Blog anniversary 9 years today

Picture: Autumn roses
Photo: Mr Parfumista (c)

Time flies, it doesn't feel that long since I wrote the last anniversary post, that for the eight years anniversary of the blog.

At the moment I crave some wonderful fragrances from the house of Perris Monte Carlo, reviews will start soon and are planned to be running during the winter. I have also some intriguing samples waiting for test from one of the very best online nicheperfumeshops Fragrance & Art which carries some unusual fragrancelines. Also a sample of the new By Kilian is on its way from Paris.

When it comes to the fragrances worn during weekdays i.e when not much testing going on I can't see any particular trend. It's everything from the heavy YSL Opium to the light Annick Goutal Les Colognes Eau d'Hadrien, maybe this broad variety mirrors the relatively mild weather this autumn, with only a few colder days until now.

And now, lets go for the decade :-)

Brecourt - Les éphémères - Rosa Gallica

Picture: Rosa Gallica (Romania)
Photo: From Wikimedia, user Bogdan, (cc),
some rights reserved 

Rosa Gallica is the first creation in the special collection "Les éphémères" from niche house Brecourt. The fragrances are created by perfumer and housefounder Emilie Bouge. The story behind Les éphémères is according to information from Brecourt as follows: "Each perfume in the "Les Éphémères" collection directs its focus on a rare and precious raw material. Often it involves completely forgotten substances that can only be produced in very small quantities or are too unstable to be noted on the list of popular fragrances.Whoever manufactures a fragrance under such conditions cannot guarantee that the fine raw material in the center of the composition will be available again in the required quantity or quality in the following year. No one can predict whether a perfume can ever be reproduced as the perfect equivalent to the "first edition." Therein lies the volatile nature of these creations: they are impermanent, not reproducible, available only for a short time and in limited quantities ... "éphémère". " The Rosa Gallica is a very old type of rose, known from 1100 BC and imported to Europe by the crusaders in the middleage.

Picture: Rosa Gallica
Photo: PR Brecourt (c)

The perfume Rosa Gallica starts with the for "single" roseperfumes typical, a bit oily, rubbernote, this time i percieve it as been located in the pink octaves of the note scale. The opening accord with the roseoilrubber reminds me of the opening of Annick Goutal Rose Absolue. Soon Rosa Gallica transforms to a darker (still pink), sweeter, balsamic, almost jammy rose with peppery-light spicy accents, probably the myrrh-incense combo. Here Rosa Gallica resembles another beutiful rose fragrance, this time of the oriental type: Aramis Calligraphy Rose. The roses are a bit more prominent in Rosa Gallica whereas Calligraphy Rose has a wider range of notes, also spices and herbal notes. After this stage, Rosa Gallica lightens a bit in the imagined pink nuance and the peppery note intensifies on a musky background, here I recognize a bold, oriental rosy favorite of mine: Montale Roses Musk  Either of these fragrances are containing oud according to their notelists but I think there is some involved as both has some of the woody peppery note that is involved in many oud fragrances. For a short while I percieve Rosa Gallica sweeter again, with an almost vanillic touch and Mancera Roses Vanille shows up. In the basenotes, Rosa Gallica turns back to the Aramis Calligraphy Rose phase again, but more rosy and pink than the latter when comparing the basenotes.

Picture: Rosa Gallica
Photo: PR Brecourt (c)

As indicated above, Rosa Gallica has similarities with a bunch of distinctive oriental rose fragrances, Therefore it's not particularly original or innovatory but it smells really good and is a pleasure to wear. Rosa Gallica is classified as unisex, to me it leans to the feminine side on the scale. Longevity is great about 24h and sillage is big but not overwhelming. Rosa Gallica was not at all what I've expected, when reading of the background and looking at the picture of this ancient rose. I thought it would be a relatively light but tenable natural, clean smelling pink rose in the style of Annick Goutal Rose Absolue or Rose Splendide (swe), which was the case only in the very first accord.


Rating: 5


Notes: Baie rose, incense, gallican rose, myrrh, cashmere woods, ebony, ambergris

Thanks to ParfumMaria for the sample to try

Olivier Durbano - Prométhée

Picture: The legend of Prométhée
Photo: PR Olivier Durbano (c)

Prométhée is the 2014 addition to the Olivier Durbano collection. With Prométhée Olivier, according to what is written around the background to the fragrace, want to enter a new path for his fragrances. Many of the earlier ones are focused around different incense themes, with Prométhée he wants to do something new.

