By March
When I was test-driving the new-ish Donna Karan Iris last week, I kept thinking about Serge Lutens’ Iris Silver Mist. According to legend, when Maurice Roucel was creating ISM, Lutens kept nagging him for more iris, more iris until Roucel threw up his hands and put in every single iris-smelling thing he could think of. (This story is told more elegantly by Luca Turin in The Guide.) The result is a must-try, a masterpiece of iris. It’s the Queen of iris. It’s the Marilyn Monroe, Taj Majal, and Rolls Royce of iris. It’s also the Godzilla and the Burj Dubai of iris – it’s not just iconic, it’s huge.
If Lutens kept saying more, more, more, then Donna Karan must have been saying less, less, less. Donna Karan Iris is iris primarily in the sense that it’s not violet or rose. It’s a shy, wan wisp of a thing, a lil’ rooty and a lil’ powdery, but if it weren’t called iris I think it might scent a nice Caswell & Massey handsoap with images of violet and marzipan. It bored me to tears. The result was that I spent the next three days wearing Guerlain Chamade, so it all worked out fine in the end.
Robin at Now Smell This, master of the polite, dignified review, says the Donna Karan Iris “has a minimalist feel, and is more transparent than not: you’d be hard-pressed to over apply.” Ain’t that the truth, R. I’m not opposed to understated, office-friendly fragrances: as I’ve mentioned before, Prada Infusion d’Iris is hugely popular among office worker bees in our area, I smell it all the time on the streets and in the subway. I like Infusion d’Iris, and if I ever run out of all my samples I’m buying a bottle. But my larger point is that Infusion d’Iris manages to be distinctive. Donna Karan Iris, assuming I could even smell it while standing beside someone wearing it, smells sadly generic. It doesn’t add anything – not even something fun and insubstantial, a giggle or a whisper – to the ongoing conversation of perfume.
If I met a budding perfumista who was interested in iris, I would say, at some point you need to smell Lutens’ Iris Silver Mist. If that perfumista were interested in incense, I’ve no doubt I’d mention the Armani Prive Bois d’Encens. I adore incense frags, it’s one of those notes I can never get enough of. But if backed into a corner, I’d have to name BdE first, although it’s not necessarily my favorite. But it’s incense as high art – and devoid of the churchiness of, say, CdG Avignon (which I adore.) I’d like to quote the entire Luca Turin review, which is both funny and insightful, right here, but instead I’ll grab the last line: “If you can afford Bois d’Encens, buy it: there is nothing else like it.”
So now I reach out to you, commenters and lurkers alike! Newbies read the blog all the time. If you were chatting with a friend who had a general fondness for perfume, and s/he asked for a recommendation for a single (yes, I’m going to make you choose just one!) fragrance featuring a particular note or accord of interest (rose, woody, tea, citrus, whatever), which one would you recommend to sniff, and why? As I’ve already noted, it wouldn’t necessarily be your favorite fragrance featuring that particular note, but the one where you’d say, well, if you’re going to explore lily of the valley in a fragrance, you’ve really got to smell Diorissimo. (In vintage, sadly, or so I have been told.) I’d love a list here in comments of what you think the greats are. Also feel free to argue with each other, as long as you do it with reasonable politeness.
image: iris, flickr.com, some rights reserved
Late, but didn’t see these suggestions (no I can not pick just one):
Grapefruit:
Hermes Pamplemousse Rose, OR (the verrry similar and also by Jean Claude Ellena) YSL In Love Again (discontinued, but not hard to find)
Cinnamon: DSH Cimabue or Serge Lutens Rousse
Also, I can (and have) suggested just one fragrance to introduce a friend to “artisan” fragrances in general: Ormonde Jayne Woman. It’s so lovely, and so NOT mainstream.
Umm- sorry, that should be Jean-Louis Scherrer, not Louise. Yeesh.
Best example of lily – Serge Lutens Un Lys, hands down – actually smells like real lilies, yet more interesting than the average soliflore. Chilly perfection, the kind of beauty that’s intimidating in a person, like Catherine Deneuve as an evil ice queen. I love it to death.
Reference jasmine soliflore: Serge Lutens A la Nuit, nothing else even comes close that can be easily had. (Vintage Le Galion Jasmin is superb but of course, not an option for most people.)
Baseline green Chypre: Ma Griffe, vintage of course. And if you enjoy weeping, get some of the vintage Extrait and compare it to the cheap EDT that is sold under the name today. I will provide the Kleenex. If you can find an older bottle you will understand why it was once so wildly popular, and why Chypres once ruled the world of perfume.
Best use of oakmoss: Jean-Louise Scherrer, the original one, no contest. Even today after reformulation it’s wonderful. If you are lucky enough to score a “vintage” (it came out in 1979) bottle of even the EDT, it’s the most striking aspect of the scent. If you ever get lucky with the new-defunct EDP or Parfum, you will be bowled over by the intensity of the delicious overdose of oakmoss, bitter and green and deeply mysterious. It’s why I love chypres and it was the first one I ever owned. I now collect all the vintage and discontinued Chypres I can find since the new EU rules make it all but impossible to create them anymore.(I don’t care how great 31 Rue Cambon is, it is not a real Chypre cuz there is no oakmoss in it, so it needs a new category. So there.)
Rose: Try as I may I can’t come up with anything better than Joy, which is also jasmine of course, but it’s a seamless fusion of two perfections that has no equal.
Reference woody floral: Jean Patou 1000. The best one ever made and still great today. Textbook schooling of composition, unparalleled among modern perfumes.
Of course I have more, but many of them have already been mentioned. :-D
I have nothing to add (as if that’s not usual). I just wanted to thank everyone who’s contributed, because I know it’s helping a lot of us newbies broaden our horizons (and empty our wallets ;) ).
It is interesting, the idea of adding something to the conversation. I’d say maybe 20 out of 1000 add something to the conversation — and even some very well-made scents from some popular niche brands don’t qualify. Or am I being too stringent? But was trying to think of what I’d include in that list from this year, and pretty sure it isn’t even near to 20 yet.
Well, it’s an unfair standard, isn’t it? Those people are out to make some money and grab the low-hanging fruit, and (realistically) how many masterpieces are there going to be? I suppose I find the rate of new releases and flankers so oppressive that I’ve decided to nitpick the issue. I used to have more patience for average scents when there were less of them. /:)
Totally understand…but Iris struck you as worse than it did me. I thought — pretty enough, good materials, not enough inspiration / creativity, fine for what it is. You thought — sadly generic. So it is partly diplomacy and partly a difference in opinion on that one scent.
But also think everybody has less patience. I was smelling those 4 things by Lubin that are variations on 2 of their scents they did a couple years ago that were good but not masterpieces to begin with…and they were all “good” but could only think “why???”
There are some notes now, like oudh, where there is almost nothing you could do to that note and get my interest: there are enough oudhs already, we don’t need any more conversation on that subject. Even a fabulous new oudh is going to get less interest than it would have 5 years ago before everything started to explode.
