Rediscovering fragrances - Prada

This time of the year when the daylight returns and spring is just two months away, I start to crave for brighter and lighter fragrances. Last week I came to think of that I havn't worn my Pradas for ages. The Prada fragrances emphasize a chic, confident, minimalistic elegance, all recognizable as creations of the masterful perfumer Daniela Andrier:

Picture: Prada Infusion d'Iris (2007)
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion d'Iris Edp (2007 version)  is the perfect austere and elegant fragrance for springtime officewear. Of course this iris cold, clean, minimalist-orangeblossom soapy, contemporary classic is proper to wear during the year. I find it's character particularly suited for late winterdays, cold and snowy but bright and light, sometimes with the sun breaking through and the sunrays now strong enough to thaw the snow.

Picture: Prada Infusion d'Iris Absolue
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion d'Iris Absolue is delicious, sweeter, darker and thicker in texture. A golden Iris glowing from resins, vanilla and tonka which creates an balsamic oriental iris supported by the orangeflowers as in the original. Somehow I get the impression of a delicate soft, fluffy almondcake in the later stages of the absolue. The elegant gourmand iris.

Picture: Prada Infusion Fleur d'Oranger (2009)
Photo: PR Prada (c)

Infusion Fleur d'Oranger (2009 version) personally I feel more comfortable in this warm, sunny, elegant infusion than in the cold iris. Fleur d'Oranger is on the verge to soapy but it really doesn't passes the line. It is also less sweet than many contemporary styled orangeblossoms The fragrance has an almost vintage appearance without smelling like an old fashioned orangeblossomcentered perfume. Infusion Fleur d'Oranger is a captivating, wearable fragrance for daytime use.

Picture: Prada L'Eau Ambrée
Photo: PR Prada (c)

L'Eau Ambrée balsamic, with light, cleaned up resins and amber which mingles with the faintest glimpses of flowers. The problem is that it seems as I'm partial anosmic to this fragrance. If applied quite liberally, I can smell the beautiful opening which reminds me of a bright and higher pitched variation of the comforting, in comparasion, dark and dense in texture Diptyque Volutes. L'Eau Ambrée is a fleeting but also haunting fragrance, when you think it's gone, it suddenly re-appears in its restrained elegance.

Gucci - Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme

Picture: Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme is the female interpretation of the 2017 success for him, the rubbery leather Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme. Both fragrances are created by the very experienced perfumer Alberto Morillas. 

Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Femme (GGApF) starts with a juicy, very natural black berry and to my nose also black currant accord. Later on  a purple rose accompanied by the green woody note of cypress, some glimpses from the leather in Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme  (GGApH) and the dark patchoulinote shows up. Light rose pepper sparkles in the blend like glimpsing stars on the dark night sky in the middle of a cold winter. The pepper never goes peppery, it's just fizzy. The fruity notes are tangy and delicate, and not especially sweet. GGApF has some similarities with GGApH, the same woody notes, especially from the cypress and a smooth interpretation of the leather. GGApF has not the rough and though burnt rubbery notes of GGApH, instead it has those beautiful dark fruity, juicy notes blended with the rose which creates a plush feminine impression over the contrasting masculine woody notes.

GGApF could be worn both for day and night. It's a bit formal, it's not a casual, laid back fragrance, it's perfect for the office and for after work. It's a fragrance that builds confidence, in the same way as for example Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Edp and even more; Montana Parfum de Peau. Just as the fragrances mentioned, the longevity is great, silage not as big but medium.

GGApF is an excellent example of the new chypre style, less sweet than the usual ones and with its own juicy, dark blackberry character. Even if GGApF is an example of the new chypre style, wearing it somehow makes me think of, even if not smelling similar, the above mentioned grand chypre of the 80s Montana. GGApF:s character also reminds me of Sisley Soir de Lune which is also a great contemporary chypre but created in the classic style. 

To me GGApF is one of the best releases for years in the womans section. I'm convinced this will be a classic just as GGApH.

