Showing posts sorted by relevance for query dark boozy vanilla. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query dark boozy vanilla. Sort by date Show all posts

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Best Dark, Smoky & Boozy Vanilla Perfumes (Vanilla Series)

Despite "dark vanilla" sounding like an oxymoron, if there ever was one, the collective fantasy of just this trope suggests the dedicated quest for a powerful aphrodisiac; dangerous like a femme fatale, but at the same time tried & true like one of the few fragrance notes that can be universally picked with no great difficulty. Maybe "dark" is meant in the sense of sinister, a little evil, a little perverse. I can see that.
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Vanilla scents by their very nature tend towards the oriental fragrance family, more specifically the gourmand fragrance sub-genre, but this category of smoky, boozy vanilla perfumes with off notes of malt, whiskey, rum and pipe tobacco are more than any other marking their territory in the Orientals like it's nobody's business. For that very reason, they're recommended to lovers of resinous, balsamic fragrances who can thus learn to appreciate the merits of vanilla. If you always eyed vanilla perfumes as the bimbos of the perfumery world and considered yourself a languorous odalisque instead, this is a useful exercise, if only to divest yourself of certain prejudices; any material is pliable enough in the hands of a skilled and imaginative artist.

Guerlain is probably a necessary stop in this adventurous road; even master perfumer Ernest Beaux (working for Chanel) complained that his vanillas turned into creme anglaise, while Guerlain's turned into...Shalimar

The perception of darkness or booziness in vanilla versus chaste "vanilla" probably starts at the kitchen. In the United States cooking vanilla is sold as a liquid form extract that is diluting the white crystals of vanillin in carrier alcohol and other fillers such as burnt sugar (which usually color the liquid a welcoming caramelic shade). Furthermore, the naming of a certain type of vanilla as "Bourbon Vanilla" (after the Bourbon royal family of France who held a claim on the Réunion island where this is produced) further complicates the mind into believing one is smelling...bourbon whiskey!

It's here important to differentiate with amber fragrances (parfums ambrés in French) which, although traditionally built on labdanum and vanillin (a trope of the late 19th century), form a separate category, characterized by a powdery, softly enveloping and animalic quality. Both tonka beans and benzoin resin both have naturally vanillic aspects which are therefore put to the fore in that context. This confusion between "ambers" and purer "vanillas" makes no great practical difference to the wearer (one's interpretation is subjective), but it's something that needs to be mentioned from a technical point of view.

Here are some of the darkest and more suggestive vanilla perfumes you can ever dream of getting your hands on. Feel free to experiment!

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Cacharel Gloria: especially the body oil is a gloriously deep, nuanced vanilla (Though discontinued it's a good alternative to the super expensive Spirituelle Double Vanille -see below- and therefore to be pounced on when you see it for sale)
Dior Hypnotic Poison: a bitter almond laced vanillic elixir which is quite powdery. Cult best-seller, a bit thinned in recent edition, more of a fully fledged oriental than a simple vanilla
Chanel Egoiste: marketed to men, snatched by discerning women who like creamy notes of vanilla in a complex blend
Givenchy Organza Indecence: a spin to the original floriental Organza, this vanillic counterpart is flashier and has a rum & cola rather than a kir royal when out at night.
Guerlain Jicky: clearly this lavender fougere it's not all about the vanilla, but especially vintage renditions full of meowing civet make the note gain a mischievous facet that reminds me of the two faces of Janus (Its contemporary spin is Gris Clair by Serge Lutens).
Guerlain Spirituelle Double Vanille: THE reference for boozy vanilla fragrances, it encompasses all the treacle aspects of the genuine vanilla pods. But it's not about darkness, it's about luminosity, about sparkle, about golden incandescence, even if most would unimaginatively call it ...."dark".
Guerlain Shalimar Ode a la Vanille: a more approachable path to the classic of classics, Guerlain Shalimar, with more of a vanilla focus (Shalimar Ode a la Vanille au route de Madagascar and Shalimar Ode a la Vanille au route de Mexique are simply limited annual editions of the same perfume). Shalimar Parfum Initial is also a credible way to get initiated in the cult, as is (with a more lemony touch), Shalimar Light/Eau de Shalimar. 

Of course if you're trying the above flankers of Shalimar, it would be a great injustice not to sample (in all its different concentrations and vintages) the ORIGINAL bronze-skinned deity that is the classic Shalimar. More of an amber oriental than a pure vanilla, however its vanilla component is twisted, romantic, mysteriously creamy and animalic smelling. Just so.

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Indult Tihota: an expensive vanilla that mentally conjures chestnut brown silk
L'Artisan Parfumeur Vanille Absolument (previously named Havana Vanille): a boozy and tobacco-laced vanilla that maintains a precarious equilibrium like a trapeze artist
La Maison de la Vanille Noire de Mexique: a more economical alternative to Tihota (see above), it highlights the geographical variety (as contrasted to Madagascar)
Martine Micallef Vanille: a not-for-young-girls vanilla blend, rich and nicely boozy, quite polished in the genre. In fact, and said in passing, Parfums M.Micallef have a whole line devoted to vanilla (M.Micallef Collection Vanille), so check their variations out.
Mona di Orio Les Nombres d'Or Vanille: spectacular, dark vanilla, dry and earthy with a bit of rum nuance, its spices in check, masterfully blended
Patricia de Nicolai Vanille Tonka: tonka beans have a natural vanillic facet, which is treated with a smoky note of frankincense given even citrusier facets by the addition of lime
Perlier Carribean Vanilla Coffee: coffee is a natural complement to vanilla, its roasted side keeping the sweetness in check
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille: if you always sought a sweet, dense pipe tobacco scent but came to "close but no cigar" conclusions, this Tom Ford doesn't disappoint; just be careful with dosage, it's very sweet and potent, though curiously enough not overpowering
Yves Rocher Vanille Noire: like its name suggests, a darker vanilla, really well done on Rocher's part and among their upscale offerings

Do you like dark vanilla fragrances? Which are your favorites?


Sunday, December 1, 2013

Best Foodie, Succulent, Dessert-Like Creamy Vanilla Perfumes (Vanilla Series)

If you have always felt that vanilla cupcakes look all too Barbie-style, blonde girl in a mini skirt and bright pink lipstick with an impossibly flat belly to be actually consuming them, you're not alone. I'm right there with you. Vanilla fragrances can be the olfactory equivalent of a bimbo, 45 years of feminism thrown with the bath water, celebritoid wannabe or even white trash; but when they're good, boy, are they good! What I'm saying is there is absolutely nothing wrong with craving a vanilla scent from time to time (would you have said the same thing if it were chocolate?) and this comes from a sworn vanilla abstainer.

