Oriental Arabesque for Oud Palao by Diptyque

The newest fragrance by French niche brand Diptyque is called Oud Palao and is -you guessed it- inspired by the mega-trend that is oud. It also incorporates perfume notes of Bulgarian rose, camphor, labdanum,  rum, tobacco, patchouli, Madagascar vanilla, and sandalwood.

But what is most memorable is the gorgeous, eye-catching illustration motif. After all Diptyque started as a quirky design brand of textiles and scents...

The Case for a Good Drag of Smoke: Korres Premium II L'Eau de Parfum

Poor Jon Hamm had to smoke 74 herbal cigarettes in the pilot of Mad Men alone, such is our modern shunning of smoking, even more so on screen, where it's strictly seen as "period work." And yet ... You can do lots of things with a cigarette on hand: gain time, use that sharp intake of smoke as a decisive battle cry, fill that hanging silence of exhaling with something to look into, occupy your hands, offer to light a damsel-in-distress's own cigarette ... smoking has its own language and codes.

Which nicely brings me to our matter at hand. A gorgeous tobacco fragrance for men. Those old-cut ones, like Richard Widmark. Widmark looked quite a bit like my own grandfather, who wore Tabac Original by Mauer & Wirtz; there's poetic justice in the lives of perfumephiles, you see.

via

Thus goes my review of the Premium II L'Eau de Parfum by Greek brand Korres. Issued in late 2014 and among the very good surprises of the beginning of this year, I realize that it's not exactly summer material (though you could wear it, why not), more of a flannel suit and fedora hat affair, yet it beckoned last week when the heatwave made everything smell so very intensely that I was sure I was either smelling fragrances from three blocks away or experiencing a case of phantosmia (sensing phantom smells). Please find my full review of this beautiful tobacco and woods cologne on this link. As always you're welcome to comment either here or there or both.

New Images of the Great Cate for Armani Si Eau de Toilette New Campaign

That's Cate Blanchett, for the upcoming new publicity for Armani Si, a nouveau chypre fragrance built around a blackcurrant note, that has already taken a significant share in the market. The Italian maestro's white shirts from the previous ads give way to something a bit more casual, it seems; a silvery grey cashmere jumper with short sleeves or a dress, from the looks of it?And a killer raincoat for when in the car.

Anyway, sartorial matters aside, the new commercial will air in September 13th, filmed by Irano-American flim maker Massy Tadjedin. Darius Khondji is the director of photography and the clip has been filmed in Australia. Tim Munro is behind the print campaign. Photos by Josh Prendeville, from Cate Blanchett's fan site.

Bang Bang

The heat made me pick Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle Carnal Flower today, a sexy ‪fragrance‬ built on the greener, fresher side of the lush tuberose blossoms. A favorite with American women, it won my heart when I first tested it many summers ago one fateful hot afternoon; it spoke of the eternal west and riding into the sunset cutting my losses.

What perfume are you wearing today?

Vacation in a Bottle: Fragrances to Take you Away

Whether your mind is set on Honolulu, Bali or Amorgos, there's bound to be at least one fragrant composition that presses all the right buttons for you; windswept, transient, sprayed with sea salt, evocative of endless white sand and dry rock or of tropical heat beach-smelling fragrances are a cult favorite for a reason. We all have fantasies like that, especially in the last days spent in the office before our vacation, right?

via

So in the interest of aiding the daydreaming somewhat (not that it needed much aid) I have composed a detailed slideshow of some of the best "instant vacation" perfumes that have the power to transport you to your own mental slice of heaven. Here is the direct link, enjoy! And get the sarongs, the flip flops and the straw hat at the ready while you're at it. A last minute luggage packing is easier than you think.

For more suggestions broken down not according to destination but according to style, consult my PerfumeShrine article Beach Fragrances: Sunny and Summery.

Don't forget to share your own favorite suggestions of "vacation in a bottle" fragrances in the comments below this post! I'd love to read them.