You are *supposed* to be stringent. That’s how we know what to believe – when Robin writes it in stone! (insert bowing emoticon here) :-D
I really like your description of Robin’s (of NST) style of review. She could have been a diplomat in another life.
Love this topic, love reading all the comments; my own humble suggestions:
Weird perfumes: Bvlgari Black, L’Artisan Dzing!, AG Eau du Fier(?)
Immortelle: AG Sables
Colognes ( one of my favourite genres): Eau de Guerlain. I should probably mention the Chanel, but having never smelled it myself I can’ t justify that.
80’s Blockbusters: Dior Poison
Lavender: Caron Pour un Homme ( as has been mentioned before) and Les Plus Belles Lavendes
Amber: Parfum d’ Empire, Ambre Russe, but am also a great admirer of both MPG Ambre Précieux and SL Ambre Sultan
Vanilla: L’ Artisan, Vanilia
Hey! We’re diplomatic over here, too (snort!) – where’s that damn ROFL emoticon when you need him?
I think the Guerlain trumps the Chanel, easy. Just sayin’
xo >-)
Musette that’s ALL you have to say baby!
‘Cause Guerlain’s otherworldliness kicks Chanel’s ladylike sensibilities arse all over my little cow- town.
Don’t get me wrong though, I die for vintage Dior’s but even then , there are wicked women underneath those bright aldehydes and floral chypres.
With whips.
<3~ T
:-O
that’s the gasp! emoticon!!
xo >-)
I’m glad you think the Guerlain is better. It’s far less expensive. Honestly it’s the best ” cologne” I have ever smelled. L.Turin’s description of it on his former blog really does it justice.
This blog has a distinctly different atmosphere to NST. I happen to like both. I just admire diplomatic people, as I am far from diplomatic myself. I tend to blame it on my nationality. The Dutch can be rude.
One of the funniest/most painful things I’ve read is when a reviewer on NST (could it have been Tigs?) aped the styles of various bloggers. I sounded like myself, only even nuttier. Reading someone aping your style is instructive.
Are you saying imitation is the most sincerest ( albeit annoying?) form of flattery??
I’m not familiar with the word ‘aping’ but I’m sure it’s not good.
Aha. I just love what I love and believe it or not, talk like this in real life too.
Witty broads are the best kind. :)
No, I think we’re giggling over the differences in blog styles. Now Smell This is incredibly instructive and the tone is very well-mannered (that is a compliment to Robin, btw). You probably have noticed that all the blog owners/writers have very distinctive styles – somebody on NST wrote a post in the style of some of the major bloggers – that’s what the ‘aping’ (mimic) was about.
The only thing funnier is when Robin hosts the Prix aux Faux (I know I screwed that up) where all of us submit florid copy about made-up perfumes. March, do you remember “Heaven Speaks to the Dandelion”? (please tell me I got that right). I couldn’t take it, I was laughing so hard.
xoxo >-)
Oh thank you dear Musette, these threads get so tangled and such. Of course Marchs comment was to you! I’m so silly :P
And here I thought aping meant IDK, I guess like “monkey see-monkey do” in my mind. Get it? Ahahahaha!
I guess I care what my fellow peeps think of me a lil’ too much.:)
And yes Robin is THEE SCENT SAGE.
I love everyones different styles of blogging just like I appreciate everyone’s different tastes.
What Musette said! I was asked ahead of time (to make sure I wouldn’t be offended) and it was hilarious. I should have made that clearer. The writer did a beautiful job of writing in our various styles.
That was Erin!
http://www.nstperfume.com/2008/03/19/5-perfumes-for-women-who-want-to-borrow/
My summer love has been gardenia treasure-hunting, and I know that white florals seem to be a love-or-hate thing. But I have found my gardenia wish fulfilled in Estee Lauders Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia eau de parfum. I think the gardenia suprisingly presides over the tuberose.
First two I thought of were tobacco–>SSS Tabac Aurea (can’t believe no one else said it) and fig–>Philosykos (can believe many said it).
I’m surprised no one (?) did aldehydes (my pick would be White Linen). Don’t think I saw lily either (I’d recommend Donna Karan Gold).
For patchouli, honestly, I’d probably say Angel.
And I’d say “GO SIT OVER THERE!” (re the Angel, not you!) I nearly got blasted out of my seat a few days ago – Lady With Angel Alert!
My love of Aldehydes is legendary and I totally! forgot about WL! I used to love that stuff – have they left it alone? Is it safe to revisit?
For me, the Aldehyde of Choice would be the vaunted No 5. Love it or hate it, it is the epitome of everything aldehydic. I am a huge fan of it in edt, often preferring that to the perfume.
No 22 is a blast o’ alds, too!
The newest aldehyde o’ love is Cartier Brillante, though I wouldn’t choose that as an aldehyde introduction – it’s gorgeous but it’s not iconic, imo.
xo >-)
Have to agree on the No. 5 for aldehydes, but in 2nd place I’d put another SSS, Champagne de Bois. That one is truly gorgeous.
Musette, I’m not sure if they’ve fiddled with the base but I bought a bottle recently and the top notes are just as I remember them: Gorgeous. I am very very picky-choosy about my aldehydes but WL is one I have always loved, even as a kid.
DK Gold is a pretty amazing lily. Terrifying, but amazing.
Love this topic and didn’t really have a response until I started reading the rest of the responses, which got me to thinking…Now, some of these represent an accomodation to the hot Texas summers, so take them with a grain of salt:
Tobacco: L’Artisan Tea for Two
Grapefruit: Guerlain Pampelune
Cedar: Tauer L’Air du Desert Marocain
Rose: Tauer Une Rose Chypree
Lavender: C&S Oxford & Cambridge
Oud: Le Labo Oud 27
Chypre: Chanel Pour Monsieur (the vintage yellow formula)
Sage: CdG Palisander
Lemon: Signoricci
Leather: Anvers2
Incense: Etro Shaal Nur
Amber: Tom Ford Amber Absolute
Cardamom: Hermes Bel Ami (current formula)
Palisander! Now that’s a great fragrance. You know, I smelled something else recently that reminded me of it.
For a whie I didn’t take Palisander seriously because it smelled just like a limited-run shaving soap I had from a few years back: Cedar, Sage, Sweetgrass. Eventually I came around, and then later on I packed my large decant into a pass-box so others could try it, since I wasn’t wearing it.
Alternatively, Antaeus is great for sage, but it’s too heavy to wear in the summer, much as I adore it.
I’ll go downmarket and suggest Demeter’s Honeysuckle. It only lasts a few minutes, but a pretty few minutes they are. Also, I am getting bored with myself going on and on about Guerlain’s Vetiver Pour Elle…
Hey, VPE is a great fragrance, although I think I prefer the Homme, which seems lighter to me.
The Homme version is missing that dreaded (for me) lily of the valley note.
This is one of those terrifying topics that I can hardly handle because it inspires such lust. But very educational. Must. control. Self.
Lust is good! Well, it’s not terrible. And it’s fun.
Ok, longtime lurker who is furiously writing down all these suggestions – much more fun if I don’t look at my bank balance!