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The real peril I guess is in wanting a pure baking-type vanilla scent which can come across as having spilled vanilla frosting all over yourself (a fun idea for a romp in the bed or a kid's party but not much else, though Jennifer Love Hewitt has other views). It's also all too common to have plain and cheap vanilla scents turn "plastic" on skin, a very synthetic smelling "note" that when overdosed can even have an alarming burnt hair facet (exceedingly common in candles, room sprays and a few store ventilation systems which has probably turned off many of us off vanilla scents).

So what do you do?

One solution, Jennifer-Love-style, is if you have a favorite cooking type vanilla extract (in liquid form), to steal a drop of two from time to time to put at the base of your neck. Food grade means it's safe for skin use. Or you can consult my guide to foodie and creamy vanilla perfumes below. The following suggestions even though very much belonging into the gourmand orientals perfume family (fragrances directly inspired and reminiscent of desserts, from said cupcakes to creme brûlée and vanilla bean poundcake) are carefully selected to hold the vanilla in check; frou-frou and all around good fun, but not brain dead all the same!

Aveda Vanille Absolue: a perfume oil that emits comforting baking vanilla fumes around as your body heats up, much preferable to more evanescent body sprays. In fact vanilla scents in oil form are a good idea in general because they project subtler and mix with your own "musk" to produce a unique smell.
Britney Spears Curious in Control: smells like mouth-watering, crisp on top, melting below, creme brûlée (To my perfume critic status's shame, I would never have tried this, were it not for an ingenious perfume lover, Teacake, who sent me a mystery decant in the mail with no label on eons ago)
Burberry Brit: especially the eau de parfum is for those with a sweet tooth, the tonka bean's vanillic and almondy facets highlighted
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot: in a line full of vanilla fragrances, this is popular for a reason, taking the fruity, lactonic heart of apricot and injecting it with a good dose of vanilla without making it cloying
Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Coco: a tropical dessert, a little goes a long way, recommended if you like coconut (I don't as a rule, but you might)
Jessica Simpson Fancy: among the better celebrity scents, this is very popular with notes of almond and caramel but a predominant vanilla


Kenzo Amour: a vanilla rice pudding (hold the cinnamon), very nicely done, a simple pleasure you need not feel guilty for
L'Artisan Parfumeur Vanilia: discontinued, but in the words of supermodel Paulina Porizkova who was a fan, the best "ice cream cone" scent with a hint of smoke, built on the sugary aromachemical maltol
Lavanila Laboratoires Pure Vanilla: like its name says, the scent of unadulterated yummy goodness
L'Occitane Miel & Vanille: a cult favorite, this ingenious mix is both delicious and intriguing, but, alas, discontinued (though you may find a bottle in auctions or swap with someone)
The Body Shop vintage Vanilla oil perfume: the old version smelled like pure essence of freshly baked vanilla cookies (The newer version is just not the same in terms of cuddliness; if you're there nevertheless the Madagascar Vanilla eau de toilette is nice enough for an inexpensive fun play on a light vanilla).

If you're a man, you're often left out when considering sweet vanilla scents. There is one that can be easily hold of, Givenchy Pi, popular with men and women alike, although caveat emptor I personally think it's too sweet and can become too much. If the same applies to you, check out my list for Top Woody Vanillas, Top Quirky, Spicy, Anisic and Floral Vanillas or Top Dark, Boozy and Smoky Vanillas (upcoming).

Do you like pure, foodie vanillas? Which are your favorites?


Friday, November 29, 2013

The Quest for the Perfect Vanilla Perfume (Vanilla Series)

In moments of mental inertia, I tried to note down every vanilla fragrance out there and then critically assess it. A task as easy as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with bare hands and feet clad in Louboutins. There are virtually thousands of perfumes (not to mention body products) with a predominant vanilla impression, all vying for the "best vanilla fragrance in the market". And it became especially difficult taking into account that vanilla -like rose- is one of those fragrance notes that tend to leave me with a "huh, is this all there is to it" face; no doubt due to saturation of the market, unidentified traumatic experiences buried into my deep unconscious and the fact that I don't like "easy" things. And vanilla, no matter how you slice it, is "easy".


Easy in the sense that it is comforting, it provides cushioning, insulation from the cruel cold world, a retreat to the womb and the primal joys of breast milk and sustenance. Breast milk is indeed lightly vanillic, sweetish in nature (don't ask how I know) and it's no accident that baby food (as well as many baby care products) are lightly flavored and/or scented with vanilla scent, nor that men are, allegedly, attracted to the scent of vanilla acting as an aphrodisiac. (It's best not to dwell too much on what Oedipal complications such an assertion would imply in Freudian terms.)
According to the Australian Orchid Society, "Old Totonac lore has it that Xanat, the young daughter of the Mexican fertility goddess, loved a Totonac youth. Unable to marry him due to her divine nature, she transformed herself into a plant that would provide pleasure and happiness – that plant was the Vanilla vine. This reputation was much enhanced in 1762 when a German study found that a medication based on vanilla extract cured impotence — all 342 smiling subjects claimed they were cured."
Of course one would have to go for organic, natural vanilla extract for that, surely (not to mention that raw beef meat was also considered an aphrodisiac for men in the early 20th century and let's see how many listeria cases there were because of it), but that never stopped the advertising machine from claiming claims they can't support. Personally I have yet to find the man who is mesmerized by pure unadulterated vanilla. It's believe it's just a component with familiarity value to them when picked in a blend; would you have expected them to recognize vetiver, saffron, Ambroxan or ylang ylang? I didn't think so...

Vanilla's appeal is actually much simpler than all that: it's a mental connection with a time when we felt nurtured. Or rather vanillin is. But let's take things at the top. 

Vanillin is not exactly vanilla, as it lacks the depth and richness of "real vanilla" (Vanilla planifolia). This simple molecule, and ethyl vanillin as well, are routinely produced not from the vanilla orchid (an exotic plant that bears dark, blackish pods that when sliced yield their aromatic essence, rich in -yes- vanillin) but from lignin (a byproduct of the wood pulp industry) or from guaiacol. The form that vanillin is routinely presented in commercially is whitish crystals available for baking at the aisles of supermarkets across Europe or diluted into a carrier liquid in the USA. Scents that highlight vanilla can be simple, foodie stuff focusing on, exactly, baking vanilla (i.e. vanillin) which brings on memories of baking with mum, or they can be much more complex affairs where boozy notes reminiscent of rum or whiskey appear and regress at times. Vanilla perfumes can even lean tropical, with floral facets that recall coconut and sweet nectarous leis to the point you can hear the tam-tams in the background. There are perverse, marine vanillas, outré and left field, and there are anisic or spicy vanillas which are not as wholesome as the butter cookies you baked with your grandmother. In short, there are as many variations on vanilla as there are in...well,  there aren't that many variations in vanilla sex, but you know what I mean. 

