost always  sampling different nichefragrances, a week or two in "mainstream" would be a great relief.

Chanel Les Exclusifs - No 28 La Pausa

Pic: Iris squalens, Photo by Bernd Haynold, (cc)

Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Scroll down for an english version.
Aromatiskt cederträ med citrus och lätt irisrot är mitt sammanfattande intryck av Chanels ljusa irisdoft No 28 La Pausa som skapades av Jacques Polge som en del i Les Exclusifsserien 2007. Dofter mer åt Acqua di Gio hållet (än Chanel No 19 Poudre) är herr Parfumistas spontana kommenter och jag kan delvis hålla med. Irisen är mer irisrot än blomma men en lätt och ozonisk sådan, inte morotstonad, som längre fram i doftens nedtorkning får en mycket diskret, knapp märkbar, ton av läppstift. Cederträet ger en fin ton av nyvässad blyertspenna och den är mycket väl balanserad, blir inte pepprig eller för skarp och dominant. Citrus ger en fräschör och lyfter doften medan irisen balanserar och tillför en avslappnad elegans. I basen finns slutligen en lagom grön och lätt vetiver som ett ankare för No 28 La Pausa.

La Pausa är en i mitt tycke klassiskt modern doft som mycket väl även kan användas av herrar. Den är diskret och passar därför det doftofobiska kontoret. Många klagar på dålig hållbarhet under dagen men så är inte fallet för mig. La Pausa håller ofragmenterad mer än tolv timmar men projektionen är hela tiden låg vilket också är idén bakom många moderna dofter. Den finns där för bäraren och dem som kommer mycket nära men invaderar på intet sätt det gemensamma doftutrymmet. La Pausa är sammantaget en mycket bärbar doft för dagsbruk och den passar året om.

Jämfört med Chanels No 19 Poudre är La Pausa mer aromatiskt träig, fokuserar på irisroten och är i mitt tycke unisex. No 19 Poudre fokuserar på irisblomman med jasmin och lätt apelsinblomma som fond över en välmodulerad myskbas. Poudre är en i mitt tycke mycket mer feminin doft. Båda är lätta i projektionen men håller ofragementerade på bärarens hud. Båda har en plats i samma parfymgarderob då de är sinsemellen så pass olika, iristemat till trots.

In english:
Aromatic cedar with citrus and a light orrisroth is my general impression of Chanel's bright iris fragrance No. 28 La Pausa, which was created by Jacques Polge 2007 as part of the Les Exclusifs line. Smells more like in the Aqua di Gio way than iris as in Chanel No. 19 Poudre, is Mr. Parfumistas spontaneous comment and I can partly agree with that impression. The iris in La Pausa is more of the irisroot than the flower but a light and somehow cleande up ozonic root, without the typical carroteffect. Later in the drydown of the scent the iris gives a discreet, almost not detectable note of lipstick. Cedarwood gives a nice tune of a just sharpened pencil and the cedar is very well balanced, not peppery or too sharp and dominant. Citrus gives a freshness and lift to the fragrance while the iris balances and adds a casual elegance. Finally in the clean woody base of No. 28 La Pausa there is also a moderately green and light vetiver as an anchor for the composition.

No. 28 La Pausa is in my opinion, a classic contemporary scent that also fit men as well. It is very discreet and tuned down and therefore perfectly fits the scentofobic office. Many reviewers of La Pausa complain of poor durability during the day but this is not the case for me. La Pausa is still unfragmented on my skin more than twelve hours after application but the projection is low during the whole dry down, which is also the idea behind many modern fragrances. The fragrance is there for the wearer and those who come very close but by no means invades the common scentspace. To summon up: La Pausa is a wearable fragrance for daily use and it fits all year around.

Compared to Chanel No. 19 Poudre La Pausa is more of a aromatic, woody blend that  focuses on a sort of cleaned up iris root and La Pausa is in my opinion unisex. No. 19 Poudre focuses on the iris flower supported by jasmine and a light orange flower interacting over a well modulated white muskbase. Poudre is in my opinion definitly a more feminine scent. Both fragrances are light in the projection, but the longevity is good as they are both remaining unfragemented no me after wearing them for a whole day. Both have a place in the same fragrance wardrobe as they represents so very different interpretations of the iristheme.
Rating: 4

Noter: Fruktiga noter, iris, blomnoter, vetiver, träiga noter/ Notes: Fruity notes, iris, floral notes, vetiver, woody notes