I am just getting my toes wet in all this but here are a few I like that I didn’t see mentioned . . .
Rose – Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose (wonderful and cheap)
Vetiver – Habanita
Incense – Gucci Pour Homme
Amber – Youth Dew Amber Nude
Aldehyde – Vintage Lanvin My Sin
Carnation – Bellodgia
Green Floral – Je Reviens
I mentioned Gucci pour Homme as an iconic cedar, but it has lots of incense too. I love it! :)
Anyone who mentions My Sin gets a :x. My mother wore it.
It came in the mail last Friday, fell in love with it over the weekend . . . I may never recover.
I will – I got the vintage last year, it blew me away, one of those where have you been all my life moments! It’s the go-to standard for animalic notes of musk and civet; how to do it exactly right so it’s sexy as hell but not vulgar. Yes, it has things in it that are illegal now, and I don’t know exactly why, but I will cheerfully risk whatever perils are contained within just to smell like that.
That’s the thing about vintage. So.much.skank. Those civet/musk or whatever bases are amazing.
I can’t really add much to these lists. I think all perfume lovers should smell every iteration of Chanel No. 5 in order to understand well-crafted modern perfume, and Bois des Iles just because. I’m still tentative about iris – an hour after I put in on it…annoys me somehow…but I’m willing to keep trying (and that first hour can be glorious!) And while i can’t argue with any of the rose scents offered here, Lancome’s Mille et Une Roses is lovely, just lovely.
OK, I’m gonna post a list for those notes that I haven’t seen posted yet /:)
Spices: SL Arabie
Tobacco: Hilde Soliani Bell’Antonio
Linden: SL Fleurs d’Citronnier
Hay: Les Nez Let Me Play the Lion
Civet: TDC Rose Poivre *original formula
Smoke/Burning: Annick Goutal Eau du Fier
Whiskey: Profumum Fumidus
Love smoky burning scents! I’d probably do CB Burning Leaves. Or Lonestar Memories.
Oh yeah, Lonestar is da BOSS when it comes to smoke!
We need a birchtar category.
Birchtar (not that I’ve tried too many, but I do have a strange fondness for that childhood scent of Ichthammol!) = Patchouli 24 or SSS Fireside Intense.
Cedar: None. Cedar smells like a pencil factory on me.
Civet: Mona di Orio’s Nuit Noire
Cumin: MKK
Galbanum: Silences
Iris: Oh go ahead, slap me silly. Not a fan of overwhelming iris.
Jasmine: A La Nuit, or Tigerflag’s attar of night-blooming jasmine
Mint: The little bit of it in Rosine’s Rose Diablo
Incense: Nu (vintage and discontinued, I think)
Lavender: Jicky
Leather: Cuir d’Lancome (happily lacks that raw IsoButylQuinoline overdose)
Lily of the Valley: Pdn’s Odalisque
Neroli: Parfum de Nicolaï Cologne Sologne
Orange Blossom: L’Artisan Fleur d’Oranger (I only have a decant, not sure of the year)
Patchouli: Rosine’s Rose d’Homme
Rose: L’Arte de Gucci, Rosine’s Poussiere d’Rose
Tuberose: ELPC Tuberose Gardena
Vanilla: Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille, but there are so many I haven’t tried
Vétiver: still unexplored territory for me except for Guerlain’s vetiver
Violet: Try as I might, I’m not loving violet yet
Tobacco: vintage Tabac Blond, vintage Habanita perfume
Cardamom: Declaration
Ambers: vintage Shalimar, SL Ambre Sultan
Citrus: O de Lancome
Saffron: Rosine Rose Kashmirie
Odalisque. Le sigh. Is that not the fragrance of angels?
Long time no post, but I do lurk. Busy as hell these days, which is nice, but…
I’d say get Micallef’s Black Sea.
Just because.
Caved and bought some Black Sea recently at Scent Bar.
Damn it.
Went in for Josef Statkus, my favorite incense, which I would recommend to any incense lover. Incense and library books = perfection. I’d used my entire bottle, a rarity.
So there I was at Scent Bar, spending almost 500 dollars, thinking I was going to spend 200.
Damn it.
Wait! I have a question. I’ll email you… you know, here’s my Black Sea story. I had a bottle. I made some decants. I was so sick of it then (it’s a dribbler) that I gave my bottle away.
and I love that Black Sea… ; )
Hey March – didn’t get an email from you yet, and if you haven’t sent it, no rush at all. Just want to make sure you have the right address and that technology isn’t failing me. Ha. Yeah. That Black Sea – I love it and it smothers me, I have a bizarre relationship with it. My boyfriend doesn’t like it.
Go figure.
Still had to have it.
As a newbie, I love reading this list. However, I must admit that all the vintage versions are making me say, “Ahhh, CRAP! Vintage again? Have some pity on a girl!” Has there been a post here dedicated to all the different ways to score vintage? (I know, I know, eBay is one, but then I’d just be bidding against all y’all, plus I have to deal with the whole shipping-to-Canada thing, which is a PITA.)
I’m embarassed to admit that my first sniff of Bois des Isles didn’t do much for me. Nice, but nothing earth-shaking. Where was the “high-octane gorgeousness” I’d read about? I found it instantly in Parfum Sacre, but not BdI. Obviously I need to revisit it in six months as I get better at this. At least I’m not a complete shlub: iris may be “advanced beginner” but it was love at first sniff. At I’m happy to report that iris loves me too. Allow me to crow a bit that 28 La Pausa lasts on me ALL DAY LONG. I believe I’ll dedicate September’s sampling budget to more iris scents. :)
Oh it took me FOREVER to get BdI. There’s a note in the beginning that I still have trouble with on some days.
For me it was a context thing–just one particularly sunny fall day and–pow! Gotcha! (“Oh, that’s what everyone is talking about…”)
I’m skipping the vintage issue, because in some ways its Just Not Fair, and in others, having stepped across the threshold, I can understand why people insist on referring to them if they’ve experienced them.
The reason I’m popping in is because your BdI / Parfum Sacre experience is reminiscent of feelings I had. I wavered on BdI at the outset…found it fascinating, beautiful at times, nearly incomprehensible at others. But the first time I smelled Parfum Sacre, BAM, love.
Over time what has evolved as in some ways that Psych 101 experiment. Things you like/love right away end up not evoking as deep/intense a feeling as those you don’t like at first, but come to like/love. The study I remember was of friendships/attachments. I often think of it when I think of perfume. So, to echo Sweetlife, and point back to what I said before…wait for it…. :) I do believe it will get you, eventually. But, different strokes for different folks and all…so for now, enjoy the Parfum Sacre. After needing some time away, I’m liking it again, too. :) :)
Parfum Sacre was an immediate love for me also at the very beginning of my perfume explorations.
Hey, I’ve been doing this a couple years and BdI still doesn’t blow my socks off. I’m sure I need to do further testing though. I should probably pick up a decant instead of nursing my spray sample.