So here begins a guide into the Top Vanilla Fragrances, which will take the form of a Perfume Shrine series, so as to tackle each and every category, therefore making it easier to pinpoint just what you like and hopefully branch out a bit more. While there we will question received wisdom, dispel some common myths and re-ascertain truths where they may be.
It did take me a while to arrive at the selection, so you won't find everything under the sun in those posts, but if you have a suggestion that you consider particularly good to miss, please add it in the comments below. If you stumbled on this post through Google and want to read about Vanilla Perfume Recommendations, please click on the Vanilla Series tab here. 



Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Hermessence Vanille Galante by Hermes: fragrance review

"Days begin and end in the dead of night. They are not shaped long, in the manner of things which lead to ends – arrow, road, man's life on earth. They are shaped round, in the manner of things eternal and stable – sun, world, God". ~Jean Giono

Jean Claude Ellena's ~resident perfumer of la maison Hermès~ favourite author sums up the mise en scène that the newest Hermessence radiates quietly: roundness, grace and a nostalgic lapsarian intimation of the eternal upon gazing beauty.
Revisiting my musings on how Jean Claude Ellena would interpret a note that is quite taken for granted, that of vanilla, I am reminded of what I had said: "Vanilla is exactly the cliché note that begs for Jean Claude Ellena's modus operandi: chastizing it by food deprivation would be beneficial pedagogically, I feel". It is with some suprise and delight, now I have obtained my own bottle of Vanille Galante, that I realise he doesn't focus so much on the bean flavour as much as on the fluffy, almost cloudy, cotton-feathery aspect it reproduces as a memento of certain flowers' inner core: lily, ylang ylang, and what I sense as the innermost pollen of lilac and wisteria, flowers which exude the most intoxicating, spicy and a little "dirty" underside. I have long felt that Jean Claude is an extremely sensual man with a keen intelligence that makes him exhibit a subtle eroticism in his creations and the language of flowers is by its nature supremely erotic. (After all flowers are the reproductive organs of plants and their aim is to attract pollinators). Let's not forget therefore that vanilla itself is a flower ~an exotic orchid of aphrodisiac properties with which Jean Claude has occupied himself even as an co-author in "Vanilles et Orchidées". And for those who believe in his transparent trajectory through le corps du métier he never produced a foody vanilla, there is proof to the contrary in his woody-edible Sublime Vanille (2001) for Lily Prune!

The French adjective "galant" (or "galante" for feminine nouns) has an intriguing background: In the romans de cour/courtly literature, that is the medieval novels of nobility (for example "Le Roman de la Rose" from 1420-30), "galant" signifies the quality of courteous, gentlemanly and often amorous. The phrase "en galante companie" thus signified the company of a representative of the opposite sex. An attracting vanilla then, but also idealised, exalted, romanticized in an almost Platonic ideal. In musical terms, "galant" refers to the European style of classical simplicity after the complexity of the late Baroque era in the third quarter of the 18th century with pre-eminent representatives the rhythmical composers François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Georg Philipp Telemann and Antonio Vivaldi . Their cyclical forma ties in with the theme of La Reverdie (the return) in literary roman: that of eternal return of spring, a theme of pagan connotations . The common trait would be the lyrical approach of solidly thematic subjects, which could sneak into the treatment of vanilla in Vanille Galante, or what I will from now on affectionaly call "péripéties de vanilla". Thus Jean Claude ambitiously set out to produce an « insolent, complex et paradoxical» blossom that would shatter all preconceptions of how a vanilla fragrance would smell, aiming not at a photorealistic figurative imprint but an almost narrative play at personal impressions devoid of cheap sentimentalities. We reference Jean Giono again ~he says in "Voyage en Italie" that "Describing a painting in sentiments might seem better [than describing it in colours] but it only serves to shuffle the cards". Thus Ellena finds the core of his artistic philosophy anew: He reads "le sentiment" (the sentiment), but he hears "le-sens-qui-ment" (the sense that lies).

Eschewing the typical synthesized vanillin used in gourmand compositions as an easy trompe nez, Jean Claude went for a segment of authentic vanilla extract's olfactory facet; that of the slightly powdery and ethereal, producing a lithe, delicate composition like a swan's feather, like the whitest cotton balls, that truly breathes sensuously only on skin with the achingly poignant timbre of beauty destined to be ephemeral. Using a technique à rebours, Ellena doesn't use vanilla as an anchor of more volatile components nor does he render it dark, boozy and sinfully calorific à la Guerlain (Spiritueuse Double Vanille but also Shalimar and Shalimar Light ;and let's not forget Ylang et Vanille). He diffuses his vision into the clouds with adroitness and a playful sense of optimism, much like he did with L'Eau d'Hiver, when he was playing with the cassie, anisaledhyde and the warm savoury aspects of Apres L'Ondée.
The secret of Vanille Galante is kept by the great master in his favourite conjuring bag of tricks, to be partially revealed at his discretion. He had expresssed similar magical resourcefulness in Bois Farine and in the adumbration of saddlery hinted behind the florals in Kelly Calèche. In Vanille Galante the intriguing touch is the merest whiff of salty, of savoury, upon opening ~a facet that is used in haute patisserie to enhance the flavour and balance the sweeter aspects~ foiled into a lightly spicy one (comparable to how the innnermost stemons of white lilies smell) taking flight onto a mist of salicylates for diffusion (ylang ylang naturally encompasses benzyl salicylate and eugenol). The play is between spicy flowers, yellow flowers and anisic ones. The slight greeness, almost filled with watery liquid, note of jasmine vine is soon engulfed by a finespun suntan, powdery musky* and smoky balletic move.
*{Ellena likes to use Musc T, Muscone and Muscenone, which are rather powdery , expensive, non-laundry musks}.
In whole, there is no mistaking the European pedigree and atmosphere of Vanille Galante! There is no heaviness of languid exoticism despite the mental connotation of Marie Galante, the island of the Caribbean located in the Guadeloupean archipelago. Nor is there the escapism of endless summers under the cruel sun of the Tropics of Atuana. Urban sophistication and modernity prevail: The sense of the perfume is not diaphanous, nor opaque, but somewhere in-between, a little carnal, a little "dirty" underneath it all, forming a new direction in the mold of an airy floral gourmand that will have everyone copying it soon enough.

Lovers of Serge Lutens' Un Lys and Donna Karan's Gold would find a kindred spirit in Vanille Galante; nevertheless, the waxier aspects of the former are here rendered in a language of less oily interplay and the disposition is more in the Pantone scale of yellow than monumental marble white.
Vanille Galante is not only graceful, but terrifically gracious as well, offering a glimpse of warm sun and fleshy, smooth shoulders in the heart of winter. J'aime bien!

Vanille Galante forms part of the Hermessences collection and is accordingly available exclusively at Hermès boutiques around the world in a 100ml/3.4oz bottle or as a travel set of 4 smaller flacons of 15ml/0.5oz each.

Related reading on Perfumeshrine: Jean Claude Ellena scents review and opinions, the Hermessences, Hermes news and reviews.



