Monday, July 27, 2009

Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles: fragrance review

Many summers ago I used to spend my days by the sea at my grandparents' villa, surrounded by majestic pines as old as the original tenants, numerous dusty fig-trees and one wild-pear tree which was later struck by lightning to ash. The wind was sighing in the boughs, a nightingale came to sit on my shoulder and the longings of those long summers promised adventures as yet uncharted, our psyche elevated through a taste of awe. The long pine needles were falling in heaps on the floor of this pine grove ~infuriating my grandfather who had to work doubly hard along with the gardener to keep the grass properly breathing~ counterpointing the mighty trunks, often bleeding tears of golden sticky resin used in both turpentine and retsina. This was different from the mastic and copal resins, which we grounded in fine dust, or the rosin, which I witnessed being used by the student of violin who routinely accompanied me at the piano at the Conservatoire. We were sent as children to gather fresh pine needles, run them through the cold water of the outdoors tap, gather them in bunches and hang them upside-down to dry: they would be stored to make herbal tea with honey to ward off colds, a tip of our German cleaning woman, when the summer villa would revert to its silent existence for half a year. Everything about those precious memories was conjured as soon as I heard of the newest Serge Lutens fragrance, Fille en Aiguilles and the reality of it didn't betray my visuals as some of you will find out for yourselves (yes, there's a draw for samples coming up, keep reading!)

The first announcement containing the notes had been the instigation, the second round of news with the cryptic messages by Serge had been the icing, as it left us with exactly nothing to go on upon ~the mystery was well preserved: this girl ~or boy, who could wear this equally well~ rolling on pincushions was not telling any tales just yet. The aiguilles part (“needles”) in the name has been linked to sewing needles (due to the French idiom "de fil en aiguille" meaning from needle to thread, from one thing to another, ie. snowballing), or stiletto heels ("talons aiguilles" in French) perhaps exactly because there was the "tick tick tick" repetitive sound in the press release. Still pine needles, those long thin lances that strew forest floors and exude their resinous, medicinal-sweet smell when the air is warm, are at the core of the composition rather than the ill-sitting, detergent-like tones of so much "pine"-baptized air pollution posing as home and car ambience.

In a nod to old empirics and apothecaries, who healed ills attributed by the superstitious ailing to supernatual forces or the wrath of God through folkore herb medicine and mysticism, uncle Serge acts as a shaman, letting out blood with his pine needle in his bag of seemingly endless tricks. In Alain Corbin's book "The Fragrant and the Foul" the theory of miasma is documented: the widespread belief that foul smells accounted for disease and therefore eradicating the bad smells would result in battling the disease (Incidentally there was also the widespread belief of bathing disrupting the protective mantle of the skin, but this is the focus of another of our articles). The practice has long ancentrastal ties to ritualistic cleansing via sulphur as depicted in antiquity, remnants of which are referenced here and there in Greek tragedy such as Euripides's Helen. Fire and brimstone led by a savant Theonoi goes far, far back...In the Middle-Ages during bouts of cholera, the plague and other miasmata, empirical healers used a large hollow beak stuffed with cleaning herbs so as to protect themselves, earning them the descriptor of "quack", which by association became synonymous with charlatan later on when the science of medicine prevailed. The word is of Dutch origin (kwakzalver, meaning boaster who applies a salve); boaster because quacks sold their folk medicine merchandise shouting in the streets.The belief in the magical properties of scented compounds runs through the fabric of fragrance history: let's cast our minds back to the alleged cure-all of Eau de Cologne by Johann Maria Farina and his imitators! But is perfume really snake-oil? Only to the extend which we allow it to be, yet there lies artfulness in the pharmacopoeia.