Prométhée starts with a masculine colognenote dominated by the characteristic citrus note of a classical cologne. This stage lasts only for a short while, soon step by step peppery, herbal and soft spicy notes appears. Then a slight animalic note appears, giving the herbal notes a rounder and softer shape. In this stage, Prométhée reminds me of Miller Harris L'Air de Rien  but less sweet and musky than the latter.
This stage is followed by a quirky passage that lasts for a while. A metallic note appears and something starts to grow until it smells almost like fresh blood. This is a bit upsetting and disturbing for ones peace of mind but it doesn't smells bad at all. I get a similar, but lighter painted, metallic-bloody experience in Parfumerie Générale Harmatan Noir. As the metallic-bloody accord steps back,  Prométhée gets spicier and darker, with resins smoothening the dominating herbal theme. An effect that reminds me of the smell of mulled wine appears and Prométhée is from now a fragrance that triggers a contemplating mood. Later a tart and dry earthy-vegetal accord appears, reminding me of the smell of crispy autumn leaves on the frosty ground a cold late autumnday. There is also a hint of pink pepper present but it doesn't dominate, just adds some sparkle. Vetiver also brighten the base with a woody, green slight citric element. The herbal aspect of Prométhée reminds me of Parfum d'Empire Corsica Furiosa even if that one evokes the image of a hot mediterrian summerday with burned herbal/grassy notes but also greener, lighter, playing in the higher octaves of the notescale. 

Picture: Prométhée
Photo: PR Olivier Durbano (c)

Present over the dry down from the middle to the end of Prométhée there is a cold, rounded accord whith a mineral wibe, I think it's a interpretation of myrrh. This cold stone accord are present in many of the earlier Durbanos and it has a similar apperance as in Prométhée in one of my favorites from the house, Lapis Philosophorum. To me Prométhée is not a depature from the Olivier Durbano style, it's still the same but this time without a dominating incense. Promethèe is a difficult and demanding fragrance which highlights different aspects in different wearings. Therefore it's intriguing and challenging to wear in the same way as Lapis Philosophorum.

Promethée to me is the perfect autumn fragrance, it captures the mood and colors of late autumn. It could be worn both for work and casual but one have to be careful when applying, this is strong stuff. Sillage is medium and longevity for more than a day. It's a unisexfragrance leaning slight to the masculine side.

Rating: 4

Notes: Fennel, pink pepper, nutmeg, myrtle, labdanum, lily, narcissus, sage, styrax, incense, ambergris, cedar, musk, vetiver

Thanks to Fragrance & Art for the sample to try 

Franck Boclet - Patchouli

Picture: Empress Josephine in a
patchouliscented kashmere shawldress
Painting by painting by Antoine-Jean Gros (1809)
Picture from pintertest, referred to 1000fragrances.bolgspot.com 

Patchouli is a fragrance from the perfumline of the fashionhouse Franck Boclet. Patchouli is created by perfumer Melaine Leroux.

Patchouli starts with an old book musty patchuli but the old book note is not as strong or sharp as in Les Nereides Patchouli Antique. Soon the old book impression lightens up and a dark chocolate and spices are added, with the moisty impression prevails. After a while the chocolate and spices transforms to a beautiful, clean not by any means muddled tobbacco note. Tobbacco is not mentioned among the notes but somehow the fresh tobbacco smell is present. This clean almost sparkling and natural smelling tobbacco is the leading part for quite a while, the tobbacco reminds me of the beautiful Parfums de Nicolaï Cuir Cuba Intense. Then the patch, this time cleaner and earthier, once again takes the centerplace. The pathouli is now paired with a very pleasant, smooth, moisty, creamy, slight musky note, which rounds the edges off. As Patchouli dries further down, the spicy accord appears again as also the tobbacco glimpses now and then. The basenotes are woody with ambery, vanillic touches, the patchouli still present but appears lighter and cleaner almost as it now has transformed for a mission where it has to offset the other sweeter and heavier basenotes.

Picture: Franck Boclet Patchouli
Photo: PR Franck Boclet (c)

Having a soft spot for patchoulifragrances, Franck Boclet Patchouli IMO is a very good and multifaceted representant of the genre. As much is going on, with contrasting elements interacting in different ways during the different phases of the dry down, Patchouli is particulary intriguing when taken in consideration that it's presented as a solinote perfume (which it of course is not).

Patchouli is a warm, comforting and relaxing patchouli, perfect for autumn and winter. It's projects close to medium depending on dosage. It's unisex in character and could be worn for work or casual. Very good longevity, it lasts unfragmented for more than a day.