Great topic! I completely agree with your three. Here are some of mine, not all as iconic or clear cut as your excellent choices:
Rose: Nahema
Vetiver: FM Vetiver Extraordinaire (though Givenchy Vetiver is a close second and I prefer Sycomore)
Leather: Chanel Cuir de Russie
Tuberose: Fracas
Orange Blossom: L’Artisan Fleur d’Oranger 2005
Amber: MPG Ambre Precieux
Fig: Heeley Figuier
Grapefruit: Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune
Violet: Serge Bois de Violette (*not* my fave violet, but the best violet “demonstration”)
Lemon: Monsieur Balmain (or DKNY Women?)
Oud: YSL M7
Lavender: having not tried supposedly the best lavender soliflores, I will say Caron Pour un Homme
Cardamom: Declaration Essence
Osmanthus: Hermessence Osmanthe Yunnan
Mandarin: Mauboussin Histoire D’eau Topaz
It’s harder than I thought it would be with most notes. Lime, for example, is hard to get right and Floris Limes is gone. I love the way Patricia de Nicolai handles lime in, say, Eau D’ete or Vanilla Tonka, and the Hermes Orange Verte scents are great, but these fragrances are not “about” lime the same way ISM is about iris. There are a lot of great fragrances that rely heavily on one ingredient or accord, but have a complex enough development that they don’t necessarily say all there is to say about the single note: Bois des Iles (sandalwood), Enlevement au Serail (jasmine), No. 5 (aldehydes), and almost all Guerlains and classic vintage Diors fall into this category for me.
Oooh, I love cardamom in frags and have never sniffed Declaration Essence, thanks!
Very similar to the original Declaration, but I prefer it. Hope you like it!
Always like to see some love for the MPG. And the Heeley, too, come to think of it; I’m not a fig fan, per se, but that one…like their Sel Marin…is a quiet but consistent “yes.”
Which reminds me…shoot. I forgot “salt/salty.”
which I read as “salt/slutty”
?
xo >-)
Oh, yeah…I forgot one of those, too. ;)
Both important categories! ;)
Yo are you typing with one hand while nursing Baby Huey? Declaration Essence yummmmmmmmmmmm.
I’m trying to teach baby Huey to type. That would make everything easier. Not that he isn’t a totally easy, mellow fellow to begin with.
I have been up all night with my storm-plagued dog and don’t have the wherewithal to make a list, but I’m finding these all very inspiring!
Aww, sorry. So upsetting when one’s dog is terrified of storms.
Thanks for the sympathy. It’s gotten much worse over the years, and we now have her on what my DH refers to as the “Valley of the Dogs Cocktail”–doggie xanax + benadryl. Works for awhile and then the terrier OCD kicks in and we’re off to the whining, scratching, pacing races…. Argh.
I’m sure you’ve tried everything at this point but I’ll ask anyway…have you tried that dog wrap thing? Also any of the wonderful books by Patricia McConnell? For Love of a Dog is the one that comes to mind. My border terriers are not afraid of storms, but I had a wirehaired pointing griffon who was, and the only thing for it was to let her go into the closet — or sometimes the bathtub — and make the place as dark and quiet as possible. Plus the meds, of course. But I do know of some dogs who respond to the wrap as well. If you need more info on it just email March and she can give you my contact info.
Don’t know about either of those, thanks so much! And just realized, you can PM me yourself about the Cabochard on Perfume of Life–same screen name.
Also you’re hotlinked, right? If Carter wants to email you.
Hey so I am! To my totally defunct erstwhile blog. Gotta fix
that. ;) (And the email there is different, better to use POL)
My dog also has noise issues, but we live in San Diego where I can count on one hand the number of thunderstorms we’ve had in the last 10 years. I’ve heard many good things about using wraps – here’s a few websites I found http://www.thundershirt.com/HowItWorks/ and . I’ve read also you can just wrap a t-shirt snugly around the chest too, you should be able to find a lot of info on that online as well. Good luck!(I’m not affiliated, but you can delete this if it isn’t appropriate!)
They hate storms. I’m so sorry. Here’s hoping the walloping is over.
So many great lists! I decided to pick two perfumes featuring notes that really aren’t my favorites at all. These scents are so beautiful, they made a convert of me!
Pineapple – Patou’s Colony
Vanilla – Guerlain Spiritueuse Double Vanille
Colony’s a big riot. Although I might nominate the Piguet one.
Piguet one?? Enlighten me oh great one.
Huh? Piguet did a Colony? Are you sure?
Wait. I think I know what you mean – are you talking about Baghari? It has that vaguely GreenyPineapple/vanilla thing going…
re Colony: I agree – it’s a lot of fun.
xo >-)
Oh… I was thinking maybe Visa, the fruit one.
Yep, Visa. Doesn’t it smell like Pineapple to you? 😕
Piguet Visa. It says something like “candied fruits” but they smell like pineapple to me. (I think it’s supposed to be peach and pear.)
Tuberose – Carnal Flower… on a really hot summer day. Clean, pure, beautiful.
Musk -Musc Ravageur… envelopes one like an warm aura
Tobacco – SL Fumerie Turque
Incense – Bois de Incense
Vanilla – Spiriteuse Doble Vanille
Forgot Fig – Philosykos
Musc Rav. Man, I wish I had a bottle of that.
Hee. This is a fun way to go. :)
(Nice to be back, and to see you back, btw.)
Okay, I’d slide Iris Poudre in there. Pick, iris or aldehyde. Because it is beautiful. And always ends up taking back seat to something else in my “what will I buy now” sweepstakes — there’s always something that’s about to be discontinued/reformulated, or a vintage rare opportunity, or the appropriate momento of a location, or or or — and poor Iris Poudre, which is worthy of a streamlined five-fragrance closet, still awaits my fb purchase. (And I generally run screaming from aldehydes.)
Leather = SL Cuir Mauresque. Again, I’m picking mash up rather than purity, but this one seems to contain the best of both “spanish” (more flowery) and “animalic” leather.
I guess I’m going for presentation of the ingredient in a recipe that I love, rather than an expression of the ingredient all on its own. Bourbon vanilla in a creme brulee, for example, rather than Madagascar vs Mexican just smell the bean kind of thing.
That said, that’s why my Lilac = En Passant.
Almond = Lentisque.
Lavender – Tauer’s Reverie au Jardin.
And, yes, that vintage Jolie Madame appears. For violet. Gotta experience violet that way. Hubba.
My exception to the recipe rule would be narcissus, for which I submit Fleur de Narcisse. Pure weird beauty. Actually, Tauer’s Reverie is similar in effect with the note…okay, tumble those two together.
Thanks for the game. You’ve got me jump started. :)
En Passant. Sigh. I guess … I’d probably put that on there as a great lilac only because I can’t come up with a better “reference” lilac? But it’s such an amazing scent. Why does all lilac scent smell like Glade?
Shelley: I’m so with you on Cuir Mauresque. That, Vierges et Toreros, and CdR are probably my top leathers (along with Sikkim, but that’s a chypre that’s about much more than leather).
Oh ho! A fresh leather to try! Vierges et Toreros, you say?