This particular catharctic blood-letting preceding the herbal ointment, forms a trickling kaleidoscope of the elements which Lutens has accustomed us to, via the sleight of hand of perfumer Christopher Sheldrake: There is the candied mandarin peel with its strange appeal of cleaner (La Myrrhe) and putrid aspects (Mandarine Mandarin), the fruits confits of his Bois et Fruits, the interplay of cool and hot of the masterful Tubéreuse Criminelle, the charred incense depths and fireworks of Serge Noire, the vetiver in Vétiver Oriental with a rough aspect peeking through and even some of the spice mix of El Attarine, appearing half poised between cumin and fenugreek. After the last, pretty and atypical for Lutens Nuit de Cellophane, Fille en Aiguilles is an amalgam of strange accords, a disaccord within itself, but with a compelling appeal that pleases me. Contrasting application techniques ~dabbing versus spraying~ I would venture that should you want the more camphoraceous elements to surface, spraying is recommended; while dabbing unleashes the more orientalised aspects. There is sweetness in the sense that there is sweetness in Chergui or Douce Amere, so don't let it scare you too much. The liquid in my bottle is wonderfully dark brown, somber yet incadecent in the light of the day and as dark as ink, much like Sarrasins, in the dusk of the evening (and be warned that it also stains fabric almost as much).

Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles has notes of vetiver, incense, fruits, pine needles and spices in a luminous woody oriental formula.
Available in the oblong export bottles of 50 ml/1.7oz of Eau de Parfum Haute Concentration for 95 € /140$ at Paris Sephora and of course Le Palais Royal and later on at Selfridges UK, Aedes US, the Bay in Toronto and online.

For our readers, enter a comment to win one of the five samples given of the new fragrance well ahead of its wider distribution!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Serge Lutens news and reviews

Other reviews: Elisabeth de Feydeau, Grain de Musc, Perfume Posse.

Paintings by Colette Calascione, via deyarte.blogspot.com

121 comments:

  1. leopoldo14:37

    Fascinating E. You have piqued my interest. No need to put me in the drawing, as I'll track this down myself soon enough (how hard it was to type those words!)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous14:50

    Please include me in the drawing, it sounds fascinating. I loved the description of the summer villa!

    Calypso

    ReplyDelete
  3. dinazad14:56

    It's definitely a superb fragrance and reminds me of walks on the beach when the sun comes out after a storm: pine needles, sand, cistus all combining to smell wild, fresh and sweetly warm at the same time. Uncle Serge living up to his name.

    Great review, Helg, and the illustrations are spot-on!

    Don't enter me in the draw - I was lucky and managed to get a bottle!

    ReplyDelete
  4. L,

    I sincerely hope you're not too bad? I have been having a handful and neglecting my correspondence lately, forgive me. Courage my friend!

    It's definitely very intriguing and I liked it a lot!

    ReplyDelete
  5. C,

    of course, good luck!
    Glad you liked the description, the villa and the wild foliage around was even better than my humble attempts.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Z,

    hello there, how are you? So pleased we agree on this one, it's warm and inviting to me and I bet it will have its fans and its detractors. But isn't that what SL should stand for anyway?
    Enjoy!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. It sounds intriguing. I also enjoy different images/pictures on your blog :)Please enter me in the draw

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so glad to hear of Serge Lutens' return to weird. I don't like it when he does "nice." Would love to get a snoutful of this one; please enter me in the draw.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nina Z.15:44

    What a beautiful, evocative description of our precious childhood memories. Your writing inspires me, and I'd love to be included in the draw to see what the scent evokes.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous16:14

    I really enjoyed reading this article and can't wait to smell this new Lutens. Enter me in the draw please.

    Dagney

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous16:18

    I would really like to try this one new Lutens composition, all of them are unique. Thank you for entering me in the drawing. Alica

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous16:27

    This sounds absolutely wonderful--please enter me in the drawing. I love reading your blog!

    skrzypce

    ReplyDelete
  13. Would love to try this one, definitely sounds intriguing. Please enter me in the draw.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I must smell this! Please enter me in the drawing. Pine needles are the scent of childhood to me so I can't wait to smell this.

    ReplyDelete
  15. leopoldo16:56

    I meant hard in the sense that I find it tough to resist a sample of something I'm yet to smell. But I'll manage.