Rating: 5

Notes: Blackberry, bergamot, pink pepper, rose, cypress, woody notes, amber, patchouli

Tauerville Stories Collection - Hyacinth and a Mechanic

Picture: Hyacinth and a mechanic
Photo: PR Tauerville (c)

The Tauerville line is perfumer Andy Tauer's vision for a offering inspiring perfumes handcrafted in smaller production batches. Most of the fragrances are interpretations of a special note as for example rose, incense, fruit, patchouli. Some fragrances within the Tauervilles are very rare, the Stories Collection are sold exclusive when Andy himself appears for an event in some of the perfumestores who carries the brand. Hyacinth and a Mechanic is such a fragrance. To celebrate the 15 years anniversery of LA nicheboutique Luckyscent, the three fragrances from the Stories Collection were avaible online for a month last autumn. And I couldn't resist ordering the Hyacinth despite expensive shippingrates and of course customs duty. Anyway it was worth it, this is a very rare, intriguing and beautiful fragrance.n

Hyacinth and a Mechanic (HAM) starts with the most natural smelling hyacinth note that I've smelled so far from a perfum. When applicating the fragrance, a crisp, slight fresh green spicy, sparkling hyacinth appears, is just like entering a christmasdecorated house with hyacinths in the windows, out from the cold and snowy winterlandscape. Soon a oily, petrol and light metallic accord appears, followed by a  rough leathernote, togehter contrasting the crisp hyacinth and green note. It's just like that the one who makes the entrance is coming directly from repairing the car in the garage, still wearing the overalls under a heavy leatherjacket with a curly sheepskin collar. The oily, metallic, leathery intensifies and an animalic vibe appears in the fragrance, the hyacinth is still recognizable as the unexpected contrast to such notes. Later in the drydown, the hyacinth steps forward again and during the whole dry down, the hyacinth alternate with the dirty accord of beeing the most prominent player. In the last aaccords of the basenotes, the hyacinth and the dirty accord finally seems to have blended in sort of an integrated accord.

HAM is fragrance of its own and there are no similar fragrance that I come to think of even if I imagine similar aspects in other fragrances. For example the chilliness of the hyacinth I also recognize in the cold hyacinth-iris accord of Serge Lutens beautiful Bas de Soie and to some extent also Tom Ford Vert de Fleur, the oily/metallic/petrol accord reminds me of some parts of Histoires de Parfums Petroleum but not at all as intense as the latter.

HAM is a complicated beauty, the contrasts are intriguing. In the same time it's a casual, easy to wear fragrance sort of relaxing and with an interesting development which makes one sniff the wrists regulary during the day. The sillage is medium in the first stage, then close to skin. Longevity is for a day. HAM is totally unisex to my nose.

Rating: 5

Notes: Hyacinth, animal notes, leather, woody notes

Top 5 Winterfrgrances 2018

Photo: Parfumista (c)

It seems as the major perfumeblogs have posted the Top10 Winterfragrances 2018 lists. Here five fumes I enjoy during the colder months:

Volutes (Diptyque): Calming, comforting, warm aromatic with resins, spices, honey and tobacco. Close silage and de-stressing, a fragrance that could be worn even when feeling ill. My most worn frag this winter.

Tubéreuse (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier): A very green and dry tubereuse with grassy almost herbal nuances and a glimpse of a dill note in the first accords. A fragrance for sunny winterdays.

Magnolia Pourpre (Maître Parfumeur et Gantier): More of a soft powdery cold orchid than magnolia. Both seemless mixed with iris and rose. An excellent, elegant and retro fragrance.

Shalimar Edp (Guerlain): Current formula. What could be better a cold day than to wrap in the warm veil of vanilla, bergamot, iris, powder, leather and all the other wonderful notes of Shalimar.

Amber Mystique (Esteé Lauder): A balsamic rose with incense, light glimpses of oud, spices and berrys. Like a dark bourdeaux velvet cloak warming a cold winter evening.

A sunny winterwalk

Picture: Sunny fields
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Finally, winter has arrived with some snow and pleasing tempratures, some degrees below 0 C and this weekend the sun also was shining. Perfect for a walk aroumd the small lake nearby. Even if sunny and I took the walk in the middle of the day, some mysterious haze was hanging over the fields and the lake.

Picture: Colder in the wood in the
side of the small lake
Photo: Parfumista (c)

These conditions are the very best for wearing perfume imo, the grand orientals and voluminous  flowers comes to their right when contrasted with the cold. During the walk I come to think of some of my choices during last week, for example Guerlain Shalimar Edp and L'Artisan L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme both warm and comforting orientals suitable for the winter.

