söndag 21 januari 2024

Ricardo Ramos Perfumes de Autor - YouTubers' Series

Ricardo Ramos is a fashion designer  based in Granada, Spain. He is working on the evaluation and art direction of the brand collaborating with  perfumer Jorge Lee on the formulation side. A mission for the brand is to " making use of classic fragrance ingredients from the ancient kingdom of the Al Andalous to recreate a fused olfactory universe that blends the Middle East and Mediterranean traditions, with an aim to bring perfume enthusiasts closer to the cultural legacy of the Al Andalus kingdom, where European perfumery started in early Middle Ages". 

Aside from a wide ranges of perfumes in the regular collection, Ricardo Ramos Perfumes de Autor also have released some special editions and last spring I had the pleasure of winning a Fragrantica draw of a travelset of the three perfumeextraits in the The YouTubers' Series which was released in 2022. Thank you Ricardo for your generousity. 

The trio  is inspired by three YoutTubers, of whom I actually don't know anything. That could be an avantage, just to focus on the scents  when writing down one's impressions. As the fragrances are extraits, a little lasts for long one has to be careful, not overapplying.

Pic: Interstellar Moka
Photo: PR Ricardo Ramos Perfumes de Autor (c)


Interstellar Moka: This is a very pleasant gourmand, with soft, rounded, fluffy, nutty, slight spicy, coca coffeeaccord . There is also something dark, thick, lurking underneath, this dark side has sort of a oily dark brown to black texture, but not an oily scent. Maybe this is the Interstellar, otherworld moment, the endless space. An advantage with Intersellar Moka, is that this gourmand is pleasant un -sweet, friendly and perfect for grey winterdays. Like warming in a fluffy, oversized, white mohairsweater.

Pic: BucanerO
Photo: PR Ricardo Ramos Perfumes de Autor (c)

BucanerO: A warm, sunny gourmand with tropical island wibes. A coconutty Tuberose glazed with booze, honey and tobacco is the focal point. The tuberose accord have something in common with Armani Prive Rouge Malachite  but BucanerO is thicker, rougher than the elegant Rouge Malachite, happy, casual and easygoing.  Compared to  Interstellar Moka, BucanerO is sweeter ,but the sweetness is not  overwhelming. The same spirit as Interstellar Moka but on the light, sunny happy side and just as the latter, perfect for grey winterdays. 

Pic: Chypre Molecular
Photo: PR Ricardo Ramos Perfumes de Autor (c)

Chypre Molecular:  My favourite of three, a very green, metallic, nuclear, contemporary chypre. Chypre Molecular starts with an accord resembling like green soapwater mixed the greenery of  bulbflowers, like hyachints that is just about to start rotting. In this stage Chypre Molecular reminds me of another green intriguing fragrance, BeauFort Fathom V. Not that they smell the same but somehow they mediate a similar mood where Fathom V is sort of rural, way darker and moisty as a mire compared to the urban  minimalistic bright greenery of Chypre Mocular. Even if the first accord is green, slight watery, it has some dry elements, it's the beginning of the dry, light spicyness of the perfume, an accord that's not present in Fathom V.

In the dry down a clean ozonic, clean metallic, mossy, light dry spicy accord occurs. In this stege Chypre Molecular reminds me of flying Concorde in the 90ies, the understated, clean cabin, the dim metallic glitter from the slim aircraft rushing in suprersonic speed almost on the border to space.

Chypre Molecular is a perfect fragrance for late winter and early spring, it's nuclear in proejction and longevity on skin, it has to be applied in maximum four spritzes to avoid an overdose.


lördag 13 januari 2024

Best of 2023

I've tested even less new fragrances launched the same year (2023) than during 2022. Most of the fragrances I've  acquaintance with were launched 2022 or earlier. And the releases that I liked  from 2023 launches, were almost all easy avaible designer "main stream" fragrances. The winners in this category were two Hermès:

Pic: Un Jardin à Cythère
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

                                                                              

Un Jardin à Cythère (Hermès): This one was a growing liking during spring and summer. The pistachio contrasting to oily, green notes and citrus is an unexpected combination, calming and very comforting.

