Alkemi Review

It’s hard to muster much enthusiasm for Alkemi with its linear, incense-patchouli-amber-Cashmeran theme. The patchouli is clean and only slightly camphorous, the sweetness of the resins accord just seeming to make the purple pop a little more. The Cashmeran is nicely dosed to where it is almost felt more than smelt.

But Alkemi is also monolithic, and the déjà-senti experience it triggers on first application proves well founded. A good example of what can be achieved using this basic structure however, is Cartier’s L’Heure Mystérieuse, XII (M.Laurent, 2009).

Nose: Marie Duchene

House: Laboratorio Olfattivo

Release date: 2010

Notes (per Fragrantica): ylang-ylang, amber, incense, patchouli, myrrh, cedar, cashmere, vanilla, sandalwood

Noblige Review

The problem with overlaps between functional and fine fragrance is that, sometimes, perfumes can’t help but recall household products. So it is with Noblige.

The culprit here seems not to be the attractively anisic, aromatic heart, but rather an unfortunate combination of slightly aldehydic bergamot/orange hesperidic notes and a very pronounced ozonic haze that comes off smelling like floor cleaner. The base is musky / powdery with some subtle vanilla-coumarin/tonka sweetness. 

Nose: Marie Duchene

House: Laboratorio Olfattivo

Release date: 2012
Notes (per Fragrantica): bergamot, lemon, ambrette, lavender, iris, neroli, vanilla, tonka, white musk.