Caldey Abbey Perfumes - Island Fern

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

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

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

Rating: 3

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

Thanks to Caldey Island Abbey for samples to try.

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

Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: 5

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

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

Lubin - Idole

Spices in Mapusa Market, Goa, India,

Foto: Judepics, cc (some rights reserved)

Wikimedia commons

Scroll down for an version in english.

Idole är en kryddigt, träig doft enligt uppgift skapad av Olivia Giacobetti 2005 i samband med uppfräschningen och moderniseringen av det gamla klassiska parfymhuset Lubin.

Idole är inspirerad av dofterna i den afrikanska, karibiska och indiska oceaniska övärlden. Jag känner kryddor, mörkt trä, lite tjära och romindränkta tunnor fraktat av ett segelfartyg. Ingredienserna till trots så är ändå Idole en transparent doft, en motsats som gör doften fascinerande. När det gäller kryddigheten så känns den speciella pepprighet som saffran ger, en not som också finns i Montales Amber & Spices och Sisleys Eau de Sisley 3. Den transparenta stilen trots en del kraftfulla ingredienser, delar Idole med Eau de Sisley 3 fast den senare är dominerad av citrus där Idole domineras av trä. Det finns också något i den känsla som Idole framkallar som påminner om Maitre Parfumeur et Gantiers Eau des Iles.

Idole är en mörk kryddoft som med fördel kan bäras även sommartid. Passar dagtid både på jobbet och som casual. Mycket bärbar och en bra basdoft men inte (längre) särskilt originell.

Idole is a spicy, woody fragrance created by Olivia Giacobetti in 2005 in connection with the refresh and modernization of the old classic perfume house Lubin. Idole is inspired by the scents of the islands of the African, Caribbean and Indian oceans. I smell lot of spices, dark wood, a little tar and the rum-soaked barrels transported by a sailing ship. Despite all these potent ingredients, Idole is still a transparent fragrance, a contrast that makes the blend fascinating. In the case with the spiciness, it smells like that special peppery note that saffron gives, a note which is also is present in  Montales Amber & Spices and Sisley Eau de Sisley 3. The transparent style despite some powerful ingredients, is the common denominator for Idole and Eau de Sisley 3, the latter is dominated by citrus where Idole instead is dominated by woody notes. There is also something in the sense that Idole conveys that is reminiscent to Maitre Parfumeur et Gantiers Eau des Iles.

To summon up Idole is a dark spicy-woody fragrance which can be worn advantageously preferable in the summer. Suitable for daytime at work as well as casual. Very versatile and a good basic in a fragrance wardeobe but not (any longer) particularly original.

Rating: 3+

Noter/notes: Bitter apelsin, mörk rom, klöver, saffran, socker, ebenholz, sandelträ, läder /bitter orange, dark rum, clover, soffron, sugar, ebony, sandalwood, leather

Tour de Montale

I'm so tired of all the complaints of the multiple offerings from the house of Montale that has been common the latest years in the perfumebloggosphere. Going from beeing praised when Montale started the oud-trend in the beginning/middle of the 00-decade, suddenly (when other houses followed and started to realease easier, light oud interpretations) the common thoughts went quite the opposite. Montale is for instance accused to have to 1) many, too similar smelling offerings, 2) using a sharp, syntetichal oud and 3) to release too many fragrances per year. My reaction to 1) and 3) is that it is up to the customer to try and decide and as long it's opportunities for sale on the worldmarket it's also reasonable to continue. Regarding 2) my opinion is that most perfumelines uses syntetical oud at most so Montale isn't differently then the others and I also think that they are using real oud to some extent in some of their offerings.As to the sharp oudnote there is used more or less in the Montales I have to confess I really like it. It's a distinct antipode to the other ingredients and lends character an longevity beyond 24h for the blends. I experience this oudnote as somehow cool-earthy-refreshing and I prefer the oud-line in summer even if the ouds also fits well in the colder seasons.

The last week I devoted myself to test some Montales from the oudline foremost to try out if they are so similar as claimed to. My answer is no, the typical Montale base is present in various proportions but as a whole I can smell apparent differences between the four that was tested and I was not bored at all, on the contrary. And when it comes to typical bases, most houses has their own characteristic base and I can't see why it shouldn't Montale do the same. My impression from the tested fragrances is as follows:

Aoud Queen Roses: This one is more about medium red, fresh roses then about oud. The oud is relatively unobtrusive in the background.

Black Oud: The most famous Montale and probably, all ifs and buts weighted, also the best. Dark roses, that together with the patchouli and oud creates an almost creamy leathery effect. This one almost always attracts compliments.

Aoud Leather: Not so heavy on the dark oudnote, here the oud ist the peppery interpretation. Together with a note that reminds me of lime and a light and bright leathernote this of is refreshing a warm summerday.

Aoud Amber: Aoud Amber is perhaps the most "cold season" of the four. To me the oud note is muted in AA, there is more of a sort of skanky, oriental-chypre charachter with resiny notes combined with notes which are mossy in charachter. This is a strange but enjoyable blend.

To summon up: I percived enough variation in the oud-theme to enjoy may four days of tour de Montale.

Parfumerie Générale - Cologne Grand Siècle

Photo: André Karwath, CC - some rights reserved,

Wikipedia commons

For an english version, scroll down
Parfumerie Générales (PG:s) citruscologne Cologne Grand Siècle är gjord av en hög andel naturliga råvaror. Pierre Guilleme, husets grundare och näsa, säger sig vara inspirerad av solkungens hov (Ludvig XIV) på 1600-talet och de få och rena råvaror som då stod till parfymörernas förfogande.

