fraghead

Scented Advent, December 14
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Scented Advent, December 14

The independent perfumer’s sample for today’s Advent scent is 1805, later renamed as 1805 Tonnerre, by Beaufort London. It is one of the first three fragrances released by this niche house upon its debut in 2015, as part of the “Come Hell Or High Water” collection. Fragrantica explains:

This collection brings together elements of Britain’s history, both imagined and real, to create collages of scent embodying themes of warfare, trade and exploration.

Crabtree’s lifelong love of fragrance and a preoccupation with the darker elements of British history served as the collection’s impetus. 

Fragrantica

The brand’s packaging mentions the significance of the year 1805: the same year when Admiral Nelson won the Battle of Trafalgar but lost his life; and the year when the “wind force scale” was invented by Sir Francis Beaufort. The scent’s composition is described as follows:

The scent imagines moments within the battle itself. Powerful accords of smoke, gunpowder, blood and brandy combine with sea spray and a penetrating citrus note.

Beaufort London

More prosaically, Fragrantica lists its notes as: Top notes are lime, smoke and gunpowder; middle notes are blood, brandy and sea water; base notes are amber, balsam fir and cedar.

This is definitely a unique scent but it’s not unpleasant. Much more masculine than unisex to my nose, but is that mostly because we have learned to associate non-floral odors with men more than women? Be that as it may, I smell the top notes of smoke and gunpowder, and there is a sharp note right at the beginning that may be the “lime”. The sample I have is the actual 2015 launch 1805, not the renamed, later version, and I think that citrus top note may have gone off a bit. Blood? Brandy? There is a metallic tang in the middle phase that I think is meant to represent “blood”, but mostly what I smell is the continuing smoke, now merging with sea water. I don’t smell anything I could identify as brandy.

The opening and middle stages are challenging, but the final stage is calmer and warmer, perhaps in the way there is calm after a great naval battle or storm. The base notes are very woody; accords of fir and cedar dominate over amber. Unfortunately, this is also the stage where 1805 smells more generic, like a woody aftershave. Again, not unpleasant, but now not as interesting. Whenever the gunpowder accord wafts through, though, as it regularly does, it rekindles my nose’s interest.

Painting of the naval battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar, by William Clarkson Stanfield

I was introduced to Beaufort London at Bloom perfumery in London, several years ago, at which time they had released a couple more fragrances to join the original three. One of those, Fathom V, is actually a fragrance I like a lot, on its own merits. If you like smoky scents that are different, you may like 1805 and its other siblings, but this is definitely a fragrance where one must proceed with caution.

What scents do you find very intriguing and artistic, but you might not choose to wear them yourself or at least to wear them less often?

Scented Advent, December 13
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Scented Advent, December 13

In a total change of direction, today’s Guerlain sample is a 2021 addition to “L’Art et la Matière”, Herbes Troublantes, by Thierry Wasser. Apparently, it used to be a cologne called Un Dimanche À La Campagne. This new version, an eau de parfum, is categorized as a “citrus aromatic”, and is it ever! The first word that came to my mind when I dabbed it on my wrists was “zingy”. It has a very fresh, green, bergamot-dominant opening. Luckily, I quite like bergamot; in fact, I like it a lot.

Once the bergamot fades into the background, a neroli accord appears, with unspecified “green notes.” Like bergamot, it is fresh, green, slightly bitter, aromatic, and very much a citrus note, but it also has the floral aspect of orange blossom. At this stage, Herbes Troublantes becomes softer, though it is still very aromatic in a green citrus kind of way; and if pressed to name the green herbs, I would choose lemongrass or lemon basil. The only base note identified for it is white musk, which to my nose means that it just gets softer and more reminiscent of clean linen. The overall impression I get from Herbes Troublantes is that of a citrusy herb, perhaps like lemongrass or even citronella (the plant, not the oil). It’s very pleasant and I think I would like it on my husband.

Clumps of green lemongrass
Clumps of lemongrass; image from Rural Sprout.

The name of this fragrance is intriguing: it means “disturbing grasses (or herbs)”. Really, there’s nothing disturbing at all about Herbes Troublantes. It succeeds in its goal of capturing the spirit of a cologne, in eau de parfum concentration. It lasts longer than a cologne, of course, but I don’t think it lasts as long as other scents in the collection.

What do you think of the idea of evoking a cologne in an eau de parfum? Wasn’t that the whole concept behind Atelier Cologne? now sadly no longer distributed in North America although one can still find it to buy online.

