New Features Coming Up on Perfume Shrine

Perfume Shrine is pleased to announce the introduction of yet new features to accompany our very popular original ones: Frequent Questions and Myth Debunking. For these projects we aim to provide answers to questions that often arise due to confusion, misunderstandings, false claims by sales assistants or just good old inexperience (the best reason of them all because we have all been there!). Easily, clearly, yet not simplistically, we will try to offer useful guidelines for your shopping and appreciative purposes.
First installment coming up shortly!

Optical Scentsibilities: Eve and the Forbidden Apple

The story of Eve, her defiance on munching the forbidden apple and the symbolism of poisonous apples standing as wisdom, knowledge and sin in fairy tales have inspired perfume advertising for decades. Today I present you with some of the most beautiful examples.

First there was Nina Ricci and her Fille d'Eve (daughter of Eve) from 1952.
optiChristian Dior exploited the symbolism cunningly from the very start for their Poison series of scents, starting with the very first ~and probably the one with the almost poisonous vapors of a good, true, proper tuberose (me likey!) in mind:


In Hypnotic Poison, the metamodern incarnation of the poisonous apple is fetishly-dressed in red rubberized material, completely in tune with a new audience and the model sports the novel makeup choices to match:


Pure Poison kept the shape of the bottle, but turning it into opalescent white it created a jarring contrast with the jet-black jewels, dress and hair of the model and the Alien-esque movements of the unidentifiable "creature" with which she competes with for:


Recently, after acquiring Monica Bellucci as their spokesmodel, the perfect tantalizing Eve, Dior reprinted their Hypnotic Poison ads with the symbolisms evidently in place, reptilians and all:



In the meantime, Joop had launched All about Eve in a frosted apple bottle in the 90s. Symbolism had gone away from the carnal and into the wholesome by then (in tandem with the concerns for lighter smells and "cleaner" living) and the scent was limpid, promoted with exposure of bare clean flesh.



Cacharel decided to feature Eve and the apple in a regression into the prelapsarian paradise of a garden pre-Greenhouse-effect where there is no hint of doom or decay; it was 1994 and the fragrance was Eden:



Lolita Lempicka is another fragrance who took the symbolism of the apple beyond its fresh, wholesome appeal into the realm of the unknown and the magical. Luckily, the scent resplendid in its bittersweet licorice gourmand overtones corresponds well to the ingenious promotion:


And finally Nina Ricci regresses into their archives to resurrect the apple, but featuring it in a candy-sweet gourmand with a previous fragrance's name, Nina. Hard to envision as either poisonous or sinful apart from its calorific load:

Clips originally uploaded on Youtube. Pics from perfumedistributor.com, parfum de pub, forget-flowers.co.uk and Elle publication.

Thanks Given

To the wonderful gift of life and to the love that travels on angels' wings.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!



Pic sent to me by the good people at Hermes.

Guerlain Vol de Nuit: fragrance review and history

Roja Dove likes to narrate the tale of an American customer who came into a British shop opulently dressed in mink and diamons when Vol de Nuit was not available in Britain, and upon being offered by the sales assistant to try something else, she quipped "Honey, I didn't get where I got today wearing anything but Vol de Nuit and I am not changing for no-one!" Such is the emphatic loyalty Vol de Nuit produces in its admirers ~dame Diana Rigg, Katherine Hepburn and Barbara Streisand among them. I can very well understand why, because I have been securely caught in its web myself. Its haunting, powdery, almost skin-like quietude accounts for a rather sweet fragrance that caresses the senses much like the moody bass and saxophone in a smooth jazz piece. It is seductive despite itself ~in contrast to the calculating wiles of Shalimar~ peppered with the noble juxtaposition that a pressed shirt decorated with an art-deco jewel would evoke.

Guerlain followed their tradition of using evocative names inspired by famous personalities or stories (Eau Impériale for Empress Eugenie, Eau du Coq for French actor Coquelin of Syrano fame, Shalimar for the imperial gardens of Lahore, Mitsouko after Claude Farrere's protagonist in "La Bataille"; and much later Liù after Puccini's heroine in "Turandot" and Chamade after Sagan's novel). They chose "Vol de Nuit"/ Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, chief pilot of Aéropostale, French continent-to-continent mail operations company, and a combat pilot in World War I. Saint-Exupéry also wrote "Courier Sud"(Southern Mail) and "Terre des Hommes"(Wind, Sand and Stars) but was immortalised via the classic allegory "The Little Prince". A close friend of Jacques Guerlain, famous for his romantic conquests and very much read at the time, he disappeared in a reconnaissance flight during World War II (1944). His fate, eerily similar to Fabien's, the newly-wed protagonist of "Night Flight", a pilot on the airmail plane from Patagonia to Buenos Aires who is caught in a cyclone and dies while his wife Simone anxiously awaits signal atop the control tower, is shrouded in romantic mystery. Thus, two years after the publication of the novel, in 1933, Jacques Guerlain launched his fragrance by the same name.


The fragrance Vol de Nuit, inspired by the brave early days of aviation, much like En Avion by Caron, or alternatively the ocean-liner named Normandie by Patou, they all coincided with the at once fascinating and perilous exploration of uncharted territories, exotically comparable to our contemporary exploration of the galaxy. And yet despite everything Vol de Nuit compared with En Avion or even Normandie is tamer than its whirwind name would suggest but none the less magisterial for it. Technically a woody oriental, yet with its pronounced opening green note it totters between an oriental and a chypre. Which is understandable if one considers that it was the first fragrance to make overuse of galbanum, thus influencing classics to follow such as Germain Cellier's Vent Vert, Paul Vacher's Miss Dior and Guy Robert's Chanel No.19. The other characteristic element in Vol de Nuit is jonquil absolute. The initial green rush of those two notes along with spice (a delectable touch of cinnamon, perhaps deriving from benzoin) follows a swift diminuendo into delicate flowers similar to those that appear as if pressed between the pages of a stranger's antique journal in the heart of Chant d'Aromes. The ambience of that floral hug is softly-spoken, refined and gentle ceding to a haunting drydown of woody musky nuances, with the characteristic ambery-vanilla-orris-coumarin sweetness that comprises the tradition of Guerlain (the Guerlinade). The original composition contained costus oil, but today that ingredient is restricted, therefore synthetic approximations by IFF are used. That powdery, discreetly smoky phase resembles the quiet plush of Habit Rouge (the masculine version of Shalimar ) laced with the slight wistfulness over a wise advice that you just didn't follow...

Notes for Guerlain Vol de Nuit:
Top: orange, bergamot, lemon, mandarin, petitgrain, galbanum, sage, aldehydes
Heart: violet, rosewood, palmarosa, jasmine, jonquil/daffodil, pimento
Base: Vanilla, benzoin, Peru balsam, musk, cedarwood, orris, tonka bean, oakmoss, agarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, ambergris, castoreum.

