Arquiste - Quick Impressions 1(3)

Picture: Mendoza Codex depicting the mexican coat of arms16^th century, Wikimedia Commons

The samples I ordered of some fragrances from the (at least five years ago) hyped Arquiste-line has somehow been forgotten. I start with some quick impressions of two fragrances inspired of Mexico, the homecountry of Carlos Huber the founder of the house of Arquiste.

Anima Dulcis: Inspired of the scent of exotic spices which floats throughout the halls of the Royal Convent of Jesus Maria, Mexico City in November 1695, where a group of nuns prepares a Baroque recipe of Cocoa infused with an assortment of chilies. Starts with an intersting, dirty, animalc blast of cumminlike notes over butterscotch follwed by a gentler soft, woody peppery phase in the style of Yves Saint Laurent Nu Edp and also with elements from Parfumerie Generale Cadjmere. Then it softens into a dark, almost slight minty, choco and nice vanilla with some polite notes of fiery pepper popping up from time to time. The longer in the dry down, the more the vanilla appears. An easy to wear contemporary gourmand-oriental with close sillage and longevity for about 24 h..

Flor y Canto: Inspired of the flowers offered on the temple altars of the Aztecs in August 1400 in Tenochtitlan, Flor y Canto starts heavy with the almost burnt butterscotch accord present. The butterscotch is blended with a tubereuse which is bubblebath-soapy at first but than deepens into a creamier one, in texture just as mediumpink velvet. As a tuberoselover this butterscotch-tuby version attracts me into half of its dry down but then it strangly weekens, blends with a lighter mangnolia note and after that does not regain the dense, velvety, buttery tubey from the heart. The silage is close and the longevity, just as when it comes to Anima Dulcis for about 24h. Even if the scent weakens, it's very pleasant to wear and it growes with each wearing. Wearing Flor y Canto is also a great way  to receive compliments.

L'Artisan Parfumeur - Mon Numéro 9

Picture: Citrus x limon,
Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen (1897)
Wikimedia commons

Mon Numéro 9 is a contempoary styled but in the same time classic cologne in one of the sub-lines of L'Artisan, the numbered Collection. See also my earlier review of the directe opposite to Mon Numéro 9, the boozy oriental Mon Numéro 10.  Both No 9 and No 10 are composed of superperfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, nowadays active in most wellestablished, older nichhouses and of courese also in some newcomers as BD seems to be a safe bet.

Mon Numéro 9 starts with a smooth, juicy and round lemon over green notes, on a light flowery carpet. The lemon is not sharp like the smell of chemical detergent which sometimes is present when lemon is dominating nor harsh-herbal as in some old styled mens colognes. The lemon-green-flowery accords are grounded in and contrasted by a typical contemporary vetiver, patchouli, woody, musky base. The musk is quite present but is not taking over the composition but assure that the longevity is very good for a citrus cologne. As described above, Mon Numéro No 9 goes on until it last traces fades away about twelve hours after application.

Mon Numéro 9 is a perfect, safe officefragence, fresh without the ordinary annoying, chemical freshness. Even if colognes traditionally are imagined as summerfragrances I think No 9 has enough body and tenacity to be worn also to bring some sunshine into autumn and winter. An versatile and well made fragrance even if nothing new in style.

Mon Numéro 9 reminds me to some extent of Sisleys Eau de Sisley 3 despite the latter is more uncommon and a bit more interesting as it also features a fizzy gingernote. Also Parfums de Nicolaï Cedrat Intense comes to my mind even if that one is heavier on the woody/patchouli notes.

Rating: 4

Notes: Citron, lime, petitgrain, lavender, coriander, rhubarb, cyclamen, shiso, rose, myrrh, vetiver, musk, patchouli, amber, wood

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to try.

Aedes de Venustas - Copal Azur

Picture: Views of the South Seas, a set of four,
HMS Resolution and Discovery in Tahiti
Watercolour by James Cleveley (1747-1786),
Wikipedia commons
 

New York based perfumstore and also perfume house Aedes de Venustas has, like so many others, also accelerated their launch rate the latest year. Copal Azur realeased in late 2014 is their second latest one. Copal Azur is composed by Bertrand Duchaufour.

Copal Azur starts with an accord dominated by a sort of smooth, rounded but in the same time distinct incensenote. The incense is not as heavy or sharp as in the traditional church insence personified by the classic  Commes des Garcons Avignon. Further on an accompanyng accord appears. This accord reminds me of a something woody, coconutty in a airy, humid, salty surrunding, there is also a slight woody-green note present. I get an image of a palm-tree situated on a beach, the weather is becoming worse, grey skies are appearing over the sea and the wind is increasing and with flurries. From the still sunwarmed palm-tree trunk, one can smell the tree resin, balsamic-woody with hints of coconut. As Copal Azur dries down further down, the resin qualities strengthens as also the spicy ones and in the same time the fragrance also becomes  ambery sweet. Maybe, at least when it comes to my nose, a bit too sweet when compared to the intitial airy-incense phase of the fragrance. Even if a different incensesmell, the airy pine-incense Oriza L.Legrand Relique D'Amour comes to my mind as it's also the airy incense concept but sutiated in the North whereas Copal Azur is the airy incense of the shores in the countries around the equator.
Recently I watched a documentary on television about Captain James Cook and I can imagine the smell of Copal Azur when the ship anchored by the islands in the South Pacific.

Picture: The beautiful Copal Azur bottle.
Photo: PR Aedes de Venustas (c)

Copal Azur is refreshing and pleasant to wear especially in spring and summer but could also be suitable in autumn and winter when in the right mood for this type of high and airy incense. It's a daytime fragrance, perfect for both work and casual. Silllage is medium and longevity for a day. Copal Azur is totally unisex.