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Scented Advent, December 12

The independent perfumer Advent sample of the day is Hiram Green’s Arcadia. Wowza! It is classified as an “aromatic fougère”, and it has a great opening, top-heavy with lavender and bergamot. As they settle down, the bergamot recedes but the lavender stays strong, joined and made more floral by the arrival of jasmine and rose accords. The notes list from the brand’s website is: Bergamot, lavender, jasmine, rose, spices, resins, tonka bean, aged patchouli, New Caledonian sandalwood. Hiram Green, who is a natural perfumer, also lists the actual ingredients, which include evernia prunastri extract, which is oakmoss. Be still, my heart! I love oakmoss in fragrances. Mr. Green says this about the fragrance, which he launched this year (2022):

For this perfume I was inspired by the natural splendour of Arcadia. In this idyllic, unspoiled wilderness babbling brooks meander through mountains covered in dense forests and the air is filled with the sound of humming insects and twittering birds.

Imagine the lush undergrowth that covers the forest floor. In areas where the sun manages to break through the canopy, fragrant flowers bask in the sunlight and their sweet scent intertwines with the fresh green smell of the foliage.

The base notes blend beautifully together. The spices are pretty subtle — definitely noticeable, but they don’t hit you over the head (or nose). Resins, tonka bean, and sandalwood provide warmth, and patchouli and oakmoss hum underneath. The drydown stage is where I think Arcadia smells most like a traditionally masculine fragrance, with the lavender still evident over those warm base notes. There’s a light dustiness to this stage, possibly from the oakmoss, that makes me think of motes of sunlight floating through the sunbeams that shine through Mr. Green’s Arcadian forest.

In fact, the whole fragrance makes me think of a particular forest: Ashdown Forest in England, famous not only for its woodland beauty but also as the landscape of Christopher Robin’s childhood idyll, the Hundred Acre Wood he shared with Winnie-the-Pooh and friends. Arcadia, indeed!

Sunlit woodland path in Ashdown Forest
Sunlight in Ashdown Forest, England; image from ashdownforest.com.

I’ve never been there, but I loved A.A. Milne’s books as a child; in fact, “Winnie-the-Pooh” was the first book I read by myself, shocking my parents at the age of four when I pointed to it and said, “I can wead that book.” And so I could, having taught myself to read, although I couldn’t pronounce Rs very well. One of my late mother’s cousins actually illustrated Christopher Milne’s memoir “The Path Through the Trees”.

I’m delighted with Mr. Green’s version of Arcadia and will put it on my “possible full bottle some day” list. Have you tried any of Hiram Green’s fragrances? Any favorites?

Scented Advent, December 11
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Scented Advent, December 11

Today’s Advent Guerlain sample is Angélique Noire, which seems to have developed something like a cult following since it was launched in 2005. And I can see (or smell) why! It’s an unusual, distinctive fragrance, totally unisex to my nose. Fragrantica lists it as an “amber floral”, with top notes of Angelica, Pear and Pink Pepper; middle notes of Jasmine and Caraway; and base notes of Vanilla, Angelica and Cedar. Right away, upon spraying, I smell the angelica. It is green, herbal, aromatic but lightly so. It is made slightly but noticeably fruity by the pear accord, which is a very appealing combination. Some reviews mention bergamot, but I don’t really smell that. However, since bergamot is, to my nose, a slightly bitter, green citrus scent, a combination of green angelica and juicy pear may emulate it.

While jasmine and caraway join in for the middle phase, the angelica never goes away, and it persists through the entire drydown. That’s saying something, because I could still smell Angélique Noire on my wrist, albeit faintly, ten hours after applying it this morning. The caraway carries forward the initial herbal greenness of the angelica, while the jasmine brings a bit of floral sweetness. To my nose, the notes in this fragrance are really well blended, they just segue from one to the next, often overlapping. The perfumer is Daniela Roche Andrier, creator of one of my top fragrances, Tiffany & Co..

As the floral notes fade, the vanilla emerges and the angelica becomes dominant again as part of the base. At this stage, it reminds me of Vanira Moorea, the citrusy vanilla from Berdoues whose greenness comes from a petitgrain accord. Angélique Noire is a darker green, but still fresh. The base shows off more of its aromatic nature, which a cedar accord enhances.

I was interested to try Angélique Noire partly because Guerlain sales assistants seem quite enthusiastic about it. I first encountered it several years ago, when there was still a Guerlain counter at our local Neiman Marcus or Saks (can’t remember which!). I had asked the SA to recommend some vanilla scents and she immediately wanted me to try Angélique Noire. I remember liking it then, but my senses were overcome by Spiritueuse Double Vanille, so I don’t think Angélique Noire made much of an impression. Then, this past September, when I made my first visit to a standalone Guerlain boutique, the lovely SA literally pressed a sample of it into my hands, and sent me another one with the order I had placed. I had told her I like green scents, and I think that is the aspect of Angélique Noire she wanted to bring to my attention.