Originally the Vol de Nuit flacon was designed with a front that represented an airplane's propeller at the time when Air France was born and air-travel held the lure of adventure. The name is cut out of a circle of gold metal suggesting the propeller belt. The outer box was conceived to look zebra-stripped to denote the fascination with exotic travelling and Africa, the wild continent.

Later on the flacon followed the almost vase-shape of other Guerlain scents. In the '80s and '90s a refill was made in plain glass for the classic gold Habit de Fete canisters. The parfum circulates in the squat short flacon with the quadrilobe stopper that still holds Jicky and Nahéma in extrait de parfum. The French Air Force Collge orders bottles of Vol de Nuit to be emblazoned with their emblem so that their cadets can offer as gifts when officially visiting abroad. There even was a talc product aromatized with Vol de Nuit which I hope I could come across one day.

The parfum concentration in Vol de Nuit is eminently nobler, yet the Eau de Toilette especially in vintage versions is very satisfactory and rich. It is incidentally one of the Guerlain fragrances where the newer batches have not the pillaged air other thoughroughbreds have suffered, although it lasts somewhat shorter, perhaps because under LVMH supervision all the animalics have been replaced with synthesized versions to comply with current ethical concerns (as is the case in all Guerlain fragrances).
NB: Not to be confused with the recent introduction of Vol de Nuit Evasion (2007) which is in fact an eau de toilette concentration of Guerlain's Guet Apens/ Attrape Coeur (more on which subsequently).

Vol de Nuit is available from Guerlain counters although not all of them carry it and if they do it might be tucked back behind the countertop. Ask for it!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Guerlain series.

Pics through euart, ebay, parfum de pub.

Ormonde Jayne Zizan for men: fragrance review

Zizan by Ormonde Jayne comes as a prolepsis of sorts after a variegation of scents that want to appeal to men's feminine side, getting them in touch with flowers or traditionally girlier concepts such as Dior Homme, Kenzo Power and Prada Infusion d'Homme. Not jarringly different than announced, Zizan is hairy-chested in a supreme Sean Connery Scottish-accent-in-place way when he's stoically sighing "Oh, the things I do for England" as he undresses yet another of his female conquests atop a helicopter no less, getting us right back to 1967. A fragrance of the good-old times when men were men (and the sheep were very nervous!); when they opened the door for you and never offered to split the check. I could live without some of the other addendum to that era, but one can't deny a certain sweet nostalgia for things ironically one hasn't lived through.

Although to the world traveller the name recalls the Zizan people of Myanmar, in fact it simply derives from vetiver zizanoides, the Latin taxonomy for vetiver species (and if you're missing out on what this mysterious grass is and the magical things it does to fragrances read our Vetiver Series). Funnily enough, the name "zizan" is given in Greek to any stubborn weed that emphatically refuses to be eradicated and metonymically to personalities in a similar vein. Perhaps this is exactly the description of the sort of man (or emancipated woman) that would fit Ormonde Jayne Zizan perfectly: stubborn, sturdy yet gentlemanly solid.

The crescent of the duration of the fragrance on skin resembles the course of dawn to dusk with the brighter citrusy elements gaining momentum to then slowly pave the way to autumnal shades of lightly smokier mists. Three varieties of vetiver and hesperides' essences combine to produce a lasting and refined old-style cologne that outlasts Isfarkand (with its bracing opening that soon pales). With elements of the refreshing, refined and care-free style of classic Roudnitska creation Eau Sauvage (citrus, hedione, vetiver) along with the aromatic accents (laurel, clary sage) of Paco Rabanne pour homme, Zizan includes a discreetly sweet little note that surfaces much later along with the woody, dry elements coalescing on the skin and lending it the mantle of humaness. I think Ormonde Man is more unusual and perhaps therefore more intriguing, but I cannot deny the charm that such an elegant allusion to a bygone retro handsomeness produces.

Women could partake of this essentially burly, macho fragrance as a memento of a close encounter that retains the dejection of parting or as an exploration of how liberating it feels to wear something so wonderfully masculine. King Leonidas is guarding his own Thermopylae as always, he's smelling fabulous and I don't think he's set to lose this time!

Notes for Zizan:
Top: Sicilian lime, lemon, bergamot,clary sage, pink pepper, juniperberry.
Heart: Bay, violet and jasmine.
Base: Vetiver, cedar, musk and amber.

Ormonde Jayne Zizan for Men comes in Eau de Parfum ceoncentration in 50ml/1.7oz bottles for 64£ in the classic Ormonde Jayne presentation. Available directly from the Ormonde Jayne boutique in London and Dubai and from her site.

One sample will be given to a lucky reader! (Enter your name in the comments)

Further related reading on Perfume Shrine: an interview with perfumer & founder Linda Pilkington here and a review of Tolu.

Pic of Gerlad Butler via gerald-butler.net. Pic of Zizan bottle via Ormonde Jayne.

Harajuku Lovers float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day for the US and I have been informed that Macy's will host a Harajuku Lovers float; you know: those cute girls that have been the inspiration behind the Harajuku Lovers fragrances by Gwen Stefani. So without further ado, here are the details for those of you who might be interested in attending.

WHAT: Harajuku Lovers float appearing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

WHEN: Thursday, November 27, from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

WHERE: Columbus Circle: the west side of the street; Broadway: between 38th and 58th streets; 34th Street: the south side of the street between Broadway and 7th Avenue

WHY: Neon Lights, over the top signs and Harajuku girls are on full blast on the new Harajuku Lovers float. Inspired by the Harajuku area of downtown Tokyo, the float consists of multi-level, clear, plexi-glass platforms that show the lights of Tokyo to full effect. Featured on board will be balloonhead alter egos of Love, Lil Angel, Music, Baby and G - the Harajuku Girls! Also taking the trip through Manhattan will be the real Love, Angel, Music and Baby who will dance close to their balloon counterparts on Thanksgiving.

More info can be found directly at Macy's website and pics have been uploaded on Flickr.

Another post coming up shortly!

Info via press release.

Vera Wang's Look: fragrance review

Vera Wang is synonymous with nuptials, wedding gowns, flower arrangements to compete with the roses in all of Surrey and generally romanticism in the 9th degree. Her original fragrance, Vera Wang, as well as Sheer Veil and Truly Pink, were romantic affairs of flowery fragrances that would fit the entourage of a bride ~or the bride herself~ effortlessly. Imagine my surprise at smelling Look, her newest fragrance, which takes the path of a fresh approach that is more upbeat and contemporary, less traditionally floral. Where is the white-gown in all that? Nevertheless, it wouldn't be terribly misleading to think that the perfectly-cut flacon of Look which resembles an emerald-cut diamond when faced from the front, is Vera's allusion to the sine qua non of a wedding proposal.