Ramón Monegal - Umbra

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Umbra the vetiverinterpretation by Ramón Monegal starts like a green, clean vetiver with some deep almost citruslike notes. The citruslike is not the usual light, sparkling one, and I suspect the impression emerges from the combination of other notes. Peppery notes are also emerging as the topnotes evolves, but more as supporters and not as distinct as the ginger-peppery effect in Prada Infusion d'Vetiver. The opening ackord is the part of Umbra that reminds me most of other vetivers but soon Umbra finds its own path: Umbra gets sweeter then the common vetiverfragrance and almost resiny, balmy, floral as it developes. Probably the geranium contributes to the green floral feeling. The dry down is exciting and unusual, the vetiver doesn't stands out like in the most straightforward light, rooty green vetivers.The vetivernote is restrained of the sweet, powdery tonka been in the base and despite the tonka sweetness. there is an aura of green, refreshing, moist, woody sweetness in Umbra. In the base a beautiful mossy note, similar to the one in Mon Patchouly also emerges and is present during the rest of the extended dry down of Umbra.

In lightness and texture Umbra reminds me about Prada Infusion d'Vetiver and Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Vetyver but both these fragrances are more of straight forward, contemporary representants of the classical rooty, grassy vetiver fragrance. The vetiver that comes to my mind with some similarities with Umbra later stages is Andy Tauers smooth and gentle Vetiver Dance but this is more a cosy vanillia-vetiver where Umbra is more of an elegant chypre. Both fragrances has also in comman that they follows their own interesting path in the world of vetiver. The general impression of Umbra can be summeraized as the picture and smell of the coolness of the mossy, forest floor under high pines a summerday.

Even if classified as unisex I precieve Umbra as the most feminine vetiver I have sniffed so far. Umbra is definitly a vetiver that I will be delighted to wear as I usually have some "problems" with the more sharp, rooty "manly" versions. Umbra appears to be so wellcrafted and well thought out compared to many other representatives of the genre which smells like variations of the same theme compared to Umbras individuality. Even if Umbra is somehow relaxing, it's engaging to follow what is going on and trying to figure out what's happening next, during the dry down of the fragrance.

Umbra is suitable both for office and for dressed-up casual, year around but wears very well in the summer. Heavy appliers beware: Strong in concentration as in the case of almost every RM fragrance, two - three spritzes lasts for long. Sillage is more than medium and longevity about 24h.

Rating: 5

Notes: Vetiver, oakmoss, black pepper, geranium, fir, tonka bean

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

Top summerfragrances 2012

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Suddenly the bright and shining early summer month of June disappeared, the high summer month of July is over and sadly most of the summer is gone. Two weeks ago I also noticed the first signs of the late summer, the late evening suddenly was dark, not bright as in the beginning of the summer. One week ago the crickets started to play a true sign of the late summer. Fragrancewise I have worn just a few typical summerfragrances, most of the preferred ones up to day I enjoy the year around. Even if I almost sampling different fragrances and not have much time to wear my favourites, here they are for summer 2012:

Nuit Etoilée (Annick Goutal): Light herbal, slight smoky this one reminds me of a starry night in the asphaltjungle.

Cologne Friction (Parfums de Nicolaï): The ultimate, green, grassy, cologne for lazy summers. Perfect for vacation in the archipelago or just anywhere. And for looking at a game of tennis.

Corps et Ames Eau de Toilette Apaisante (Parfumerie Generale): A 1970s inspired chypre-light featuring the verbena note. An airy and bright interpretation of the original CeA Edp.

Rebel (Antonio Visconti): A soothing, refined patchouli with delicate notes of dark and dry chocolate.

Cristalle Edt (Chanel): There is (almost) nothing like this citrus-mossy classic when it's comes to summer casual chic.

Impossible Iris (Ramón Monegal): Year around elegant-chic. Has made a rapid career and is now among my most appreciated irises.

Rose Etoile de Hollande (Mona di Orio): Monas lovely rose is an olfactorial masterpiece is a multifacetted creation that reflects both the brightness and the dark sides of the rose.

Amoureuse (Parfums DelRae): Whith it's dark, almost decaying flowers blended with cardamon, Amoureuse is a beautiful gem suitable for alls seasons. Love it.

Ubar (Amouage): There is a golden shimmer surrounding the white flowers of this fine Amouage classic. Always right to wear in it's understated elegance, the quiet sister among Dia and Gold.

Black Oud (Montale): This classic dark rosy, leathery, patchuli oud becomes creamy in texture when worn in warm and humid weather. And never fails to attract compliments....