Picture: Soon the elves will start to dance ...
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The mystic haze reminded me of elves and of Carner Barcelona Rima XI which is a perfume that I associate with elves.

Picture: Sun and haze over the small lake.
Photo: Parfumista (c)

When walkning on the sunny side of the lake, with the sun glittering over the snow, I instantly come to think of the powdery, soapy icon Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige which is also a fragrance that demands lower tempratures to come to its right. And a big white flower as for example  Estee Lauder Private Collection Tubereuse Gardenia would be great in the sun.

Picture: Ice skaters
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Finally, the ice skaters made me think of drinking hot chocolate when taking a break and of Mancera Roses & Chocolate. One know that one is a fragrance nerd when so many fragrance associations pops up during a regular walk

Sunday shopping at Fragrance & Art

2018 should be my non buying perfume year expect from a few bottles. These bottles are already (almost) consumed. In the mailbox today Fragrance & Art  announced there is a 50% Wintersale on some brands. Even if very priceworthy this Sunday became quite expensive as I bought the following frags:

Picture: Cendres de Thé in the old bottle
Photo: PR Phaedon (c)

Cendres de Thé Phaedon (old bottle): This is a fragrance in the style of Hermès Un Jardin après la Mousson but CdT is more minimalistic and dry in style.

Photo: PR Amorvero (c)

Amorvero (Amorvero): This is a great retrostyled warm and elegant floraloriental with a warm floral heart of tubereuse, jasmin and rose. I have sampled the Edt. which is very good, now I couldn't resist buying the Edp which I hope is even better.

Picture: L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme in the old bottle
Photo: PR L'Artisan Parfumeur (c)

L'Eau d'Ambre Extreme (L'Artisan Parfumeur) This is a classic amber which is needed in a wellcurated fragrance wardrobe. Blind buy as I havn't tested the Extreme-version.

Photo: PR Coquillete (c)

Sumatera (Coquillete): A special, soft, dry patchouli with discrete flowers and cinnamon. A very comforting and easy to wear.

Photo: PR Coquillete (c)

Tan-Tan (Coquillete): Back up bottle for Mr Parfumista as he really likes the intriguing, green, tart figgyness of Tan-Tan. One of the very best fig frags imho.

Other good options in the sale are for example Coquillete Sulmona, Parfum d'Empire  3Fleurs, Iskander and Yuzu Fou, several fragrances from L'Artisan Parfumeur among them Al Oudh, Noir Exquis,  Dzongkha, Dzing,  Mon Numero 10 and Patchouli Patch.

Rediscovering fragrances

Photo: Parfumista (c)

A New Year resolution 2018 is to rediscover fragrances that already are in my wardrobe as samples or fb:s.
From such exercise some short thoughts probably will appear in print over the year, even if I'm still in the writers block.
Here some rediscoveries from the recent holidays:

Rose Royale (Parfums de Nicolaï): This is an amazing pink rose where I now have discovered more of elegant, retro accords which make this beautiful rose intriguing too. It's much more than just a high quality pink rose.

Shanghai Lily (Tom Ford): A beautiful, velvety and in the same time tick and clean lily. The velvety thickness makes like this better than the other niche standard-lillies, Serge Lutens Un Lys  and Frederic Malle Lys Mediterrranee, both more transparent and sort of "thinner" in texture.

Gucci Bloom (Gucci): Wet, humid, chilly, crisp, white flowers like a graden with withe flowers after rain. Moderate interpretation of white flowers, not the classic voluminous type, balanced with a tangy accord that I really like. Not a rediscovery as this is new to me but worn quite often in December.

I suppose that my fragrancechoices are reflecting the green and rainy weather during the holidays. Flowers and also greens scents, see the choice of the 2017 Christmas Eve Tom Ford Vert de Fleur.

Best of 2017 part 2

Picture: Gucci Guilty Absloute
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

Looking at the subject "Best of 2017" in a broder perspecitve it's obvious: It's in the "Pour Homme" category I find the unrivaled best fragrance of 2017: Gucci Guilty Absolute (GGA) and that one could be worn by women too, even if now there is also a PF edition of GGA on is way. To me GGA is the Terre d'Hermès of the 2010s, just as good, if not better, a future classic, which just like Terre, will be mentioned as the fragrance of it's decade. When it comes to the "Pour Femme" category, Prada Infusion d'Iris is the fragrance of the -00 decade, havn't found out yet the one which is obvious for the 2010s in the womans section.