    In fact, I'm quite well. The swine flu came, mild fever, and went. Lungs had one bad day and then back to full health.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Parfymerad16:57

    Thanks for a wonderful, evocative review! the scent of pines always reminds me of childhood summers in Sweden, so would love to be included in the draw.

    ReplyDelete
  17. After some slight disapointments with Luten (Louve, Rousse) he seems back on track, producing more unconventional but pleasing compositions.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I would love to try this. Please enter me in the drawing. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous17:16

    Still a neophyte, I visit often your blog for your reviews. I like very much your writing, your references to diverse cultures, history and personal experiences. It gives an interesting perspective to your perfume scents description. Now I am extremely curious to smell DE FILLES EN AIGUILLES since I looove pine odor. Memories would flow like torrent for me too. Well said, Mr.Lutens IS a shaman.
    Truly- Violaine

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous17:35

    PLease count me in and thanx for the great review... anything Lutens is always welcome.
    Guido

    ReplyDelete
  21. This sounds EXACTLY like my kind of fragrance - please, please do include me in the drawing! Thanks also for introducing me to Colette Calascione; she's a marvellous artist!

    ReplyDelete
  22. .....sounds wonderful - I would love to be in the drawing.

    I've had problems in the past with "pine-like" fragrances, but I suspect, if anyone can do it right, its sure to be Serge and Christopher!

    On a separate note, I love the images you chose for the post - Colette Calascione's work is charming and insightful.....it reminds me a bit of Michael Parkes, another favorite of mine. (you can check him out here http://www.piersidegallery.com/artists/parkes)

    Marko

    ReplyDelete
  23. chris g17:48

    As always, a great review! Please enter me in the draw. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Elizabeth17:57

    Thank you for the review, E. It sounds intriguing, though more like a candle scent than a body scent. Still, I would love to try it - please enter me in the drawing!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear E: Your lovely review has served to elevate my anticipation to a fever pitch. Please do enter me in the draw! And now I'm curious about pine needle herbal tea with honey for warding off colds...

    ReplyDelete
  26. Fascinating review! I admit I wasn't too excited when I heard about the pine theme of Fille but you aroused my curiosity and I'm eager to try this new Lutens.
    I'm glad Lutens is back at doing Lutens pushing the boundaries of Haute Parfumerie (I like Nuit de Cellophane but it's just another fruity floral that's currently proliferating the scent market).


    E.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Serge the shaman! I love it. No wonder it seems like he's speaking in tongues sometimes.

    This certainly sounds like an interesting one. Please enter me in the draw!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Your description of your grandparents' summer villa and its surroundings reminds me of a lovely restaurant me and my husband visited last year at the beautiful Greece island Karpathos. It had an amazing garden with figs, olives and lemon trees, and towering over it all was a great pine that spread needles all over the place. I really hope I can go back there some day.

    I'd love to be included in the draw.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Oh, Serge, what wonders have you wrought? I can't miss this one, and wouldn't want to try! Please enter me into the draw - and thank you for your wonderfully evocative review!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love your story! Count me in on winning a sample!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Having grown up in the northern woods of Maine, I, too, am familiar with the smell and stickiness of the needles and sap of the white pine, which used to grow so tall and supple that all the straight ones were cut down for ships in the King's navy and for the famed New England schooners. They could withstand gales without snapping in two. Today, all the older pines one sees in Maine are crooked, the second-growth progeny of the crooked ones left behind as no suitable for ship masts.
    I would LOVE to sample Fille en Aiguilles. Please enter me in the drawing.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'm dying to try this--please enter me!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Please include me in the drawing. I generally love pine as a note in fragrance, and I am very curious to see what a Serge Lutens pine smells like!

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  34. bonjour!
    i send an anonymous comment with my signature violaine; but i will come back often so i will blog too, i am discovering a very engrossing universe indeed, the Scents :)
    Please add my to your draw ?
    Joy, Violaine

    ReplyDelete
  35. Kate01:35

    Please enter me in sample drawing. Very intrigued by this one!