Those who likes different kinds of airy incense fragrances as for example the dry, woody, high Incense Extreme by Andy Tauer, the light slight flowery incense Encens d'Ange by Autour de Parfums as well as the airy-aldehydic "Chanelesque" incense of Montale Full Incense could also like Copal Azur.

Rating: 4

Notes: Incense, salt, ozonic notes, patchouli, cardamom, tonkabeen, amber, myrrh

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to try

Maria Candida Gentile - The Flight of the Bumblebee 2(2) - Leucò, Kitrea and Syconium

Picture:  A sweet bumblebee (bombus pratorum)
is flying in for nectar
Photo: Bernie, Wikimedia commons

Today review of the last one in this delicate, contemporary styled Maria Candida Gentile trio.

Syconium:

Syconium starts with a sweet fignote over a background almost similar to a not too sweet cookie, probably the sandalwood. As Syconium dries further down, it becomes pleasantly, creamy, milky and reminds like that in the rest of its development even if the sandalwood gets even more prominent and is dominating  in the basenotes. In the basenotes there some vibes from the sandalwood which reminds me of  Editions Frederic Malle Dries van Noten. In the late phase of the basenotes, an moisty, dark, earthy accord appears, taking over  from the dry  and warm sandalwood. As a whole, there are no harsh edges in Syconium and it's not the figgy-woody-fresh type as for example Diptyque  Philosykos, Syconium is more of a gourmand fig as for example the much more spicy, and more complicated in construction, Neela Vermiere Creation Ashoka. Both has the gourmand fig concept in common, wheras Ashoka is the main course and Syconium the dessert. As with the other members of the Bumblebee trio, the longevity of Syconium is very good, at least a day. Sillage is medium and the fragrance even if ecpecially suitable for warm, casual summerdays, also fits as a reminder of warmer days, year around. Syconium is also office approved, with its happy and warm character it will not offend anyone.

Rating: 4

Notes: Honey, milk, fig, sandalwood

Picture: Plate 38, Moses Harris:
An exposition of English insects (1782) Moses Harris (1731-1785)

The Flight of the Bumblebee trio is light, easy to wear fragrances, which would please most people. There is nothing of the challenge and sometimes even quirky twists, of the first six MCG fragrance. But sometime one just want something good smelling, non-deamnding and very wearable. For that purpose The Flight of the Bumblebee trio is a splendid alternative, especially for spring and summer. As the trio is avaible also in 15 ml á SEK 288/EUR 30,55 they are excellent choices as a signatures for Summer 2015. 


Thanks to Fragrance & Art of the samples to test

Maria Candida Gentile - The Flight of the Bumblebee 1 (2) - Leucò, Kitrea and Syconium

Picture: The fresh Bumblebee Collection
Photo: PR Maria Candida Gentile (c)

Italian perfumer Maria Candida Gentile "Flight of the Bumblebee" trio, inspired from the beautiful music piece of Nikolaj Andreyevich Rimskij-Korsakov, uses honey as the common theme of the three fragrances. The fragrances are light and natural, ar also inspired from the beauty and simplicity of mother nature. All three parfumes are Edp:s and has a very good longevity but in the same time feels light and transparent in texture.

Leucò: Dominated by light spices, woody and white flowery elemtents over a musky base. It's fleeting without sharp edges. The honey is not dominating, it's a supporting note adding some warmth to the composition. In other words, there is nothing of the challening honey of Serge Lutens Miel de Bois. The more Leucò dries down, the more present is the tubereuse and the light peppery,woody slight musky basenotes, which even if smooth, take some of the natural impression away but this is not at all disturbing. Probably thanks to a skillful handling of the woody musky elements (the latter not mentioned in the notelist), the longevity is tremendous for such a light and transparent fragrance, on a scarf it could be recognized, unfragmented a week after testing. As Leucò is strong but has a light texture, one have to be careful and apply sparingly.

Rating: 4

Notes: Honey, cistus, lily, tubereuse, benzoin, pepper, frankincense

Picture: Porträt des Komponisten Nikolaj Andrejewitsch
Rimskij-Korsakow (1844-1908)
Painting by Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (1865-1911)
Wikimedia 

Kitrea: Kitrea is the most unusual in the trio. Starts light fruity-citrusy with mixed with salty seanotes which are very refreshing. There is a pleasant hint of woody sweetness in the salt, probably the effect of the grey amber which I suppose is the same as (syntetic) ambregris. Kitrea with its seaside, salty vibes reminds me of another MCG gem, the woody-aquatic  Finisterre but Kitera is a sweeter fragrance whit is natural feeling sweetness of honey and fresh fruits. The fresh fruits is nothing like the standard ultra sweet muddled accords of  many fruity-floral fragrances, the fruitiness of Kitrea is transparent, natural and cold-clear. Another salty fragrance which Kitrea reminds me of is Laboratorio Olfattivo Salina.  Just as Leucò,  Kitrea albeit citrusy, is strong in concentration but has a light texture. Therefore  one have to be careful when applying as a little goes for a day.

Rating: 5

Notes: Honey, lemon, bergamot, fresh fruit, grey amber


Thanks to Fragrance & Art of the samples to test

Ramon Monegal - Moonbloom

Picture: Moonflower before opening for the nightblooming
Photo: The Moonlight garden circle com (c)

Moonbloom  is created by spansh perfumer Ramon Monegal. Moonbloom is another Ramon Monegal exclusive for Bloomingdales in Dubai, see also Dubai Next To Me  for Bloomingdales in Dubai.