Of course, I play at this leather game, but in the end, I’m one of those who is most comfortable in Cuir de Lancome. Unless it’s Bandit. I know, fickle. No, not really. It’s…style? Flavor? Which nose parts are amenable on a given day? But I do enjoy the CM.
Aw, drat. My lovely little flight of Lancome came with Mille et Une Roses instead of the Sikkim that was advertised. Vendor handled it delightfully well, but I still miss the Sikkim.
Oh, what a sweet task:
Tuberose – Fracas by Piguet
Rose – Rose Absolue by Yves Rocher
Leather – Cuir de Lancome by Lancome
Carnation – L’air du temps by Nina Ricci
Pineapple – Nuits de NoHo by Bond No. 9
Another Cuir fan. And lots of Fracas today.
Okay, I’ll play.
Iris – Odori Iris
Musk – SL MKK
Tea – Elizabeth Arden Green Tea
Amber – SL Amber Sultan
Coffee – NM Izmir
Aoud – Montale Red Aoud
Honey – Ginestet Botrytis
Vanilla – Lostmarch Lann-Ael
Rose – FM Une Rose
Wood – SSS Champagne de Bois
Leather – Cuir de Lancome
Cuir de Lancome I lurve, but … isn’t this the new? That everyone hated because it’s not butch enough? I love the new, though.
I bought it only about six months ago, so it must be the new. I thought everyone loved it! Maybe all this time they were referring to a previous formulation. Oh well. I love this one too.
If we are talking recommendations for a “newbie”, Cuir de Lancome is a very accessible leather. I think it’s a great choice. Next thing you know, they’ll move on to Chanel Cuir de Russie, or Caron Tabac Blonde, or vintage Molinard Habinita….
What a great list Jarvis! Fabulous.
I would advise anyone and everyone to sniff all the Guerlain Greats, to show how a perfume SHOULD be constructed. This would comprise:
Apres l’Ondee
Jicky
l’Heure Bleue
Mitsouko (of course)
Shalimar
Vol de Nuit
Chamade
Perhaps Nahema for its rosiness, yes, and on the masculine side, Habit Rouge and Vetiver.
Only once you’ve tried these, I think, can you really begin to understand great perfumery, even if you don’t want to wear them (what??)
Yippee I am going to see Jean-Paul Guerlain tomorrow evening at Harrods!!
I’m such a Guerlain fangirl you won’t get any argument from me, except that they’ve cheaped out so much that most of these I’d say you need vintage, or at least an EDP.
I agree, all these Guerlain classics are must-smells.
Not a peep of disagreement here.
Reference frags, all.
If my friend were a newbie, she would likely be into clean florals, so maybe she’d ask about citrus, since that’s one of the better-known notes. So I’d direct her to Cristalle EdT, before its reformulated. If she were another type of newbie, one who fancies herself bohemian, she would ask about patchouli (not knowing its everywhere these days). I’d send her to Borneo 1834 and enjoy the look on her face!
Uh … okay, gonna grin at you about Borneo and say, 8-x
I’m with Carter-vintage Scandal for the best leather evah created!
And just because it always smells great-Black Cashmere for woods, spice, incense.
Great question, great comments.
LShana Tova, y’ll!
Hey doll! I meant to email you! So great to see you the other day. Where’s my smoochy emoticon? :*
Smooches here, too. We had Big Fun, non? I’m working the new MLLB lippie today. How’d the Pretty Pink work for you?-I lurved it!
I’ve been wearing it! It’s soooo gorgeous. I thought I’d do a makeup post on Sunday … is that not a high holy day?
Nope-I’ll be here ; )
Alrighty!
I don’t have as much experience in perfume as most of y’all have, but I would say
sandalwood: vintage Samsara.
jasmine: Caron Acaciosa
tuberose: Fracas
And I couldn’t agree more with Carter’s opinion of Jolie Madame. It was the first vintage perfume I tracked down since this obsession with fragrance began, and I can’t imagine ever being without it.
Fracas made the list several times today, which seems appropriate. You know what else? Fracas is one of the few classic frags on here that I don’t feel compelled to add, “in the VINTAGE.” Fracas today smells just as good to me.
I have a vintage bottle of JM that makes me so happy I can’t tell you.
I don’t think Fracas has been reformulated – or if it has, not to any discernable degree. It would be like reformulating Godzilla, anyway – what are you gonna do, move the tail ridges a little closer together? No matter – Godzilla is still terrifying. Same with Fracas, except for the ‘terrifying’ part. She’s perfect! But you know what I mean.
xo >-)
ps. wearing two JMs today (either wrist). One has gone a touch soapy but is still so incredible it makes my teeth hurt! The other is just………wow.
Germaine is certainly getting a lot of love here today.
Germaine freaking deserves it.
So does Godzilla.
Let’s not forget Godzilla.
xo >-)
……wonder what Mme C would’ve created for Godzilla?
Something smoky?
In the smoky vein – Patch 24, but going in another direction (i.e. green slime), I’d say Pulp.
WWGW?
Nothing aquatic (why bother?) nothing green (ditto) – he’s already got ‘smoky’ down pat.
I’m going with Carnal Flower
xo >-)
WWGW! You made me spit my tea!!!
Carnal Flower would be *perfect*. . .and then I had this image of Gojira (Godzilla) sneaking about a-tiptoe wearing L’Eau Hiver. WWGW as camouflage? :-?
What a coincidence! I was talking about this two days ago with some friends. My suggestions for a beginner:
– For sandalwood: Diptyque Tam Dao
– For galbanum: Sisley Eau de Campagne
– For lilacs: Frederic Malle En Passant
– For tuberose: Frederic Malle Carnal Flower
– For patchouli: Comme des Garçons Patchouli
– For vetiver: Guerlain Vetiver
– For cedar: Gucci pour Homme
– For fig/fig tree: Diptyque Philosykos
– For cardamom: Hermès Voyage
– For saffron: L’Artisan Saffran Troublant
– For tea: Bulgari Au thé Rouge
– For vanille: Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille
– For cinnamon: Calvin Klein Obsession
– For honey: By Kilian Back to Black
– For lavender: Agua de Sevilla Agua de Lavanda
Big 2nd on the honey (or maybe I’d say it’s a must sniff for honeyed tobacco).
Why do I not get honey from B2B? I just don’t.
Red tea! So nice to see someone else besides me likes that.
I want to make it clear that I have not said my favourite scents for each note, just the ones I think are representative (although some are my favourite too, like Gucci Pour Homme). :)
My favourite patchouli is Etat Libre d’Orange Nombril Immense.
Ok, I love reading everyone’s comments and suggestions!
Mine are:
Sandalwood – Serge Lutens Santal de Myosore (it has that warm bread/yeasty smell of true sandalwood oil, Myosore or not)
Iris – Chanel 28 la pausa (it is velevety and smooooth, truly luxurious, while it lasts)
Tuberose – FM Carnal flower/ BK beyond love (because they are green AND lush)…hum…or maybe I should start with Fracas? It was my introduction to tuberose, after all. And I became a tubey *ho*
Almond – l’heure bleue, in any concentration (well, it’s self explanatory)
Labdanum – L’air du desert marocain (this is ambery feast)
Gorgeousness – Chamade (ah wait, that’s not a note, isn’t it?)
