Monday 30 June 2014

Trussardi (Vintage) Review



Trussardi’s eponymously named perfume in many ways recalls Chanel No.19, both approximating a green, floral leather Chypre. Here, the galbanum driven verdancy is rendered slightly sharper by some aromatic/coriander bitterness that comes off smelling slightly urinous. The rose-jasmine-muguet heart complex meanwhile, is accompanied by a pronounced labdanum sweetness and rests on a more classically-styled Chypre base with moss and patchouli.
A real gem.

Nose: Unknown
House: Trussardi
Release date: 1984
Notes (per Fragrantica): aldehyde, green herbs, bergamot, hyacinth, galbanum, spicy coriander, geranium, jasmine, tuberose, ylang-ylang, leather, styrax, amber, cedar, sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla.

Saturday 21 June 2014

Avignon Review

Of the various incense perfumes, Avignon perhaps most convincingly captures the spirit of olibanum, whose terpy-citric-mineralic scent is vaguely redolent of Coca-Cola. Here, this association is particularly pronounced in the opening when the sweetly herbal odour of Roman chamomile is most noticeable and the fragrance has a refreshing zinginess.
If there’s a criticism to be leveled against Bertrand Duchaufour’s creation however, it’s that the timbered facet of frankincense feels somewhat over-developed by a heavy (circa 25 %) Iso E Super-driven chord of woods and woody-ambers (inc. cedramber, cedryl methyl ether ?). Still, the presence of some guaiac-type smokiness in the fond successfully contributes to the liturgical theme, and is perfectly balanced by lightly powdered musk.

Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour
House: Comme des Garçons
Release date: 2002
Notes (per Fragrantica): incense, chamomile, vanilla, patchouli, rosewood ambrette.

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Orange Sanguine Review


Orange Sanguine’s top smells principally of orange terpenes and citric aldehydes; as a sparkling, effervescent rendition of the freshly-cut fruit it is both legible and attractive. Inevitably however, the effect is rather short-lived and what remains – a seemingly simple amber-musk-orange base type combo, feels flat by comparison. 

Nose: Ralf Schwieger
House: Atelier Cologne.
Release date: 2010
Notes (per Fragrantica): red orange, bitter orange, jasmine, geranium, amber, tonka bean, sandalwood.

Sunday 8 June 2014

Iris Silver Mist Review


The story of Iris Silver Mist’s conception is now firmly established in the canon of perfume myth: Maurice Roucel, it is said, plugged the organoleptic term ‘iris’ into his fragrance database and set about combining all the results returned to create this scent. Besides a very respectable amount of orris butter (4.5%), the perfume contains a high dose of Isoraldeine (methyl ionones) and the IFF base Irival.
As its name suggests, Iris Silver Mist is intended to showcase orris’ impressive vocal range, from its ringing, silvery-metallic ‘top notes’ to its damp, vegetal-earthy fond. It’s in its mid-register however, where the scent sings most sublimely, developing a delicately powdered green-floral accord of intense beauty. The natural woodsy facets of iris meanwhile, are elaborated by the addition of cedar oil that coaxes forth a distinct nuttiness in the composition. Then slowly, almost imperceptibly, the perfume begins to darken in hue as the sweetly spiced, clovey odour of (Iso-)eugenol takes over, guiding the transition to a base of coumarin and plump musks.

Nose: Maurice Roucel
House: Serge Lutens
Release date: 1994
Notes (per Fragrantica): orris root, galbanum, cedar, sandalwood, clove, vetiver, musk, Chinese benzoin, incense, white amber.