Moonbloom starts starts with sweet, creamy, white flowers where tuberose supported by orangeblossom dominates in a delicate mix,I don't know if there is any moonbloom within as I don't know how it's smelling. The opeing reminds me slightly of the old gem Versace Blonde, but more bright, clean and innocent. Moonbloom is quite linear in its construction and when Moonbloom has settled, it smells of sweet, honeyed white flowers inteacting with an light ambery smooth woody base during rest of its lifespan. The ambery, flowery aura of the fragrance, reminds me of the similar, but more classic in style, impression of Maison Nicolas de Barry Madame de Pompadour. Some darker passages are swirling up to the surface in the second part of the dry down, this passages remins me of the special almost inky rose, spieces, sandalwoody combination in Vero Profumos beautiful Rozy Edp. Another fragrance that comes to my mind is Robert Piguet Mademoiselle Piguet but without the pleasant slight decaying greenery accord of the latter

To summon up Moonbloom, it's not an original fragrance as there are many in the same thick, almost tropical white flower style.The archetype for this style is to me a fragrance as Annick Goutal Songes even if there of course where other before that one in this group. On the other hand Moonbloom is very beautiful  and very pleasant to wear, smells wonderful. Even the picky Mr Parfumista commented in a very postive way on Moonbloom, and thats not happen very often when I'm testing new fragrances.

Moonbloom is an easy to wear fragrance, perfect for most occasions and is the type of fragrance which blooms and unfolds as best a very warm summerday. Longevity is for a day when tested under spring conditions ca 10+ C, silage is medium.

Rating: 5

Notes: Havn't found any notepyramid but I guess tubereuse, orangeblossom, rose, sandalwood, amber, vanilla. musk  are involved

Måns did it!

Picture: The ESC winner 2015
Photo: K.Joensson Expressen (c)

The wonderful Måns "Yum-Yum" Zelmerlöw of course  did it. He is the winner of ESC 2015 in Vienna  after the most exciting voting in years :-) A well deserved victory for this well excperiensed artist. Congratulations!!!

Scented thoughts - May 2015

Picture: Swedens face (and voice :-) in 2015 ESC,
Måns Zelmerlöw
Photo: TT (c), PR SVT

Times flies and even if many fragrant thoughts are going on, there is so short of time to write them down.

* Now I also have a busy summer ahead, sniffwise at least.  Yesterday a lovely letter with samples form the best assorted nicheboutique in Sweden, Fragrance & Art. was waiting in the letterbox. As mentioned before, the ovner has an incredible talent for selecting good and unusual perfumelines. In the letter there were samples from a just introduced line, Franck Boclet, which I havn't recoginized until now. From sniffing from some of the samples, these seems very promisíng. And there were other exciting things in that letter too, stay tuned for comming reviews.
* To day is the Evening of the Grand Spectacle, final in Vienna of the  Eurovision Song Contest which is very fun to look at (an comment :-) together with friends and family. Sweden has a great chance to win it all with the very professional artist Måns Zelmerlöw, also nick-named Yum-Yum. It not just Måns handsome look and good artistery, the melody Heroes and animated light show are also great. I'll be dissapointed if Måns don't make it, this will be an exciting evening.
* Which fragrances are in rotation when not testing new samples, i.e what has been worn during the workdays lately? In the transition between spring and summer I crave both for lighter fragrances and darker. Favorites lately are some Hermèses as the tangy, fruity, almost composting smelling, slight rosy Un Jardin Sur le Toit.  Also the flanker to one of my all time favorites Amazone, Rose Amazone is worn relatively much. Even if I like the original better, at least in my 1990s version, I also like Rose Amazone very much, more easy to wear, not as deep  as the original, fruity, rosy, tangy (this one too :-). In the light category, my Puredistance sample of  the wonderful flowery WHITE is a great favorite. Elegant but in the same time so comfortable to wear, my vintage Hermès  Les Voitures a Transformation  (in blue) worn yesterday together with this gem is now soaked in Whites beautiful aura. When passing it, I can't resist to sniff the silk.
* When it comes to the darker ones, I have rediscoverd some great Parfumerie Gènèrales which I was not so found of some years ago but now find are great: The smoky, woody, sweet, caramelized, wheat of Cedre Sandarque is delicious. The vetiver accented, inscrutable, slight soapy, contemporary chypre Querelle is also fab, if lightly applied. If too heavy handed, it appears as a mens Cologne.

Ramon Monegal - Mediterranean Memories

Picture: A favourite plant for Chinese New Year
Photo: Mokkie (CC),
Wikimedia Commons, some rights reserved

Mediterranean Memories by Ramon Monegal is created for and available exclusively at the famed hotel Mandarin Oriental Hotel Barcelona. 

Mediterranean Memories (MM) starts with a realistic, sharp tangerine note. Soon a smell of green leaves, which I can imagine as the leaves of the tangerine three, appears. As MM dries further down it becames sweeter, probably the light green yellow lindenblossom note achieves this and in this phase MM reminds me slightly of Carthusia The Essence of Centaral Park.  Some accords  later, the smell of MM suddenly reminds me of citrus/orange hard candies. More yellow flowers are to come, when the lovely, sunny, nectarious mimosa appears, golden and warm. The fruity vibes still lingers and even if MM not is smelling of pineapple, I find  similatities with another contemporary, fruity chypre Jean Patou EnJoy which has a dominating note similar to pineapple, is much bolder but has a resembling expression and aura. Later on an very light, almost peppery impression shows up, probably from the cedarwood in the basenotes. There is also additlional, varm spicy, woody notes combined with a light, white musk, a musk which has been present, highlighten the notes during the whole development of MM. The basenotes is the part I like the best with MM, probably as I'm no great fan of lindenblossom. The base notes retains the chypre-ish expression and MM is here darker than in the exuberant top- and middlenotes.

Picture: Mediterranean Memories by Ramon Monegal
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

Mediterranean Memories is an easy to wear, elegant, albeit a tad to sweet for my taste in the middlennotes, everyday fragrance suitable for work or daytime pleasure in spring and summer. Sillage is close and longevity good, for approximatly a day.