According to the press release: "The bold, modern, captivating scent of Vera Wang Look embraces a woman’s confidence and creates a seductive effect through complex textures and layers of fragrance notes. It introduces notes of mandarin, watery greens, lychee and golden delicious apple in the top notes. The heart incorporates lily, freesia and jasmine, while the base notes introduce a rhapsody of sweet vanilla, musk, oak moss and patchouli."
Look was created in co-operation with Firmenich by perfumer Annie Byzantian, the creator of mega-blockbuster Aqua di Gio and co-author of Pleasures and Safari pour Homme. Whether following her individual vision or not, the above fragrances should give you an idea of where Look is veering to. To me Vera Wang's Look is poised between a fresh fruity floral with all that entails and a "modern" chypre: one definitely wouldn't mistake it for a fragrance heavy in the classic perfume-y ingredients that characterise the chypre family. And it's definitely not a white floral affair either no matter what the given notes would denote. The refreshing burst of the greenish mandarin opening cedes to a lathery cleanness and a microscopic vanilla and sweet patchouli hint in the drydown. Despite initial impressions, it has a suggestion of sweet powderiness that reminds me of cherry blossom scents and which would likely it make it quite popular with young women. Opposed to the very uncharacteristic teeny-bopper Princess, Look takes its place in the Vera Wang line-up nevertheless; although it does so with a less traditionally feminine or romantic approach than her first ~and in my opinion best~eponymous fragrance. I see it as more of an everyday, office scent choice which lasts satisfactorily. I suspect the Parfum Elixir is a more sensuous concentration that might be highlighting the lusher aspects compared to the sparer Eau de Parfum.

The advertising prints, featuring model Anna Selezneva, were shot by Steven Meisel and they are poised at an intriguing angle since the bottle, a glass prism, is set in the foreground, while the model dressed in bright mandarin hues is standing behind it and is looking into us through it, as if she is watching the world through this prism. Which I realize is the whole concept behind naming a fragrance Look of course...

Look has benefited from a classy presentation: A modern geometric prism flacon with facets polished to perfection. Inspired by Vera Wang’s pret-a-porter, contrasting proportions are architectural and refined. The slender silhouette of the clear glass cap is a reflection of simplicity. The packaging utilizes matte grey with light grey contours visible on the box and on the name Look, which is written in vivid orange in the middle of the box.

Notes for Vera Wang Look:
Top: mandarin, green notes, lytchee, green apple
Heart: lily, freesia, jasmine
Base: vanilla, musk, oakmoss, patchouli


To learn more visit the Vera Wang site and listen to Vera Wang explain the concept here.

The perfume is available as Parfum Elixir in 30ml/1oz flacon with crystal stopper and wand (300$), and as Eau de Parfum in 30ml (1.0oz) ~outside of US~, 50ml (1.7oz.) and 100ml (3.4oz)bottles ~in the US. Look is accompanied by a line of body products: body cream, body lotion and shower cream (200 ml each). Available at travel retail worldwide and Nordstorm.

Pics through Vera Wang and Moodie Report .

Economic Crisis? What Economic Crisis?

If the current economic standing of several households across the globe is anything to go by, surely the market should be catering to their needs by budgeting their offerings, providing outlets for small pleasures and the possibility of indulging into the escapist dream of sent bon without mortaging anything that is left standing to mortgage. However the above has probably been wishful thinking on our part. According to an article by Nazani Lakarani on yesterday's online edition of International Herald Tribune, companies are not especially tuned into the needs of perfumephiles who demand smaller bottles of their desired "fix" so they can collect with less guilt (just how much can one person apply in one lifetime?) and options for budget-friendly versions of packaging (refills, travel cases and similar contraptions). In a time of crisis how do the players respond?
The highlights of this article include some eye-glaring exempla of an industry which is either taking itself too seriously or not at all.

"Traditional luxury and designer brands still sell well; but at the top end of the market, the demand for personalized, custom-made luxury has spread to perfumery. "Regardless of budget, customers today seek a unique fragrance that sets them apart," said Ladan Lari, managing director of designer fragrances at L'Oréal, the French beauty products company.

I have long held that elitism is an integral part of escapism in the fragrance business; and especially in times when that escapism is within reach of everyone thanks to the Internet boom it stands to reason that someone needs to emphasize the luxurious, exclusive privilege of owning a coveted item that would differentiate the peasants from the posh (or so the unadmitted truth raises its ugly head). Several brands have played that game well and they have reaped the benefits: thanks to the Internet and the buzz of fragrance writing consumers up till now were willing to pay almost anything to own such an item. The sarcasm and deep contempt (for the plight of many consumers) of seeing this in black & white though makes me cringe a little...

"Positioning itself between the bespoke and limited edition markets, one specialized perfume company, l'Artisan Parfumeur, plans to introduce in January a line of single-edition perfumes - only one bottle of each will be made - to be sold exclusively through its flagship Paris store. The work of Bertrand Duchaufour, the in-house nose hired this year, the line, Mon Numéro, will be presented in one-off bottles designed by Pascale Riberolles, an artist and master glass blower, priced at about $20,000 for a 725-milliliter flask."

Now here is the weird part: one bottle of each fragrance, a collector's item accompanied by a matching price. And I am asking: why??? Why employ the artistry of a perfumer who is admittedly ingeniously revolutionizing the industry with his creations anyway for just what will inadvertedly become a museum piece? He can't be that bored, since he is given almost carte blanche within a niche house where he is master of all he surveys to create as he sees fit. Surely the owner of that single piece of perfume has as many chances of cracking that bottle open and ruining part of its investement value in the process as the oil problem of the planet solving itself naturally within the next decade. I am very much afraid that it will be a waste of energy, time, budget and essence in what will amount to an intellectual exercise instead of a paean to beauty. Fragrances are meant to be living and breathing things, radiating their joy, their wistfulness, their paramours within polite society's radius; not something tucked in a cellar awaiting the future generations to crack them open years later as a monetary investement in art. Attributing the artistry of perfumery into producing an artefact for an antiseptic environment is akin to sculpting a Venus of Milo for the private enjoyment of a single person in a remote village of an exotic Never Never land: a crime for and in the eyes of humanity.

"Kurkdjian's bespoke scents, conceived, blended and matured over 6 to 10 months, are priced at $10,000 for two 60-milliliter flasks, hand-engraved with a name or personal message. He also offers a service that he calls "Variations sur Mesure," mainly aimed at U.S. or British clients accustomed to fast results. "Based on a scent the client likes, I create several variations," Kurkdjian said. "The one ultimately chosen is still one-of-a-kind, but without the time-consuming adjustments. Ready in 10 days, it costs between $3,800 and $5,000."