    ReplyDelete
  36. tatchan01:36

    I'm always concern about new Lutins fragrance!
    Your review is very good for me ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  37. OperaFan04:09

    I just love scents that evoke childhood memories. They are indeed precious. I recently tried a couple of Parfums de Nicolai scents that reminded me of my uncle's house that I spent a lot of time in - in my early youth. Please enter me in the draw. What a wicked contrast against Nuit de Cellophane!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Elena: I'm very curious to try this (as well as Fourreau) but also anxious. Anxious because for many of us of American and Germanic persuasions, pine has such indelible (and problematic) associations with der Tannenbaum and the Christmas season. I wonder if there is any such association for other Europeans?

    In thinking about this scent recently, I remember the Comme des Garcons H&M scent that was released last fall and of which I have a bottle, barely sprayed. I've been smelling it on my skin while reading this review; although perhaps it won't resemble the Serge at all, it is the only point of reference I have with a pine note (though I know Mike Perez noted only cedar and incense in his review). It's a nice scent, and would be nice in cool fall weather, however, I cannot remove an overwhelming thought from my head: Christmas!

    In reviewing scent memories, the only other scents that evoke pine to me -- and both of which I enjoy -- are Zagorsk and Yatagan. So yes, I'm curious. Please include me in your draw!

    ReplyDelete
  39. This sounds utterly fascinating, please enter me in the draw!

    I loved Nuit de Cellophane myself, but I love Serge's "dark side" fragrances just as much! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  40. hi there E,

    weenerdogg from mua and am thirlled to read your amazing review. After reading about wrappings I've been wanting to try some piney scent but I doubt anyone can do it better than Serge. I do adore the wierd scents!

    PS i'm wearing my Carnal Flower tonight and love it. I will require a full bottle at some point. Thanks again

    PPS please enter me in the drawing if you'd like. I'd love to try this one!

    Jenn

    ReplyDelete
  41. Kp,

    it is very interesting, Lutensian and to me very pleasant. Thanks for your compliments on the images.
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Marsi,

    indeed I prefer the Lutens I know and love rather than a perfectly nice in-Lutensian composition. I mean, there are so many other brands who can do that.
    You're in!

    ReplyDelete
  43. N,

    thanks so much for your kind words on the writing, it's especially appreciated by someone who writes themselves!
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Dagney,

    thanks for saying so and you're in!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Alica,

    aren't they? I think it's this distintinctiveness that is setting them apart from other brand and niches. You're in!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Skrzypce,

    I was surprised I instantly liked it myself, it's quite appealing! I hope you find out for yourself.

    Glad my site provides pleasure and hope you continue to enjoy. Feel free to comment anytime.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Mikael,

    you're included, it's intriguing indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Jen,

    hi honey! We're two of a kind then! Pine needles are quite the little memory key for both of us. Hope you win!

    ReplyDelete
  49. L,

    oh, right then! I am so glad you're much better. I think they're exagerrating a bit with the pandemic they're forecasting.

    At any rate, do try to locate it, it's quite interesting and it should please those who are not averse to some sweeter pine scents, it's not Pino Sylvestre at any stretch of the imagination.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Parfumerad,


    thank you for your kind words. I have a feeling there are some of us who are quite attached to our pines of childhood, in Sweden they should be especially green and "bushy", how lovely. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  51. Christof,

    there are tame Lutens frags and there are untamed ones, it seems. I just like the untamed more, hehe! Seems you do too!
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  52. Tara,

    you're of course included! It's quite good and it should be derisive I bet.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Violaine,

    how wonderfully kind of you to say so and thanks so much for your comment, hope you feel at ease to comment whenever you like.
    Pine odor has some strong ties for many of us, it has been such a revelation through the comments here.
    And who better than mr.Lutens to interpret it? I love his shaman mystique!
    Good luck!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Guido,

    of course you'in and thanks for your kind words on the review.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Tripsy,

    I think it's very appealing, it has some strange aspects, but it's not that difficult really. Youy're included.