MM is in the same vein as another  Ramon Monegal exclusive Very Private, reviewed earlier. Both are flattering and easy to like by many as they are smelling very good and are versatile in style. But they are not as interesting as the basic Ramon Monegal line. For those who havn't tried Ramon Monegal yet, my recommendation is to start with the basics.showing the versatile but genuine Ramon Monagal style as expressed in the first fifteen fragrances released to the international market in 2012.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Tangerine, green leaves, lindenblossom, mimosa, cinnamon, cinnamonbark, cedarwood, musk (I think as I havn't seen any official notelist, only some mentions in an article)

Ramon Monegal - Very Private

Picture: Beneath the Lilac at Maurecourt,
Painting by Berthe Morisot, 1874,
Wikiart

Very Private is an exclusive composition created by Ramon Monegal for Bergdorf Goodman, New York. The fragrance is said to capture the hypnotic and magical impression of the Bergdorf Goodman flagship store as well as Central Park in springtime.
Very Private starts with a sunny burst of what I percieve as yellow-green fruity notes, accompanied by fizzy peppery notes. There is also a hint of alcohol in the beginning, the impression of a fruit cocktail. Soon also rose and a note that reminds me of melon appears. the fizzy, fruity first stages of the perfume reminds me of another joyful Ramon Monegal - Lovely Day. Lovely Day and Very Private also have some common notes; rose and licorice and I can also smell a similarity also in whole accords of the fragrances even if Lovely Day is more peppery and fresher where Very Private is more flowery with a golden, warm, honeyed sweetness. The melonnote is of the Galia varity, not watermelon. The lilacnote, to my nose, is recognizable in the second part of the dry down and I have to smell very close to really sort it out from the seamless blended fruity-flowery mix. The basenotes are a pleasant musky mix with oak moss and licorice adding some dept and contrasting darkness to the this bright and happy fragrance.



Picture: Very Private in its white cap,
 inkwell bottle
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

Very Private I can imagine (the test is done in cold springweather) is a durable fragrance for warm, summerdays. Also suitable for spring and wearable in most occassions, very good to cheer up in the office. Perfumesnons should not fear away as this is a genuine fruity-floral fragrance, it's not the sickingly artificial smelling sweet fruity-floral, Very Private smells almost natural in its interpreation of florals and frutis. Sílage is medium and longevity good, for a day.

Those who like Hermès Un Jardin apres la Mousson, Ramon Monegal Kiss My Name (which is in a similar style as Lovely Day) and Guerlain Idylle Duet Jasmin-Lilas will probably also like Very Private.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Citrus, fruity notes, tea rose, violet, lilac, orange blossom, oak moss, licorice, vanilla, musk

Ramon Monegal - Dubai Next to Me

Picture: Dubai Next to Me
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

Dubai Next to Me is a limited edition from Barcelona based perfumehouse Ramon Monegal. The fragrance was (at least originally) distributed only in Dubai.

Dubai Next to Me starts peachy, not the atrificial, chemical peach, but an accord which feels quite natural. The coconut is very smooth and also feels natural in style. Soon the peach is offsetted with smooth spices and later in the dry down also smooth, velvety flowernotes appears as also balsamic and a very smooth leather note. The oud is very soft and acts as a deep woody ingredient in the base, not recognizable as a distinct note. Dubai Next to Me, even if consisting of deep and thick notes, appears as somhow refreshing and transparant, there is an almost cold, metallic vibe to it, probably from the combination of rose and some of the spices. The fragrance is very well blended, made of high quality ingredients and it performs as it is fleeting in circles seamless around the accords, Dubai Next to Me seems not to be built in the traditional pyramid structure of accords, to experience this fragrance gives me associations to the Hermès scarf/shawl De la Mer au Ciel with its eternal circles of life.

Picture: Beautiful Hermès De la Mer du au Ciel,
140x140 cm cashmere/silk,
designer Laurence Bourthoumieux
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

Dubai Next to Me is not a traditional, middle eastern perfume, it's a fragrance which is most certainly appreciated in any part of the world and it could be worn in most occasions except for sports. I think this fragrance demands much warmer tempratures than swedish spring (+10 C) to really bloom with its beautiful fruity, floral, spicy notes and I will test it again in the summer heat to confirm that. Silage is very close and longevity is good, for at least a day.

Other fragrances that I come to think of wearing Dubai Next to Me is Naomi Goodsir Or du Serail which is similar in style. Also Aqaba Midnight Sun even if stronger and more flowery, has something in common with Dubai Next to Me in the overall expression.

Rating. 4

Notes: Coconut, peach, melon, saffron, nutmeg, black pepper, jasmine, rose oil, rose absolute, frankinsence, cistus labdanum, oud, sandalwood, cashmeran, spanish leather, tonka, ambraceme absolute

Maison Nicolas de Barry - L'impératrice Sissi

Picture: Emperess Elisabet of Austria (1837-1898)
Painting by Amanda Bergstedt (1841-1918)
Wikimedia commons

L'impératrice Sissi from the historic line of Maison Nicolas de Barry is inspired of the Empress of  Austria-Hugary the beautiful  redhead Elisabeth of Bavaria. L'impératrice Sissi is create by Nicolas de Barry and Eddie Blanchet.

L'impératrice Sissi starts sparkling, flowery where natural smelling violets blended with iris, the flowery irisinterpretation are featured. Later on the fragrance goes more cosmetic, like the smell of lipstick, a bit putty- powdery, and this impression deepens as the dry down goes further on. The base is slight vanillic, musky powdery in a  pleasant way.

L'impératrice Sissi is a well made, not candy sweet pastille smelling violet, the flowery iris blances the violet in a perfect harmony. Simple in notes but well balanced and with good ingredients, L'impératrice Sissi is pleasant to wear year around, this is not the typical transaprent spring violet. It's a comforting but in the same time casual chic fragrance, wearable in most occasions.

Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose and L'Artisan Drole de Rose are fragrances in the same vein as L'impératrice Sissi in its later stages. The flowery opening is more in the style of Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile and Le Galion Iris.

I don't konw why  Elisabeth inspired to a violet fragrance, maybe because she liked to wandering in the nature or simply because violets where popular in the romantic era in the 19th century.

Rating:4
Rating: 5 (November 2016)

Re-testing Sissi in November 2016 - its a really great fragance, I like it even better now, the natural vanilla together with an almost herbal facet shines through in a much better way this time. 

Notes: Bergamot, violet, iris, vanilla

Thanks to Fragrance and Art for the sample to try

Maison Nicolas de Barry - Louis XV

Picture: Louis XV  (1710-1774)
Painting from 1730
  by Hyacinthe Riguad (1679-1743)
Wikipedia commons

Louis XV is the masculine counterpart to Madame de Pompadour also from Maison Nicolas de Barry reviewed earlier this week. Louis XV is created by Nicolas de Barry and Eddie Blanchet and part to the line inspired of historic royalties.

Louis XV starts with a sunny blast of sweet honeyed orangeblossom contrasted with the green and a tad bitter facetts of neroli. The opening is golden, as the rays of the sunset. As the fragrance developes, a classic bouquet of  flowers emerges and acts as a solid backgrund to the orange maintheme. The texture of the fragrance is as a smooth, silky golden velvet, suitable for a royal robe, worthy Louis XV himself. From the bouquet there are certain crispy green notes fleeting around in the blend, more or less noticeable as the flowery theme varies. Overall the composition has a citric tingeThe base is warm ambery, slight musky with just a small touch of soap. Louis XV is far from as ambery as Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV is a varitaion of the usual orange-/neroli theme and a much more straight forward white floral.

Louis XV is a very good orangeblossom interpretation, there is no harsh edges or artificial feeling. It's round and warm, very flowery, without the cologne texture common among many orangeblossom fragrances and also not as soapy as many of them. Louis XV to me is unisex and could be worn in most ordianry occasions, this is a fragrancs that adds everyday comfort and casual elegance. It also draws compliments. The sillage of Louis XV is medium and longevity not as great as the Madame P, Louis on my skin lasts for a day reapplied. This is strange as Annick Goutal Les Colognes Nèroli lasts for about a day without reapplication.

Picture: Louis XV
Photo: PR Maison Nicolas de Barry (c)

Fragrances that Louis XV reminds me of are Historiae Orangerie du Roy which is fresher and more colognestyled, Annick Goutal Neroli, which is thinner and less flowery, as well as it has some similarties with the more masculine, woody neroli Eau de Cardinal also from Maison Nicolas de Barry.

Rating: 4

Notes: Neroli, orange, roses, jasmine, violet, gardenia, hyacinth, daffodil, tubereuse, amber

Thanks to Fragrance & Art  for the sample to test

Maison Nicolas de Barry - Madame de Pompadour

Picture: Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764)
portrayed as a turkish lady, 1747
Painting  by Charles André van Loo (1705-1765)

Madame de Pompadour is a creation from Maison Nicolas de Barry, a house which creates fragrances inspired from the history. The fragrances is created by Nicolas de Barry and Eddie Blanchet.

Madame de Pompadour starts with a burst of florals under command of the regal iris, the flowery version, not the carrot root note. Soon the rest of the boquet takes over, different flowers are fleeting in and out from the centerplace. On my skin the bulbflowers daffodil and hyacinth are particularly present, supported by a beautiful tuberose. The amber blends very well with the flowers and creates a special glow to the perfume. Also the amber and iris particulary seems to connect during the dry down, plush, velvety aura. The base are ambery-musky with the flowers still very clear present and a touch of a contrasting slight earthy/dirty smell. There is also a touch of the special textile band-aid note present in vintage Musst de Cartier Edt.

Summarized: Madame de Pompadour is a beautiful floral-oriental bouquet, interacting with a glowing, ambery base creating a warm, rounded boquet. Even if classic in structure and ingredients Madame de Pompadour doesn't smell dated neither dense or loud. One could imagine that a fragrance inspired by Madame de Pompadour would be lighter, pink much more fluffy, powdery and painted in lighter pastel colors as fashionable in the Rococoera. But the reality beyond the pastels was, as we all know, strong odeurs, attempted to be hidden by perfumes. In the perfume there is a hint of a dirty note in the base, so subtle on almost not recoginze it at first. It's not at all like in the barnyardnotes fragrances.

Picture: The Mme de Pompadour flacon
Photo: PR Maison Nicolas de Barry 

Madame de Pompadour is suitable for all seasons but just for evening in the summer. It's very elegant and maybe too much for most offiicies even if a pleasure to smell and wear. Sillage is medium and longevity for at least a day.

Wearing Madame de Pompadour I somehow get to think of (even if not smelling the same) classic Creed flower boquets as Irisia, Fantasia de Fleurs and Tubereuse Indiana. Madame de Pompadour is for everyone who enjoy a wellmade, grand, timeless floral boquet.

Rating: 5

Notes: Iris, roses, jasmine, gardenia, violets, hyacinth, daffodil, tubereuse, amber

Thanks for Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Ramon Monegal - Hand in Hand

Picture: Skiers

Painting by Frits Thaulow (1847-1906)

WikiArt

Hand in Hand is an oud-oriental  inspired perfume from the Barcelona based perfumehouse Ramon Monegal. As usual the very experienced perfumer, the house of Myrurgia offspring, Ramon Monegal. As Myrurgia is mentioned as the Guerlain of Spain, Ramon could be likened to a spanish version of Patricia de Nicolaï. Both well educated and experienced in perfume/perfume business, running own perfume houses, independent from the old family houses which since long been sold to some of the big ones.