I have no special reason to defend any nationality, but when I see such hidden contempt (yes, you read that right) for American and British clients ~no matter that I am not part of that group~ I cringe some more. Let's repeat and ponder this time: "mainly aimed at U.S. or British clients accustomed to fast results". Is it my own impression or is there a very obvious snide in this? Fast results accounting for poor taste or something, and even that "fast results" being a gross generalisation. Basta! I sincerely hope that this is not a quote by mr.Francis Kurkdjian, whom I respect and admire for his talented offerings to the world of fragrance which I often enjoy myself. He is both much too young and much too talented to be so cynical so early on. Let's just hope it was an infortunate deduction on the part of the author. I welcome any clarification should anyone want to set things straight.

You can read the rest of the article here

Article brought to my attention by Elysium on POL. Pic through the Clint Eastwood Archive.

When Perfume and Art Nostalgically Mix

One of the most nostalgic perfume commercials I always remember with a pang of melancholy in my heart is the one for Cacharel's fragrance Loulou from 1988. Inspired as it was (along with the perfume itself) by Louise Brooks and her ethereal, yet also devilish character in Pabst's Pandora's Box and the cryptic message of a knowing wink beneath a heavy dark fringe it produced a soft spot for every aspiring coquette aged very, very young-ish. The scent caressed every nook and cranny with its voluptuous yet somehow innocent, powdery sweet aura: the seduction of a creature this side of Lilith. And it didn't help that the haunting melody echoed in my ears for years as one of the most touching elegies I have heard to the colour blue in all its literal and figurative permutations...
My joy on finding it (even in its Italian version), after all these years thanks to the wonders of technology, has revealed that its pearly veneer hasn't lost its lustre in my mind and it still produces a sigh of delightful and wistful reminiscence in me, like a dog who is sighing, her paws tucked in and her ears down at the completion of a tender, sad patting as if to part forever.



And here is the divine soundtrack to the above commercial in its full glory: "Pavane, Opus 50" in F-sharp minor by Gabriel Fauré, set to images of impressionistic paintings by Monet.



Do you have a perfume that produces such synaesthetic responses in you? I'd be interested to hear.

Loulou clip originally uploaded by Shescom on Youtube. Pavane clip uploaded by andrewgrummanJC on Youtube.

Ormonde Jayne new fragrance Zizan and Discount for our Readers

Ormonde Jayne, project haute parfumerie of nose Linda Lilkington, has spoiled us rotten with quality all around. (You can see the rationale and philosophy of the brand explained in the interview Linda Pilkington granted to Perfume Shrine). Now catering to the needs of men who had only two scents (Ormonde Man, Isfarkand) to claim as purely masculine in the line ~although several could be borrowed from their female companions anyway!~ a new masculine is introduced: Zizan.

Zizan, a perfume like no other "because it has everything a man could possibly want in a single spectacular scent. This is a powerhouse perfume. Expect a deluge of boisterous Sicilian lime, lemon and bergamot but to smooth the biting edge, a brilliantly refined concentration of vetiver.
Zizan belongs to the domain of the worldly, highly sophisticated and cultivated. It also belongs to the strategist - the man who knows how to seduce".

The notes include a refreshing top of Sicilian lime, lemon, bergamot, clary sage, pink pepper and juniper berry; a rich aromatic floral heart of bay, violet and jasmine; and a refined base of Vetiver, cedar, must and amber.

Price is £64 for the standard luxurious 50ml/1.7oz presentation of the Ormonde Jayne fragrances in the potent concentration of Eau de Parfum.
Available from Ormonde Jayne Perfumery, 12 The Royal Arcade London W1S 4SL, UK and Ormonde Jayne Perfumery, Boutique 1 Jumeirah Beach, Dubai. Soon online.

Ormonde Jayne has also recently introduced a multiple-wick candle, in time for the darker season and the holidays, to lend a touch of fragrant luminosity into those cold nights ahead.
And because they want to spoil us to the point of no return, there is a special event on Thursday 20th November (with roasted chestnuts and Father Christmas appearences along the street) in which Ormonde Jayne perfumery participates with a discount of 10% off for in-person-purchases on that day or even by phone or online with code NOEL.
Furthermore, visit the official website Ormonde Jayne and profit of a 10% discount with code THANKS (duration of offer till 27th November).

As my loaded schedule tucks in projects, errands and duty travelling to other places, London visits have to wait till Christmas time, so I am eyeing a bottle of Ormonde Woman to stand beside my beloved Tolu prompted by this. What will you get?

Pic through press release.

The Linden Tree

Whenever I smell French Lime Blossom by Jo Malone my mind reels back to my childhood; to days sprinkled with insouciance, eyes open at the crack of dawn filled with eager anticipation on what each new moment will bring, hope for happiness and belief in all that is good in the world. And now that I look back on it with the experience of some years on my back it seems like nothing turned out the way I expected although the result is not unsatisfactory; far from it. Yet the nostalgia which fills me on this grey day for the innocence of days bygone is shaping like an apparition in the steam of my cup filled with linden tea.
Lime tree, also known as "linden" ~or "tilleul" in French and "φλαμουριά/flamouria" in Greek~ produces blossoms like no other: they possess a childhood innocence in line with their soothing properties when infused into a pale-coloured yellow, tinged with jade, tisane. Its limpid sweetness, whether or not I am soaking a madeleine or not in it, brings to mind the Northern tales of this holy tree and the German lieder by Franz Schubert Die Lindenbaum (verse by that great Hellenophile* Wilhelm Müller) that my mother used to sing as a lullaby to me when I was but a little girl, her voice as melodious as that of Nana Mouskouri singing in German.

By the fountain, near the gate,
There stands a linden tree;
I have dreamt in its shadows
so many sweet dreams.
I carved on its bark
so many loving words;
I was always drawn to it,
whether in joy or in sorrow.

Today again I had to pass it
in the dead of night.
And even in the darkness
I had to close my eyes.
Its branches rustled
as if calling to me:
"Come here, to me, friend,
Here you will find your peace!"
The frigid wind blew
straight in my face,
my hat flew from my head,
I did not turn back.

Now I am many hours
away from that spot
and still I hear the rustling:
"There you would have found peace!"



*Γουλιέλμω Μύλλερ τω ποιητή των Ελληνικών ασμάτων, ο ευγνωμονών Ελληνικός λαός (the Greek epigram on Pentelic marble on the doorstep of his house, commissioned in 1927)

Clip of composer Mikis Theodorakis singing Die Liendenbaum in Greek at his concert at Rosa Luxemburgplatz (then part of East Berlin) in 1987, originally uploaded by Ulco64 on Youtube

In Search of Madeleines: Part 1 The Classics

~by guest writer AlbertCAN

What an interesting lot fragrance writers are, we chase after the perfect expression, the luminous declaration that can somehow make the intricate olfactory monsoon utterable. More offten than not we all try to crystallize the fleeting, unexpected, momentary rapture in time that can stay dormant for decades, only to be silently detonated in our cognition years later when we reacquaint with our old sensory fling. It does not help, however, that the collective human experience has, by and large, left us relatively few links between our sense of smell and language. When writers propose words such as florid, verdant, spicy, saccharine, we all are in fact connecting our experience with other things (flowers, greens, spices, sugar), thus defining one smell by another smell or another sense. Smells are our partners in crime, but we cannot speak of their true identities—instead, we can only reflect our feelings, thus proclaiming scents to be “transcendent”, “nauseating”, or “mesmerizing”.