I really like Angélique Noire! I don’t find anything particularly “noir” about it, either. Angelica is an unusual note on which to center a fragrance; do you know of or recommend any others?

Angelica plant in bloom
Photo by PrathSnap on Pexels.com
Scented Advent, December 10
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Scented Advent, December 10

Today’s independent perfumer sample is Splendiris, by Parfums Dusita. What an intriguing scent! There was something in the opening that I didn’t like, though I did like the overall effect. I truly can’t figure out what it was that annoyed me — perhaps the carrot seeds listed as a note, as it was an almost woody note that bothered me. Luckily, the combination of violet and orris appears quite soon, and it’s a beautiful friendship. At this heart stage, those two accords dominate, but gently, like a cool breeze wafting over a flower bed.

The notes are listed by Fragrantica as follows: Top notes are Violet Leaves, Carrot Seeds, Fig Leaf, Green Mandarin, Italian Orange and Calabrian bergamot; middle notes are Violet, Orris, Grasse Rose and Jasmine Sambac; base notes are Vanilla, Ambergris, Haitian Vetiver and Cedar. The overall impression I get from Splendiris is “cool”, but it is the cool of a bright spring day, lightly warmed by sunshine. There is just enough rose and jasmine in this phase to make it more multi-layered and textured, especially the jasmine, but I don’t think anyone smelling it for the first time would think of it, even at this stage, as a rose or jasmine fragrance.

I’ve been trying more Dusita fragrances lately; I’ve been intrigued by the brand since it has a contest to name what became Splendiris.

Artwork for Parfum Dusita's naming competition
Naming competition, Parfums Dusita

To my nose, Splendiris smells like the artwork above: shades of transparent purple and blue, illuminated by touches of gold, yellow and brown. The yellow, gold, and brown tints come from the base notes, such as vanilla, vetiver, and ambergris. There are some people who smell almost everything “in color”, in the phenomenon called synesthesia. I am not one of them, but Splendiris does lend painterly effects to the overall impressions, more than I usually perceive.

Have you had any experiences with synesthesia, or do you strongly associate any fragrances with a particular color?

Bottle of Parfums Dusita's Splendiris eau de parfum with blue flowers
Splendiris eau de parfum; image from Parfums Dusita
Scented Advent, December 9
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Scented Advent, December 9

The Guerlain sample of the day is Iris Torréfié, which was created by Delphine Jelk and launched in 2020. I had to look up the word “torréfié”, as it was unfamiliar; it means roasted, often in reference to coffee beans. Sure enough, among the notes listed for the fragrance is coffee. The full notes list on Fragrantica is: Top notes, Cardamom, Coffee and Bergamot; middle notes, iris and Ambrette (Musk Mallow); base notes, Leather, Tea, Vanilla and Amber. I’ve never associated iris with coffee — or roasting, for that matter — but I do like the opening of Iris Torréfié very much.

Iris Espresso coffee beans
Iris Espresso coffee beans

The very first thing I smell upon spraying my wrists is the iris, and it’s a beauty. Rich, a bit fruity, a bit carroty — it’s a gorgeous iris. And who knew? There is an actual iris called “Coffee Trader”. So maybe they are meant to be together after all!

Tall bearded iris "Coffee Trader"
Iris “Coffee Trader”; image from garden.org

I don’t smell cardamom at all in the opening, and I’m a little disappointed by that because I love the smell of cardamom. I do smell the bergamot; it makes a quick appearance to brighten the opening and then steps back. If I hadn’t been told there was a coffee note in Iris Torréfié, I would not have known. To my nose, the opening is all about iris with a light touch of bergamot.

In the middle phase, the iris is still dominant, still gorgeous. There is an underlying muskiness that emerges, which must be attributable to the ambrette. As Iris Torréfié dries down, the base reveals itself to be a warm combination of leather, vanilla, and amber; I don’t smell the listed note of tea. The iris continues to reign, warm but not “roasted.” All of these accords play very nicely with each other, while keeping the iris the star of the show. The leather is very subtle and segues smoothly from the ambrette.

Iris Torréfié is a lovely fragrance, and the first among my Guerlain samples that could tempt me to a full bottle, even though I have several iris-forward fragrance. It has just the right balance of floralcy and vaguely spicy, soft leather. Have you tried it? What did you think?