Amouage - Interlude Man

Picture: Rheum rhabarbum, leaves and shafts.

Photo: Dieter Weber (Uellue), (cc) Wikimedia commons,

some rights reserved

Just as its female counterpart Amouage Interlude Man starts up anything but pleasant. Interlude Man starts with a strong, burned accord, resembling a turned up version of the burned wood accord of  Mona di Orios Les Nombres d'Or Cuir (in swedish summary in english here). As the accord in Cuir is leaning to the smell of an open fire accord where some meat is grilled a grey autumnday, the burned accord in Interlude Man remids me of the smell of burnt rhubarb pie as there is a light vanillic note glimpsing in the background. When the smoke has tuned down to a more comfortable level the tart, green, rhubarb note becomes more apparent. As rhubarb is not in the notelist, I suspect there is the oregano, the pepper and the incense that creates the tart and spritzy sensation. There is also something that is close to the taste of Zig-Zag pastilles (at least swedish readers probably knows this, pached in small red boxes with white letters on.) In the basenotes Interlude Man settles in well blended, woody, among them the typical oudnote, slight leathery notes. The woody note is smell very natural to me, almost as I sniff on a just cutted down conifers. The projection is large (be warned don't overapply this one) and the longevity is great, 24h+. Interlude Man suits very well for evenings but also as a scent for the day during the colder month of the year. To me Interlude Man is unisex even if leaning to the masculine side. Just to compare, I think Mona di Orios Cuir is more masculine in its expression than Interlude Man.

All in all I think Interlude Man is to close to Mona di Orios Cuir in style and personally I like Cuir better as it's more firm and clear in it's smokey, rough leathery woody character. Interlude Man feels like more uncertain about what it wants to convey. Starts though and rough but later leans anxiously to some tarter ans also sweeter subnotes. The blend also weakens in character and becomes more common, dry, peppery, woody, oud in style, a style that is all but original these days. In the latest stage of the basenotes the blend clears up and get much more interesting: The tart note similar to a smoother geranium becomes evident and this latest stage of Interlude Man i also think is the best one, the oud is similar to that in Mona di Orios Les Nombres d'Or Oud. All in all Interlude Woman to me are more uncommon and therefore I, despite its muddly note (on me), appreciate it much more than Interlude Man.

Rating: 3

Notes:  Bergamot, oregano, pimento berry oil, amber, frankincense, opoponax, cistus, myrrh, leather, agarwood smoke, patchouli, sandalwood

Thanks to Amouage for the sample to test.

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.

Considerations when it comes to perfumerating

Photo: Parfumista (c)

When I rate parfumes I use the scale 1-5 where 5 is the best and 1 is the lowest rating. The ratingscale are fintuned with a "+" when a fragrances has qualities that somehow exceeds the chosen rating but don't  reaches all the way up to the next grade. I have observed that the number of 4 and 5 rated fragrances in my reviews are disproportionately high compared to the fragrances rated as "good" (ie medium, quite ok, something I would like wear). An explanation to this is that I acquires samples of fragrances that there in advance is a high probability that I will like as I read a lot about them and know my favorite houses/noses/notes. But to perform the grading more accurately in the future, I have to consider what should form the criterias be to deserve a certain rating.

In my perfumerating section I describe as follows:

"When I describe and evaluate a fragrance in a review it is concluded with a weighted rating. The components considered are: Quality of the ingredients, longivity on the skin, balance in the composition, originality of the composition, if there is an interesting development during the day, if the scent is stimulates the imagination , if the fragrance is reasonably priced (compared to what it delivers), if there is a surprise or a disappointment. Overall it provides a subjective assessment based on the experience and knowledge accumulated over several decades being interested in perfume.

5. An exellent fragrance. Something beyond the ordinary, perhaps already a classic or a future classic. Or just a beautiful fragrance that I love....
4. A very good fragrance. Or a fragrance that I like very much or almost love.
3. A good fragrance. Adequate, no reason not to buy a sample or two of it when I like it. Something that I will wear occasionally.
2. Not so good. A fragrance that does not live up to the expectations. A disappointment to me and therefore not worth buying to me.
1. Poor, a fragrance that is underperforming. "

I think all this is still relevant but I think that two factors are increasingly important to me: 1) The fragrance is challenging or otherwise interesting and keeps my interest during it's whole dry down and during a whole day ie the longevity have to be good. Or 2) The fragrance makes me feel comfortable and I'm longing to wear the fragrance. The fragrance supports me in uncomfortable situations and strengthen my self-confidence. A perfume rated 3 doesn't have these qualities to me (to my personal liking) even if smelling good and I probably would wear such a fragrance from time to time. But I could nonetheless recommend the scent to others to try as I have assessed the fragrance as good and to somebody else these two important qualities described maybe will occur.