Picture: Gucci Bloom
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

When it comes to Gucci, I'll also give their 2017 release for woman Gucci Bloom a very high score, it's one of the very best (from the small part I've smelled) of 2017. I love its tangy, white flowery, over the day precense, a fragrance which I happily wear two or even three days in a row, something that is very rare when it comes to me.

Best of 2017

I have little to say about the 2017 releases as most fragrances I've tested this year was created in 2016 or the years just before. I liked both of the two great releases in 2017 much.Versatile and elegant/playful fragrances: Chanel Gabrielle and Hermès Twilly. This year Carner Barcelona Floral Collection also was nice even if I liked the Black Collection from 2016 better. Puredistance Warzawa, with its muted, dark, green elegance, was released for the entire market 2017 but was actually released in 2016, exclusive for the polish market.

Picture: Best of 2017
 Roger & Gallet Extraits de Cologne
Photo: PR Roger & Gallet (c)

My choice of best of 2017 is the classic Colognehouse Roger & Gallet Extraits de Cologne line. The fragrances are created by different, famous or upcoming perfumers. Some of the extraits de Cologne are as an Eau de Toilette (Edt) in radiance and stregnth and other somewhere in between Cologne and Edt. My favorites are Néroli Facètie (Fabrice Pellegrin) and Cassis Frénésie (Elise Benat) even if Tubereuse Hédoine (Anne Flipo) Thé Fantaisie (Alberto Morillas) and Verveine Utopie (Juliette Karagueuzoglou) comes close. The line is very well done and priceworthy given the quality (100 ml GBP 55 ). Lovely fragrances, would be great for Springtime.

The Fragrances of Christmas Eve 2017

Picture: Christmas tree 2017
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The Scent of Christmas Eve 2017 is the elegant retro and in the same time contemporary austere flowery-green Vert de Fleur by Tom Ford.  Suits a green Christmas very well I think. It's more like a partial sunny autumnday outside.

Mr Parfumista is wearing Incense Extreme by Andy Tauer. A light "white" incense swirling to the sky even if intense in performance. Below is the updated list of the fragrances I've worn the last fourteen Christmas Eves:

2016: Oud Sublime Parfums de Nicolaï (quality "forest-refreshing" dark green, mossy, woody)
2015: Rose de Taif Extrait Perris Monte Carlo (high class smooth velvety rose petals)
2014: Impossible Iris Ramòn Monegal (an elegant, contempory iris with a delicious rasperrynote)
2013: Quintaesensia Ramòn Monegal, (a special retro styled blend, furry, ambery, herbal/spicy)
2012: Nothing, knocked down by the worst flu in ten years+.
2011: Betrothal, Grossmith (classic, light and exquisite florals)

2010: Cuir Mauresque, Serge Lutens (saddle leather, orangeblossom, jasmine, spices)

2009: Tribute Attar, Amouage (dark leather, smoke, oud, excellent spices)

2008: Incense rosé, Andy Tauer (rose, mandarine, cardamom, myrrh cedar, incense)

2007: Ambre Russe, Parfum d'Empires (boozy amber, the, wood, oriental)

2006: Jil Sander 4, Jil Sander (dark, overripe fruits, white almost withering flowers, oriental spices)

2005: Nuit de Noël, Caron (dusky, retro flowers, moss and a furry note)

2004: Cabochard,  Parfums Grès (leathery chypre, harsh green notes and retro flowers)

2003: Fracas Robert Piguet (the ultimate classic grand tubereuse)

Let's have a Great Fragrant Christmas! 

Independence Day

Picture: Finlands "Blue Cross Flag"
Photo from Facts.co

Today our beautiful neighbour Suomi-Finland is celebrating 100 years as an independent country.       Congratulations Finland!

Thinking of Finland, I suddenly remembered there was some entertaining fragrant readings with finnish connection on Fragrantica a year or two ago. And here I found them, written by Eeva-Helena Laurinsalo.

Fragrant Finland: A Fresh Affair

Fragrant Finland: Saunas, Babies and Rive Gauche

Fragrant Finland: An Emerging Scentscape & Tax Free Vikings

Fragrant Finland: Lumene, Beauty Born of Light

And last but not least: Congratulations to my son who is celebrating his 15th birthday today!

