AB±Cashmere Review

The attempt at translating the soft feel of cashmere fibre into perfume is nothing new: Chopard’s monolithic Casmir (1992), followed by DKNY’s Cashmere Mist (1994) both went down the polycyclic musk route featuring plenty of Galaxolide to achieve a comfy, clean laundry vibe. For his part, Jean Jacques interpreted the theme in a fruity, neo-chypre-oriental fashion that, for me at least, doesn’t really connect with the name, but is pleasant enough.

Initially bright and hesperidic, AB±Cashmere’s osmanthus heart quickly blossoms with its characteristic apricoty-peachiness. As studies of osmanthus go, the one here feels rather basic and were it not for the listed notes swaying me, I would simply describe the core as fruity-floral. Taken together with the moderately musky fond of patchouli, woods and amber, I’m somewhat brought to think of Chanel’s Coco or even 31 Rue Cambon, though, no surprise, I find the latter two much more satisfying and complex.

Nose: Jean Jacques

House: Uèr Mì

Release date: 2015

Notes (per Fragrantica): bergamot, olibanum, jasmine, osmanthus, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, ambergris.

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.

No.002 Gorse Review

Inspired by the scent of Ulex europaeus, Gorse is a very simple smelling perfume. The plant’s famously coconutty scent is here translated into a monolithic lactonic complex constructed around C-18 aldehyde (so-called) that’s topped with a tart yet juicy lemon note.

Even at £60 for 100mL, it’s hard to justify.

Nose: Unknown

House: Laboratory Perfumes

Launch date: 2012

Notes (per Fragrantica): citruses, cardamom.

Palo Santo Review

Shyamala Maisondieu’s Palo Santo (Sp. ‘sacred stick’) takes its name from the wooden chips or sticks burnt by curanderos (shamans) as part of folk healing practices. In Perú, Palo Santo typically indicates Bursera graveolens – a member of the Burseraceae family and so related to Frankincense and Myrrh. As painstakingly catalogued in Duke’s Handbook of Medicinal Plants of Latin America however, the appelation Palo Santo is applied to a wide variety of plant species across the region and it is important to note that here, it is Guaiacwood being referred to.

By accenting various of Guaiacwood’s facets, an opening impression of eggnog is created, blending lactonic (methyl laitone), boozy (davana), and caramelic sweet (vanilla, maltol) notes. As the augmented milkiness settles, the titular wood’s spicy and balsamic qualities appear at the fore, supported by vetiver that provides a subtle impression of smoke, and a fond of pale woods and musks. Substantivity is excellent, though the extended drydown develops little, remaining lightly creamy, resinous, woody and above all, sweet.

Nose: Shyamala Maisondieu

House: Carner Barcelona

Release date: 2015
Notes (per Fragrantica): artemisia, rum, milk, guaiac wood, tonka, vetiver, vanilla, sandalwood.

Foudre Review

Taking for inspiration the smell of champaca flowers just before a storm, Foudre (Eng. lightning) is a highly textured scent composed around two principal materials.

The first, extending from the head- through the heart-notes is Robertet’s Champaca Olessence: a soft extraction with natural Nerolidol (rather than the traditional concrète) whose delicate floral odour displays facets of apricot jam, lemony magnolia and honied rose. Supporting this, and apparent through the entire evaporation curve, is the spicy, musky, woody, wet-concrete scent of Cashmeran dosed at the sort of levels I’ve not noticed since Maurice Roucel’s Dans tes Bras, where it was used at a massive 25%. As the latter’s name suggests, the molecule has a certain human quality to it and in the base of Foudre this is accentuated with a blend sensuous musks.

The concept is both modern and beautiful, but to my nose the Cashmeran is just too assertive and does the champaca a real disservice. Were I able, I would reduce the former, allowing the floral accord to play a larger part. If it didn’t turn the whole composition too citrusy, I would also consider dialling up the Aldemone for its ozonic note (or look for another ozonic material) since this would better capture the sense of an impending thunderstorm. From others in the line, Guillaume has shown himself skilled at doing the ozonic thing and I wonder why he was so restrained here.

Saying all this reflects my slight disappointment in what I perceive as the disconnect between the promise extended on the inside of the sample jacket and what my nose and brain tell me; had I tested Foudre completely blind, I would certainly have perceived it differently. 

Nose: Pierre Guillaume

House: Pierre Guillaume La Collection Croisière.

Release date: 2015

Notes (per Basenotes): Champaca Blossom, Vetiver, Pepper, Aldemone, Black tea absolute, Cashmeran.

Paloma Picasso ('80s EdP) Review

Paloma Picasso was a wonderfully satisfying animalic chypre with the emphasis firmly on the animalic.

Above a notably mossy patchouli fond sits a soapy floral blend of rose, muguet and sweet jasmine/Hedione, propped up by some vetiveryl acetate and MCK-like woody notes; all totally classical. The twist however, comes in the form of a very healthy dose of castoreum (synthetic, presumably but smelling quite real) that lends the composition an irresistably warm, leathery dimension.

Seamlessly blended, perfectly judged and unlikely to smell as good in its current iteration.

Nose: Credited to Paloma Picasso

House: Paloma Picasso

Release date: 1984

Notes (per Fragrantica): neroli, coriander, carnation, angelica, bergamot, lemon, rose, jasmine, hyacinth, ylang, patchouli, mimosa, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, vetiver, civet, castoreum, musk.