Hand in Hand starts cold, with a woody smell of juniper bush and pine in winter. After a while a smoky accord appears, it's the fresh, dry smell from dry wood, lighted to a campfire a cold and sunny winterday in the forest. This is not the rough,  masculine, meaty, smoky accord as in the campfiresmoke in Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Cuir, the smoke in Hand in Hand is more refined. After a while a hint of leather ant a peppery note also shines through. The dark rose is  discrerte in the first stages of Hand in Hand. Over all the first part of Hand in Hand (even if not smelling the same) reminds me of the first part of Robert Piguet Oud, which also contains the cold, pine note. These two fragrances could be described as the ouds of the North, they are very suitable to the Scandinavian landscape and colder tempratures. Hand in Hand also has some kinship to Frapin Nevermore, as an unsweet, dry relative to that dark, dramatic, boozy, intriguing one. In the second part Hand in Hand becomes more spicy, a spicy mix which togheter with a musky base brings forward the rose a bit more, even if the rosy note not is as dominating as in most rose-oud combos. The rosy note is as integrated with the other notes. In the later stages of Hand in Hand I find similarites with the dark, purple, rose from Parfumerie Générale Isparta.

Picture: Hand in Hand in it's inkwell bottle
Photo: PR Ramon Monegal (c)

The cold, confier and smoke accords  is the first part of Hand in Hand I find the most interesting, the second part is more familiar for this style of fragrance. Hand in Hand could be worn year around at any occasion where a more intense pefume could be accepted. The fragrance is very concentrated, and just as with Isparta, it's hard to avoid overapplying. Less is more is definitly what is applicable in this case. Sillage is great and longevity for 24h+. Hand in Hand is unisex, leaning to the feminine side according to my nose.

Rating: 4

Notes: Rose, oud, spices, musk

Le Galion - Sortilège

Picture: Le Galion Sortilège
Photo: PR Le Galion (c)

Sortilège is like all the other re-released Le Galions a reinterpreation/ reconstruction of the Paul Vacher fragrances, created for his house, Le Galion during the 1930s to 1970s. The reworking of the fragrances is performed by perfumer Thomas Fontaine.

Sortilège starts with subdued, soft, very aldehydic flowers, a non perfumista would probably belive that the topnotes are off. The impression is very vintage, in a soft, non-screachy way, a wonderful opening to my nose. There is also a light, smooth spicy (cinnamon) impression, contrasting the soft flowers. As Sortilège reaches its heart flowers are still embedded in an aura of aldehydics but much softer and not as outstanding as in the initial blast. The flowers are warm, soft yellow, like the golden nectar, seamless mixed in a fleeting during a balsamic, warm, woody slight ambery base which becomes excellent creamy in texture after some hours.

Sortilège is a fragrance for elegant occasions year around. The sillage is medium and longevity for at least a day. Of course it could be worn also for work, this is a perfume that boosts ones confidence.

Picture: Le Galion Sortilège
Photo: PR Le Galion (c)

Sortilège, first created in 1965, havn't smelled the vintage, traditionally was one of the topsellers from Le Galion and I'll not be surprised if the modern interpretation will follow the original. It's a beautiful, retro styled fragrance, interpreted in a contemporary but in the same time timeless style. It's very elegant, sort of french in style, there are similarities in style, with the aldehydes in Hermès Calèche. Somehow I also associate to Parfums de Nicolaï  Le Temps d'une Fête even if the latter is a green floral fragrance, rougher and outdoorsy compared to the artistic bound floral bouquet in the salon, Sortilège. Also the beautiful Antonia from Puredistance comes to my mind when testing Sortilège. It could also be compared as the feminine counterpart to Le Galion Special for Gentlemen the same elegant timeless, retro style. To me Sortilège together with Special and Iris is the best fragrances from what I have tested from Le Galion.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lily-of-the-valley, lilac, ylang-ylang, aldehydes, jasmine, narcissus, rose, iris, mimosa, sandalwood, vetiver, labdanum, musk, amber 

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test

Le Galion - Snob

Picture: Tagetes, probably T. patula, on Gotland, Sweden
Photo: A friend of author Per Enström, user Plkr (cc)
Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved

Snob is another of the reworked and re-released fragrances from classical french perfumehouse Le Galion. The reworkings are performed by Thomas Fontaine, the originals were created by Paul Vacher.

Snob starts with sparkling, almost metallic, cold flowery, crisp fruity notes with a touch of saffron. As Snob dries further down, medium bright rosy note appears, if I imagine a color, it's creamy white. The rose is backed up with classical white flowers. Soon the note that seems to be the twist of this fragrance shows up; the tangy, sour and almost citric note of tagets, a great contrast to the rest of this well behaved floral mix. The tagets makes me think of Montale Aoud Red Flowers a darker and denser, more distinkt floral-woody-oriental fragrance featuring the not so common flower (in perfume); tagetes.
The flowery, sparkling coolness remains during the whole drydown of Snob. The base is bright as rest of the fragrance, woody-musky without powdery notes.

Picture: Le Galion Snob
Photo: PR Le Galion (c)

Snob is a good fragrance for spring and summer, an elegant, but not snobbish, officescent with a twist in the overall floral harmony. Longevity is good, about a day, sillage is descent. Those who likes a bright, wellmade  floral boquet in a timeless style like for example Jean Patou Joy would probably appreciate to test Snob as also the other florals from Le Galion, all well made in a opulent and timeless style. Which one to prefer is in the end up to the personal floral taste.

Rating: 3

Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, saffron, apple, rose, jasmine, orange blossom, iris, tagetes, sandalwood, cedarwood, musk

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to try.

Le Galion - 222

Picture: The light leather 222
Photo: PR Le Galion (c)

Le Galion 222 is another reissue/reconstruction of an old fragrance from the house of Le Galion. Thomas Fontaine has reworked the old formula of Paul Vacher.