Do we, therefore, perceive smells as indirectly as we describe it? Absolutely not: we literally become one with the aromatic molecules when we perceive them. In fact, it is the olfactory-verbal gap that prevents most of us from sharing our various sensory encounters. Perhaps it is exactly this inability that encourages us to appreciate literary gems that immortalize, as Shakespeare put it, the “suppliance of a minute”. The epitome of such eloquence, or as Chandler Burr once wrote, “our touchstone for the power of smell over memory”, would be Marcel Proust’s passage on petit madeleines in “Swann’s Way” (from the first volume of “Remembrance of Things Past”). Here’s the translated passage from Project Gutenberg. I have here also included a comical representation of the section by Stephané Heuet.

"Many years had elapsed during which nothing of Combray, save what was comprised in the theatre and the drama of my going to bed there, had any existence for me, when one day in winter, as I came home, my mother, seeing that I was cold, offered me some tea, a thing I did not ordinarily take. I declined at first, and then, for no particular reason, changed my mind. She sent out for one of those short, plump little cakes called 'petites madeleines,' which look as though they had been moulded in the fluted scallop of a pilgrim's shell. And soon, mechanically, weary after a dull day with the prospect of a depressing morrow, I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate than a shudder ran through my whole body, and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary changes that were taking place. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, but individual, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life had become indifferent to me, its disasters innocuous, its brevity illusory--this new sensation having had on me the effect which love has of filling me with a precious essence; or rather this essence was not in me, it was myself. I had ceased now to feel mediocre,accidental, mortal. Whence could it have come to me, this all-powerful joy? I was conscious that it was connected with the taste of tea and cake, but that it infinitely transcended those savours, could not, indeed, be of the same nature as theirs. Whence did it come? What did it signify? How could I seize upon and define it?

I drink a second mouthful, in which I find nothing more than in the first, a third, which gives me rather less than the second. It is time to stop; the potion is losing its magic. It is plain that the object of my quest, the truth, lies not in the cup but in myself. The tea has called up in me, but does not itself understand, and can only repeat indefinitely with a gradual loss of strength, the same testimony; which I, too, cannot interpret, though I hope at least to be able to call upon the tea for it again and to find it there presently, intact and at my disposal, for my final enlightenment. I put down my cup and examine my own mind. It is for it to discover the truth. But how? What an abyss of uncertainty whenever the mind feels that some part of it has strayed beyond its own borders; when it, the seeker, is at once the dark region through which it must go seeking, where all its equipment will avail it nothing. Seek? More than that: create. It is face to face with something which does not so far exist, to which it alone can give reality and substance, which it alone can bring into the light of day. [...]

And suddenly the memory returns. The taste was that of the little crumb of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray (because on those mornings I did not go out before church-time), when I went to say good day to her in her bedroom, my aunt Léonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of real or of lime-flower tea. The sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it; perhaps because I had so often seen such things in the interval, without tasting them, on the trays in pastry-cooks' windows, that their image had dissociated itself from those Combray days to take its place among others more recent; perhaps because of those memories, so long abandoned and put out of mind, nothing now survived, everything was scattered; the forms of things, including that of the little scallop-shell of pastry, so richly sensual under its severe, religious folds, were either obliterated or had been so long dormant as to have lost the power of expansion which would have allowed them to resume their place in my consciousness. But when from a long-distant past nothing subsists, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered, still, alone, more fragile, but with more vitality, more unsubstantial, more persistent, more faithful, the smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us, waiting and hoping for their moment, amid the ruins of all the rest; and bear unfaltering, in the tiny and almost impalpable drop of their essence, the vast structure of recollection.

And once I had recognized the taste of the crumb of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-flowers which my aunt used to give me (although I did not yet know and must long postpone the discovery of why this memory made me so happy) immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was, rose up like the scenery of a theatre to attach itself to the little pavilion, opening on to the garden, which had been built out behind it for my parents (the isolated panel which until that moment had been all that I could see); and with the house the town, from morning to night and in all weathers, the Square where I was sent before luncheon, the streets along which I used to run errands, the country roads we took when it was fine. And just as the Japanese amuse themselves by filling a porcelain bowl with water and steeping in it little crumbs of paper which until then are without character or form, but, the moment they become wet, stretch themselves and bend, take on colour and distinctive shape, become flowers or houses or people, permanent and recognisable, so in that moment all the flowers in our garden and in M. Swann's park, and the water-lilies on the Vivonne and the good folk of the village and their little dwellings and the parish church and the whole of Combray and of its surroundings, taking their proper shapes and growing solid, sprang into being, town and gardens alike, from my cup of tea. "

Although I am saddened to report that lime-flower tea is largely no longer readily available nowadays, the heritage of baking madeleines at households still marches on. One clarification is required, however: while it's Proust who gets all the credit for making madeleines a household name, the origin of the name traces back to King Stanislas Leszczynski of Poland (October 20, 1677 – February 23, 1766), who, in the eighteenth century, tasted a tea cake made by a local in Commercy, France. He was so delighted with the cookie that he named it after the baker, Madeleine.

Culinary-wise the traditional madeleine is a cookie made from a sponge cake batter. While the batter gives the delicacy airiness and texture, while the tiny-bubbled crumb is très raffiné, the traditional madeleine also soaks up moisture rather quickly, resulting in a wan, soggy mess once left in room temperature for more than 24 hours. Fortunately, madeleine rewards patience, as its flavour can only be properly developed if the batter is properly chilled; therefore, you should plan ahead—bake them when you are ready to eat them! Besides, the delicate combination of lemon, vanilla and butter is so relaxing that perhaps it is more sane to reject the classic altogether. With this in mind I have an excellent recipe inspired by “Baking: From My Home to Yours” by Dorie Greenspan.
(NOTE: Madeleine performs best if the batter is properly refrigerated. The long chilling period will help the batter form its characteristic bump; 4 hours of refrigeration will suffice if one wishes not to witness the traditional protruded back—or simply in a hurry to devour the delicacy.)

Traditional Madeleines Recipe

Using madeleine cookie moulds, either in regular or miniature size, is best for this recipe. When baking multiple batches I prefer working with a pair of identical madeleine moulds at the same time so each tray can properly cool between each batch. I got my moulds from Williams-Sonoma but offerings from your local cookware store will largely suffice. (This recipe makes 12 large or 36 mini cookies)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
(Optional: confectioners' sugar, for dusting)Metric convertion table here.

1.In a clean bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2.In a separate large bowl combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl. Working with the whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until pale, thick and light, about 2-3 minutes. Thoroughly blend in the vanilla extract.

