Cierge de Lune Review

The name Cierge de Lune, lit. ‘moon’s candle’ is a calque on Latin Selenicereus, a genus of night-blooming cactus whose species include the spectacular grandiflorus. A vine-like climber native to Mexico, central America and the Antilles, this ‘Queen of the Night’ is famed as much for its brilliant white flowers that are rayed with golden petals as the warm, rich, moth-attracting scent it emits. 

An analysis of the plant’s perfume was undertaken by Headspace guru Roman Kaiser, together with Lars Tollsten and the results published in an article entitled ‘An Introduction to the Scent of Cacti’ (Fragrance and Flavour Journal, 1995, vol.10 pp.153-164). According to the authors, the smell of Selenicereus grandiflorus is dominated by vanilla and cocoa notes, arising predominantly from vanillin (0.2%) and a series of isovalerates, in particular benzyl isovalerate (55%). Ionones (alpha=0.3%; beta=0.1%; dihydro-beta =0.4%), together with high amounts of farnesal (23%) and farnesol meanwhile, contribute important floral and fruity notes. 

Needless to say, Fabrice Pellegrin’s composition is not intended to be a reconstruction of the Headspace, but a free interpretation. For this, he has integrated the vanillic theme into something approaching Grojsman’s accord of Hedione, Iso E Super, ionones and clean musks to produce a monolithic, powdery-sweet ‘hug me’ effect. The fruitiness detected in the plant’s odour is here perhaps interpreted through a cherry/heliotrope note while the woody notes are elaborated with Ambrox(an) etc. 

It’s something different for Aedes’ line, but not as interesting as the others. 

Nose: Fabrice Pellegrin

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2016

Notes (per Fragrantica): musk, powdery notes, madagascar vanilla, ylang-ylang, black and pink pepper, hedione, suede, incense, amber, ambroxan.

Iris Nazarena Review

Given the trend for top-loading fragrances – that is, attempting to lure customers with attractive head-notes alone, it is very gratifying to come across a modern perfume with a base as thoughtfully composed and enjoyable as Iris Nazarena’s.

Initially green, even cucumbery, Ralf Schwieger’s creation quickly takes a fruity iris turn. Far from the cold, metallic dampness of, say, Iris Silver Mist, the titular orris note here is developed into a comfortingly sweet, powdery accord that has some distinct apple/pear nuances. The woody facets of iris are then elaborated with the wonderfully soapy, floral sandalwood tones of Osyrol while an ambrette driven musk complex provides fruity continuity. 

Nose: Ralf Schweiger

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2013

Notes (per Fragrantica): Iris, ambrette, juniper berries, anise, leather, oud, cloves, rose, incense, woody notes, vetiver, amber.

Palissandre d'Or Review

Never mind the Palissandre (genus Dalbergia, which includes the rosewoods), Alberto Morillas’ fragrance for me is all about patchouli: damp, earthy, forest-floor patchouli that’s only mildly camphorous. The golden adjective can here parhaps be understood as a reference to the honied rose that clasically complements the former and develops off the back of a pink pepper topnote. This sweetness is then carried through to the base, albeit in a much drier form, with a mix of Ambrox and balsamic notes, finally settling into a powdery blend of cedar and musks.

Nose: Alberto Morillas

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2015

Notes (per Fragrantica): ambrette, pink pepper, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, rosewood, copahu balsam, patchouli, Ambroxan, Virginian, Alaskan, Chinese cedar.

Copal Azur Review

As he demonstrated with works such as Avignon, Bertrand Duchaufour knows a thing or two about creating incense fragrances. Where the latter was singular in its focus, Copal Azur weaves the theme into a spectacularly innovative composition that contrasts the cool with the warm, and the sweet with the salty.

Despite its name, Copal Azur contains no actual resin from the copal tree (Protium copal), its terpy incense complex (which, per the PR release accounts for 30% of the formula) being built around frankincense and myrrh (both also from the Burseraceae family). Cardamom and clove act as warm, spicy counterpoints, while the ambery fond is offset by a pronounced salty, mineralic accord. This effect is largely achieved through a combination of suntan lotiony salicylates and breezy ozonic notes.

Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2014

Notes (per Fragrantica): incense, salt, ozonic notes, patchouli, amber, cardamom, tonka, myrrh.

Aedes de Venustas Signature Review

Aedes de Venustas’ Signature perfume moves from a tart, fruity-green chord built around the rhubarby scent of Gardenol (Styralyl Acetate), through a lightly smoky vetiver and incense base that’s touched by some amber-like sweetness.

Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2012

Notes (per Fragrantica): rhubarb, vetiver, red berries, tomato leaf, incense, green apple, hazelnut, honeysuckle

Œillet Bengale Review

With carnation perfumes generally being regarded as a bit passé, and IFRA regulations on (Iso/) Eugenol re-casting yesterday’s classics as silent killers, modern carnation fragrances require quite some creativity to work.

The ‘œillet’ in Œillet Bengale is unmistakably present, though the requisite herbal/green complex of salicylates used to create the note is pushed in the direction of lily and paired with rose, giving a verdant, fresh-spicy-floral scent in the top and heart. Unfortunately, I do detect some hot pleather whiffs of Safraleine escaping at this point, though thankfully these are checked in the base where the vanillic shade of Methyl Diantilis (largely doing the job of Iso Eugenol) is picked up and woven into a nice, balsamic, musky blend.

Nose: Rodrigo Flores-Roux

House: Aedes de Venustas

Release date: 2014

Notes (per Fragrantica): turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, saffron, rose, white pepper, strawberry, floral notes, vanilla, tolu balsam, benzoin and labdanum.