Those who likes patchouli fragrances as Chanel Coromandel, Oriza L. Legrand Horizon and Ramon Monegal Mon Patchouly will probably like Franck Boclet Patchouli too.

Rating: 5

Notes: Patchouli, cedar- and sandalwood, amber, benzoin, tonka been, vanilla, musk

Thanks to Fragrance and Art for the sample to test

Five fab frags for fall 2015

Already in the middle of the autumn, which are probably the best days when it comes to wearing perfume over the whole year. Crisp and chilly days are contrasted with almost summery tempratures, the last traces of the summer. This encourages the use of fragrances representing quite different perfumestyles. Below some favorites for the mid season, excluding the ones I have tried and/or reviewed during the latest weeks.

Picture: Perle de Mousse
Photo: Parfums Ann Gerard (c)

Perle de Mousse (Ann Gerard): Many describes this as a springscent, probably because the Lily of the vally note which is one of the protagonists together with ivy and galbanum. To me it's autumn as I precieve it as golden, glowing, tart and dusky as the moisty forestfloor.

Picture: Eau Soleil
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Eau sOleil (Parfums de Nicolaï): From the 2013 Nicolaï summercollection of lighter and easy to wear fragrances. To me this warm and golden nerolifragrance where the citric notes are skillfully balanced with herbal notes is like a sunny day in the autumn, a warming sun with some crisp chilliness in the shadow.

Picture: La Religieuse
Photo: PR Serge Lutens (c)

La Religieuse (Serge Lutens): This subdued, slight soapy and animalic jasmine havn't many fans when reading comments and reviews. To me it's sort of contemplating and serene reminding me somehow of an everyday variation emerged from one of my most favorite SL:s ever, De Profundis.

Picture: Gucci by Gucci Edp
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

Gucci by Gucci (Gucci): I very much appreciate this contemporary chypre both in the darker fruitier Edp version as also in the more flowery Edt. It's dark, stripped patchouli with  its earthy freshness adds a contrasting dept to both versions. A modern classic.

Picture: Colonia Oud
Photo: PR Acqua di Parma (c)

Acqua di Parma Colonia Oud (Acqua di Parma): The top and middlenotes of this are fabulous, a flowery oud which reminds me of the slight flowery cambodian oud. In the basenotes it's more of a standard peppery woody (porbably cedar) oud but some of the flowery woody accord glimpses now and then.

Which are your mid-fall favorites?

Parfums de Nicolaï - Ambre Cashmere Intense

Picture: Autumn oakleaves
Photo: Parfumista (c)

Ambre Cashmere Intense is the latest addition to the perfumeline of Parfums de Nicolaï, the reaible, quality niche house founded by the Guerlain descendant, perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï . The house celebrated a quarter of a century last year.

Ambre Cashmere starts with a beautiful, sparkling accord dominated by a full and round lemony note cleverly mixed with pepper. The pepper is not at all dominating, which unfortunately is very common with this note. Instead of beeing overdosed the pepper adds sparkle and contributes to a dry and warm impression. The lemony note has some green accents which adds an very elegant texture to the fragrance.I recognize this accord from other Nicolaïs as for example L'Eau Chic and Vanille Tonka, it's seems to be something like a signature for the casual chic style of Nicolai. When Ambre Cashmere reaches the middlenotes, a slight buttery note with a floral touch appears. Despite the buttery texture there is something almost ozonic, fizzy appearing for a while. A beautiful, dry vanilla which feels unprocessed and natural appears, there is not the candy sweetness nor the woody old-book smelling vanilla version. The vanilla in the basenotes is balanced with smooth, rounded resins, a powdery tonkabeen with a touch of patchouli which together with a light musk adds dept and longevity to the scent. Ambre Cashmere is intresting also in the basenotes, the fragrance is shifting in its performance, for example suddenly the base becomes a tad spicy, an almost cinnbar like note which I recognize from (but here it appears in a lighter form) the very special, most unusual patchouli secnt I have sniffed so far, Patchouli Homme which I think is renamed to Patchouli Intense. Further in the drydown the spicy patch gets cleaner, earthier but still discrete and supporting, not at all dominating.