    I LOVE Collete Calascione, her vision is like seeing things through a convulted prism. A bit David Lynch-like, one can say! (love Lynch as well)

    ReplyDelete
  56. Marko,

    this is nothing like the regular pine fragrances, it's neither too "butch" nor is it bracing in the "clean" aspect of other pine fragrances. If you like Chergui or the Bois series, I think you'd like this one. Hope you find out for yourself!

    What a wonderful book Michael Parkes has out, I am sorely tempted now!! Thanks for the link! :-))

    ReplyDelete
  57. Chris,

    aww, thanks. You're included, so good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Elizabeth,

    I have to admit that it's not perceived as a conventional "pretty" smell nor is it perfumey in the French manner. For that I believe it will have its detractors. Yet it's very appealing to me.

    Good luck with the drawing!

    ReplyDelete
  59. J,

    honey, how are you?
    I hope you get to try it out. It unlocked a flood of memories for me, it's full of the hot sands and the cool winds of that special place.
    The pine herbal tea with honey was tasting actually pretty good. That German cleaning lady had all sorts of tricks for just about anything: cleaning red wine stains with white wine (yup!), healing wounds with honey (yup, yup!) and endless sorts of everyday tricks. I should have noted them all down and compiled a handbook. :/

    ReplyDelete
  60. Bijou/E,

    hello there and thanks for chimming in! As always your opinion on Lutens is appreciated a lot.
    I was wondering in what direction he would go when I first heard about this and was pining (LOL) for the images on my mind rather than the generic "pine" smells of those dreadful taxi cabs, and see, my wish has been granted.
    I find that if we can expect unusual things from someone it's from Lutens. The market for "clean", especially in the US (and this is an export bottle, so that might shift things) might have paved the way to something truly horrible in the "another screetchy cool air" thing with the tag Pine on it. (This reminds me of some local masculine fragrances of the 70s which were worn with an open shirt, hairy chest and a gold cross on it, only they weren't that "clean", but they were very butch! Anyway, an association you might find amusing, hence my mentioning it)

    NdC is lovely (and I wear it with pleasure myself), but it's the definitive, perfect fruity floral amidst thousands. If blindfolded, I wouldn't peg it as Lutensian. But it is very feminine...

    ReplyDelete
  61. A,

    thanks for commenting! Yeah, he is a shaman, isn't he? He has a healing vibe to our psyche when he hits the right spot. And good point about the speaking :p
    You're in!

    ReplyDelete
  62. Aya,

    perfect, perfect description of something very close to where I lived in. I knew someone must have seen something comparable and thanks for saying so! And hope you get back there at some point.

    You're in, best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  63. Tarleisio,

    thank you dalring and hope you get to try it. I decided since I have a bottle, 5 samples would be better than just one, so more people have a chance. So good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  64. sounds very interesting- please enter me in the draw. The pine needle tea also sounds very interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  65. Karin,

    thanks, good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Scott,

    what a wonderful explanation of the crookness of those pines! I wouldn't have thought of it this way, as ours here are simply crooked by the wind (sometimes the wind can be quite strong and they tend to "lean" on one side as a result). But of course settlers were looking for specific characteristics, very true.
    Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  67. B,

    of course you're included! Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  68. K,

    it's quite atypical of pine scents, so I hope you like it!

    ReplyDelete
  69. Viollaine,

    thanks for letting me know and naturally I have replied to your lovely comment and included you in the draw already. Watch out for your credit card, it's a perilous path, this universe of Scents! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  70. K,

    best of luck, it's quite interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  71. T,

    thanks for your kind words. A Lutens must be sampled, always. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  72. Operafan,

    indeed, I love it when something speaks on such a level. Isn't it precious? I have high regard for many Patricia de Nicolai scents, which one was it?