Jasmine – I’m still looking for a great jasmine-star-player.
Rose – for a bright interpretation, my pick is une rose chyprée; for a deeper, darker rendition my vote is for Epic, Amouage.
Brown sugar – SL Chergui
Booze – SL Chene
Tropical paradise: Montale Intense Tiarè. A guilty pleasure, with one of the few big Vanilla notes I truly enjoy.
No Lutens A La Nuit for you, Zazie? For the Jasmine?
And I love the idea of “gorgeousness” as a note…
A La Nuit is just wow.
Did I have to read this far to find Chergui?
Must try Tuberose: Tubereuse Criminelle. You had to see that one coming.
I know I’m supposed to stick with one, but come on, no one else is. So I’d insist they try L’heure Bleue in parfum. My Guerlain HG scent. My beloved…and it doesn’t feature tuberose…go figure.
I love l’heure bleue… and tuberose.
Oddly Tuberose Criminelle was not particularly interesting for me: I expected it to be either a huge hit or miss, based on the many reviews, but it was just fine…disembodied. Very very linear progression.
Nothing strange and nothing great on my skin.
I guess if I tried it before it became common niche practice to play with the mentholated cold facets of the flower, I would have been more impressed… Well, my failure. :(
TC is hands-down my favorite tubey — I wear it so much it ain’t even funny — but for a newbie/reference frag I might even go with Beyond Love before Carnal Flower, and definitely before Fracas. TC and Fracas would likely scare the hell out of an innocent — those scary bits being what makes them brilliant, of course — and CF is wonderful, but for pure straight-up tuberousiosity Beyond Love is instinctively the one I reach for.
Seconding. Beyond Love.
Can I sneak in Roja Dove’s Scandal, here?
A must try has to be Une Rose ,then buy a huge bottle.
Une Rose is a rose the size of a dirigible. Fantastic.
And it smells just like plastic on me – not in the bottle or on a blotter – just on me.
I’m partial to Rose d’Ete (Rosine) because it’s one of the few rosey-roses that doesn’t go plastic on me.
Also their Zest one (can’t remember the real name)
xo >-)
I think you’re right about Iris Silver Mist — if you didn’t know what iris note smells like, a good whiff of ISM makes it absolutely clear. That said, I’m still backing down from the sheer power of that one, trying to find an iris that is easier to wear (ducks head in shame).
Otherwise:
Fig: Phylosikos
Cumin: L’Autre
Vanilla: Un Bois Vanille
Amber: Ambre Sultan
Tuberose: Fracas
Lilac: En Passant
Also, I humbly suggest that incense is too varied to be epitomized in just one scent. Church incense has a very specific smell (frankincense) that is very different from the temple incenses used in Asia, for example. I have to go with the Comme des Garcons series for this one.
Hey, I didn’t say ISM was easy to wear! Far from it. I don’t wear it. I just feel like it’s an amazing iris that anyone who wants to experience iris should try. I like Hiris (which everyone hates, including Luca Turin) and 28 La Pausa.
Philosykos is all over here today. That makes me happy. I love fig.
Incense is varied … what I was getting at, not too clearly, is that the most common objection I read re: incense is it’s too “churchy” and makes people like lapsed Catholics uncomfortable. BdE doesn’t smell like that to me.
Then BdE is the one I want to sniff. Even when we lived in Spain and went to mass in those amazingly beautiful cathedrals and churches, the smell of THAT incense was almost unbearable for me.
ISM is my holy grail iris, but the only time I wear it really is when it is in the winter, preferably in the snow. It absolutely sings in that weather.
I believe I have figured out why I always have such screwed up sentences…I type exactly as I think which is usually in jerky tangents. My fingers refuse to acknowledge that they must edit for my brain as I go.
I’m thinking: the only time I wear it really is when it is (insert very cold) and then I think well duh, very cold = winter, so make that “in the winter” and eliminate “when” but my fingers just keep typing away and pay no mind to my mind.
If it makes you feel any better, your thought process is utterly comprehensible to me. Please don’t start trying to make sense differently, I’ll be hopelessly lost. 😡
And anyone who really digs incense owes it to him/herself to try the CdG series, which is incredible, as you know.
I love iris passionately, so I was thrilled to read this, March. My favorite iris list is as long as my arm, so I won’t go there.
I would direct a newbie toward Chanel’s Bois des Iles. Of course vintage parfum is preferable, but I have to confess, the current edt that they’re bottling in the ginormous 200 ml bottles is still glorious stuff. It is so many levels of heaven above the fruity-floral dreck that is pushed on the mass-market consumers at perfume counters nowadays. Bois des Iles is a great example of a sandalwood with amber, and some greenness too.
Agree entirely, would slide it under “sandalwood” if pressed to name the note it corresponds to, and would impress upon said newbie that the reason I am giving them a healthy sample is so that they can revisit at least once a season for two years. Which they have to do, because part of what is remarkable about it is how it stands up over time, over learning curve, and over comparison to other scents.
Being fairly new to perfume obsessing, as I have mentioned, I am truly amazed at the learning curve involved in experiencing scents. I am so grateful for the wonderful sites to order decanted samples, because in a very short time I have been able to experience scents on a daily basis and then revisit them a bit later and my goodness, what a difference of opinion can come about as your scent appreciation refines itself through experiencing different scents. All of this to say that my experience of Bois de Iles is that I was very put off by it at first (it smelled like beauty salon chemicals to me) and very shortly I came to appreciate it and now have moved to enjoying it very much.
Decants and samples changed my life. I remember the bad old days when I had to buy full bottles of things just for a sniff. And I agree that BdI was something I came around to over time.
Hey, I bought a decant of the current BdI. It’s just that good, and it lasts fine on me. I’m sorry it’s not the great sandalwood everyone remembers, but I think it’s divine. I’m wearing it right now.
Hey, you know the current jug was my First Perfumista Full Bottle Purchase. You were there. I’ve got parfum, and a squidge of vintage now, but you are quite right…what’s in that bottle is lovely.
For some reason, you said “I’m wearing it now” and I thought “Aha! I can think about wearing boots now.” I love boots, btw. :)
It’s September. I don’t care if it’s 94 degrees. 🙂
well it sure isn’t 94 degrees here. Nights have been dropping to the mid-50s! Nothing wrong with that, I guess, though it does seem a bit precipitous.
xo >-)
Fun challenge, March. It’s hard to choose just one. Like, for example, should one privilege versimilitude? Or creativity? Single notes that capture a note in a very realistic fashion, or a composition that makes use of a note in an interesting or novel way?
Cedar: Serge Lutens Féminité du Bois
Cistus Labdanum: Roja Dove Semi-bespoke No. 5.