Other reviews: Perfume Posse,Grain de Musc, 1000fragrances, auparfum, Peredepierre

Bottle pic © by Helg/Perfumeshrine
"A ride in the country" by H.Toulouse-Lautrec
Swan feather caught in foliage, via ngsprints.co.uk

Monday, November 23, 2015

Annick Goutal Les Absolus Vanille Charnelle: fragrance review

The problem with the term "charnelle" (carnal in French) for Anglo-speaking audiences persists after the online mocking of Guerlain's analogous fragrances (Les Elixirs Charnels or better known as Carnal Elixirs). Of course one might argue it's hard to beat Poupée (doll in French) by Rochas... Nevertheless don't let that distract you from the creamy goodness of the latest Annick Goutal vanilla fragrance, Vanille Charnelle, part of Les Absolus d'Annick Goutal luxury perfumes trio.


Vanilla fragrances can come in various guises and heaven knows one more vanilla is not what is missing from the market, especially at this point. However the polished touch of perfumer Isabelle Doyen and art director Camille Goutal promises a milk bath preceding a lovers' tryst Popaea (Sabena) style.

The butyric note in Vanille Charnelle is held down by two interesting elements making the fluffy base more playful; one is a peppery note that tingles the sinuses with the anticipation of a session of light spanking, the other a nectarous ylang ylang which brings the floralcy of vanilla into focus. Dark vanillas exhibit boozy, dark, whiskey and rum facets, but Vanille Charnelle is more reminiscent of almonds than of booze and has that goose down feel that white musk has when done right.

For Goutal, who had already offered the moderately priced Vanille Exquise, which many vanilla lovers counted among the ones they love, the decision to offer a disproportionately elevated in the posh stakes vanilla sounds rather odd. But vanilla is a known aphrodisiac, as per pop culture (and who can forget the Guerlain claims to Shalimar being cat nip thanks to its rich, dark, leathery vanilla) and it seems one can't have too many in one line. It also ensures a steady interest at the counter...

The luxurious presentation by Annick Goutal in the Les Absolus line, that opens like the scene of a theatre production to reveal a performance by good actors, merits the asking price more than the innovation of the formula. Still...pas mal du tout.


Related reading on Perfume Shrine: 
Annick Goutal news & reviews
Top Vanilla Fragrances: a Series

Monday, April 7, 2008

Absinthe Series 3: fragrances of intoxication

In our investigation of how absinthe has inspired artists, writers, as well as filmmakers, we must return to the art of perfumery with its vast ability to evoke reminiscences. Many fragrances have drawn upon la fée verte in recent years and its herbal constituents: wormwood or artemisia and aniseed, as well as its perceived aromas like liquorice and angelica.
Perfume Shrine has tried to organise the chaos and provide a list of scents with the corresponding notes.

Scents with Wormwood/Artemisia:

*Absinthe by Grandiflorum Fragrances: Largely redolent of offbeat anise, with orangey-boozy and woody notes accented with vanilla later on to soothe and appease, it's as if you're reading Poe by a woodfire cuddled up with a loved on to chase away the nightmares afterwards. Certainly not the most authentic absinthe fragrance around, but very wearable.

*Absolument Absinthe by Parfums d'Interdit: Absolument Absinthe has not one but two ingredients with mysterious and whispered about reputations. Cannabis is the second...Together with inky black tea, tangy bergamot, and the bracing note of Iranian galbanum, various white florals and spices such as nutmeg and cardamom, it deepens on sandalwood and musks sustaining its soft message on the skin for a long time. It's claimed that it conforms according to individual personal chemistry, but since I haven't found a willing speciment to try this theory out I can't proclaim its truth or fallacy. Tripy, if only because you want it to.

Here is Pascal Rolland courtesy of dabbler.ca talking about it:



*Absinthe by BPAL (Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab) : In this cult brand's inventory every little dark and gothic tale finds its narrator through the acocmpanying "imp" (short for sample in BPAL lingo). With such great names as Thanatopsis (the look of death in Greek), Golden Priapus, Enraged Urangutang Musk (!), The Pit and the Pendulum, Nosferatu or Saturnalia (after the Roman celebration) and the corresponding Bacchanalia, they have created a very weird and compelling niche; no less accountable for which is their site with a very active forum.
Absinthe is intensely liquorice-like, with a metallic minty top and a soapy drydown that fades fast. Notes: wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon.

*Absinth by Nasomatto : like I had said when the line launched, this is a wonderful fragrance full of bittersweet notes of herbs, earthy pungent vetiver, possibly angelica or wormwood and some sweet element of vanillic florancy in there that accounts for the most delectable semi-gourmand effect possible. If this is how a modern aromatic gourmand should be made, then I'm all for it.

*Azurée by Estée Lauder : With its rather masculine edge despite its feminine gardenia aspirations, submerged into deceptive aldehydes or cyclamen and jasmine aromas, it opens on dark, musty oakmoss that grabs you and makes you pay attention. In a way though its leatheriness does not possess the striking green slap-across-the-cheek of Bandit or the smooth caress of a gloved hand that is Diorling; resulting in diminished revenue in today’s currency.

*Black Fig and Absinthe by Slatkin (nose Christophe Laudamier) : The treatment of figs is dark, gloomy and surupy like dried fruits smoked over for preservation during the winter months and surely an anomaly amidst usually green fig scents. Quite loud in its fruitiness but underscored by elegant, cool incense and dark wormwood to compliment the intese liquorice effect that first surfaced in Lolita Lempicka. Never too sweet and incidentally Harry Slatkin's preference from the whole line.

*Absinthe by Ava Luxe (nose Serena Ava Franco): a viciously green liquid that might stain your clothes, smelling remarkably close to the alcoholic spirit with a deep, dry anise drydown.

*Absinth by Nasomatto : like I had said when the line launched, this is a wonderful fragrance full of bittersweet notes of herbs, earthy pungent vetiver, possibly angelica or wormwood and some sweet element of vanillic florancy in there that accounts for the most delectable semi-gourmand effect possible. If this is how a modern aromatic gourmand should be made, then I'm all for it.

*Aromatics Elixir by Clinique (nose Bernand Chant): a mossy intense rosy composition that has a bitter beginning redolent of the wormwood plant. I dearly love to basque in its sillage when smelling it on passerbys.

*Azurée by Estée Lauder : With its rather masculine edge despite its feminine gardenia aspirations, submerged into deceptive aldehydes or cyclamen and jasmine aromas, it opens on dark, musty oakmoss that grabs you and makes you pay attention. In a way though its leatheriness does not possess the striking green slap-across-the-cheek of Bandit or the smooth caress of a gloved hand that is Diorling; resulting in diminished revenue in today’s currency.

*Bandit by Piguet (nose Germain Cellier): an archetypal leathery chypre, with the stunning start of emerald artemisia with equally pungently green isobutyl quinoline, a scent to cut your way through a crowd.

