I am so in awe of Papillon Perfumery, aka Papillon Artisan Perfumes, I don’t know quite what to say. It is another British, fine fragrance, independent perfumery. Its founder and creative perfumer, Liz Moores, seems like such an interesting person. I first heard of her line, and her, some years ago on a visit to London, not long after I first started obsessing over perfume. Of course I went to visit Les Senteurs, having read about it as a premier retailer of niche fragrances. I asked to see some rose-based fragrances, as I had been visiting rose gardens that week, and the sales associate pulled out Tobacco Rose. He explained that this was one of (at the time) three new fragrances by this independent perfumer named Liz Moores. He raved about their quality and also noted that Ms. Moores is a genuinely nice person. I left with a sample of Tobacco Rose, and it is gorgeous. There’s no tobacco note, but it is a smoky, resinous, balsamic rose. I don’t have a full bottle yet, but maybe some day … Here’s what its creator has said about it:

With this perfume I wanted to defy typical perceptions of rose fragrances. I think that Rose is a material that really divides people, often perceived as an outdated scent. Far from the typically feminine rose fragrances, Tobacco Rose is a dirtier, more rebellious rose, transcending its old-fashioned usage and creating the scent of an overblown rose at the point of decay.

I don’t get a sense of decay, but this is definitely not a fresh, dewy rose (I love those too). Now there are five Papillon fragrances. The full bottle of a Papillon perfume I DO have is the newest one, Dryad. Be still, my beating heart! Dryad is green, green, and more green. From the website:

As vibrant emerald Galbanum weaves with the delicate flesh of Bergamot, the nomadic wanderings of Dryad begin.

Beneath jade canopies, sweet-herbed Narcissus nestles with gilded Jonquil. Shadows of Apricot and Cedrat morph radiant greens to a soft golden glow.

Earthed within the ochre roots of Benzoin, heady Oakmoss entwines with deep Vetiver hues.

And at its heart, the slick skin of Costus beckons you further into the forest…

Yes, please, take me into this fantasy forest! I have tried two of the other Papillon fragrances in store, Salome and Anubis; while they are stunning, they’re not quite right for me. But I am so impressed by the quality and creativity of all these scents, and how selective Ms. Moores is being about her releases. The only one I haven’t tried is Angelique, a floral that may suit me better. Something to look forward to!