Fragrantica Perfume Awards

Picture: Fallen falleaves
Photo: Parfumista (c)

An exciting initiative from Fragrantica - " We at Fragrantica decided to organize our own community awards which will be fully driven by your suggestions and votes. You can nominate up to 5 fragrances in each category and vote for or against  of each nomination". 

The awardcategories, submitted & voted by the Fragrantica community, are:

1. Best Fragrance Of All Times for Women
2. Best Fragrance Of All Times for Men
3. Best Unisex Fragrance Of All Time
4. The Worst Fragrance Of All Time
5. Best Women's Fragrance Voted by Men
6. Best Men's Fragrance Voted by Women
7. Best Discontinued Fragrance for Women, Bring It Back!
8. Best Discontinued Fragrance for Men, Bring It Back!
9. The Legend of the Latest Decade for Women
10. The Legend of the Latest Decade for Men
11. Best Fragrance of 2017 for Women
12. Best Fragrance of 2017 for Men
13. Niche Fragrance of 2017
14. Most Innovative Fragrance of 2017
15. Perfume House Of The Year
16. Best Perfume Bottle of 2017
17. Best Perfume Flanker of 2017
18. Most Underrated Fragrance
19. Most Overrated Fragrance
20. Best Fragrance for Hot Days
21. Best Fragrance for Cold Days
22. Fragrance with the Best Longevity
23. Best Bargain Fragrance for Women
24. Best Bargain Fragrance for Men
25. R.I.P - Beloved Perfumes Murdered by Reformulation

The voting is open 24 Nov to 1 Dec - Don't miss the chance to  have fun and to influence.

Further fragrance reading...

Picture: Novemberrose
Photo: Parfumista (c)

I'm in some sort of writer's block but others have interesting perfumrelated things to share. Here some links to articles/posts I've appreciated recently.

Intresting thoughts about the battle between two versatile, very likable, everyday  fragrances launched in 2017  Chanel Gabrielle and Hermès Twilly - like them both.

And here comes reviews of them Twilly on Perfume Shrine and Twilly on Now Smell This Twilly on The Scented Salamander, Gabrielle on Bois de Jasmin and Gabrielle on Now Smell This, Gabrielle on The Scented Salamander.

An article about styling the winter wardrobe with perfumes on Fragrantica. The picture of the snowmen is just great :-)

Bois de Jasmin share us some words of wisdom from Christian Dior’s Little Dictionary of Fashion  timeless advices about style which of course including perfume.

More vintage, here about vintage perfume bottles

And last but not least - an inteview (with photo) with the mysterious perfumer Pierre Montale who many people doubt exist. Anyway, somebody is interviewed here 

Styling with perfume

Picture: The frame for the perfumes of last week
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Styling the SOTD with suitable outfits and accessoires is almost a science, especially under timepressure which is the ordinary state in the early mornings during a working week. I have found a routine to tackle this "problem". Doing some planning in advance gives the opportunity to concentrate on the choice of  SOTD the following mornings. I'm not organized like this often, but sometimes I got the "flow". Here is an example from last week:

First of all I chose a theme for the SOTD:s for the coming week which in this case was autumnal + oriental + dark fragrances + classic. Then I chose the beckground, the canvas for the composition, black dresses in jersey or light woolblend qualities act as a dark, simple neutral background. As the everyday frame to the composition, I chose the reaible accessories pictured above: Mulberry Chester in textured goat, my favourite November - December Hermès cashmere-silk shawl Collections Imperiales in black with pattern in muted autumn and winter colours, the Freywille Attersee bangle, vintage rings in gold with pearls and cabochon amethysts and a simple strand of pearls. The olfactory brushstrokes which completed the composition for each workday were:

Monday - Dior Eau Sauvage not an oriental but on the verge of beeing heavy applied the basenotes with moss, amber and musk are more pronounced. Still with the golden citrus glimpses and dark green aromatic accord.

Tuesday - Guerlain Shalimar Edp what a pleasure to wear this classic I imagine Shalimar as auburn in colour. Elegant, special, comforting and warm. Timeless.