*Biche dans L'Absinthe by Gobin Daudé (nose Gobin Daudé) : part of the discontinued natural line by the homonymous perfumer, it is considered the uber-marvel of green scents. It's such a pity that such wonderful creations succumb to the crass marketing laws of commerce. Rarely seen on Ebay and fetching a pretty penny when it does. Don't miss it if you do find it.

*Déclaration by Cartier (nose Jean Claude Ellena): more of a spicy cardamom and cumin affair of refined refereshement than a jade-shaded liquid to make you feel anything but jaded, it nevertheless vibrates in the frequency of a slightly bitter wormwood accord. Delicious and probably one of my highest recommended masculines (or rather unisex) fragrances of modern perfumery. It has been singled out by Ellena himself as the creation he's most proud of , along with First (although this has been a few years ago, on Scented Pages, so we couldn't possibly exclude that a more recent specimen hasn't usurped that position)

*Douce Amère by Serge Lutens (nose Chris Sheldrake): a bittersweet harmony etched in opaline, singing in a warm contralto, curiously not as popular as others in the export line. It merits its own review shortly, so stay tuned.

*Fou d'Absinthe by L'artisan : a masculine fougère vaguely reminiscent of Paco Rabanne pour Homme with a resinous touch allied to woods. Not remarakably absinth-y and although I am a L'artisan fan I'd rather settle for Timbuktu if I wanted a unisex woody mix with resin and spice.

*Geisha Green by Aroma M: According to the creator of the line Maria McElroy who had the subtle sensibility of Japanese incense in her mind, this is an oil with a key aroma of absinthe, the tart, licorice-flavored liqueur. Here the composition os gently sweetened with black currant, mandarin, and violet, and softened with amber and tonka bean.

*Ivoire by Balmain: classic soapy aldehydic of relatively recent crop (1980) with so much primness that it passes for elegance. Its loveliest trait for me is the mossiness at the base which elevates from a mere soapy floral of chamomile, violet, rose and liluy of the valley. Very subtle wormwood touch, but worth including for a glimpse into the Id.

*JF by Floris: Another aromatic fougere for men. Supposedly named after the founder Juan amenias Floris, who was a Spaniard setting up shop in London , although the brand brandishes its British tradition like a coat of arms. Armoise (which is another name for wormwood shrub) is mixed with cypress. Overall light and fresh, with a mixed citrus top note, but rather simplistic.

*Panamé by Keiko Mecheri: No relation to Patou's Pan Ame, which sounds like an airline company. Reminiscent of pastis, an anisic based liqueur, with a soothing undertone of powdery musks, which isn't particulalrly distinctive. Similar to Douce Amere, but not as successfully executed.

*Soothing Aromaparfum in Aroma Allegoria line by Guerlain: A lesser known little line within the brand is Aroma Allegoria, three fragrances in an effort to combine aromatherapy with the heritage of a perfumery that went after the lush and luscious regardless of botanical properties. So it has been understandably circulating under the radar and eventually discontinued. Some might have considered it hubris to aim in that direction. They might have been right all along.
Soothing Aromaparfum has a predominent linden accord backed with vanillic musk and a touch of wormwood to keep things interesting and despite its inclusion in this offbeat list, it does smell quite tender and cuddly.

*Wormwood by BPAL : From the company who loves to lay their hands on everything forbidden, here comes the bitter heart of absinthe as an almost single note. It will provide interesting fodder for conversation if anyone asks, that's certain.

Scents with pronounced angelica:

*Angéliques sous la pluie by Frederic Malle (nose Jean Claude Ellena): rained upon angelicas is the name and the feeling is that of a gin and tonic on the rocks ~deliciously cool and bitter with a refreshing edge just like a cocktail after a hard day

*Angélique Encens by Creed: perhaps the best offering by Creed. Built around the dark green of the strange angelica plant, the harsh green of it tied to Chartreuse it blends the mysterious tonality of incense to the herbal managing to smell like neither ~rather a vanillic wonder of subtle shades like a devoré velvet cloak on naked feminine shoulders.

*Angélique Lilas in Aqua Allegoria line by Guerlain: A true lilac note in fragrance is one of the most elusive things for an avid perfume lover. Here there is a smidgeon of a good approximation sometime into the development of a slightly bitter opening that adds interest, with the shrill addition of the dreaded Calone (synthetic acqueous melon note). If only I could isolate the really good part!

*Angélique Noire by Guerlain (nose Danièle Andrier): As I had previously noted, not particularly "noire", nor particularly angelica-rich, "we are dealing with a pre-Raphaelite Madonna with curly hair and silky robes that is lost in mystical reverie over the impending Nativity or a post-romantic painting by Waterhouse". Angélique Noire fuses the backdrop of a sweetish, oily accord of citrus and vanilla with a rather bitter beginning; the whole is quite pleasant if not the zenith point of the boutique Guerlain perfumes.

To be continued with fragrances focusing on anise and the often mixed-up star anise.




Painting Jeune Fille Verte by Tamara de Lempicka courtesy of eu.art.com and Biche by Greek painter Parthenis courtesy of eikastikon.gr. Clip originally uploaded by dabblerDOTca on Youtube.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Perfume Primers: Gourmand Fragrances for Beginners & Beyond

Soft Turkish delight, gleaming lollipops swirled with creamy caramel, bright red candied apples at the fun fair, the delicious creaminess of rich ganache, bittersweet anise-inflicted licorice sticks and the temptation of fine cognac-filled nuggets of chocolate...If you mentioned these aromas as springboards for composing to perfumers 30 or 40 years ago they'd laugh at you. And yet the novelty of gourmand fragrances came to stay, highlighting perfume "notes" such as chocolate, coffee, cupcakes, whiskey, sugared almond and marzipan, even cotton candy/candy floss!
But what is the definition of a gourmand perfume? Simply put "gourmand" (French: [ɡuʁmɑ̃]): perfumes smell almost "edible" and have"dessert-like" qualities that tickle our taste buds as well as our nose. In French the term only slightly overlaps with "gourmet"(connoting discernment), adding a "greedier" nuance which seems to fit; just reading a notes list of a gourmand fragrance is enough to make one salivate!
Technically as they're built on vanilla and sweet ingredients they're a subcategory of the oriental family of fragrances. Talking with perfumers however I realized their appetizing quality is markedly different from perfumes in which succulent notes -such as peach, spices or vanilla- appeared previously, in that gourmands actually evoke desserts in a more concrete way, whereas the classics only hinted at the pleasures of food & drink they were meant to accompany, via abstraction (the delicious duvet-appeal of Farnesiana's sweet acacia, the cinnamon-sprinkled peach skin of Mitsouko).


