Fragrances of the week (28) 2013: Oliver & Co - Impression of the line

Picture: Oliver & Co Discoveryset
Photo: PR Oliver & Co, (c) all rights reserved

The Oliver & Co line definitly has its own natural smelling aromatic fresh style. Overall I find the unisex fragrances from the Oliver & Co house to be just a little bit more masculine than feminine in style (to use the stereotypes) probably because the absense of sweetness which I find carcteristic for the Olvier & Co fragrances as also the aromatic texture they all, more or less, have in common. Anyway, I think both genders should test these original creations.

All the fragrances are strong but refreshing and also long lasting which is not a common feature when it comes to fragrances with a high content of naturals. Those who like fragrances in the style of Commes des Garcons Incenseserie would probably appreciate the Olvier & Co line as they conveys the same impression but without incense as the line features other ingredients. My personal favorites are Mousse and Resina followed by La Colonia.

From Oliver & Co:s website there is possible to order a priceworthy discoveryset  which I think will last very long as each vial is 10 ml and as my 2 ml vials still lasts very well after assiduous testing.

Oliver & Co - Resina

Picture: Resin from pine
Photo: Meanos (cc) Wikimedia Commons,
some rights reserved

Resina is a natural smelling balsamic, spicy aromatic blend from spanish nichehouse Oliver & Co and as all the fragrances created by the owner of the house; Oliver Valverde.

Resina starts with the balsamic wowen plasternote that I like so much and which is distinct during the whole dry down in Comme des Garcons Jaisalmer but in Resina it soon withdraws from the centerstage as also a almost medical aromatic blast. Then a phase with balsamic, light spicy, unsweet caramellic and light woody notes appears, the ingredients seems almost seamless blended and the fragrances is soft and less aromatic. In this stage Resina gives me the impression of a non-sweet version of Prada Candy (swe) with a note that is very close to sandalwood (but as this ingredient is not listed it has to the skillful blending that creates this effect) instead of the sweet powdery benzoin in Candy. The overall impression of Resina is a natural smelling, warm and comforting fragrance with interesting twists from the spices and resins.

Even if wearable year around Resina IMO is the most cold season friendly fragrance from Oliver & Co. Its non-swetness makes it also possible to wear during the summer even if the warmest days should be avoided.
Longevity is great, 24h and sillage is medium. Beside Mousse, Resina until now is my favorite Olvier & Co fragrance. But who knows, further testings might change this order :-)

Rating. 4+

Notes: Tolu balsam, elemi, myrrh, labdanum, opoponax, jasmine sambac, incense, benzoin, coffee, flame tree, mace, rooibos tea, tonka bean, star anise

Oliver & Co - M.O.U.S.S.E and M.O.U.S.S.E II

Picture: Gewürznelkenbaum, Köhler
 Medizinal -Planzen, Franz Eugen Köhler (1897),
Wikimedia Commons

Mousse and Mousse II are slight different takes on a original fresh spicy clovetheme. Both are created by spanish indieperfumer Oliver Valverde who uses a high precentage of naturals in his, despite this, strong and lasting fragrances.

Moussse: Starts with a distinct scent of airy clove which is unsweet and natural in its interpretation. It's clean but without any detergentnotes despite its consistent supporting musky theme. Even if the clove is airy and transparent in texture, this fragrance is very strong and demands a light application. As Mousse dries down the clove is tamed by a soft sandalwood which perfectly balances the fragrance. In this stage there is a hint of the scent from a soft high quality carnation soap. To summarize Mousse it's the perfect spicy counterpart to Comme des Garcons excellent incense-pine creation Kyoto.   

As Mousse is a non sweet and fresh clove it's wearable also during the summer and the musky spicy clove blooms in warm weather. Mousse is also right to wear during the rest of the year, a versatile sort of timeless ( even if contemporary I can easily image a king of the baroque-era wearing this) unisex fragrance, despite IMO, just as Kyoto, Mousse is leaning to the masculine side. Sillage and longevity (24h+) are great.

Mousse II: This is an even more airy, almost ozonic take on the original Mousse. The clove is lighter and the whole scent is brighter and the fizzy fresh notes of mint and cardamom is added. There are also a strike of the crisp green lily of the valley accord from La Colonia. Overall Mousse II is more playful, brighter, lighter not as distinctive/sharp as the original Mousse and therefore easier to wear. It's also a more feminine unisex fragrance than the original Mousse. Sillage is good and longevity for a day. Etros transparant carnation with clove, Dianthus comes to my mind when wearing Mousse II even if Dianthus is more concentrated of the carnation than its clove notes

Even if Mousse is more masculine I prefer it as it is much more original and also genuinely highlights the clove. There is no attempts to quiet down the powerful clove as I perceive as an intention in the flanker Mousse II. But Mousse II is definitly a good choice for those who prefer a more blended and tuned down perfume featuring clove.

Rating: Mousse 5, Mousse II  3+

Notes Mousse: Lime, aldehydes, clove, lavander, oakmoss, sandalwood, musk
Notes Mousse II: Lime, aldehydes, clove, lavander, cardamom, mint, lily of the valley, sandalwood, ambergris, musk

Olvier & Co - Vetiverus

Picture: Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides) Essential Oil
Photo: Itineranttrader, Wikimedia Commons

Vetiverus is also a part of the illustrated series from spanish perfumehouse Oliver & Co. My impressions comes from Mr Parfumistas testings of Vetiverus.