Ramón Monegal - L'Eau de Rose

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Ramón Monegals rosewater is despite of it's airy, happy, uplifting character, not a traditional dab-on rosewater L'Eau de Rose seems to me as a bright and seemlessy blended Edt composed by high quality roseoils. The scent of the rose is the scent of the rosebuds of the flower, there is no harsh green notes of the steem or leaves crushed in the blend, just the smooth and creemy rosebuds. I image there is rose buds from different colors particulary pink but also yellow, orange and red, all of them in the lighter and brigther tonality of the respective color. Soon the rosiness becomes creamy, it smells almost as the nail cream my mother used when I was a child, and as she rememered from her childhood that her grandmother used. As the delicate blend reaches the basenotes it's grounded with a light touched patchouli that gives the blend a interesting darker dept as a background. There is also musk there but so well intergrated that I don't smell it as a separate, dominate note. In fact, I was surprised when wearing L'Eau de Rose that the, for light and bright rose fragrances, mandatory rose-musk combination is missing.

To me L'Eau de Rose is sort of a delicate, fintuned, summerversion of rose, patchouli combos such as Lady Vengeance by Juliette Has a Gun (review in swedish). Also bright and light pink rose fragrances as Rose Pivoine by Patricia de Nicolï and Bulgari Rose Essentielle comes to my mind even if L'Eau de Rose is less sweet and has it's darker twist compared to the two latter fragrances.

All in all: L'Eau de Rose is a straight forward light rosefragrance, easy and comfortable to wear, suitable both for casual and officewear. The longevity is great, a full day wearing in summer, the sillage is close. The darker patchuli twist makes L'Eau de Rose staying away from the dull and meek light rose fragrance territory. A good alternative when it comes to the light and bright rose fragrance category.

Rating: 4+
Rating: 5 (June 2013)
Update: L'Eau de Rose is unusual to be a pink rose and deserves to climb the last half step to reach the highest rating 5.

Notes:  Tea rose, taif rose, neroli, patchouli, musk

Remembering Mona

I hope that as many of you as possible has noticed the moving newsletter of yesterday from Parfums Mona di Orio. If not I copied it; here it is......And I will pick a rose today to remember Mona, my favoriteparfumer.....

Mona di Orio

Tomorrow the 19th of July is Mona's birthday. I hope she will be extra remembered on this day.

Mona dedicated  a big part of life to the Art of Parfum. She always hoped that people would open up and receive the gift of really using their nose. Become aware of the smells around you. To remind her on this day it would be great to pick up a flower and smell it intensly and think of Mona. Mona you are being missed. X

Ramón Monegal – Entre Naranjos

Picture: Citrus aurantium, (bitter orange "Orange de Seville")

Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid.

Photo: A.Barra (cc), Wikimedia Commons,

some rights reserved

Now it’s time to going on posting my impressions from my journey of discovery of the Ramón Monegal fragrances. Of course I should have introduced the house and the line by now but as my overall impression from what I have sniffed from the house is very positive, I can’t stop myself from testing and forward my impressions of the fragrances. But the hard facts will follow later J.

Entre Naranjos, between the oranges (trees?), is a name that matching this uplifting orange scent perfectly. The formula seems straight forward but for the sake not at all simple as the ingredients seems to be of a good quality and as in the RM fragrances tested so far, also well blended without any rough or sharp edges (except the neutronbomb Dry Wood). Entre Naranjos have similarities with the classic Hermès Eau de Cologne Orange Verte but as EDCOV is more about the orangeflowers EN is almost all about the oranges, the fresh fruits themselves, directly picked from the tree, peeled and eaten in it’s shadow. Despite the initial similarities, the fragrances then take different directions: Where EDCOV:s citrus accented orangeflowers rests on a cool, bright, mossy base, EN:s fruity orange goes darker and more oriental-woody in style, resting on a light peppery (cedar?), woody amber base. The patchouli is very well blended with the other ingredients and it’s not recognizable as a singular note, but it’s adding some chilly eartyness to the blend.  All in all: EN stirkes me as a sort of contemporary interpretaion of the orange-cologne theme of the Hermès classic.