3.With a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter.(short instruction video)

4.Gently press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the batter and refrigerate it for at least 4 hours, or for up to 2 days.

5.About 20 minutes prior to baking centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F or 375F if you want to play it safe. See this chart for temp convertions

6.Prepare the moulds:
•If you are working with regular madeleine moulds, butter 12 full-size madeleine moulds, or up to 36 mini madeleine moulds. Dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess.
•If you have nonstick moulds, a light even coating of vegetable cooking spray will suffice.
•If you have a silicone pan no prep is needed.

7.Spoon the batter into the moulds, filling each one almost to the top. Do not worry about spreading the batter evenly. (Do not overfill the mould.) Bake large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, and minis for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are golden and the tops spring back when touched. NOTE: Keep an eye during baking as the fluted edges might get scortched easily.

8.Remove the pan(s) from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly before releasing the madeleines from the moulds. To separate the cookies, gently tap the edge of the pan against the counter and carefully pry the madeleines from the pan. Transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack—do not stack individual cookies on top of each other within an individual rack. Cool before serving or storing the cookies.

9.Repeat steps 6-7 (with a cold cookie pan) if you have extra batter at hand. If you wish to make additional cookies at this point repeat steps 1-7.

Serving: Serve the cookies as is when they are only slightly warm or when they reach room temperature.

Alternatively, if you prefer dusting the cookies with confectioners’ sugar before serving you must cool the cookies to room temperature before dusting. To dust the cookies, simply fill a baking sieve with a few spoonfuls of icing sugar: place the sieve directly above the cookies and gently, either with your fingers or with a spoon, tap the rim of the sieve until the cookies are evenly coated with sugar.

I prefer serving the madeleines with premium jasmine green tea, probably the next best thing to Proust’s lime-blossom tisane. Alternatively, these cookies can be served with espresso. I have been told that madeleines pair very well with Tokaji or Sauternes, although since my body doesn’t readily metabolize alcohol I cannot elaborate further. (I get rashes when I drink a glass too much. Strangely enough, I get no side effect when using alcohol-based fragrances...)

Storing: Although the batter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, the madeleines are best to be eaten soon after they are made. You can keep them overnight in a sealed container, but they really are best eaten on the first day. If you must store them, wrap them airtight and freeze—they will last for up to 2 months.

With this in mind we shall conclude the first section: in the next section I shall cover the modern variants. If you prefer provoking Proust—stay tuned! Many thanks to Helg for making this post possible.

Photos: Madeleine from Flickr.com, illustration from ReadingProust.com, pan from Choos & Chews. Sources: “A Natural History of the Senses” by Diane Ackerman; The Project Gutenberg EBook of Swann's Way, by Marcel Proust; Illustration by Stephané Heuet; C.Burr’s quote from BaseNotes.net; recipes inspired by “Baking: From My Home to Yours” by Dorie Greenspan

L'artisan Parfumeur celebrates its 30th anniversary with Special Editions

Mûre et Musc, the emblem fragrance of L’Artisan Parfumeur is 30 years old this year. To celebrate the anniversary, L’Artisan Parfumeur created its first Extrait de Parfum/Pure Perfume, Mûre et Musc Extrait and a special Limited Edition for Christmas.

Created by Bertrand Duchaufour, Mûre et Musc Extrait de Parfum takes this most essence-heavy and intimate of fragrance concentrations and interprets the bestselling classic Mûre et Musc by using the finest, most exceptional raw materials.
Extrait highlights the fruity, musky perfume of blackberries warmed in the sun, sensual and enveloping. With the radiant sparkle of its top notes, the extract creates an effect of freshness with citrus fruits (kumquat, bergamot) and aromatic notes lead by basil. Spicy notes (pink and black pepper) strengthen its contrast and add to its enchantment. The heart has the fruity note of the blackberry dressed with more heady floral notes, of Turkish rose essential oil and iris absolute, which add richness and femininity. The base of patchouli and oakmoss are the signature of this typical chypre harmony. The smooth and velvety leather note with a hint of vanilla, brings distinction, the elegance of the extract and even more femininity.

The extract is presented in a 15 ml/0.5oz bottle with the seven symbolic facets of L’Artisan Parfumeur and a cap made of zamac finely engraved with the coat of arms. It comes in its own box of subtle warm gold and black and purple lacquers. A 15 ml refill comes with this special bottle.

This winter, for its anniversary, limited edition bottles of Mûre et Musc get dressed in wild and wonderful blackberry. Mûre et Musc Extrême does the same: the bottles are dressed for the occasion! Finely engraved blackberries ornate every facet, dark purple lacquer creates a stunning effect of light and shadow. Subtle shades of purple lacquer and warm gold illuminate the packaging.

Another new addition this Christmas, this time for the home fragrance collection, is Necessaire à Parfumer la Lingerie: a set of sachets and lingerie bags. A trademark elegant black L’Artisan Parfumeur case with three drawers contains four perfumed cushions and two lingerie bags. The materials used for the collection come from the best addresses of Paris : ribbons from Mokuba, fabrics from Lelièvreinto … The designs play with geometric forms, mix croquets, flounces, laces and satin in gold, bronze, silver and grey colors, timeless but also recalling the spirit of Fall/Winter 2008-2009 fashion. Also available as Petit Necessaire à Parfumer la Lingerie, a set of two scented cushions.

Available at L'Artisan Parfumeur Boutique:
1100 Madison Avenue
New-York, NY, 10028
T (212) 794 3600
F (212) 794 6241

Info & pics via press release

New Artistic Director for Chanel

When previous artistic director for Chanel Jacques Helleu died a little more than a year ago due to a prolonged illness that was kept private there was speculation as to who would succeed him and what would that entail for Chanel. Some of the rumours turned out to be just that and others materialized in what seemed to be a long thought-out process coming into fruition. Yet who would fill those elegant shoes remained a mystery, up till now. Chanel has tapped Ezra Petronio, editor in chief of Self Service Magazine, to oversee art direction for its makeup and watch businesses. The appointment reflects the categories’ strong growth trajectories, according to a company spokeswoman.