Wednesday - Penhaligon's Halfeti not a classic but a representative of the western oud trend: Loud peppery saffron, oud  and woody notes over somoother and pleasant accords of a very dark red rose, creamy amber and leather. Potent and radiating, lasts for days on textiles and also with traces on skin after more then one showering. If it had a colour: Darkest of red and black.

Thursday - Chanel Coco Edt spicy, soft, cosy, strong and radiating but still elegant. A contemporary classic. Just as Shalimar, a real pleasure to wear.

Friday - Burberry My Burberry Black I like Burberry fragrances, it seems as their DNA suits my skintype. This fragrance is deep, dark, fruity, boozy, smokey, balsamic in a such pleasant and warming way. It also lasts for days on my shawl.

End of report from my well organized perfume week.

Blog anniversary 11 years

Picture: Violettes du Czar
Photo: PR Oriza L Legrand (c)

Last Wednesday 1 November, Parfumistans Blogg celebrated 11 years and I was wearing the intriguing leather, gasoline, violet Violettes du Czar from Oriza L. Legrand. Since a couple of years I have noticed that November is the time of the year when  I crave Oriza fragrances the most. Probably something in their nostalgic DNA that goes with the mood of the season.

Picture: Eau Sauvage
PR Christian Dior (c)

When writing this post I'm wearing a true classic signed the great Edmond Roudnitska, Dior Eau Sauvage, to honor my father, who passed away 10 years ago today, far too young. Eau Sauvage was his signaturefragance and it was like tailormade for him. I find Eau Sauvage unisex, with cirtus, aromatic, subdued  flowery, mossy accords. It's casual fresh in an elegant retrostyle and lights up any gloomy Novemberday as well as beeing refreshing a warm summer day.

So far this year it seems as I'm not in the right mood for the real, heavy autumn/winterfragrances, probably this will change when winter strikes. Probably there will be another day in Eau Sauvage tomorrow, and I definitly think more women should try it.

Puredistance - Warszawa

Picture: Puredistance Warszawa
Photo: PR Puredistance (c)

Puredistance Warszawa is a collaboration with the Missala family who sells Puredistance in their perfumeries in Poland. The perfume (extrait with 25 % perfumeoil) is created by perfumer Anotine Lie and is a tribute to Warszaw and it's people, inspired of the golden era of Warszawa in the begining of the last century. Warszawa was originally launched in 2016 and was sold exclusivity by Quality Missala for a year. Now it's at last avaible for the rest of us lovers of vintage styled fragrances.

The colour of Warszawa the fragrance is said to be dark green with some gold and grey, and that's is also my first impression of the fragrance. It's starts like an elegant, glowing fruity chypre and it reminds me very much of a restrained, darker and smoother variation of Yves Saint Laurent Yvrersse (Champagne). Yvresse is higher on the fragrance notescale and more extrovert whereas Warszawa is gentler and intimate in character. Warszawa is also less sweet and more flowery than Yvresse, more green where Yvresse has more of the golden glimmer, or to be correct, Yvresse sparkles and Warszawa glimmers. Galbanum is distinctive in the first part of Warszawa and it's then present during the whole dry down. In the middle notes the flowery accord first brightens with a fruity touch which gives me associations to the lipstick-textured fruitiness of Cartier Baiser Fou but in a darker and refined context. In one wearing the fruitiness stands out, the other wearing the more intoxicated, elegant, flowery notes. Warszawa is a fragrance with many layers and interesting twists. Later in the dry down an almost balsamic texture appears, wrapping the wearer in a gentle and mysterious skinscent. The basenotes are deep and dark green, with strikes of a mysterious golden glow, like the remains of a campfire in the dept of a big forest a dark night in the autumn.Warszawas slight cosmetic touch, without beeing powdery or too lipsticky also reminds me of a night in the opera or theatre in the pre WW1 era. Dim light, elegant women in fur, velvet and silk in dark jewellery colours, glowing gemstones, feather decorations, powder and heavy perfumes.



Pictures: Montage of Warsawa, Poland
Montage of  Foxy 1219 photos of  Radek Kołakowski, Marek和Ewa Wojciechowscy ,
 ekeidar, Marcin Białek, DocentX, Mateusz Włodarczyk
Wikimedia commons (cc) some rights reserved

Warszawa is a fragrance which has to be experienced in multiple wearings as new angles are appearing in each wearing. It's a fragrance for evenings around the year and for daytime wearing during the colder and darker months. The sillage is close, its a calm and quiet perfume, the longevity is for at least a day. A retro styled fragance in a contemporary interpretation.