Pic: Tutti Twilly d'Hermès
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

Tutti Twilly d'Hermès (Hermès): A very pleasing fruity (floral) version of Twilly. There are accords/notes  that reminds me of the grown up, casual chic Galop d'Hermès,  where Tutti Twilly is the teenage version,  easy going, happy, flirty. And as expected, my bottle of Tutti Twilly was soon taken over by my teenage daughter. Who by the way, doesn't like Un Jardin à Cythère at all. 


From the even less smelled from niche category launched 2023 the two following  are worth some praise:

Pic: Viridarium
Photo: PR Maria Candida Gentile (c)

Viridarium (Maria Candida Gentile): A very fascinating green herbal flower fragrance which ingredients are the same as Maria could identify from a fresco on the wall from an antique Roman Villa, "The Viridarium of Livia from 1 B.C." Viridarium slight reminds me of a higher quality, less sweet, more aromatic, green relative to Hermès Un Jardin Sur du Nil. I like du Nil very much since more than a decade, but compared to Viridarium it's too sweet.

Pic: Spiritcask
Photo: PR Jorum Studio (c)

Spiritcask (Jorum Studio): I like the few creations I've tested so far from the Scottish Odyssey. Spiritcask is a launch of 2023 which suits Mr Parfumista very well. The scent of the spiritdreched old oak barells with its liquer, vanilla, oak notes are smooth, warm and comforting delicsious. I gifted Mr Parfumista with a bottle to his birthday. The fragrances of Jorum Studio, at least the Scottish Odyssey are in Parfume Extrait, a little lasts for long.

lördag 6 januari 2024

The Fragrances of Christmas Eve 2023

 

Pic: Christmas 2023
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The Scent of Christmas Eve (grey outside and daytime temprature ca - 3 C) ice-glaced and just the right volume of snow. I was wearing my Christmas gift from a sample, opened the parcel in the evening: L'Eau Scandaleuse created by breton perfumer Anatole Lebreton. This is one of the very best and intriguing tubereuses according to me. It's a cold, "strip down" tubereuse combined with hints of cosmetic notes, a n impression of something boudoir.-ish. There is also an intriguing sort of slight gasoline-tarry leather in the basenotes.  L'Eau Scandaleuse has been on my radar for years, worn sparingly, using  samples.  When locking at the notes and my impression described above, L'Eau Scandaleuse is great to wear outdoors for exemple walking in the forest in early spring. 

Mr Parfumista  was wearing an old Christmas Eve classic - Knize Ten. It's great for the occasion and it reminds me of that I have yet to try to wear it myself.

Below the updated list of the fragrances I've worn for the last twenty Christmas Eves: 

2022:  Nuit Etoilée Edt Annick Goutal (pine needles, natural minty with contrasting citric notes)
2021: Tobacco Rose Papillion Artisan Perfumes ( dark red rose, over fresh moss, beewax, juniper)
2020: Rubikona Puredistance (contemporary chypre fresh - earthy and green accord, surounded and contrasted by smooth ,elegant creamy flowers). 
2019: Gold Puredistance (with a beautiful myrrhnote, a sort of smooth resin/sap and a cold (but not freezing) outdoor -in the wood - impression 
2018: Rubj Extrait by Vero Kern (warm, glowing orange in spices and elegant white flowers) 
2017: Vert de Fleur by Tom Ford (elegant retro but also contemporary austere flowery-green.)
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 NoëlCaron (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) 

As this was published afterwards I hope your Christmas was Great and scented with some beautiful fragrances!

PS For New Years Eve I followed up with the real boudoir scent of the Anatoles I've tested - the ultimate lipstick fragrance Incarnata a dangerous slight furry relative, also with a significant myrrh accord, to the in comparision, well-mannered  Les Exclusifs de Chanel Misia Edp. Mr Parfumista was wearing the nosepleasing Byredo Black Saffron a sucessful blend of rose and saffron ending up in a comforting, creamy, leathery accord.