    Oh yeah, nothing like NdC this one, more of an older style SL. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  73. Oooh, I would love to dab some of it,being more inclined to spices. But to try a new SL before it comes out ... - heaven... :) I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Joe,

    thanks for commenting, and what an interesting question! I think it is cultural, as several other nations don't think of it that way I believe: I know we only associate fir with Xmas for instance. And that is not really a reality for the majority, as most people get an artificial one anyway. The traditional Xmas ornament in Greece was a colourfully lighted model ship ~this goes back to Homeric times when the ship was tautologised with the nation and the captain with the ruler, and Greece has always been a naval country, being surrounded by sea and having 16000km of shores all around. Later on when there was a National Revolution in 1821 but no king (the Byzantine ones had been eradicated during the Turkish occupation and the aristocratic lineage semi-broken), we had to "borrow" a king from Germany, who had some Greek Byzantine lineage from afar, whom we later expelled, an interesting story actually (our modern exiled kings are of Greek and Danish heritage) and along with him some German customs came to Greece, one of them the Xmas tree! (I can't help recounting these, sorry if I am becoming boring...).

    So pines have always stood for me as the great green shades (along with fig trees) under which we lazed after the swim in the sea. Quite summery in fact... :-)

    Your comparisons are quite interesting. I think the CDG scents mentioned are cooler and have the incense-thing going on more than the clearer pine of Pino Sylvestre (which is the "typical cologne pine" for me) and in FeA there is that incense things going on definitely. But it's warmer, with more spice and a candied fruit element which makes it different. I wouldn't compare it to Zagorsk really and it's not as skanky as Yatagan either. I hope you find out for yourself soon!!

    ReplyDelete
  75. F,

    I like NdC too (it's so pretty), but is it typically Lutensian? No. I think this one is. Good luck with the draw!

    ReplyDelete
  76. Wonderful review, as always, and interesting pics!

    I have tried Fille en Aiguilles, I like it, it reminds me of Five O' Clock au Gingembre, which I use a lot, so I don't think I will buy it, I prefer to wait for Fourreau Noir!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Jenn,

    thanks so much for joining our company, it's so nice to see you here!! :-) Hope you make yourself feel at home and share your views with us.

    FeA is not cold and airy like Wrappings (which is a fab scent in itself), it's actually warmer rather than cool, which is a different feel, if I am making sense. It feels so much into the spirit of the Lutens series to me.

    LOVE Carnal Flower, why haven't I reviewed it yet? *mental note*

    And of course you're included in the drawing, best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  78. Merchella,

    thanks so much for your kind words and glad you liked the pics too. I try to find things to suit my visions or give something that stays with the reader a bit. :-)

    I can't say I have familiarised myself too much with FoCG, so I need to test them side by side now. Thanks for the suggestion!
    FN is supposed to be a weird mix with a synth citrus-woody note in there. I don't know what to think, we'll see upon extensive testing.

    ReplyDelete
  79. Ines,

    I think you'll find it appealing, it has a weird xpice-fruit-incense mix about it along with the herbal, which makes it compelling.
    Good lyck!!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Rose/K,

    you're in naturally!
    The pine needles tea is really easy to make and it is tasty: just clean the needles (chop off the little "stem" on end), dry them (or not) and steep them into hot water for half an hour. Strain and add honey to taste. Tah da! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  81. That sounds utterly divine, and I will absolutely have to smell it for myself!
    Thanks for an excellent review - and yes, I would love to be included in the sample draw :)

    ReplyDelete
  82. Alexandra13:48

    I`m looking for good pine needle fragrance for quite a while. I was thinking of AdP Blue Mediterraneo Cipresso di Toscana, or snatching my grandfathers Pino, but I just might wait to try this one first.
    Please include me in a draw.