Scented Advent, December 8
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Scented Advent, December 8

Another happy random pull from my samples! Today’s Advent SOTD is Spell 125, from Papillon Artisan Perfumes and perfumer Liz Moores. I really can’t improve on her own description and explanation:

In the Book of the Dead, Spell 125 represents a balance of light and dark, life and death. The compelling ceremony of weighing the deceased’s heart against a feather animate a delicate olfactory rendering of the lightness of the soul, with just a sliver of the underworld shadows.

Egyptian illustration from the Book of the Dead
Part of the Egyptian Book of the Dead; image from DK Publishing.

Ms. Moores explains the context for this 2021 addition to her line of fragrances:

“The seventh fragrance released in Papillon’s seventh year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. In ancient Egypt, the number 7 was considered a number of the Gods, and it is these deep esoteric connections thread together the inspiration and composition for Spell 125. Everything about this perfume is entwined with magic, history and ancient mystery.

Notes are listed as: White Ambergris. Siberian Pine. Black Hemlock. Green Sacra Frankincense. Ylang. Indian Sandalwood. What I smell right away is a mix of frankincense and ylang, followed quickly by the pine and hemlock notes. Ambergris is something I have smelled as a raw ingredient, but I can’t readily identify it in a fragrance. What I notice in fragrances that list ambergris as a note or ingredient is that there is usually an underlying sensual warmth — not really spicy, but warm nevertheless. That’s what I perceive in Spell 125.

The frankincense smells spicy with a hint of smoke; the sensation of warmth it evokes is enhanced by the sandalwood accord. This warmth and spiciness lead me to think that Spell 125 will be most appealing in cooler weather, as is usual in fall and winter here. It reminds me a bit of St. Clair Scents’ Frost, though Frost is smokier. Spell 125 also has a sweetness to it that absolutely does not smell sugary; I think that is a contribution of the ambergris.

Like all Papillon perfumes, this one is lovely and beautifully constructed. It is fully unisex and would smell great on anyone. Definitely worth trying, if you haven’t done so yet. I happily own Papillon’s Dryad and Bengale Rouge. While I don’t know that I’ll ever add Spell 125 to my collection (I think I would go for Angelique and Tobacco Rose ahead of it), I’m very happy to have it as a sample.

Snce Spell 125 was launched in 2021, a year into the global pandemic, when it was hard to get out and try new fragrances, many people may not have had access to it yet. Have you had a chance to try it? What did you think?

Scented Advent, December 7
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Scented Advent, December 7

Today’s Guerlain Advent sample is Rose Chérie, launched in 2021 and created by perfumer Delphine Jelk. The only notes listed for it are: Bulgarian rose, rose, violet, heliotrope, tonka, and musk. It is meant to evoke the chic of Paris and “la vie en rose.” The fragrance smells pink, too, like a fresh pink rose but with no greenery attached. The heliotrope accord is immediately evident to my nose; I really enjoy heliotrope in fragrances, I like the powdery aspect it lends. Here, it blends with the violet and rose accords to create a scent reminiscent of pink lipstick and face powder. The scent itself isn’t as retro as that sounds, though.

The heliotrope accord also smells like a mix of almond and vanilla, giving Rose Chérie a slight hint of gourmandise. It isn’t an actual gourmand fragrance though, which I appreciate because I have a limited tolerance for those. If there is any food it brings to my mind, that would be delicate pink macarons, lightly dusted with sugar. Now my mouth is watering, remembering the stacks of rainbow-hued macarons I saw in Nice a few years ago, in the patisseries of the old town and market.

Pile of pink macarons with flowers
Pink macarons; image from The Preppy Kitchen.

Rose Chérie definitely leans toward the feminine end of the spectrum, but it could smell wonderful on a man. It doesn’t last as well on my skin as, say, Épices Volées, but its longevity is fine. Its development is quite straightforward, almost linear to my nose. The tonka bean emerges after a while, once the floral notes have mostly faded. It gives a little oomph to the fragrance, like vanilla without any sugar.

This is a very pretty rose, and if you like semi-gourmand florals, you should probably try it if you get the chance. I own so many rose fragrances (hello, Roses de Mai Marathon!) that I wouldn’t feel the need to add this one; besides, I tend to favor richer or greener rose scents. But sometimes, one just wants a macaron! Do you have any favorite gourmand florals?