222 starts with a accord  similar to cardamon (not mentioned in the notelist) and leather, first the spicy note appears, than the leather intensifies. In this stege 222 reminds me of the cardamon infused trio Veni, Vidi, Vici by Histoire de Parfum.The leather is a natural smelling, medium strenght leather, like the leather in a pair of gloves, not the rough leather of a black bikers jacket nor the smooth leather inside a fine handbag. The leathery/spicy accord is balanced with a cold, slight nondescript  flowery accord and the fragrance as a whole is cold in texture. The base is sort of clean, contemporary mossy/woody with the leather still apperant. In the basenotes 222 reminds me of a smoother and weaker Helmut Lang Cuiron (vintage version).

222 is a gentle leather, suitable for most daytime occasion, for most season exept the warmest summerdays. Those who like light leathers like Hermès Kelly Caleche, Cuir de Lancome etc, could also appreciate 222.

Rating: 3

Notes: Violet, myrrh, styrax, lavender, geranium, coumarin, oakmoss, cedar, sandalwood, vanilla, leather

Easterfrags 2015

Picture: The Peter the Great Egg, 1903
Photo: Uploaded from Dutch and UK Wikipedia,
no rights reserved for the file

Easter is more of a "fragranceholiday" than Christamas to me. In Christmas there are so many other competing smells as from the Christmastree, Glögg (swedish mulled wine), saffron bread, red cabbage, mustard etc. Easter is expressed in  three distinct fragrancegroups to me: The foody - gourmand fragrances, the crispy - green fragrances,  especially the ones containing bulb flowers or cold iris and the churchy- incense or precious resinfragrances. Below some reaible ones from each category:

The foody
Kiss Me Intense (Parfums de Nicolaï): Pastry and sweet floral high-level gourmand pleasure.
Cuir Garamanate (Parfums MDCI): Some dark, boozy almost liqurie notes hides in this powerful woody blend.
Nevermore (Frapin): Now we're entering the dark, boozy territory, mysterious and dark as Good Friday itself.

The crispy
No 19 Edp (Chanel): Contains more flowery notes than the Edt, beautiful iris, rose, galbanum accord.
Amazone (Hermès): Crispy, cold, green bouquet with bulbflowers with some amplifying fruity notes. An old time favorite, very casual chic.
Antonia (Puredistance): Green leaves and stems in a beautiful sunny, floral composition. Timeless, casual chic, perfect for the Easter lunch.

The churchy
Pink Quartz (Olivier Durbano): A pink mineral rose with myrrh, incenses and precious spices. Cold as the marble of the cathedral, contrasted with the warmth and smell of the incense burned inside.
Relique D'Amour (Oriza L.Legrand): The small medival chapel with a Madonnasculpture who has listened to centuries of prayers.
Passage d'Enfer (L'Artisan Parfumeur): Incense in the air, lillies on the altar and a ray of light shining through the gotic windows of the cathedral.

Wish you a Happy Fragrant Easter!

Parfums de Nicolaï - Kiss Me Intense

Picture: The Kiss (1908-1909)
Painting by Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)
Wikimedia commons

Kiss Me Intense is a reworked version of Kiss Me Tender Edt which was launched 2010. As usual when it comes to the house of de Nicolaï, Mme de Nicolaï herself is the creater of the fragrance.

Kiss Me Intense starts with a beautiful, warm, lush, sunny and somehow fresh note of heliotrope. It's not overly sweet, it's like it's just picked and some of the juicy green from the steam and leaves are also included. The heliotrophe is sweet and warm,  close to the scent of mimosa but thicker and darker in scent and texture. Almond and anice add gourmand sweetness to the fragrance and the mix smells almost like a soft almondcake. The flowery, gourmand accords are saftely anchored in a soft vanilla base. The fragrance is quite linear and the wearer could enjoy most of the notes  simultaneously. Kiss Me is a very cosy and embracing fragrance, like a smooth cashmerejumper. Somehow Kiss Me reminds me of how I imagine the atmosphere in beginning of the last century, the era of Gustav Klimt, where elegant ladies enjoying pasteries in Wiener cafés.

Picture: Kiss Me Intense in 30 and 100 ml
Photo: PR Parfums de NIcolaï (c)

To me Kiss Me Intense is a bit less pastery and more of the flower than the Edt version. It's a very good, sort of natural smelling gourmand fragrance, not too sweet or cloying, it has an uplifting sparkle to it. The gourmand style combined with the sweet flowernote makes Kiss Me perfect to wear for Easter. The longevity is good, at least for a day and sillage medium. Kiss Me is a fragrance for comforting, casual chic occasions and would also suit for casual Friday in the workplace.

Kiss Me is for those who like gourmands like Etro Heliotrope, Editions Frederic Malle Dries van Noten, By Kilian Intoxicated Carner Barecelona Rima XI and El Born

Rating: 5

Notes :Heliotrope, vanilla, star anise, almond, hay.

Mona di Orio - Nuit Noire (old and new version)

Picture: Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket
Oil on canvas 1875
by James Abbott MacNeill Whistler (1834-1903)
Wikimedia commons

Nuit Noire is, just as Lux, reviewd recently, one of the earliest fragrances created by Mona di Orio and has been withdrown from the market for some years. Now it has re-appered in the Signature collection. According to information from the house of Mona di Orio, no changes in the composition either of Lux nor Nuit Noire is done in the reissued fragrances.