EN to me seems to be a good year around cologne, during the colder season as a vitamin boost and a reminder of the sunny summer. It’s perfect for casual daytimewear and will not offend anybody in the office enviroment. EN is unisex in style even if some passages of it is leaning slight to the masculine side. The sillage is close, the longevity is relativly short, not the 24h + that I have experienced from some other RM fragrances. On the other hand as  EN is leaning towards the cologne style one can’t expect more.

To summon it all up: Entre Naranjos is a versatile, casual, orange-woody fragrance, not groundbreaking but a good choice for a basic contemporary alternative in the citrus section of the fragrance wardrobe.

Rating: 3

Notes: Orange blossom, bitter orange, petit grain, neroli, amber, patchouli

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 .

Caldey Abbey Perfumes - Island Fern

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

I was so inspired by Pojkfrökens fact-filled travel report (in swedish) from the Island of sacred fragrances Caldey Island so I felt the urge to test the Island Fern also described in the post of Pojkfröken. Last year when I orderd the Caldey Abbeys best fragrance (five stars from Luca Turin and by him appointed as the best lavendel) Caldey Island Lavendel  I also received a bunch of generous samples from the bountiful monks. One of them is Island Fern.

Island Fern is a green in texture, a soapy, herbal, grassy, slight mossy blend, an archetypal fougère. I haven't much to add to Pojkfrökens review, my impressions seems to be similar.Island Ferns structure is straightforward, neither complicated nor "great parfumery" but with good quality of the ingredients and it's an excellent reference fougère. In style it has some similarities with lighter, classical vetivers as for example Guerlains Vetiver but Island Fern is smoother, soapier and gentler in charachter. It reminds me somehow of a retrostyled hotelsoap. Island Fern is the perfect scent to splash on after a sauna and the following refreshing bath in the sea, an easy going scent for casual life in the archipelago. The longevity is medium, better then I expected, the sillage is quite close with some whiffs around the wearer now and then.

Rating: 3

Notes: Fern, moss, grass, herbals, aldehydes (I guess as I have not found a notelist of Island Fern)

Thanks to Caldey Island Abbey for samples to try.

Mona di Orio - Les Nombres d'Or Rose Etoile de Hollande

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Rose Etoile de Hollande is maybe not Monas last creation but as a formula that she has worked on for several years and was finished before her tragical death last December, it's a deserving tribute to a great perfumer. A perfumer that is my most preferred.

- Pink rose with some of the to the rose oils typical rubbernote in the top/early middlenotes, but the rubbernote is gentler than in for example Annick Goutals Rose Absolue a high quality rose soliflore.

-Later on in the developement REdH is like a almost dry not especially sweet gourmand scent. This stage reminds med of Andy Tauers wonderful Une Rose Vermeille (minus the sweet jammy rosiness). In it's texture and the feeling REdH is close to Les Nombres d'Or Musc with some powder (minus the crackling dry gunpowder powderness) from Les Nombres d'Or Ambre. In the base there is darker, spicy, resiny, velvety dry notes. A fine, gentle leather note is also shining through. In the last stages it feels retro in style, with dark and dramatic facets, like a well mannered Rochas Femme. There is also a slight dusty note that reminds me of the "dust on a glowing bulb" note (minus the glowing) in Monas first creation of her own house: Carnation.

- REdH appers to me as softer and gentler then many of the earlier Mona creations. The sillage is close, almost as a skinscent but with occasional wiffs of the beautiful, pink rose on it's deeper and darker background.

- REdH conveys the sensation of soft cashmere and angora to me. It's clearly feminine in style.

- I tested REdH in summer but I also think it will fit very well (if not even better) in the cold season. Tender but in the same time sparkling like a little far away twinkling dimond star a starry winternight. A star like Mona.

- Monas companion, Jeroen Oude Sogetoen, has dedicated the name Rose Etoile de Hollande to Mona. Mona is the Star of Holland, Holland where their perfumehouse is domiciled and also where Mona have her final restingplace.

- To summon it all up: I love this rose, it fullfilled my very high expectations, but as always I could trust Mona handling one of my favouritenotes. REdH is not as dark as I had expected but that is absolutly not a disadvantage. On the contrary, darker roses are often more rough in characher. This one goes from bright to medium on a dark, contrasting background, it's one of those fragrances that demands attention during the whole developement which to me is the essence of a fine perfume.

Rating: 5

Notes: Aldehydes, white peach, bergamot, rose, cloves, geranium, leather, patchouli, cedar, heliotrope, vanilla, benzoin, amber, peru balsam.

Thanks to Parfums Mona di Orio for sending me a sample to test. REdH is avaible at Aus Liebe zum Duft.