Rating: 5

Notes: Galbanum, grapefruit, violet leaf, jasmin, broom, orris, patchouli, vetiver, styrax.

....and 5 other autumn frags

Picture: Maple leaves October 2017
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Last week was colder and autumn is now really here. Heavier stuff was worn, including some favourites such as:

White Oud (Montale): White, cuddling, with a white rose, something mashmallow-ish and a faint oudnote. Texture and smoothness like an angora kitten.

Amber & Spices (Montale): A pleasant, fizzy gingernote and warm spices with hints of a delicate rose and some oud. Smells like my grandmothers spice rack did.

Auburn (Andy Tauer): From the discontinued Pentachords-line (three fragrances built among just five notes). Auburn is warm, brown, cinnamon with tobacco and some white flowers. Even if a bit freaky synthetic, it's the ultimate autumnfragance. 

Sheiduna (Puredistance): Warm, embracing, spicy, balsamic whith some almost boozy notes. The ultimate pleasure to wear a grey, rainy day.

Incense Oud (Parfums de Nicolaï). Smells like the deep forest in autumn, damp and chilly, with dark green moss, tangy, slight herbal notes and earthy patchouli. A sort of refreshing fragrance. 

5 Autumn Fragrances 2017

Picture: Autumnleaves 2017
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Autumn is very rainy and quite warm this year. This weekend the sun was shining mauch and there was almost as late summer days. When it comes to fragrances, my choices are both "in between", transition fragrances or fragrances suitable for (almost) year around and some autumn/winter fragrances. And there are lot of Chanel I recognize when thinking of what I've worn lately.

Gabrielle (Chanel): The more I wear Gabrielle, the more I like it. This abstract, lightly glowing like an opal, restrained floral is an addicting fragrance. Gabriell is so easy and versatile to wear, attracting compliments and stay long on skin.

Twilly d'Hermès (Hermès): Ginger and a pale tuberose where the ginger is not too strong, it's just enough and adds a fizzy sparkle to the pale, watercolor tuberose. Twilly reminds me of a light outdoor variation of Vivienne Westwood Boudoir (the first version of it).

Coco Edt (Chanel): This one is of course for autumn and winter but is also a great transition fragrance. Warm, glowing like amber, with soft spicy notes where cinnamon most evident. A great spicy oriental, the Edt is more straightforward spicy than the Edp with it's more pronunced drak fruity and flowery notes.

1996 Inez & Vinoodh (Byredo): Light smooth leather over patchouli contrasted with the cold iris/violet and juniperberries that is very comforting and relaxing to wear. Perfect for grey, rainy days. Reminds me somehow slightly of the signature fragrance from Adrienne Vittadini.

Ambre Sauvage (Les Absolus Annick Goutal): A beautiful, dark, glowing amber. Like resting in front of the fireplace a dark and cold winterevening zipping on a good brandy or calvados. A clean an smooth amber contrasted by deep, black, patchouly.

Kerosene - Wood Haven

Picture: Wood from the Swedish forest.

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Wood Haven is created by John Pegg, the perfume reviewer that started his own house, Kerosene. Wood Haven is a fragrance in the a bit weird but tempting and in the same time “nice-to-wear” and “deja-vú”style that is typical for the house of Kerosene. The “deja-vú” feeling that is present with almost all Kerosense fragrances is both positive: I can recognize other frags that I like, sometimes several in one Kerosene composition as in the best of them all IMHO: Copper Skies. The negative part is that I feel a bit dissapointed, I mostly (but not always, a very wellconstructed and alternating frag close to another could be interesting anyway) get bored when a fragrance is too close or similar in style to another already existing fragrance.

Wood Haven starts with a grapefruitnote that I can recognize from one of the other woodinspired Kerosenes Santalum Slivers. A beautiful, mellow, sparkling, note of a yellow lemon glimpeses by, I wish this shining note would last more than just a short moment. Soon a dry grassy, green note appears, like long, wild, grass dried in the sun on a meadow. There is also a slight herbal tinge to the grassy note. After a while a slight moisty, vegetal accord arrives and balances the drieness. Some light, bright, light spicy and dry wood is present in a discrete and pleasant way, the smell recalls the smell of sun warmed bark on conifers. There is also a distinguishable note of vetiver present adding a slight, clean, earthy vibe to the barknote.