Civet: vintage Jicky parfum
Cumin: Eau d’Hermès
Galbanum: Vent Vert
Iris: Chanel 28 La Pausa. (And then if you smelled it next to No. 19, you’d come to recognize how that luscious Chanel iris is in almost all of their fragrances).
Jasmine: L’Artisan La Haie Fleurie du Hameau. Jasmine blossoms wet with dew.
Mint: Heeley Menthe Fraîche
Incense: CdG Avignon
Lavender: Yohji Homme (to experience lavender + vetiver fitting together like a puzzle, and *not* smelling like aromatherapy)
Leather: Lanvin Scandal
Lilac: Frédéric Malle En Passant
Lily of the Valley: vintage Diorissimo
Neroli: Parfum de Nicolaï Cologne Sologne
Orange Blossom: L’Artisan Fleur d’Oranger 2005.
Osmanthus: The Different Company Osmanthus.
Patchouli: Serge Lutens Borneo 1834
Rose: Guerlain Nahéma. Cette rose qui n’en est pas une.
Tuberose: Frédéric Malle Carnal Flower
Vanilla: Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille
Vétiver: Frédéric Malle Vétiver Extraordinaire
Violet: Guerlain Attrape-Cœur. To smell violet beautifully blended with rose and iris, in a way that *doesn’t* evoke violet candies.
WHOA!!! I think you missed a few notes! :D
Yikes! I’m not arguing. Not even politely.
Okay. I can’t help myself. Leather: vintage Chanel Cuir de Russie.
But Melissa, we can’t argue if I agree with you, right? I probably should have stuck with CdR in the first place.
My favorite leather is Bandit, Scandal is No. 2, Tabac Blond No. 3, but Cuir de Russie is probably the one I’d choose as Must Try.
But ALL of them vintage only, please.
Does vintage Cabochard make your list as well, Carter?
You know, I’m not as familiar with Cabochard. I have a mini of the more recent stuff, but I have totally dropped the ball on getting to know the original.
Carter, I’d be happy to fix that Cabochard problem of yours…
have March hook us up if you’re interested.
Oh! That would be lovely…thank you! Yo, March! I’ll be emailing her now…
Oh…wait…Jolie Madame. Jolie Madame has such a unique and special place in my heart I can’t even imagine having to rank it at all. To be perfectly honest, I would tell this imaginary friend that she must try Jolie Madame for any number of reasons, only one of which would be leather.
So many great lists!
Carnation: Roger & Gallet Blue Carnation (discontinued and vintage of course)
Oops, wrong place. Doesn’t really belong under the great Jolie Madame!
Vintage Jolie Madame is so stunning, especially in parfum. Everybody should smell it – for leather, for violets, for overall roundness and depth…
Had a mini-sniffa with my kids the other day, and my 11yo says that JM smells “like the inside of Dad’s farm truck. I LOVE that smell.”
That’s so great! Out of the mouths…
Jolie Madame FTW. What an amazing scent.
I loooove CdR. I know that I need to (can’t afford to) try the parfum.
Wonderful list – I see several I haven’t tried yet (mostly notes that don’t excite me, like orange blossom, mint, and lavender).
I would quibble with Nahema, for the simple reason that I am totally anosmic to it. Cannot smell it at all. I’ve sniffed a sample of 90s edp, recent parfum, and 80s parfum, and could not smell a one of them. It’s difficult to come up with THE rose scent, though, since it has so many moods: girlish, romantic, woody, brooding… I think I’d throw Paris into the ring, as well as Une Rose and Parfum Sacre.
I picked Nahéma because it reportedly doesn’t actually contain any rose. Thus, interesting for being a rose which is not a rose…
Otherwise, for a paradigmatic rose fragrance, I would have said something like Creed Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare. Which is pretty, but bores me a bit.
More interesting to me is the ferocious Frédéric Malle Une Rose.
Not Homage?
Une Rose, yes. Respect for the rose, without worship. Nahema, OTOH? On me, screaming fluorescent candy slap of falseitude upside your face. I try to find the love, I really do, especially since people I really like — not to mention noses I respect ;) — seem to fall all over Nahema. It both gets sharpish and expands in my upper nose, like a sinus seeking death balloon.
That said, I believe it’s worth visiting. :-)
(You know I feel comfortable revealing my Nahema feelings because I feel the love and respect, yes? Yes? :) :x And know you’ll be kind when you reveal just how wrong I am?)
You know, I both adore Nahema and find your words incredibly apt. You probably meant “sinus seeking death balloon” in a bad way, but I welcome it.
LOL! The emphasis was indeed on the difficult…but I can see someone seeking it. Just…not me. ;)
This is one of the things I love about this perfume business; such clear evidence of different strokes for different folks, and yet still getting along. :) :)
Have you sniffed Rose de Nuit? It’s so beautiful, although not girly. I don’t do girly because it’s just not me…not even when I was a girl.
But what about blueball– er, Bluebells? That’s girly.
That’s cockleshells. Bluebells are sophisticated, particuarly in BATH OIL.
Wow. That’s an incredible list, Jarvis. And I can’t argue with a thing on there, really.
Jeebers, Jarvis!
Kill a gal, why don’tcha! This list makes me want to blow off the day and just play with perfume!
I think I would substitute vintage Vacances for En Passant – but just barely.
And I’m with you on Scandal for leather. Lovely stuff. Though I don’t have any more, so I’m now wearing Cuir de Lancome, which is a beautiful, wearable leather. Patty encouraged me to try CdR in extrait but I am skeered. What if I love it beyond all loving? What then?
I’ve mentioned this one before (it’s not on my MUST list, though it’s on the Reserve): Liz Zorn’s Cordovan Rose. She has a certain way with rose and leather in this one – sort of “if Princess Grace had a biker chick side’….?
xo >-)
I will chime in for vintage Vacances if only for the Best Use of Galbanum EVER – yes, I adore Vent Vert but Vacances is even more beautiful. Also best use of lilac, hyacinth, mimosa and grass notes, and IMHO it’s the best Green Floral of all time. :x
Oh, slay me, why don’t you, Flora…I totally and oh-so-conveniently had forgotten about Vacances. Trouble is, there’s a Vacances vacancy in my experience.
no there isn’t. I brought it to you, remember? A couple of times! You can experience it again – just say the woid.
xo >-)
See, I knew you would notice that. Okay, the vacance is in my memory…of the smell. Because I vaguely remember…niceness. Not the orgy that Flora’s note list would suggest to my (feeble) brain.
In word? Woid. I’d like another shot at it. :)
anytime – we’ll tawk before I see you. But! just remember, the beauty of Vacances IS its niceness, imo. It’s a shimmering, shining delight – but it is ‘nice’.
xo >-)
Lots and lots and lots of loooove for Guerlain Nahema!!!
Woohoo! Perfume mojo on its way back! Nice.
It doesn’t add anything to the ongoing conversation of perfume. … This is what it’s about for me. This is what gets me excited about perfume: creations that add something to the conversation. Which is not to say that a scent needs to be edgy or crazy to interest me; it just has to avoid boring me the same ol’ way (the same can be said for movies, probably).