In aesthetic terms gourmands are the polar opposite of the inedible feel of most chypres and fougeres whose traditional aim was to conjure grooming products such as powder, soap and shaving cream and thus denote a "polished" appearance. In contrast gourmands are not concerned with that, unless it's the polishing off a particularly tasty dish!
Comfy and delicious, their more laid-back, casual approachability (everyone eats, after all) accounts for their non-snob factor, making them a perfect fit for the end of the 1990s and the 2000s, when they flourished. Could that surge speak of misspent childhoods pampered by a sugar-riddled diet, of a regression into the protective cocoon of kindergarten, or of the desire to at least partake of the olfactory pleasures -if not the gustatory ones- afforded to people on a diet?
The too sweet stuff can be rather nauseating. Some of the Comptoir Sud Pacifique fragrances for instance seem to cater to the hardcore baked goods lovers, being particularly "foody", a looked down upon term by serious perfume lovers who opt for the more refined within the genre.

History of Gourmand genre

Angel by Thierry Mugler (1992) is generally considered the first gourmand with its overdose of ethyl maltol (the scent of cotton candy/caramel) paired with natural patchouli, plus sweet red fruits and a floral "base". Patchouli has an inherent facet that recalls chocolate, boosting the dessert angle of the Mugler pefume. But perfumer Yves de Chiris (alongside Olivier Cresp) put a staggering 30% of camphoraceous patchouli in the compound to counteract the aching sweetness of the sugar note. Its genius lies in its semi-poisonous subtext under the deliciousness: this is dangerous, dark, powerful perfume, almost masculine, reminiscent of the childish joys of the fun-fair but also of its disturbing aspects...Vera Strübi, at the time CEO of Parfums Mugler, says: ''The feminine is not our aesthetic approach.'' Strübi, having met Mugler and the Clarins Group in 1990, has been recognized as "the most audacious and creative president by the entire perfume industry"; the prototype gourmand only later took on the childhood story of Thierry's love of fun-fairs, but still it never was a marketing "recipe" which is probably why it became so successful in the end...
Molinard already had Nirmala in their catalogue since 1955, a scent that smells so close to Angel in its current form that it ignited a heated legal battle about intellectual rights in regards to perfume in France. The truth is the 1990s revamped Nirmala purposefully twisted its recipe to adhere to a more "Angelic" principle...The pioneer claim of Angel is contested nevertheless: Angel was not the first perfume to bring pure, sweet ethyl maltol into the spotlight; that distinction belongs to Vanilia (1978) by L'Artisan Parfumeur, the scent of a "vanilla ice-cone" as per aficionado supermodel Paulina Porizokva.

Still, the caramel-patchouli wildcard juxtaposition of Angel was like nothing else on the market when it came out (the same year as the limpid, totally "clean" L'Eau d'Issey!) and slowly built a cult following, eventually becoming the reference point influencing the entire market to this day (and being a marketing case study!). Angel's spawn is Gremlin-like: 20 years later every house has their "Angel wannabe" (hoping to usurp some of its share on the market): Armani Code for women, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Lancome Miracle Forever, Prada by Prada, Paco Rabanne Black XS, Nina (Nina Ricci), Chopard Wish, Hanae Mori Butterfly...the list is endless! You may see these fragrances colloquially mentioned as "fruitchoulis" in perfume fans conversation, as they all rest on sweet fruits on patchouli; the term is anecdotal.


Source: basenotes.net via Ali on Pinterest


Of all the variations on the theme, only Lolita Lempicka and Angel's own flanker Angel Innocent (and possibly Sonia Rykiel in the orange sweater bottle and Missoni by Missoni) manage to differentiate themselves enough and inject new ideas; the former through an emphasis on the anisic facets of licorice, the latter by adding a praline note and subtracting the patchouli.
Aquolina Pink Sugar (2003) is another emblematic gourmand, its name an uncontested allusion to pink cotton candy. Again based on ethyl maltol, but with less of the bittersweet edge of Angel that makes it so compelling, yet an equally love-it-or-hate-it fragrance, Pink Sugar smells like overripe strawberries melting into the candy machine.
Dior straddles the category with three of their perfumes in different measure with polarizing results: The original Addict is boozy vanillic and yet with a hint of vulgarity; Hypnotic Poison is the most accomplished in its dark, edible powdery evocation of bitter almonds & musks, whereas the original Miss Dior Cherie from 2005 (before being so messed up with) was a medley of sweet kid's strawberry syrup drizzled onto caramelized buttery popcorn that smelled as cheeky as it sounds.

Gourmands wear nicely in the cooler seasons, although lighter ones, such as Theorema (Fendi) with its orange-filled chocolate note, are fine in summer too. Especially marketable to women (perhaps because they're more mindful of calories or due to indoctrination of adage "sugar and spice and all things nice") gourmands do not exclude men. Some are specifically addressed to them, such as the delicious Lolita au Masculin by Lolita Lempicka, Rochas Man, the so called "Angel for men" A*Men by Mugler (as well as its variations) and Guerlain's L'Instant pour homme Extreme.

Niche gourmands
If the mainstream market is intent on just "copying" Angel without furthering the conversation, the niche fragrance sector seems to offer varied takes on the gourmand genre, some "dark" and sinful, others airier: Annick Goutal Eau de Charlotte, Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre and Arabie, Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé, Lostmarc'h Lann-Ael, Guerlain Gourmand Coquin, Spiritueuse Double Vanille, and Iris Ganache, L'Artisan Parfumeur Jour de Fete, Bois Farine, and Safran Troublant, Laura Tonatto Plaisir, Hilde Soliani Cioco Spesizissimo, Montale Chocolate Greedy, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, Frapin 1270, Ginestet Botytris, Parfumerie Générale Aomassai, Serendipitous by Serendipity 3, Luctor et Emergo (People of the Labyrinths), Love by Kilian,  Bond No. 9 New Haarlem, Ava Luxe Milk, Etat Libre d'Orange Like This.
Honorary mention for the loukhoum/Turkish delight fragrances, replicating the famous dessert with rosy and/or almondy notes. Notable examples include Rahat Loukhoum (Serge Lutens), Traversée du Bosphore (L'Artisan Parfumeur), Loukhoum (Keiko Mecheri), Loukoum (Ava Luxe). Although figs are certainly edible and there are many "fig scents" on the market, these are technically classified in the "woods" category, as they evoke the leaves as well as the tree sap in most cases (i.e. Philosykos, Premier Figuier, Figue Amère)

A rather recent sub-category within the gourmand orientals is the "savory gourmands", fragrances which replicate foodie smells but of a non specifically sweet persuasion. One could classify Champaca (Ormonde Jayne) with its steamed rice note in this category, Parfumerie Générale Praliné de Santal with its roasted hazelnuts, Jeux de Peau by Lutens evoking toasted bread, Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao, as well as the groundbreaking Womanity by Mugler pairing salty caviar and sweet figs.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Perfume Primers: concise intros for beginners