Wood Haven is a woody-fresh-grassy fragance, not woody-acquatic and not peppery-woody, which is enjoyable daytime, both for casual and work, year around.To me Wood Haven is a lighter and less distinctive version of L’Eau Guerriere by Parfumerie Generale, which is a more powerful fragrance in the fresh woody bark note category.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, black pepper, pink peppercorns, juniper leaf, ginger root, vetiver, cedar, gaiac wood

Thanks to Fragrantfanatic  (Riktig Parfym) for the sample of Wood Haven to test

Kerosene – Fields of Rubus

Picture: The 'Barnet' raspberry, a hand-coloured engraving after a drawing by Augusta Innes Withers (1792-1869),
from the first volume of John Lindley's Pomological Magazine (1827-1828), Wikimedia commons.

The Kerosene Fields of Rubus starts with a great deja-vú when it comes to me: I smell the great, robust and almost dusty, Patchouli Antique by Les Néréides. The patchoulinote dominates the topnote but after a while, step by step, a jammy, berry, note is sneaking into the blend, rounding up the almost harsh patchouli. Another moment later, the berrynote developes and shows to be the note of fresh picked raspberrys, for a while the smell of raspberry smells very true. Maybe the applenote mentioned among the notes contributes to the sparkle of the raspberry, I can’t smell it like a separate part, but I somehow can image it in this stage. After a while the jam is there again and Fields of Rubus becomes sweeter and similar to a raspberry, jam, vanillic, dessert with cream. As the fragrance developes the patchouli withdraws and becomes a player in the backgrund. The patchouli contributes to the dark facets in the base of Fields of Rubus, smoothed by the vanilla and musk that together with a light woody note, balances the though patchoulinote.

Before sampling, reading from the notelist and sniffing the outside of the sample vial, I had a great hope that Fields of Rubus would be as awesome as the ambery Copper Skies my favourite from the Kerosene line, but it turned out to be a good but not stunning fragrance when worn by me. Fields of Rubus starts interesting with the robust Patchouli Antique like accord and the sparkling raspberry that occurs after a while. But as FoR dries down it somehow loses some of its identity and ends up as an ok but not special scent. I wish Fields of Rubus would have developed in the opposite way, ie that the topnotes would form the base and vice versa.

Fields of Rubus is a fragrance suitable for autumn and winter as it creates a comfortable and sweet, delicious mood for the wearer. The sillage is medium and the longevity is good.

Rating: 3

Notes: Raspberry, plum, apple, tobacco wood, musk, vanilla, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli

Thanks to Fragrantfanatic  (Riktig Parfym) for the sample of Field of Rubus to test

Montale – Gold Flowers

Picture: Polianthes tuberosa, 1816,

John Sims (1746-1799), Wikimedia commons

Montale Gold Flowers is one in the indefinite ranges of perfumes from the house of  Montale, created by the hyperproductive perfumer Pierre Montale some years ago. Gold Flowers belongs to the Edp line, which is the non-oud line of the house. Of course there are oudnotes in many of the blends in the Edp-line but the note is used as a woody note among others and not as the leading note of the creation as in the Oud-line.

In Gold Flowers I can’t detect any oud, Gold Flowers is a genuine, tuberose dominated spicy, bold flowery fragrance. Gold Flowers reminds me of at least three fragrances: Spellbound with it’s flowery spiciness, Fracas tuberose and the texture of the flowery, fruity chypre Jil Sander 4. But Gold Flowers is lighter, brighter and more contemporary than those three fragrances. As the fragrances of the early 90s has been one of the major trends in perfumery for some years, for example Burberry Body, Gold Flowers is quite in tune with time.

The sillage and longevity is great as almost always with the Montales. The composition is also well balanced. Gold Flowers is perfect for warming up a grey day in autumn- or winter but is also appropriate to summer as it last very well and has a certain transparency. With it’s character it is also suitable for evening wear. To summarize: Gold Flowers is not the most original composition but cozy and wearable spicy, tuby fragrance.

Rating: 4

Notes: Tuberose, pepper, clove, sandalwood, grey amber