Scented Advent, December 6
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Scented Advent, December 6

Today’s sample for Advent is Puredistance’s Warszawa No. 08, sent to me a while ago by a kind reader. The perfumer for this Puredistance fragrance is Antoine Lie. The website states that it was created for a store in Poland, and was inspired “by the class and elegance of Polish women and the rich history of the city of Warsaw”.

Model in street fashion show in Warsaw, Poland
Street fashion show in Warsaw; image from the Associated Press

Puredistance is a brand I haven’t really explored before, so I appreciate having this opportunity. The house only creates its fragrances in parfum strength, with concentrations of perfume oils that range from 25-32%. The two other perfumers who have created for Puredistance are Annie Buzantian, and Roja Dove.

Warszawa No. 08 was launched in 2016, initially as a store exclusive and then worldwide in 2017. Top notes are listed as: galbanum, violet leaf, and grapefruit; middle note as: broom, jasmine, and iris; and base notes as: patchouli, styrax, and vetiver. It is a unisex fragrance, although the brand writes about it in terms of “classic feminine beauty”. The opening is very nice; I smell violet leaf more than galbanum. To the extent that any grapefruit accord is present, it is more like the rind than the fruit or juice, but that may be because it is made more bitter by the galbanum. To my nose, the opening is more green and herbal that citrusy.

As the middle notes develop, the broom is most dominant, but the jasmine is not far behind. Iris’ presence is detectable only in a certain softness that blurs the edges of the broom and jasmine. The broom is an interesting accord; it smells to me like a mix of green and yellow, with some woodiness mixed in. It’s a bit odd, but it works.

Yellow broom plants in flower
Broom plants in flower; image by Laura Christman / Record Searchlight.

The base notes work to evoke the earthiness of, for instance, broom plants growing in the wild. The vetiver especially recalls the kind of dry meadow in the image above, while the patchouli smells like earth. Throughout the development of Warszawa No. 08, the quality of the ingredients shows; there is a depth and texture to the fragrance that one doesn’t experience with even the most appealing “cheapies.” On balance, although I like this fragrance very much as a sample and I appreciate the artistry behind it, it’s not one that I would wear often just to please myself. What a relief — no need to yearn for a full bottle!

Have you had that experience with a fragrance — that you like and appreciate its quality, but you’re relieved to find that you don’t want anything more than a sample?

Scented Advent, December 5
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Scented Advent, December 5

Today’s Advent scent is another Guerlain sample from the collection “L’Art et La Matière”, Épices Volées, which debuted in 2021 in its current form (commenters note that it is a slight reformulation of the earlier Arsène Lupin Voyou). Fragrantica lists it as a “woody chypre” with top notes of coriander, lemon, artemisia and bergamot; middle notes of clove, cardamom, sage, and Bulgarian rose; base notes of sandalwood, patchouli, benzoin, and labdanum.

I really like artemisia (sometimes listed as davana) as a note in fragrance. It is a shape-shifter, changing with each wearing and on each wearer’s skin; also, it is a bitter green herb, and I tend to love those. I don’t smell much lemon in the opening of Épices Volèes, my nose is captivated by the artemisia, coriander, and bergamot. The bergamot is very light, it comes and goes quickly. The coriander segues into the spices of the middle notes; to my nose, they are mostly the cardamom and sage. I pick up some clove but it doesn’t smell dominant to me. I assume the rose is there, because there is a smooth floralcy to the heart phase, but to be honest, I don’t smell it as a stand-alone note.

Containers of various spices
Variety of spices; image from lovefood.com

The warm spices of the heart phase give way gradually to the warmth of sandalwood, benzoin, and labdanum in the base, with a hint of patchouli. This base is much gentler than what I usually associate with chypres (which I love, by the way), without the backbone of oakmoss. It is very appealing, though, and I think the whole fragrance would appeal to many who don’t enjoy chypres. If there is one word I might associate with Épices Volèes, it is “ingratiating”, in a good way. This is not a dramatic fragrance that demands one’s attention, it is comfortable like a well-loved cashmere sweater. In fact, it steals up on you not unlike the namesake of its predecessor, Arsène Lupin, which is named for the beloved fictional French “gentleman thief” who appeared in many novels at the turn of the twentieth century.

Actor Omar Sy, who plays Arsène Lupin on Netflix, wearing a soft sweater
Actor Omar Sy, who plays Arsène Lupin on Netflix.

This fragrance is definitely unisex. If you are a woman who likes to wear spicy sandalwood and resin fragrances, you might love it. I particularly like the resins among the base notes; I also appreciate that the spices don’t hit you over the head, they are subtle and well-blended. Do you have any favorite spice-focused fragrances, or spice notes in fragrance?