Friday, August 24, 2012

Ramon Monegal Mon Patchouly: fragrance review

Mon Patchouly, part of the impressive new Ramón Monegal perfume collection from the former owner & perfumer of Spanish Myrurgia (since swallowed by Puig), straddles the line between woody oriental fragrance and oriental "gourmand", intended for people of either sex persuasion who love soft, rich, deep scents that invite you closer with a delicious Jon Hamm hum rather than proclaim their aggressive intentions with mock bravado. It's patchouli reinvented; traditional, yet new; an overdone fragrance note of the 2000s which here gains a precious, quietly exciting patina.

via http://nowandthan.tumblr.com/post/19390848880

The association with the suave Midwestern actor is reinforced by the subtly retro "masculine cologne" hint ~with its herbal indefinable rosy touch under the musk and woods~ that Mon Patchouly exhibits, further enhanced by the rum & whiskey tonality it gains as it unfolds its dry cocoa powder opening on the skin. It's enough to induce daydreaming of more elegant times, when men were virile and women were femmes. Aside from the phenomenal lasting power of the fragrance on my wrists ~withstanding an entire extended weekend that involved 2 showers, one prolonged sea dip (!) and several hand washings, obviously~ Mon Patchouly is also distinguished by its variability according to the skin it performs on.

On my own feminine skin, this RM perfume sweetens, mollifying the intense gourmand dryness of French roast coffee dregs & cocoa of Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens. Fans of Montale Boisée Vanille and L'Artisan Havana Vanille/Absolument Vanille might find a similar boozy, darkish, real vanilla pods note hiding; rich and resonant, full of complexity and sub-plots, sometimes the latter even slightly repelling but always compelling. On my significant other's male skin Mon Patchouly dried down more resinous ambery, though not quite the thick, beer-belly-amber we know from elsewhere; I detect a hint of raisin and smoke too which provide contrast, probably revealed by skin Ph magic. The fragrance has the right balance and artistry not to fall into the over-familiarized (Just think, how many sweet amber patchoulis can you name at gun point? This isn't one of them).

The mossier, greener, woodier elements come forth from the back like dark secrets of a life behind closed doors, trysts during lunch break and hushed phone-calls, while still retaining the cigar box elegance and connoisseur complexity. I'm absolutely sure that come autumn and winter, Mon Patchouly will be delegated on the very front of my perfume closet (alongside the more panseasonal marvel Mon Cuir of the RM line which I sport as I write and on which I will write a separate review), its snuggly warmth a comfort for hectic days when its escapist fantasy will consume my commute and daily chores. I just can't fathom how bind-blowing Ramon Monegal's Mon Patchouly will be on a mohair scarf shared between lovers...you'll have to wait for me to divulge in due time!

Bottom line: scrumptious! I'd love to get one of those beautiful inkwell bottles for myself.

Notes for Ramon Monegal Mon Patchouly: Patchouli, olibanum, oakmoss, geranium, jasmine, amber

Available at Luckyscent in eau de parfum concentration.

In the interests of full disclosure, I was sent a sample from the manufacturer.

Monday, July 7, 2008

Teatro Olfattivo di Parma: New Niche Line

"She curls up on the couch like a luxuriating cat, lights a cigarette with a vengeance": this is how I have always envisioned pleasure smoking to be like ~decadent, indulgent, nonchalant. Instead, most people I see smoking do it in a perfunctory way which actually repels rather than attracts: none of the silver screen magnetism. It's also rare to smell a really good blend. Fragrances however with their charming attribute of bringing back the best of things to memory manage to make me appreciate tobacco.

But let's take things from the top. This tobacco vignette was instigated by smelling Bell'Antonio, part of a new niche line by Hilde Soliani. Perfume Shrine is proud to get the exclusive for its discerning readers: the new line Teatro Olfattivo Di Parma by Italian jewellery and fragrance designer Hilde Soliani has just launched in Italy with plans to bring it to the US by the end of the year, hopefully.
The first line of Hilde Soliani Profumi, comprising scents which form the acronym Ti Amo (I love you) have been hosted on these pages, available at New London Pharmacy and they garnered lots of interest in mails; so I am hoping that you will be interested in this one as well. The scents have been inspired by experiences and feelings produced at the Teatro di Regio di Parma as well as Lenz Rifrazioni, where Hilda sometimes performs herself.

The line includes the following:

SIPARIO is inspired by piña colada, a sweet, rum-based cocktail made with light rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice, and replicates the sweet yet refreshingly tingiling sensation of sipping one yourself (Notes of rum, coconut and pineapple).
STECCA embraces the unusual note of tomato leaf, first explored in Eau de Campagne and Folavril and still very individual and unique in the fragrance world. The name playfully derives from Italian, in which stecca means error, because it was not unheard of for people to actually throw tomatoes upon a bad performance once upon a time (thankfully we have moved on!) Its refreshing bitterness is great for summer.
MANGIAMI DOPO TEATRO (eating out after the theatre) is a fruity scent with emphasis on melon, typical of Parma. Hilde divulges that the inspiration came from eating out with friends after the theatrical performances, a bit of camaraderie and good fun. A succulent fruity, but not only.
BELL'ANTONIO (beautiful Antonio): tobacco and coffee notes, dedicated to Hilde's father who is named Antonio; inspired by her love of drinking coffee and smoking after the theatre. A true masterpiece!
VECCHI ROSETTI-ARIA DI PARMA is the most nostalgic of the lot, reminiscent of the smell of the old camerino theatre including the makeup, the woodfloor polish and the air of solitude yet plentifulness that an empty theatre produces after you have watched a splendid performance. The powdery iris and vanilla are flanked by bergamot on top and what seems like the dark, sensual mossy greenery of oakmoss.
{You can buy samples directly using Paypal mailing Hilde at hildesol@tin.it }

Bell' Antonio managed to immediately snare me into its lair, as unsuspecting of its wiles I put it on my skin with the lackadaisical mode of sampling fragrances a seasoned aficionado professes faced with drawers full of small vials of smelly liquids. Nary had two seconds passed, when I was woken out of my lethargy with a sledgehammer wake-up call that this was something seriously good and to be taken note of!
The smell of tobacco in itself is wonderfully rich and evocative of many things, like gingerbread, honey, dried fruits and boozy whiskey as well as the cut hay and distant marzipan smell of coumarin. Somehow in this day and age when smoking has become the object of dire prohibition and consequently fetishisation, tobacco fragrances might be the only way one has the chance to savour the wonderful aroma of pipe tobacco or a quality maduro.

The allure of smoke goes back to antiquity: Herodotus described Scythians inhaling the fumes of burning leaves to induce intoxication; although in their case it must have been cannabis rather than Nicotiana, I suppose. The Arabic tabbaq, a word reportedly dating to the 9th century, was the name of various herbs used for smoking and probably predates the westernised tobacco, a word said to be brought to Europe by Bartolome de Las Casas. Barring actual smoking however, from the classic Habanita and Caron's Tabac Blond to the new niche of New Haarlem by Bond no.9, the rich aroma of tobacco has inspired perfumers to come up with arresting compositions.

