Parfums de Nicolaï - Cuir Cuba Intense

Picture: Native American Tobaccoo flower and buds
Photo: William Rafti of the William Rafti Institute (c)
Wikimedia commons, some rights reserved

 Cuir Cuba Intense is a recent creation from one of the perfumer I appreciate the most, Patricia de Nicolaï. OK, she's a Guerlain offspring so she has perfume in her blood so to say, but the heritage in it self doesn't form a talented perfumer. Patricia is not just talented (there are many talented) she also has the education, training and long experience that in the long run discerns a master parfumer form the good perfumers and the up coming stars. Patricia creates very wearable perfumes which are distinctive and intriguing but in the same time  commercially viable. Cuir Cuba Intense is another example of such a fragrance from the house of de Nicolaï.

Cuir Cuba Intense starts fresh sparkling with  warm citrus and fresh tobacco leaves balanced with some smooth, darker almost gourmand notes of licorice and anise. I can imagine just harvested tobaccoleaves that dries in the sun. Soon a bright and intensive, magnolia note appears and gives tha fragrance a warm, flowery, uplifitng expression. The magnolia is not the shrill and almost disruptive magnolia of  Frederic Malle Eau de Magnolia, the magnolia in Cuir Cuba Intense is sort of domesticated and it's better balanced with other notes. Cuir Cuba Intense is sunny, warm and a happy perfume. After a while smooth spicy elements are showing up, a bit peppery and deepening the warmth and pleasing nature of the fragrance. The cumin is skillfully handled, it doesn't stand out as a separate note, I suppose it just adds some of the strength to the spicy mix. As Cuir Cuba Intense reaches the basenotes it becomes darker and a slight gourmand, spicy cake, aspect of the fragrance appears and is offsetted by a light, animalic touch which create an intriguing inteaction. The patchouli, which smells what I percieve as the smell of natural patchouli leaves are blended with the fresh tobbacco in a extraordinary beautiful way, the best balanced rendition of the combo I have sniffed so far. In the basenotes Cuir Cuba Intense reminds me of another enjoyable recent release, Huitième Art Liqueur Charnelle but without the booze of the latter. The leather in Cuir Cuba Intense is not obvious to me, but tobbacco fragrances are often also referred to as leather/tobbacco. The fragrance is also not the heavy mens club, club chair tobbacco as for example By Kilian Back to Black, which I also like much, Cuba Intense is playing in its own league with the brilliant idea combining the fresh tobbacco with the magnolia.

Picture: Cuir Cuba Intense in the 100 ml bottle
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Cuir Cuba Intense is just that, very intense with a strenght that makes four spritzes on the verge to too much. A small 30 ml bottle will last for ages. The longevity is very good, I can smell it  light but unfragmented on skin after 24h. It's the perfect perfume to brighten up in winter but as a work of such an experienced perfumer, I could imagine it will show other aspects when tested in summer. Cuir Cuba Intense is unisex, leaning a bit to the feminine side when it comes to my nose.

Rating: 5

Notes: Lemon, star anise, licorice, mint, lavender, geranium, ylang-ylang, magnolia, coriander, cumin, patchouli, cedar, tobacco, hay, liatris, civet

Mona di Orio - Lux (old and new version)

Picture: Still-life with Lemons, Oranges and Rose,
Painting 1633 by Francisco de Zurbáran (1598-1664)
Wikimedia commons

Mona di Orio is one of my most favorite perfumers as I love, like and wear (or Mr Parfumista) all her fragrances except Check, check mate wich I have not smell, I think it was a special edition for a fashion designer Jan Taminiau. Lux is one of the first fragrances released from Mona, and it was withdrawn from the market for some years, now re-apperaring in the Signature Collection. In the review I'll compare the juice from my old original Lux bottle with the current from a  sample which I kindly received from Parfums Mona di Orio



Picture: Lux (old version)
Photo: PR Mona di Orio (c)