Nuit Noire reveals its true self right from the start: Already the introducing accords are dirty, animalic, obscure floral oriental with a wiff from the stable, a mysterious and dangerous magic potion. I detect, or at least imagine I detect, citrus in the new version, which probably faded a bit in my original bottle where the opening is less sparkling, a subdued, dark orangeblossom/tubereuse, spices which are quiet, with a texture and color as darkbrown silkvelvet. There are also notes of ambery leather, a furry animalic, civet styled note combined with a bit sweet and slight animalic almost fuggy musky note, not the vegetal musk or clean musky note which are more common in contemporary perfumes. Expect from the short wiff of citrus in the very beginning there is not much that differs when comparing the old and new version. I precieve the basenotes of the new one as a tad lighter, this is just a nuance and maybe it depends on how much was applied on each wrist from the beginnig and how much is washed off during the day etc.

Picture: Nuit Noire (new bottle)
Photo: PR Parfums Mona di Orio (c)

Nuit Noire is a fragrance in the same vein as Caron Nuit de Noël and  Jean Desprez Bal à Versailles but softer, more polished and not as old fashioned even if retro styled. I can imagine a mature and elegant woman wearing this a very dark night in late autumn. It's intriguing with all facets that appears during the relatively linear dry down. Nuit Noire has close sillage and good longevity, traces are left after 24h. A fragrance for evening/night in autumn /winter or for daytime cold days, adding some everyday drama. A classic in the typical elegant, well made and timeless style of Mona di Orio.

Rating: 5

Notes: Orange blossom, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, tuberose, sandalwood, cedar, clove. amber, musk, tonka, leather

Scented thoughts - March 2015

Picture: PR Puredistance (c)

Two years ago I regulary posted my general thoughts about fragrances in the "Fragrance(s) of the week". Today I'll start this up again but on a more random basis.

* Kudos to Puredistance, LOWERING their prices, going completely the opposite from the mainsstream movement of niche rising the prices to sometimes outrageous and ridiculous levels. That's what I call customer care. For more information, read here.

* On Twitter I have a SOTD-project going on for about a month. The aim is to find out if there is some pattern in my fragrance wearing. The project is planned to recur a month per each quarter 2015. Until today there is no clue besides when I was a little sick I prefered light Goutals like Les Colognes (Néroli, L'Eau d'Hadrien, Vétiver) and Le Mimosa.

* A general observation linked to what is written about the light Goutals: The longer I'm "in perfume" the more I appreciate the chic, simple, wearable, good quality stuff, frags which are sort of basics in the perfume wardrobe. It doesn't matter if it's niche, mainsteam or in between. Of course it's fun to wear, analyze and review complicated stuff, but for everyday wear I observe an increasing wearing of the basics.

Puredistance - WHITE

Picture: Puredistance WHITE
Photo: PR Puredistance (c)

The idea of the new perfume WHITE  from the house of Puredistance is to create at perfume so Beautiful and positive that it gives the wearer an instant flow of happiness.  IMO Perfumer Antoine Lie and house founder/creative director Jan Ewoud Vos  have indeed succeeded in their mission to fullfill this idea. The process to create WHITE took over one year and probably this is a big part of the sucess, Puredistance never stresses new perfumes into the market, the creators take the time needed. Therefore the Puredistance line is one of the most solid lines in the market, there are no misses (so far) just solid, sophisticated, very high quality perfumes and I'm very fond of them all, can't choose a favorite as each fragrance suits different moods, styling and occassion. See my reviews of Black, Opardu, I, M and Antonia.

WHITE starts bright, transaprent and happy. My instant thought is the image of a daisy, a dried specimen of that little sunny flower was also included with the sample from Puredistance, a very good illustration to this scent. As WHITE dries down, flawless like an exquisite brilliant it becames thicker but never heavy in its texture. An excellent creamy smoothness appears and stays during the rest of the drydown, making WHITE very comforting to wear despite its elegant aura. WHITE is 
seamless blended and it's hard to pick up where on note start dominating and another take a step backwards. The notes are interacting, shaping a flowery veil anchored in a smooth top notch sandalwood, whitout any harsh or sharp edges, it's like the sandalwood is a part of the bouquet. There is a tonality of musk  wafting from the base of WHITE, a white, non-dirty musk which has no traces of  chemical,laundry. Instead it's deepens the accords and gives  bodies to the flowers. The musk also, together with the pleasant sweetness of tonka been and a minimalist patchouli, creates that special tart note which I  appreciate so much in complex floral compositions, in WHITE without the powdery aspect which the tart note also could be combined with. On my skin the tart musky accord especially highlighing the airy rose, pale yellow or pale pink if imagining a color, supported by some dry, slight fizzy, light earthy orris elements but without the orris carrotnote.



Picture: Picture: Puredistance full Collection
spring 2015
Photo: PR Puredistance (c)

WHITE is a sophisticated fragrance, surprisingly easy to wear taken its elegance and the expensive, high quality ingredients in to account. It would the perfect pefume for the bride of the coming swedish royal wedding in June, Sofia read this :-). WHITE is comforting and conveys a  happy mood and sunshine. Even if in style a spring/summer perfume WHITE has enough dept and genuine texture for pleasant  wearing year around. It's as timeless and versatile as for example Chanel No 22. The longevity is very good, 12h+ and a few small spritses from the samples is enough. WHITE is in perfume (extrait) strenght and therefore quite close to the wearer, even if distinct traces are recognizable for people around.

WHITE is so wellcrafted that it makes me considering selling off my less well crafted florals. Even if I like them as such, when compard to a fragrance as WHITE the chemical, harsh and laundry notes of especially some mainstream perfumes becomes quite obvious.

WHITE is for everyone who likes a delicate, flower boquet and will please those who like the  style of fragrances as for example Grossmith Amelia and  Floral Veil or the new Teo Cabanel Lace Garden.

Maybe a bit boring but the fact is that I already know WHITE will be one of my most liked pefumes of 2015. And it definitly has the potential to be THE number one of 2015. Beware Chanel Misia.

Rating: 5

Notes: May rose, tonka absolute, orris root, sandalwood, bergamot, musk, vetiver, patchouli.