Bell' Antonio highlights all the tobacco aspects with proficiency, lacing them with a cordon of black espresso stretto, the wonderful aroma of freshly grated, roasted coffee beans to make you swoon with pleasure, nostrils quivering.
Having never set eyes on Hilde's father I imagine him of the suave Antonio Banderas type, the bronzed southern type who grows five o'clock shadows before it's time for lunch and who drags his cigar with nonchalance and panache. If only actual smoking were that good...



I have samples of Bell'Antonio and Sipario to give to two lucky winners (chance draw for which goes to who). Please state your interest in the comments.
Pics courtesy of H.Soliani and Wikipedia

Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Golden Sunshine of Saffron 4: Saffron Fragrances (reviews)

Of all the spice notes, saffron with its bittersweet flavor is the one most opulently and oneirically represented in compositions that are highlighting its antithetical facets: sweet and leathery, acrid and rich. The impact is based on its inherent strong contrasts and juxtapositions, yet the aroma itself possesses a polished delicacy that distinguishs it amidst the concucopia of other gourmand or spicy scents. Here are some of the fragrances best highlighting saffron and its golden glory.

Safran Troublant by L'Artisan Parfumeur
In India it is customary to aromatize rice pudding with saffron stamens soaked in the milk used to make it. This composition by Olivia Giacobetti goes for the warm, pleasantly sweet facet of saffron imbued with the softness of vanilla and milky sandalwood. The simple and cozy aromatic mélange is brought to the boil by the addition of a slightly cumin-like note (although none is listed), raisin and rosewater. The Indian feast is closing with a decadent, sensuous dessert (with ambery undertones, slightly powdery accents) that doesn't stick around for long yet makes you appreciate the fact that here is where Kama (the art of love) was born.


Agent Provocateur by Agent ProvocateurWhen this fragrance first launched in 2000 in its ostrich-egg-sized pink bottle, little did one expect that the scent within would be atavitistic to the lineage of impressionable floral chypres of yore. The big Moroccan rose in its heart, much like in classic Jean Couturier's Coriandre from the 1970s, is complimented by a paper-y woody note of amber and vetiver combined with warm musks, but it is the saffron along with the upbeat coriander that bring a rather animalic and weirdly "dirty" quality to the fragrance making it the olfactory equivalent of an aged Hollywood star the morning after she has had a rampant night in bed with a nostalgizing fan half her years.

Al Nabha by Haramain
If Thaif rose mixed with Dehnal Oudh is your dream come true, then you will be well catered for with this exotic, musty mix of both these ancient aromas of the East recommended for men. Dehnal Oudh supposedly aids motivation and meditation as it brings communication with the transcendent and invokes a sense of strength and peace; but I find that it is the saffron accent that touches the earth with its juxtaposition of earthy delights to the spiritual ones of oudh. I feel that it is the perfect companion to studious winter solitude.
(if you want to find a dehnal oudh distributor in the West, try this link)

Black Tie by Washington Tremlett
The bold saffron note is brought into culmination through the combination with other spices and herbs (cardamom, sage and galbanum). The rose-geranium heart is effortlesly elegant, backed up by a woody vetiver-rich undercurrent that likens it to the husky-voiced Czech & Speake's No.88; yet the former's aura is quiter, more refined and the spice accents make it intriguing enough to render it unique in the current masculine selection; and very fitting to be worn by women as well!

Cuir de Lancome (re-issue)
The at once dense and soft aroma of quality suede is complimented admirably by the inherently leathery aspects of saffron, yet the whole is immersed in the translucence that precious labradorite possesses thanks to hesperidic touches of sweet mandarin and elegantly acrid bergamot. Perfumers Calice Becker and Pauline Zanoni have managed to make a reformulation that defies the disdain usually reserved for the former in that it succeeds to smell enticing and worthy of acquisition even if you are a fan of the vintage version.

Evening Edged in Gold by Ineke
Independent perfumer Ineke Ruhland has been creating a line of fragrances that follow the alphabet, as we mentioned while starting the ABCs with After my Own Heart. Evening Edged in Gold is the fifth in the series and although it has been praised for its rendering of exotic sweet and narcotic blossoms ~like Angel's Trumpet and suede-apricoty osmanthus~ via a stop at a perverse candy-story out of Alice in Wonderland, it is perhaps the bittersweet tang of saffron that holds it from becoming intoxicating to the point of no return, reminding me of the Maldon sea salt chocolate from the Paul A. Young chocolaterie in London.

Idole de Lubin
A pirate idea of boozy rum in a walnut-shell deep within a big leather sac, like a hidden treasure in the depths of some uncharted sea. Olivia Giacobetti had a streak of uncharacteristic epiphany: density in the playground of Safran Troublant, her other saffron scent. More masculine, less vanillic and cozy, Idole has sparkling facets of sweet spirits along with the lusciously dark, dry leathery and animalic background. If I truly loved amber fragrances some more, this could have been my companion on the snowy mountaintops of Kaimaktsalan while sipping saffron-infused black tea.

Opôné by Diptyque
Although I have never personally managed to wear this successfully and my decant has been relegated to the swap list, I find that the saffron and rose accord is potently showcased here for those who do not have access to the spice itself for educational purposes. Pot-pouri like, with rich damascones and damascenones ingredients, and rather dusty, Opôné was named after an ancient trade center in Somalia on the east coast of Africa, but this is a travel I would personally rather take on another medium.

Comme des Garçons 2 Man by Comme des Garçons
Composed by Marc Buxton in 2004 for Rei Kawakubo's brand of avant-garde tailoring, the fragrance has such radiance and clarity that the warm, smoky ambience never becomes the low-life den it could have been and even the incense does not veer it into the mystical; instead it remains suave and polished. The cumin, wood and vetiver elements compliment saffron in a masculine clarion to battle for the urbanized battlefield rather than muddy Bannockburn and I personally find that the modern warrior who would wear this one would definitely manage to steal a gaze of contemplation and interest from me.

Ta'if by Ormonde Jayne
Dates and pink pepper combine with golden saffron to evoke a stop on the way on the Silk Route with the slight green tinge of dampness of fallen leaves in a desert oasis. The unusual note of broom reminds me of the comparable treatment in Dior's forgotten marine-oriental Dune. More spicy than fruity, but with a clearly detectable honey rose heart that blooms lusciously in the warm air of a summery evening, Ta'if is one of the Ormonde Jayne fragrances that although I don't often wear I admire a lot and prefer to the rather lesser Orris Noir which also includes saffron.

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: the Saffron Series


Photograph Afrique du Sud (1981 World Cultures) by Chris Perkins. Agent Provocateur advertisement via Parfum de Pub.

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