The old Lux starts lemony, round and fullbodied whith some almost candided sweetness. It has a slight candided sweetness and in its texture its like dark yellow/grey silk velvet, soft and subdued. It's not the bright shining lemon, it's more of a pickled lemon or unsweet on the verge to bitter marmalade. The new Lux starts less lemony, with slight sparkling, light peppery and Woody green notes which brigthen up the lemon a bit compared to the old version. Maybe the difference comes from my perfume has matured over the years but I don't think so as I remember that special lemony, subdued, vevlvet feeling from before. Maybe regulations has changed the concentation of the ingredients, in the topnotes my old brew feels thicker and the newer more transparent. As Lux dries down, the initial special lemony accord remains and the two Lux versions get closer to each other, the slight difference is that I smell more prominent contrasting, almost animalic notes in the old one. They are also present in the new one but I percieve the vetiver stronger in the new version. The vetiver is also more present in the current version when it comes to the balsamic, musky base of Lux. There is more contrasts in the basenotes of the new one thanks to the more prominent vetiver, the old one is more musky with traces of something almost dirty and the impression is slight retro. The basenoteaccord in the new one has better tenacity and longevity than the old version, it's like they are improved a bit. To summerize: I like the topnotes best in the old version, the basenotes best in the new and the middle section is equal liking.

Picture: Lux (new version)
Photo: PR Mona di Orio (c)

Both versions are intriguing and beautiful, the differences I discribe is of minor impact, taken as a whole it doesn't matter which version to own. Lux is a typical Mona di Orio fragrance, it's elegant, mysterious, understated and lingering like a second skin for a day. It's a fragrance that never becomes boring, it intrigues the wearer during the whole dry down. A timless fragrance which in style somehow resembles a nighttime version of Dior Diorella.

Rating:5

Notes: Petitgrain, litchi, lemon, sandalwood, vetiver, cedar, labdanum, benzoin, amber, musk, vanilla

Huitème Art - Liqueur Charnelle

Picture: Liqueur Charnelle
Photo: PR Huiteme Art (c)

Liqueur Charnelle is a woody aromatic fragrance with a gourmand touch created by Pierre Guillaume for one of his lines, Huitème Art.

Liqueur Charnelle starts with boozy notes accompanied with the for dark gourmand fragrances, typical dark, accord of dried fruits. There is also an interplay with not too sweet gourmand notes, like hard candy or delicate cakes. An offsetting, fresh, woody note, like just carved juniperwood also appears and creates a special touch in the top.  After a while woody peppernotes in a distinct dose appears and are the leading accord in the fragrance during almost the rest of its drydown. Liqueur Charnelle acts quite linear during the dry down, with the light pastery accord, supported with some booze as the offsetting notes to the woody pepper. In the basenotes, the pepper steps back and the dark, dried fruits preserved in cognac appears forward just as an accord which highlights balsamic and tobacconotes joins the composition. And the beautiful fresh juniperwood from the topnotes appears and is the note which remains in the very late dry down. To me the basenotes are the most pleasant part of Liqueur Charnelle.

Liqueur Charnelle is definitly a fragrance for late autumn and winter, I think it could be overwhelming in warmer weather. It has an impressive sillage and is strong, very light application is necessary. Liqueur Charnelle is partyly similar to a bunch of woody/spicy/aromatic/gourmand fragrances on the market as for exemple when it comes to the spicy, gourmand part: Editions Parfums de Frederic Malle Dries van Noten, Carner Barcelona Rima XI and to some extent  El Born. That despite all the three mentioned are smoother and cozier, more of "sitting in a café sipping latte", than Liqueur Charnelle which is more extroverted with its woody peppery accords, similar to some recent more masculine woody fragrances. Those fragrances often containing oud, mentioned or not, and when testing Liqueur Charnelle when it comes to its woody part, I come to think of recent releases such as the HA of 2013  Monsieur , Parfums MDCI Cuir Garamante , Puredistance Black (here also the boozy aspects), Robert Piguet Bois Noir (the woody pepper) just as in Montale Dark Oud.

Liquer Charnelle has traces from many fragrances but also an own personality, it's a good fragrance, nice to wear if lightly applied. When I tested Liqueur Charnelle the first time, Mr Parfumista liked it better than me, but after I have worn the sample a few times and found the right, light dose to apply I like it as much. Liqueur Charnelle is something as strange as an aggressive comfortfragrance.