Picture: Ambre Cashmere Intense
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï (c)

Ambre Cashmere is a light, soft and uplifting amberperfume. The amber is not dominating as the name implies, the amber is discretly present, surrounding the fragrance and creating a soft, golden aura around the wearer. When it comes to the overall gentle apperance and texture of the fragrance, the "Intense" part of its namn it hard to understand. Ambre Cashmere is a perfect perfume in the first beautiful part of the autumn with the golden sunlight and the leaves shifting in orange and yellow. Something with Ambre Cashmere reminds me of Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Ambre even if not smelling the same, the MdO Ambre is more distinct with a dry gunpowdernote. Anyway both fragrances are light ambers in the higher octaves of the notescale, powdery and cashmerelike in texture. Wearing these fragrances is like to be wrapped in a featherlight cashmereshawl.

Ambre Cashmere is a discrete fragrance with close sillage but  clearly present to the wearer and to those who are in 1-2 meters distance. A wearable and elegant fragrance, even if classified as unisex it's IMO leaning to the feminine side. Longevity is good, last unfragmented for a day and when it comes to this aspect of the perfume, it deserves the epithet "Intense". Even if not the most exciting or innovative perfume, Ambre Cashemere is very well made, elegant, relaxing to wear and as always with Nicolaï. perfectly blended and balanced.

Raring: 4

Notes: Black pepper, mandarine, citron, orrisrooth, violet, cloves, vanilla, labdanum, benzoin, tonka been, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, musk

Parfume d'Empire - Musk Tonkin

Picture: Marlene Dietrich, a worthy wearer of Musk Tonkin
Image source: i006.radikal.ru

Musk Tonkin from Parfume d'Empire was first introduced as a limited parfume edition in 2012. In 2014 an Edp version was launched. Musk Tonkin is created by P d'E founder, perfumer Marc-Antoine Corticchiato. The review will cover both the perfume and the Edp versions.

The concept behind Musk Tonkin is an attempt to recreate the smell of the real animalic musk tonkin  which is derived from the musk deer, using vegetal and syntetical musk replacement.

From the beginning until the end Musk Tonkin is vintage in style, as a 1930s diva in a  biascutted velvety evening gown and a grand furstole. The fragrance starts  dark, heavy, musky flowery, the parfume rounder, smoother and more close to the skin. The Edp is lighter, playing in the higher octaves with some almost citric/fruity notes wich gives the fragrance an  almost sparkling radiance in the first accords. The perfume version goes straight to be a skinscent, and even if close, it's a skinscent with quite a detectable sillage. As the topnotes have vanished, the Edp approach to the parfume and becomes quite similar even if I can discern some minor differences, the parfume is still a notch more dark flowery, a bit more velvety and smooth, the Edp still a bit brighter and sharper. In the middlenotes both versions becomes more musky and also a bit spicy, cumin is defenitely involved but in smaller potions than in Parfums d'Empire Aziyade. Indolic, white flowers interacts with the prominent vegetal musky note, a vegetal musk that reminds me of amberette seeds, hay and almost powdery, light touched barnyard notes. This musky setting, and the image the fragrance creates overall, reminds me to some extent to Parfums MDCI Chypre Palatin.  Maybe the flower in Musk Tonkin is tubereuse as I'm reminded of Miller Harris Noix de Tubereuse when it comes to the integrated, heavy, seamless, indolic flower, musky accord. Musk Tonkin is quite linear in its development, even if  the musk is slightly more prominent in the basenotes, it's still balanced and is not taking over the composition completely. If I would describe Musk Tonkin in one sentence it's: A vegetal musk soliflore.

Picture: Musk Tonkin
Photo by: PR Parfum  d'Empire (c)

 

Musk Tonkin is sometimes described as an animalic, dirty musk. As I havn't smelled real musk tonkin  can't judge  if this vegetal musky smell is also close to the animalic version. As I remember Serge Lutens Muscs Koublaï Khan it's not as musty, less flowery and with more traces of cumin than Musk Tonkin. It's also more animalic even if a discrete interpretation. For those searching for a hardcore, dirty musk, Les Neréidés Fleur Poudreé de Musc could be recommended, Musk Tonkin and its siblings stand out as shy violets compared to this one.
Musk Tonkin is best for the colder month, especially it's good for cold evenings. Sillage is close and longevity great, for 24h at least. Unisex, leaning to the feminine side.

Those who likes fragrances as Mona di Orio Nuit de Noire and Maison Francis Kurkdijan Absolue Pour Le Soir will probably also like Musk Tonkin.

Rating: 5

Notes: Musk

Thans to Fragrance & Art for the sample of Musk Tonkin Edp to test, the parfume  comes from my own sample