Vetiverus starts bold, almost medical smelling with notes that feels very natural, like in some creations from La Via del Profumo like for example Tabac. There are also an almost mossy impresson in the start. The start of Vetiverus is masculine IMO. As Vetiverus dries down, the intial harshness softens significantly and the compositon changes to a pleasent, dark green, soapy blend. In this stage Vetiverus is unisex but overall Vetiverus leans towards the masculine and that is probably the reason why Mr Parfumista like Vetiverus better than I do. Vetiverus smells very good on him and he has even consumed the sample, something which is not usual when it comes to this picky nose.

Vetiverus, just as La Colonia, is interesting in its development and in the same time easy to wear and officefriendly (expect the intial accord). Longevity is great (24h+) and sillage is medium+.

Those who like different interpretations of vetiver should definitly try Vetiverus, it has traces from both the more sharp herbal part of them (for example the LesNez Vetiver serie) as from the soapy ones as Guerlain Vetiver and Mona di Orio Vétyver.

Rating: 4

Notes: Labdanum, styrax, vetiver, ambergris, osmanthus flower, orange peel, patchouly, musk, coriander seed, clove bud

Oliver & Co - La Colonia

Picture: La Colonia by Oliver & Co
Photo: PR Oliver & Co

La Colonia from spanish nichehouse Oliver & Co founded by Oliver Valverde who also creates the parfumes, is not a cologne IMO even if it intermediates some elements of cologne freshness. Instead La Colonia performs as an Edt with good sillage and longevity, features that is rare when it comes to light fragrances these days.La Colonia is a part of the illustrated series where an illustration of Pablo Perez Sanmartin capturing the essence of each fragrance is included.

La Colonia starts with a acquatic-citirc accord and the opening is was I like the least with this fragrance, the initial stage feels too undescript "usual-light-perfum-y".Fortunately, this stage doesen't  last long at all, after a few minutes some fersh green, herbal slight spicy notes apperas with dill as the prodominant player to me. The dill in this creation is well blanced, dill I suspect can be too sharp and overwhelming but in La Colonia it's a good contrast to the flowers and soft woody notes. Another composition where dill is used in a pleasant way is Eau de Lalique. In the dry down of La Colonia there is also a fizzy green note playing in harmony with the crisp Lily of the Valley. I suspect this note is green pepper.

La Colonia is a fragrance with interesting twists but in the same time easy to wear, fresh without any detergentnotes and very officefriendly. Perfect for summer or anytime of the year when longing for warm summerdays.

Those who are fond of fragrances in the chilly, fresh, dark green style of Patricia de Nicolaï Week End à Deauville and Andy Tauer Carillon pour une Ange will probably appreciate La Colonia.

Rating: 4

Notes: Bergamot, ozone, dill, jasmine, green pepper, lily of the valley, sandal- and cedarwood

La Colonia and the other intriguing Oliver & Co fragrances is possible to order (free shipping around the world) from the Oliver & Co website. 

Fragrance(s) of the week (26-27) 2013 - Geeky

Photo: Parfumista (c)

One of my favorite perfumerelated occupations is side-by-side testings on different themes,.For example perfumes that I think are quite similar, when testing them one on each arm, in most cases the differences are bigger than what I have percived from smelling the fragrances separately. Another interesting exercise is to test different strenghts (perfume, Edp, Edt) which  also are more or less different formulas of the same fragrances. The most intriguing test is to compare formulations from different decades to find out how a fragrance has evolved from reformulations over the years. Such thrilling exercise are waiting this summer. Last week, on the monthly perfumelunch exhanging samples with  Fragrantfanatic, I recieved some interesting vintagesamples from FF:s bargain on Tradera (swedish E-bay). Now I looking forward to compare the Madame Rochas EDC (70s) with the Madame Rochas Pdt (80s?) and current Madame Rochas Edt I have. Also the Grés Cabochard Edt is very interesting, the sample I received from the 70s to the Edt version I have from the late 90s. I know that the current forumla is pale compared to the late 90s formula, if the difference is that big also between the 90s and 70s formula, than the 70s must be impressive!

Annick Goutal - Les Colognes Vetiver

Picture: Seaside Oregon, US
Photo by Apollomelos, Wikimedia Commons

The Vétiver in the Annick Goutal Les Colognes line, is the scent that IMHO is at least similar to the original. Les Colognes Vétiver is creatred/reconstructed by Isabelle Doyen. I have read somewhere that this reconstructions in Les Cologne line could be an attempt to rescue these classics in some shape from allt the regulations but I don't know.

Les Colognes Vétiver starts with an airy, seabreeze, light vetiver accompanied with something smelling of clean, soft leather. It has nothing of the intriguing scent of soapy silver polish which is carachteristic for the original Vétiver. As the cologneversion dries down, a light touch of a citric-flowery note appears, mingeling with the light, clean leather-vetiver note. The pleasant and discrete white musk of the other Les Colognes is also present in the vétiverversion grace it with some airy radiance. Les Colognes Vétiver is subtle but still present in a comfortable and seaside impression way. A very wearable stylish, fresh fragrance, perfect both for work and casual. Sillage is close but  when it comes to longevity, talking about seaside, Les Colognes Vétiver has more to be desired, it can not cope a three hour boattrip in the inner archipelago. In office sorroundings I suspect it will last for almost a day.

To really appreciate Les Colognes Vétiver I think one have to see it as a separate creation to the original Vétiver. To me the cologne version has more in common with the airy-transparent Etro Vetiver than with the original AG Vetiver Edt.

Rating: 4

Notes: Lemon, vetiver, rosemary, sage, iris