Rating: 5

Notes: Cognac, dried fruits, linden blossom, grapes, caramel, vanilla, black pepper, pink pepper, elemi, amber, raspberry, coumarin, tobacco

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to test.

Oriza L.Legrand - Marions Nous

Picture: The Marions Nous label
Photo: PR Oriza L.Legrand

Marions Nous "Let's get married" is a recreation of a 1928 Oriza L.Legrand fragrance inspired from a book and a popular comedy based thereupon.

Marions Nous starts powdery, and goes on powdery in its whole development.  The impression is very retro, just as sniffing from a bottle of an vintage aldehydic fragrance where the topnotes are slight off. Notes of orangeblossoms, bulbflowers and greenery dominates the top. As Marions Nous dries furtherdown, the green notes intesifies and the fragrance smells like a softer and less sharp version of vintage Caron Infini Edt. There is also a fresh, green chypre impression like in vintage Carven Magriffe. Classic aldehydic flowery notes like carnation, clove and rose dominate the heart of the fragrance but orangeblossom is still present. Marions Nous dries down to a musky, slight powdery, tonkabeen, sandalwood base and the true retro impression of a traditional smelling, slight animalic, aldehydic fragrance, lasts until the last whispers of the fragrance about twelve hours later, whiffs could be captured from the hair 48h later and than it reminds me  of a green sibling to Laboratorio Olfattivo Kashnoir. The powder in Marions Nous of course has the characteristic, elegant, dry, airy Oriza vibe.

With Marions Nous on the market there is no need for hunting for flowery, green aldehydic
fragrances, Marions Nous is an excellent alternative. It recreate the impression of the perfumes of the late 20s and the 30s. As a revived retro creation, Marions Nous of course is not denominated to the olfactory landscape of today and the majority probably will not understand it at all, judging it as an "old ladies scent". Despite that and from a perfumista perspective, Marions Nous is suitable both for daytime and evening wear and for any season.

Rating: 4

Notes: Orange blossom, rose, jasmine, hyacinth, aldehydes, carnation, clove, iris powder, ylang-ylang, tonka been, civet, musk, sandalwood

Oriza L.Legrand - Héliotrope Blanc

Picture: Héliotrope Blanc
Photo: PR Oriza L.Legrand

Héliotrope Blanc is a recreation of a 1886 Oriza L.Legrand release on the sweet. powdery heliotrope-theme. Responsible for the recreation is as always, Oriza co-owner Hugo Lambert.

Héliotrope Blanc starts powdery mixed with the orangeblossom/violet. The powder is of the dry gunpowder type which is clearly present in fragrances such as Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige and Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre, especially in the topnotes. After a while a bit strange, not at all unpleseant, vegetal note appears as some mouldering leaves where thrown into the brew. The vegetal note soon steps in the background and the powdery flowers continues featuring the sweet, but not sugary sweet, warm heliotrope. Tonkabean is also prominent in some stages. From the middlenotes to the late drydown in the basenotes where Héliotrope Blanc is secured with the typical Oriza ricepowdernote. Héliotrope Blanc makes an overall linear impression, no particular twists and changes, but cosy and nice to wear. When it comes to other Orizas, Héliotrope Blanc in style most reminds me of the more intricate Jardins D'Armide. Another fragrance with similarites to Héliotrope Blanc is Parfums de Nicolaï Kiss me tender, which is sweeter, cookielike and smells as it is edible.

Héliotrope Blanc has close sillage and god overday longevity. Suitable for most seasons and occasions but would not be recommended for the warmest months. A good, easy to wear, Oriza styled fragrance but not as intricate as especially the earliest  re-releases from the house.

Rating: 4 (2015)  /5 (2016)

Reassessment February 2016: Wearing Heliotrope Blanc is like relaxing in a cloud of fluffyness, HB is incredibly cozy and smells just fab. An uncomplicated fragrance which creates a cherful mood. Perfect for grey days and Mondays.