PPS This year I've also forgotten the Midsummerfragrancepost - a half  of a year  later I can announce it was Les Eaux de Chanel  Paris - Riviera, well suited as it was sunny an quite warm to be a northen Midsummereve.

fredag 6 januari 2023

Best of 2022

From the very, very few I have tried from the huge output launched to the fragrancemarket 2022, the favorite fragrances  for me, was the two below: 


Picture: Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Paris
Photo: PR Chanel (c)

Chanel Paris-Paris: All of the fragrances in the Les Eaux de Chanel - line are so good and so versatile, wearable in every everyday occasion. And the 2022 addition, Paris-Paris was no exception on the contrary, this pink, transparent, slightly jammy rose patch is my favorite together with the two green ones of the line: Édimbourg and Deauville

          Picture: Eau de Basilic Pourpre
Photo: PR Hermès (c)


The unisexfragrance Eau de Basilic Pourpre is a happy, light, herbal-green transparent and very wearable fragrance from the overall so wearable  Hermès Cologne line. My second favorite of the Cologne line, close behind the original Eau d'Orange Verte  (both the 1979 and 2009 versions) and Eau de Rhubarbe Ecarlate.

There were also two 2022 fragrances classified as masculie which made some impression and for the right occasion/skintype also can work for woman

   Picture: MV2Q 
      Photo: PR Puredistance(c)

Puredistance MV2Q a modern slightly rough leather, business casual in style. Not as polished and classic in (tuxado) style as it's predecessor, M which sadly has to be dicontinued because of some ingredients were hit by some new IFRA standards. 

            Picture: H24 Eau de Parfum
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

Hermès H24 Eau de Parfum:  Although I'm more found of the original H24 EDT with it's woolen, metallic steamnotes like ironing a light, clean woolfabric, this years EDP is also very good, even if  more conservative and doesn't stand out as much as the original. The dark green fresh moisty moss in the dry down is probably the carrier the makes the note of narcissus stand out more in this version than in the EDT.

lördag 31 december 2022

New Years Eve 2022

Picture: From my morning walk (12,27 km) on
New Years Eve 2022. Very warm weather
for the winter season (+ 7 C). Like Fall.
Photo: Parfumista (c)

 ...and I'm wearing one of my top three old time favorites the leathery, spicy, plummy, honeyed and therefore slightly animalic chypre Montana Parfum de Peau. In the original formula, housed in the all blue cardboard. Doesn't wear it often, saving the bottle and as the fragrance also takes up a lot of air space, these days it's more appropriate wearing it in the evening for festive occasions. Like this last evening of 2022. As I'm wearing a simple and clean black outfit with a  bracelet / necklace in dark jeweltones as eye-catcher, I think the ulitmate accessory, the perfume, is allowed to dominate.

When it comes to my best of 2022 I plan posting about this subject in the coming days.

Happy New Year 2023 - may peace come - Slava Ukraini!


lördag 24 december 2022

The Fragrances of Christmas Eve 2022

Picture: Christmas 2022, I'm so excited
to receive this Christmas gift - despite It's NOT a perfume
Photo: Parfumista (c)

The Scent of Christmas Eve (sunny outside and daytime temprature ca - 5) ice-glaced and just a little powdery snow. Inspired from the finnish classic coated mintchocolate pastilles "Avec", cold weather, dark Midwinter nights, snow crystals and conifer , I'm wearing Annick GoutaNuit Etoilee Edt  from the beautiful blue squarebottle. Pine and Fir with contrasing citrus (orange) and dry minty notes with traces of salty ambregris. A cold impression, yet very comforting a starry night. Somehow Mr Parfumista is  in the same mood, matching the style wearing the modern classic Comme des Garcons Kyoto from the incredible incense-line. Incense, cypress, cedar which creates a pine impression, perfect for Christmas.

Picture: The old AG Nuit Etoilee Edt square
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Below the updated list of the fragrances I've worn for the last nineteen Christmas Eves: 

2021: Tobacco Rose Papillion Artisan Perfumes ( dark red rose, over fresh moss, beewax, juniper)
2020: Rubikona Puredistance (contemporary chypre fresh - earthy and green accord, surounded and contrasted by smooth ,elegant creamy flowers). 
2019: Gold Puredistance (with a beautiful myrrhnote, a sort of smooth resin/sap and a cold (but not freezing) outdoor -in the wood - impression 
2018: Rubj Extrait by Vero Kern (warm, glowing orange in spices and elegant white flowers) 
2017: Vert de Fleur by Tom Ford (elegant retro but also contemporary austere flowery-green.)
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 NoëlCaron (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) 

I wish you a Great Fragrant Christmas!