CGS är en fin, om jag ska tänka mig en färg, djupgul, citrus. Den är lite söt, påminner om smaken av en hård citruspastill. Det påminner i stilen om kultklassikern Eau de Rochas men den senare är mer tvålig, har en mossig bas och är stramare i stilen. CGS är med sin trä och vetiverbas mer publiktillvänd och lättsam. En fin sommardoft som tyvärr har en stor nackdel: Den försvinner på en halvtimme, visserligen testad under tuffa soliga sommarförhållanden. CGS är något mer maskulin än feminin, även om man tycks framhäva doften något olika: På herr Parfumista framhävs de träiga noterna mer den korta stund det varar, på mig citrusnoterna.

Parfumerie Générale (PG) citrusy cologne Cologne Grand Siecle is made of a high proportion of natural ingredients. Pierre Guilleme, the house's founder and nose, says he is inspired by the court of the Sun King Louis XIV in the  seventeenth century and the few and pure ingredients which then was avaible to the  parfumer.

CGS is a nice, if I have to think of a color, deep yellow, citrus. It's a little sweet, reminiscent of the taste of a hard citruspastille. It's reminiscent of the style of the cult classic Eau de Rochas, but the latter is soapy, has a mossy base and is stricter in style. CGS, with its base of wood and vetiver is more oriented  towards the general public and more easygoing. A nice summer fragrance which unfortunately has a major drawback: It disappears in half an hour, although tested under harsh sunny conditions. CGS is a bit more masculine than feminine, even if it seems to enhance the smell somewhat different: Mr Parfumista highlights the woody notes the short time it lasts,  and for me, the citrus notes dominates.

Rating: 3

Noters Tangerine, bitter orange, cardamom, vetiver

Montale - Crystal Flowers

Bild: Bouquet de roses, Rosa sp. horticoles, marché aux fleurs, Place Monge, Paris

Foto: Jebulon, Wikipedia, (CC, some rights reserved)

Scroll down for an english version
Solsken, en lätt sommarbris och ljust rosa rosor i solskenet. Det är mitt sammanfattande intryck av Crystal Flowers en doft från Montales icke-oud linje (Edp-linjen).

• En öppning och toppnoter som påminner mycket om fina Un Amour de Patou.
• Sedan följer en linjär rosa rosenbukett på myskig bas.
• Jag känner inga gröna blad som man så ofta gör i ljusa rosendofter, det här handlar bara om själva rosen, blomman.
• Elegant och klassisk doft som gjord för sommaren.
• Känns inte särskilt unik då Crystal Flowers påminner om många andra högkvalitativa dofter i den ljusa rosengenren.

En mycket användbar sommardoft.

Sunshine, a light summer breeze and light pinkcoloured roses in the bright sunshine. That's my general impression of Montales Crystal Flowers a fragrance from the non-oud line (Edp-line).

*An opening and top notes, very similar to the fine pink-rosy Un Amour de Patou.
*Then follows a linear pink bouquet of roses on musk base.
*I do not recognize any green leaves, as so often is present in light rose scents, this is all about the rose flower.
*Elegant and classic scent perfect for summer.
*Does not feel particularly unique as Crystal Flowers is reminiscent of some other high-quality scents into the bright pink rose-genre.

A very versatile summer scent.

Rating: 3+

Notes: Rose, mandarine, lily of the valley, amber, musk

XerJoff - Oud Stars Al-Khatt

Picture: Raoucha

Artist: Nasreddine Dinet, 1901, Wikimedia Commons

Al-Khatt, from the oud line of the mega luxary house XerJoff, starts with a pleasant barnyard oud followed by a refreshing, high quality, slight creamy boquet of flowers. Unfortunately the animlic oud disapperas soon and the beautiful flowery blends remains and develops as Al-Katt is drying down. Or maybe the oudnote doesn't disappears, the laotian oud is known to be gentle and flowery in it's character, an excelllent example is Mona di Orio Oud, maybe the out in Al-Khatt just going through it's normal evulation. Beside the disappering animalic oud note there is also another annoying thing with Al-Khatt: The beautiful, bergamot-jasmine dominated flowery blend is very similar to Amouages Ubar, but Al-Khatt has a cashmeran, smoot, creamy texture. As Ubar is one of my favourite Amouages this mimicry irritates me but apart from that the perfumers Sergio Momo, Sonia Espelta and Laura Santander did a good job. Al-Khatt, just as Ubar, conveys the feeling of a sunny and pleasantly warm summerday. As a XerJoff, Al-Khatt is a high quality fragrance where the best ingredients are used. The elegant flowery blend is seemless with an excellent longevity and moderate projektion, can't disturb anybody if not overapplied. The blend is concentrated and a little goes for a whole day. My 1 ml sample will thankfully last for long.

To summon up: Al-Khatt is not as oriental in style as one can expect from an oud perfume. But on the other hand, Al-Khatt as it's older sister Ubar is a pleasure to wear, it's the sort of high quality flowery fragance that makes the wearer unwilling to wear even a decent mainstream fragrance again. I'm in love!

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, jasmine sambac, cashmeran, vanilla, oakmoss, benzoin, oud from Laos