And who is Ezra Petronio, you ask! Born in New York city in 1968, he founded along with his partner Suzanne Koller the creative company Work in Progress in 1994. Simultaneously Self Service Paris-based magazine launched, a bi-annual, fashion and lifestyle magazine, to whome Petronio is Editor-in-Chief. He has phorographed hundreds of people posing in front of the flash of his 1970s Polaroid camera. He published a book, named Bold & Beautiful, sharing those intimate moments not just of the magazine's extended family tree but of the culture: designers, musicians, artists, photographers, writers, and thinkers of all stripes (establishment and avant-garde, the creative community and fashionable society). More than 270 portraits later (including those of Hedi Slimane, Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Donna Karan, Miuccia Prada, Marianne Faithfull, Jarvis Cocker, Tracey Emin, Terry Richardson, Philip-Lorca di Corcia, David Armstrong, Isabelle Adjani, Chloe Sevigny), Petronio was ready for a challenge: His new tenure at Chanel.
“We need to keep a cutting edge to our visual communications,” Chanel's spokeperson affirmed. While the spokeswoman was mum on details of Petronio’s contract, she said he will continue to work on Self Service and in his role as a director of Petronio Associates, a strategic and creative agency of which he is also one of the founders. In the past, Petronio has worked on beauty campaigns for Prada and Chloé, among others. Petronio Associates will continue to work with brands including Miu Miu, Yves Saint Laurent and Chloé. The Chanel spokeswoman said Petronio is currently settling into the role and becoming more familiar with the house’s heritage. “I’m sure 2009 will be a year when we’ll see interesting creativity in makeup and watches,” she added. Petronio will report to Maureen Chiquet, Chanel’s global chief executive officer.
Whether this status will later encompass the fragrance sector remains undisclosed as yet.

news via WWD as reported by by Brid Costello

H&M by Comme des Garcons – an EXCLUSIVE PRE-RELEASE review

~by guest writer Mike Perez

This week (Thursday, the 13th) Comme des Garcons release an exclusive collection of clothes, accessories and fragrance in H&M stores around the world. Comme des Garcons fragrances are one of my favorite subjects. Those on Basenotes know I own a large portion of the fragrance line and I admire the aesthetic, marketing and edgy style. I do have my share of fragrances that I cannot wear (Odeur 53 gives me a splitting headache) or simply don’t like (Sequoia [Series 2: Red] smells so much better on other people) but I always look forward to a new CdG fragrance release. So it goes without saying that I succumbed to the hype about H&M and purchased a bottle (prior to the release to the general public) un-sniffed, which I almost never do.

A healthy dose of fizzy cedar is the first note you'll detect when applying H&M.LOTS of cedar! Not as brutal as the ‘axed wood plank’ (or pencil shavings) of Gucci Pour Homme, but softened and diffusive (as if electrically charged by those crazy odd numbered aldehydes Turin speaks about - that smell like a snuffed out candle, mixed with cedar). It’s quite an unmistakable accord and without sounding too vague, it smells very Comme des Garcons-ish. Whatever that means! No living tree actually smells like this - in the ground or chopped up. It’s a synthetic replication of wood. Virtual wood, if you will.
It’s after a short while, that I noticed the incense – sharp, spicy, and oddly metallic. Have you ever sniffed real stainless steel cutlery, perhaps locked away in a cedar chest – right before you polish it with stainless steel cleaner? That smell. The non-smoky metallic incense gives the cedar notes a slight ‘gothic’ lift, but maybe this is just my olfactory association run free (a large portion of the H&M Comme des Garcons clothes are black?)
Comme des Garcons does incense accords extremely well (Scent One: Hinoki by CdG x Monocle is one of my favorite scents of 2008 and Avignon and Kyoto (Series 3: Incense) are just classics). The incense in H&M is the best part of the fragrance. I tend to avoid metallic incense scents (Nu by YSL actually hurts my nose when I smell it) – but this incense is not sharp and has a slight tanginess that blossoms into a sweet/spicy combination atop a weird synthetic accord (thinning agent?) that CdG have utilized before in Soda and Skai (Series 6: Synthetic) . As the fragrance fades away (4-5 hours later) I smelled a tiny bit of dirt covered vetiver.

I can’t help comparing H&M to a scent that features cedar / incense and synthetics (a little more effectively): the discontinued Rush for Men by Gucci. The similarity is unmistakable.
No new ground was broken with H&M. The scent is simple and I’m very surprised it’s not more edgy. The H&M department store customers (and CdG fans) will most likely attribute just enough ‘irony’ and ‘weirdness’ to H&M to give it an instant cool factor – but me personally I find it’s off-the-cuff strangeness rather accessible. The plain, clear glass bottle (the same exact bottle used in the Energy Series [Lime, Grapefruit and Lemon] by CdG) is much less stylish than the adorable, white die-cut ‘swiss cheese’ box it comes in. For the $35 price tag, it’s also remarkably affordable.
Notes: not yet available, to be updated.
$34.90 (US) for a 1 oz bottle.

Check out a video of Tokyo H&M / CdG launch.

Pics provided by Mike Perez.

Musk and Civet in Food: Challenging our Perceptions

 The seductive power of animalic essences in fragrances has been well known among people tuned into perfumes, especially of a vintage nature when true animalics were used in the formula. However how surprised would you be if you found out that not only your eau de toilette or extrait de parfum contained them, but also the delicacies that pass your lips? Yes, actual food and drink containing animalic essences such as musk or civet.

Musk was tentatively touched in one of the discussions I followed with some interest on a popular fragrance board the other day, as I had already experiences with the subject at hand: musk-flavoured candy, (called "musk candy" in Australia or "musk sticks" in other permutations) which seemed to create repulsion rather than attraction. Since everything in our medicine cabinet contains some form of synthesized musk (from soaps to cosmetics through bath oils and even the stuff we brush our teeth with!) and it's perenially a favourite of the functional fragrance industry to put in household cleansers, laundry detergents, and insect repellents, does it come as any surprise that artifically-flavoured food is also being aromatized with certain synthetic musk variants? Musk is an added component in fruit flavors, in chocolates, licorice, candies, chewing gum and even vanilla flavourings or puddings. 
The cozy, inviting smell of musk which we associate with warm, living and heaving human skin has an illustrious ancenstry that can be traced back to the Silk Route. Legends touch upon the tales of Chinese concubines being fed natural* musk-flavoured food so that during lovemaking their skin would sweat pure essence acting as a powerful aphrodisiac.

Is it any wonder then it has appeared even in a Lifesavers single flavour? That particular "musk candy" is an Australian idiosyncratic delicacy, much like Vegemite (the yeasty spread that rivals the British equivalent Marmite in the terrain of acquired taste). There also appears to be some form of edible Musk Sticks, by [supermarket private brand, as I learn from my Aussie readers] Coles, which appear to replicate the odour of incense sticks aromatized with musk. There is also the Beechies "musk gum" variety and Baba "musk melon candy". It's a whole industry!

Having been on the receiving end of a gift package that also entailed those "Musk Lifesavers", albeit of a different packaging (solid red with white lettering) and maker (not Nestle) than those linked above, sent by an Australian friend I can attest that soli-musk candies are not repulsive or nauseating. They're tinged with a "clean" soapy lace of almost aldehydic aftertaste that is certainly strange to encounter in a hard candy but which once you try you can appreciate for what it is.