PS This year I've forgotten the Midsummerfragrancepost - a half  of a year  later I can announce it was Pierre Guillaume Animal Mondain which unfold surprisingly well that unusual warm Midsummereve.

måndag 29 augusti 2022

Puredistance MV2Q

Picture: Puredistance MV2Q
Photo: Puredistance (c)

Autumn is almost here, and autumn means it is time for a new release from Puredistance. Last autumn Puredistance reached its full number with the beautiful No 12. After that, each new realease in the Collection will casuse the discontinuing or withdrawel to buy after request, of one of the fragrances. No 3 M even if very popular, was the first do go (discontinued) among others due to new restrictions regarding some of the ingredients. To replace the loss of M a new Extrait created around the leather theme is launched in September 2022.

The similarities between the old classic M and the new MV20 are (beside the high quality ingredients, the extrait formula and the pure apperance) that both are very masculine fragrances even if  I think  MV2Q could even pass as unisex despite of it's leaning to the masculine side. Also the fact that both of them are more  (M) or less (MV2Q) leather fragrances, bring them together. Then, the similarities ends, M and MV2Q are IMHO two different fragrances. M is a timeless, high quality leather fragrance in the style of Hermès Bel Ami, a sort of refined Bel Ami in a clean and smooth extrait formula. 

MV2Q to me is a contemporary, modern urban woody oriental fragrances with an accord resembling the leather chypres of the 1980s as a side kick. A bright, full and sunny version of the chyper-ish accord is appearing in the topnotes and also showing up later in a darker, more sensual moonlight version as MV2Q has dried down in to the basenotes. The leather chypre styled accord,  reminds me of a less sweet-flowery version of one of my all time favourites, Montana Parfum de Peau (vintage version). But most of all MV2Q is a modern dry and warm, balsamic spicy woody fragrance with some light traces of something almost boozy, like a deep and rounded cognac.  Among the spicy notes, on my skin, the clean woody pepper note takes the centerstage and could "take over" the composition when MV2Q reaches the middlenotes  if  not applied very light. I've tested MV2Q several times over the summer, in  very warm and also colder tempratures  and my conclusion is that one or one and a half spritz (if hot outside) is maximum for me to apply to avoid the woody pepper note to take over. The positive side is, that very little of MV2Q is enough to create a great silage and a longevity for about 24h. The extrait is very concentrated, it's rich and mellow, full of very fine quality ingredients playing with each other in wellblended accords. When MV2Q reach the basenotes, the accord similar to a modern Parfum de Peau shows up again but this time with a more oriental soft spicy touch which reminds me of  the cozy and comforting Puredistance Sheiduna. Maybe MV2Q is the masculine counterpart to Sheiduna in the Puredistance collection. In the basenotes, there is also a slight dark leather-boozy element which reminds me of MDCI Parfums excellent Cuir Garamante.

Picture: Puredistance MV2Q
Photo: Puredistance (c)

Somehow I imagine, after its sunny opening, MV2Q,  in the middlenotes, as a dry, dark, log of wood lying together with some black, leather in the desert warmed up in the sunlight at midday. When MV2Q reaches the basenotes, the sun sets and the perfume calms down and transforms to a darker, softer and cosier evening fragance. MV2Q is a fragrance that seems to be tailor-made  to accompanying the progress of the day into the night and to emphasize the characteristics of each part to the wearer. As usual with Puredistance, an intriguing, very well made fragrance, which is concentrated and therfore even the smallest 17,5 ml  flacon (pictured above) will last for a very, very long time.

Overall MV2Q will be a perfect match for the coming autumn, although I will mostly go for the more feminine Sheiduna. 

Notes:

Orange blossom, Pink pepper, Lavender,
Cinnamon, Nagarmotha, Jasmine Sambac, Pine Tar,
Indonesian patchouli, Madagascar vanilla, Spanish labdanum, Tonka bean, Texas cedar

Thank you Team Puredistance for the generous sample of  MV2Q