Notes: Orangeblossom, violetleaf, almond, heliotrope, iris, mimosa, musk, risepowder, benzoin, tonkabeans

Le Galion - Iris

Picture: HRH Katherine Duchess of Cambridge,
in June 2012 - the perfect Iris wearer
Photo: Carfax2, cropped by Surtsicna (cc)
Wikipedia commons, some rights reserved 

Iris is another of the Le Galion soliflores, Tuberéuse is reviewed in the latest post. The original Iris was created by Paul Vacher 1937 and the reorchestration is made by Thomas Fontaine.

Iris starts with a soft carrot note which is not sharp or too earthy. After a while it steps backwards and Iris becomes more flowery when a sweet flowery note similar to violet appears. Until now Iris is quite similar to most comfortable and easy to wear irisfragrances. Then something peculiar happens, a tart green note, similar to celery apperars, offsetting the flowery  sweetness. The celerypart lasts for quite a while, the special green note doesn't disappear completely but it is very discrete in the rest of the flowery, musky drydown of Iris.In this part lily is the dominating flower and to be honeset, not much of the iris is present in the lovely boquet. The base is musky, slight woody in the same style as Tubéreuse but without the light animalic touch of the latter.

Iris, just as Tubéreuse, is an elegant, well made of good ingredients, classic flowery composition, refershing, very easy and comfortable to wear. Longevity is for a day and silage medium. Iris is suitable for daytimewear, perfect as a classy officescent as there is nothing chemical or sharp about it. Iris is a typical "don't know what to wear fragrance" something to put on when one doesn't for something challenging and demanding. Somehow I can imagine Iris is something that HRH Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge would wear.

Those who're searching for a feminine and flowery iris, or more precisely a good floral bouquet which features iris and lily notes, have to try this wonderful fragrance. Iris are in the same octaves on the note scale as Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile. Those who like irisfragrances such as Laboratorio Olfattivo Nirmal (sweeter), Prada Infusion d'Iris Edp (woodier), XeJroff Irisss (irisi-er) and Ramón Monegal Impossible Iris (frutier) would probably also like Le Galion Iris even if the irisnote is more prounanced in most of them compared to LG Iris.

Rating: 5

Notes: Bergamot, citron, mimosa, hibiscus, iris, lily, rose, galbanum, cedar, amber, musk

Le Galion - Tubéreuse

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

Tubéreuse is one of the re-issued and re-constructued fragances of the french house Le Galion (more about that in the previous post). The original Tubéreuse was created 1937 by Paul Vacher and the current interpretation is performed by Thomas Fontaine.

Tubéreuse starts with a blast of fresh cut, white flowers with some of the crispy, green leaves also clearly present. The tuberose is dominating in the first stage but as Tubéreuse dries down, the fragrance developes, on the verge to, a  voluminous white floral bouquet with some sweet, almost fruity elements. Tubéreuse is fresh and innocent in style, there is neither an indolic interpretation of the flower, like Robert Piguet Fracas, nor a cold, earthy  and green interpretation of the contemporary style like L'Artisan Parfumeur Nuit de Tubéreuse. The flowers are clean and clear, a (white) rose is another flower which steps forward in some passages, and a light spicy accords reinforces as Tubéreuse dries down. There is no powder or soap in the mix, and what it smells like is an uncomplicated, well balanced and very comfortable white bouquet composed with good ingredients. The delicious flowers rests on a musky, slight woody, ambery base balanced with an almost animalic note. The musky-animalic bases gives the fragrance a good longevity and medium silage.

Tubéreuse is very wearable white flower, suitable year around for daytime wearing. It's a bright and happy fragrance and it's reminds me in style of other white bouqet tuberoses such as Gianfranco Ferre signature fragrance with the same name, Oscar de la Renta Mi Corazon (both quite timeless in style), Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle (older and denser in style) and Ramón Monegal Kiss My Name (more contemporary in style).

Rating: 4

Notes: Mandarin, galbanum, pink pepper, pear; tuberose, rose, orange blossom, raspberry, cedar, amber, musk

Thanks to Fragance & Art for the sample to test