    ReplyDelete
  83. Fernando14:33

    You certainly made this one sound interesting! I haven't really tried any Lutens scents (there are so many, it's hard to know where to start!), so I'm very interested in the samples.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Alexandra,

    I am a fan of Cipresso, which is very Med-smelling to me. :-) Not specifically pine, though. Pino is another story altogether.
    I think you might like FeA if you're after a sweet and at the same time a little medicinal potion. Youre' included!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Proximity,

    thanks for your comment and you're in! Hope you win a sample and find out how this plays out for you :-)
    (thanks for your mail too, will respond soon)

    ReplyDelete
  86. Fernando,

    did I? :-)
    Well, there are indeed numerous Lutens so it all has to do with what you're fancying:
    woods? (the Bois series, Chene, Santal Blanc) fruits? (bois et fruits, El Attarine, Mandarin) flowers with something else? (sarrasins, a la nuit, fleurs d'oranger, un lys, tubereuse criminelle) oriental etudes? (fumerie turque, chergui, vetiver oriental, un bois vanille, Borneo) muskiness? (musks kublai khan, clair de musc) or leather (Cuir mauresque, daim blond), or even odd mixes which can't be classified really?(Datura Noir, Douce Amere, Serge Noire)

    Hope you win a sample!

    ReplyDelete
  87. Zazie3316:55

    I have a special place in my cabinet waiting for pine needles and incense ;)
    I hope I'm not too late to enter the draw: I would really love to try this new tantalizing creature...
    Thank you anyway!

    ReplyDelete
  88. Anonymous18:21

    When I hear pine my first associations are sea (specifically Adriatic), summer and vacations. All very positive so I'd love a chance to win a sample ;)

    ReplyDelete
  89. Anonymous19:12

    This one sounds great. I just spent some days in the Adirondacks and loved inhaling the evergreens: it was amazing. Unfortunately, my nose got used to the delicious aroma!

    Wow, people are saying "don't enter me in the draw"? Not me! Please DO enter me in the giveaway. Thanks!

    Laura M

    ReplyDelete
  90. Anonymous21:23

    Incense! Pine! Vetiver! Please enter me in the draw, dear E.

    All the very best,

    Natalia

    ReplyDelete
  91. Please be so kind to put me in the draw as well, E.

    ReplyDelete
  92. maitreyi197801:46

    I like those paintings! I'm going to check out Calascione now. Please include me in the draw.

    ReplyDelete
  93. Zazie,

    not too late, don't worry! You're in :-)
    I can fully comprehend the "place in the cabinet waiting for a special something" ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  94. Katarina,

    your associations are so very close to mine! I bet mr.Lutens was thinking of similar things to launch this during the summertime. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  95. Laura,

    evergreens have a stimulating yet at the same time comforting scent about them, I find. It's indeed delicious and here the note is combined with other sweet and herbal elements which produces something different.
    Best of luck in the drawing!

    ReplyDelete
  96. Natalia,

    yup, three very intriguing elements in one: you're in!

    ReplyDelete
  97. Dain,

    of course I am including you :-)

    Hope you're very well and having a great (humid, I bet) summer. :-))

    ReplyDelete
  98. Maitreyi,

    aren't they wonderful? I love Calascione, meant to use these for quite some time now.
    You're in!

    ReplyDelete
  99. Natalie,

    that special Lutens....it is such a fun procedure to explore! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  100. I am intrigued by "dabbing vs. spraying" and learn something every day right here on your blog. Please enter me in the drawing for one of the samples. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  101. Adore the scent of real pine--I crush the green needles in my hands sometimes and sniff like crazy. I have yet to find a perfume that captures that scent. Yes please, would love to be entered for a sample. (Though I wonder what it was about the scent that inspired the strange pictures?)

    ReplyDelete
  102. JAntoinette20:30

    This little potion sounds quite interesting. Of course, I have potions on the brain, having seen Harry Potter last night! This really sounds enchanting(or is it enchanted?).

    ReplyDelete
  103. Anonymous20:58

    I just can't wait to try it, but the description makes me think this will be one to enjoy all by myself only.

    quimerula.