It’ll be interesting to see what notes and fragrances commenters pick. I could go off on many tangents, but I’ll keep this brief and simple…
Vetiver: I’d have to steer an inquirer toward FM Vetiver Extraordinaire; it barely won out over Sycomore, which is probably my favorite to wear, but I just put both on side-by-side, and VE rocks it in all kinds of ways and has a depth that is phenomenal.
I agree with you that ISM is a must-sniff, but I think I’d be waving Le Labo Iris 39 underneath the nose of anyone wanting some iris-y goodness. And there are so many irises I like… it’s probably one of my three favorite notes. (IdI, by the way, doesn’t work for me at all.)
And I’m also a serious incense ho… but can you believe I’ve never smelled AP BdE? What the…??
Yes, Joe, that’s it exactly. The perfume conversation. The chorus of voices. And as I said, it doesn’t have to be High Art. Just not a snooze. Why bother?
Hm, you’re not the only one voting for VE. Since I’m not the vetiver queen, I always like to read lists like this. And I’d probably pick 28 La Pausa for my favorite iris.
Get on the BdE! The rest of the collection’s just okay (or worse) but that incense is fab. I got a partial bottle of it at a great price awhile back.
Joe,
LeLabo works my Very Last Nerve with their marketing foolishness but I have to say I have almost forgiven them their nonsense because of Iris 39. I wore it to the hitch show this past week and it was glorious! I remember somebody telling me I was smelling violet and not iris but that is not how my nose reads it: for violet in all its perfection nothing beats vintage Jolie Madame. In fact, it’s hard to beat vintage Jolie Madame at all! And it’s that time of year – busting out the JM vintage in this cool weather! YAY!
xo >-)
I’m with you… Le Labo’s ‘schtick’ is annoying, but Iris 39 and Fleur d’Oranger 27 are two of my absolute all-time favorite all-time florals/soliflores.
I would definitely choose the FdO 27 as the reference OB.
My son worked for LeLabo for a while here in L.A. and their “marketing foolishness” (which by the way, is a very polite way of putting it) nearly drove him insane. Talk about ridiculous “nose in the air” (pun actually intended) nonsense — well they are the masters of that, to their own detriment.
I am new with my perfume obsession and so I cannot speak very comparatively of fragrances, but just wanted to chime in with my very hearty vote for LeLabo Iris 39. It is one of the most beautiful, earthy, green, whole-plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers) scent that I have ever smelled. In my mind and heart, this would be the archetypal iris scent. I adore it.
sharyl,
I’m glad your son survived Le Labo. I’d probably be fighting a charge of Slap, with an intent to Beatdown! But IMO, you’re right about I39…
…I just wish I knew how LL got to be so silly!
xo >-)
Musette,
My son is going to laugh long and hard at “fighting a charge of Slap with an intent to Beatdown!”
Oh, you are truly asking the impossible but, fine, I’ll pick ONE must try scent of a specific type: vintage Vent Vert for green. Why? Because it smells exactly like green should smell and because it is mind-blowingly great. And, not incidentally, because it was created by Germaine Cellier.
You know perfectly well that I could go on, and on (and ON) and that it’s killing me not to, but I am strong like bull and am stopping now.
If I had any sense, I’d be trawling the auctions for every vintage bottle of VV I could find. One of my biggest antique mall scores ever was a half-full half-ounce bottle of vintage extrait for $10. I’m hoarding that baby and metering it out now and then by the drop. Totally love it.
And, like you, I could go on and on and ON!
That thunking sound was me hitting the floor.
I’ve been doing just that! I’ll need to shell out a bit more than I thought to win, though…I’m verrry jealous of your $10 vintage extrait. Don’t hoard it, wear it before it goes bad!!
Gosh, I can’t believe you did it! You managed to pick one fragrance! And I’m dying to argue with you, but … I can’t. I need some vintage Vent Vert. The new stuff’s dreadful.
VVV is the stuff of dreams.
xo >-)
Go ahead and dream. Right now. You are getting verrrry sleeeepy….no, you do not hear me picking up your bottle….. ;)
ps. my ‘greats’ list is well known, I think, but always fun to revisit:
Mitsouko &
Vintage Femme – those two: Clash of the Titans
Jolie Madame
Fracas
No 5 – I love it but I think I would love it, even if I hated it – I love it in EdT
Fresh Lemon Sugar (sue me)
Diorling
Diorissimo (none better)
I’m OUT!
xo >-)
I’m suing you. The rest of your list I love! Of course, since I like Rush and Addict, I’m in no position to mock your Fresh.
Fresh Lemon Sugar is a weird one. It’s on there because, to my addled mind, it’s one of the few citruses/lemons that actually achieves what it set out to achieve. Lemon is touchy – it can go shrieky and terrifying or it can go Pledge. FLS (again, IMO) manages to sail between the Scylla and Charybdis of Lemon Hell.
other than that, it’s not great – just a fun summer frag.
xo >-)
PLEDGE. Gah. There’s a perfume horror.
Oh, I LOVE Fresh Lemon Sugar. I have gone through several bottles. It’s the one perfume that my husband can always recognize. (And I love Rush too. Don’t wear it too often, but I love it. It makes me smile.)
I’m going to be so obvious…..
I would say everybody interested in perfume needs to smell vintage Mitsouko in some iteration .I have it in a couple and they are all different but IMO it’s one of the most seamlessly/flawlessly crafted fragrances in existence – even the current is a (very) minor masterpiece. Okay, maybe not – well, yeah. It is. Just nowhere near as masterful as the vintage.
But whatever. Doesn’t matter if you end up liking it or not (and so many don’t) – it’s such a perfume Experience.
xo >-)
btw – I hope to smell Prada Infusion d’Iris some day.
Mitsy is the Queen of Everything. If I had a list of ten scents everyone had to smell to be a perfumista, I’m sure Mitsy would be on it. 😡
She would be at the TOP of the list – and you know it ;-)
And it’s not because newbies would fall in love – far from it. Mits is challenging as they come, imo, and there are a whole lotts folks, newbies and vets alike, who Hate Her Guuuuts. But it’s one of those things, like Chanel No5 and Jolie Madame, that you need to smell in order to know how a well-crafted perfume is made.
xo >-)
I totally agree. Also I keep typing Misty instead of Mitsy. If she could, she’d slap me.
Actually it was my first newbie love!
And I totally agree regarding the vintage. I recently bought a 80s EdC which gave me a whole new perspective on the opening notes, which I now find in every mitsy concentration.
For a violet recommendation, I would say L’Artisan Parfumeur’s “Verte Violette”. For incense, I would suggest (again) L’Artisan’s “Passage d’Enfer”. Patchouli – Tom Ford’s “White Patchouli”. Fig – L’Artisan’s “Premier Figuier”. Citrus – Acqua di Parma’s “Colonia”.
P.S. I’m one of the newbie lurkers :)
I love the lurkers coming out to play! Hi Daniela!:d
Hi, Daniela! Welcome. Seeing a fig in the first post makes me happy.