Perhaps coming from a culture that traditionally and continuously has indulged in odours and flavours such as turpentine (the undertone of some ouzo varieties), of anise and mastic (used in several local liquors but also neat in bread and dough products), of cumin (an essential component of meatballs and pasturma) and of garlic (too numerous recipes to mention) along with an experimental spirit in cuisine that embraces squids, kalamari, octupus and snails cooked in red wine in all their squishy glory, as well as ripe cheeses that have mould, these come as no big surprise to me. And my musk affinities firmly in place, accounting for collecting musk fragrances of every possible nuance from the opalescent to the fetid, you might be warned that your own experience might be different. Still, it is an interesting proposition and worth keeping in mind should you find yourself faced with the option of tasting for yourself.

And what about civet in recipes, that fecal-smelling aroma that derives from the anal glands of the civet cat, farmed in Ethiopia and small erratic groups in other exotic locales at the moment? Civet highly diluted in fragrance formulae can have a marvellous effect of opening the bouquet, especially of floral blends, and thus adding texture, depth and radiance. An animalic touch that cannot be pinpointed as fecal as it truly is in concentration, yet is unmistakeably there: if you need proof open a vintage flacon of Jicky extrait de parfum and wait for it to make its pronounced magic appearence.

Although civet essence is not as wondrously diversified in synthesized forms as that of musk because the extraction of civet aromatic essence does not entail killing the animal ~and therefore has not had the chance to enter our plates in comparable droves~ civet does make an infamous appearence in drink: in coffee. This very special and most expensive coffee (£100 - £300 per lb. at time of writing), named Kopi Luwak, is produced by feeding the civet cats coffee berries which cannot be digested along with their food (much like we'd naturally dispose the bran of whole-grain cereals) and waiting for them to come out the natural way. The passing through the anal region stimulates the production of the anal glands secreting the valuable civet essence that is so prized in perfumery, so the beans gain a whole new dimension of animalic aroma. Further treating by roasting produces a coffee brew that is said to be among the very best, good to the last dropping so to speak. I admit although I have been intrigued by the idea for years and searching high and low for it locally among batches of Jamaican Blue Mountain and other assorted exclusive imports, it was only by the powers of the Internet and the intervention of a penpal that I came upon this link. I think I will take the plunge, bypassing the raw product we're invited to clean and roast ourselves, rather opting for a generous pouch. If on the other hand civet cats are too exotic for you, there is also weasel coffee - made from berries which have been regurgitated by, you guessed it, weasels.

And for those wondering, castoreum is also featured as a flavouring, in chewing gum and cigarettes no less, but its restricted use of the natural essence has probably put a stop to the practice. As to ambergris/grey amber, the divine marine/brine-like essence coming from the expulged cuttlefish residue in the digestive track of sperm whales, found floating in the ocean, I would be standing in line to taste something aromatized with its refined aroma. Brillat-Savarin recommended an infusion called "chocolate ambre" which was essentially chocolate drink heavily aromatized with ambregris. Heaven...

*The natural musk essence comes from Moschus moschiferus moschiferus or musk deer from the Himalayas but the cruelty necessitated for extracting the musk pouch from its genital region resulting in killing the animal has effected a prohibition on its hunting. Today musk essences at almost 100% are produced synthetically.

Pic Against the Grain by thatotherguy/flickr. Cartoon of civet coffee production spoof provided by Concord on MUA. 

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: The Musk Series (everything about the musk note, natural or synthetic, its cultural aspirations, its various musky fragrance types on the market)

Kenzo Discounts for our Readers

Kenzo Parfums is celebrating 20 years by re-launching their website, Kenzousa.com! On Monday, November 17th, the newly re-designed Kenzousa.com will be unveiled to the public. To mark the occasion, the first ever "Friends and Family Anniversary Event" will be held between Monday, November 17th and November 24th, where customers will receive 20% off their entire purchase! Code is 08FAMILY. You know what to do...



The offer is valid only for US residents and on the kenzousa.com site only (no other online boutiques or stores) and subject to change or cancellation at any time without notice.

Via press release.

The winners of the Guerlain drawings

The participation in the recent Guerlain drawings has been touchingly incessant. Thank you for your comments and numerous emails with questions as well as submissions to the drawings. It was my pleasure to see that a historic house such as Guerlain which has been so close to my heart has such an ardent fan base who appreciate the research and scavenging that was required of me to come up with some form of useful impressions on those rare gems.

So without further ado, the winner of the wonderful green Sous Le Vent is Alyssa and the winner of the subtly powdery warmth of Pour Troubler is Rose.
Please mail me, using the address in my profile at the right, with a mailing address so I can get those sent out to you soon! Thank you all for participating and stay tuned for the next one!

The New Angel by Mugler has Fallen from the Skies

We had announced some months ago that Naomi Watts will be fronting the new campaign for Thierry Mugler's iconic gourmand Angel. The line got renovated with new packaging, new advertising images and a boost in the body products out of which the Perfuming Cream is standing out as an exquisite substitute for the truly potent perfume in a new guise of blue-hued smoothness. The old version was almost perfect as it was so I was skeptical on how they could improve, but trying out the new sample surpassed my memories of the old one. Indeed it manages to aromatize the skin for hours on end and since it has lower sillage than a spray it is an excellent choice for those who love Angel but are afraid to impose that love to others around them. The makers have patented a new Intense Diffusion System (IDS) which supposedly diffuses the scent better on skin. My only gripe is that the new jar looks rather less friendly for travelling, as it is heavy and has stars in crystal relief all around.

The new commercial starring a star-struck Naomi Watts, directed by Bill Condon (of Dreamgirls fame), is airing just now. Although voluptuous was not the first adjective I associated Naomi Watts with despite my admiration for her acting chops which she has displayed in numerous films, I have to admit she did a very credible job ~OK apart from her pronuniation on the French Thierry Mugler name which remains...Anglo-Saxon in intonation. (It can be heard at the the official website). Her waist cinched into a Mugler corset and her long blond hair in dented retro waves she looks radiant and fairy-like.
Thierry Mugler himself seemed very convinced of Naomi's capacities (watch a small interview segment here) so who are we to disagree?






The magical atmosphere of catching a fallen star, like a retrogade into childhood wishes and dreams, is echoing the scent of Angel the fragrance with its fun-fair smells of chocolate, candied apples, cotton candy and sawdust.
I have always been interested from a cinematic point of view on how those commercials get created and so these storyboards for the new commercial with Naomi Watts as face of Angel have provided a much sought-after glimpse into the creative process.

You can visit the new Angel website for lots of info on the products and a look into the making of the new campaign. (choose "A new icon" and then from the drop-down menu choose "The making of" option. It will also give you a chance to hear Debussy's Clair de Lune as they were shooting scenes of the commercial)

In the interests of full disclosure, I got sent the print material and a sample of the new Perfuming Cream as part of the Angel loyalty programme, which I am highly recommending if you buy an Angel product (there is a small pamphlet in the box which you get to fill in and mail).Clip uploaded by ThierryMuglerParfums on Youtube.