Welcome to the weekly Perfume Chat Room, perfumistas! I envision this chat room as a weekly drop-in spot online, where readers may ask questions, suggest fragrances, tell others their SOTD, comment on new releases or old favorites, and respond to each other. The perennial theme is fragrance, but we can interpret that broadly. This is meant to be a kind space, so please try not to give or take offense, and let’s all agree to disagree when opinions differ. In fragrance as in life, your mileage may vary! YMMV.

Today is Saturday, December 6, and we are just back from several days in Seville, with one overnight in Madrid. I found a lovely small perfumery in Seville, Luz de Sevilla.

I bought a few of their perfumes as gifts for family members, and it was hard to choose! The one that is the most unisex, to my nose, is Soleá. It is described as a tribute to the tomato blossom, which is combined with orange blossom, so prevalent in Seville, mint, verbena, black pepper, and sandalwood. Green, herbal, and spicy, with a touch of white flowers, it is very fresh and different. I don’t think I can name anything that smells just like it, and it smells really good. I even pick up a bit of star anise, though it’s not listed.

Luz de Sevilla has 17 fragrances, each one focusing on different aspects of Andalusia, with various blends of florals, spices, citruses, woods, etc.

It’s also a very pretty boutique, with some accessories, home fragrances, and soaps. (There is a second location elsewhere in the city). In addition to perfume, though, Seville is an ideal city for another of my loves: gardens. We were able to visit the holiday nighttime illuminations within the gardens of the Real Alcázar, a magical experience.

We had visited Seville briefly several years ago, loved it then, and always said we wanted to return for a longer stay. It did not disappoint! I revisited the grand Cathedral, and the Real Alcázar gardens in daytime, both as spectacular as I had remembered. But to see Seville and its lights, street decorations, and Christmas stalls before Christmas was a truly special experience and one I highly recommend! Combining perfume tourism with holiday and garden tourism was a win-win-win!