    ReplyDelete
  104. Queen,

    glad there is some educational perspective here :-) And thanks for saying it! You're included and best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  105. Elfriede,

    it's a wonderful scent, isn't it.
    The pictures had caught my eye before and the potion is strange, but there is also some other background: at that summer villa I first saw bats hanging from trees and then flying from their nests, as well as birds hatching, so the first pic was a natural for this.
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  106. JAntoinette,

    this is worthy of a HP magical potion, so I consider it both enchanting and enchanted! :-)
    Best of luck!

    ReplyDelete
  107. Quimerula,

    I have included you so hope you find out for yourself. :-)
    It's certainly not a crowd pleaser, but I wouldn't think it's so difficult to wear either. It has a certain warmth about it which is very comforting.

    ReplyDelete
  108. I never win anything, but include me in the drawing anyways.
    This perfume sounds yummiyummiyummi!!

    By the way: thank you for a very good and interresting blog :-)

    ReplyDelete
  109. I'm sorry. I forgot to say please.
    Pretty please ?!
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  110. Hagen,

    LOL, you're of course in, don't worry! I do hope you break the jinx and win this time. Don't despair we had winners who were never winning before :-)

    And thank you for your most kind words on the blog. Much appreciated and hope you pop in often!

    ReplyDelete
  111. Thank you :-D
    Crossing fingers...

    ReplyDelete
  112. Ah, I am glad I delayed commenting...was wondering about those pictures myself! They were quite a delight to find...

    Another wonderful piece, E.

    ReplyDelete
  113. I adore Lutens, even when I don't like a scent, but this one sounds wonderful to me. Please enter me in the drawing! Thanks for the lovely writing and equally interesting art.

    ReplyDelete
  114. S,

    glad the delay has resulted in having your question answered.
    Isn't Calascione wonderful? And quite prolific too!
    Thanks for the kind words on the article, much appreciated :-)
    HOpe you're very very well!

    ReplyDelete
  115. Julie,

    you're welcome and thank you for your nice compliment. There is something about the Lutens portfolio, I agree 100%. They have a compelling quality about them, one is drawn to explore further even when they don't actually like a specific scent too much.
    Hope you get to try this warm potion yourself! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  116. I am not sure I even want to smell this the idea is so divine- nothing quite brings back childhood memories like walking in the pine forests along the Italian coast- and your review is so elliptical, I have no idea how it smells at all- please pick me!!!!
    Alexander

    ReplyDelete
  117. Alex,

    hope you win! It's indeed a warm, lovely potion, evocative probably of many people's childhood seaside memories, I have since found out. How utterly surprising that so many of us have the same visuals and am eagerly waiting to see how people who win a sample find the scent :-)

    ReplyDelete
  118. I would dearly love to try this so please enter me in the drawing.

    ReplyDelete
  119. "pine"-baptized air pollution posing as home and car ambience. snicker snicker snort. I love your descriptions. Last "pine air - pollution" device I encountered was in a taxi driven by a redolent (and hairy...to diffuse himself even further) driver with no less than 6 cardboard pine trees dangling from places most people leave free to see oncoming traffic.

    Thank you for your evocative, erudite musings which brighten my work (ok ok I'm not techinically working while reading perfumeshrine) mornings. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  120. Popcarts,

    the draw has now closed (we keep these going for about a week and then put participants out of their misery by actually announcing winners), and I hear Barneys have just got it as did Escentual in the UK (if you're gambliong with unsniffed purchases) but if you don't have access to a sample, do mail me for one. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  121. Mac,

    you're most welcome, I'm sure, and am I glad I am providing some mirth and chuckle! The pine trees deserve our contempt (especially the coconut ones, but don't let me started on THOSE and taxis!!) Your taxi ride must have been one out of National Lampoon I fathom, so glad you were spared unscathed and are now reading our venue :-))
    Please do feel free to comment at any moment with any little personal snippet that furthers wasted working-hours: it's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it! ;-)

    ReplyDelete

Type your comment in the box, choose the Profile option you prefer from the drop down menu, below text box (Anonymous is fine too!) and hit Publish.
And you're set!

This Month's Popular Posts on Perfume Shrine