Hi there Posse. One of the fantastic things about having all this extra time on my hands is that I’m going through my collection and finding long forgotten loves. Spiritus/Land by Miller et Bertaux has sat in my cupboard for years. Originally released in 2006, it is testament to the boundary pushing going an at that time in the niche world. If memory serves it was part of the first fragrance trio Miller et Bertaux released. They were designed to be work separately or together. I didn’t discover it till at the earliest 2011. Not sure exactly when I bought it and I can’t find any eMails about it so in store somewhere……
Spiritus/Land by Miller et Bertaux
l’eau de parfum #2
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Spices, Ginger, Rose, Sandalwood, Tobacco, Teakwood, Frankincense
Ginger and pepper zing into action as Spiritus/Land opens. A bright, clear, clarion call that could wake anyone from a stupor. It’s so buoyant and joyful. I’m sure there are other spices at play but these are the two main notes I can pick. Surprisingly, this spicy ginger fusion lasts for a while. I keep expecting it to fade into something generic and safe but it stays happily weird. I can so imagine you all wearing this for spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
The heart of Spiritus/Land seems to be heralded by a tempering of the spice by incense and sweet tobacco. The shift is gradual and smooth. More noticeable is the loss of projection and left at this point. Still fragrant but less assertively so. There could be rose in here but I just don’t smell it as a major player, everything else has it overwhelmed.
After hours of getting softer and softer I’m left with a cold unlit incense that is more Far East inspired than Indian or Latin and a smoky char smell of burnt incense. Who don’t I wear this ALL THE TIME?
Longevity excellent, projection low after the first 30-40 minutes. Unisex but leaning towards traditional masculines.
Miller et Bertaux is a really interesting perfume house. Previously on Perfume Posse I have written about Indian Study/Santal ++++ and A Quiet Morning
Is anyone else a fan of the Miller et Bertaux brand, or Spiritus/Land in particular?
Portia xx
I have a bottle of Miller et Bertaux’ “Close your eyes, and…” which is gaiac wood and pear. I wore it a lot and got a bit tired of the pear note, so I don’t wear it so often anymore. On the right day, it’s still lovely and very calming.
Hey Millicant,
I never tried that one. Pear and woods sounds intriguing. Is it a sweet or dry fragrance?
Portia x
Hmm…sweetly dry? Drily sweet?
HA! Not helpful, but kinda……
WHOA here’s a flashback! I remember we all lost our minds over it back in …. 2006? Maybe 2007? When there weren’t a bazillion releases a month. So pretty.
Heya March,
LOVE that you remember this one being released. Yeah, it must have been that long ago. Were you all still on MUA only back then or had other stuff popped up?
Portia xx
Ooooh, this sounds really nice! How would you say it compares with Diptyque’s Tam Dao? More gingery?
Hey HeidiC,
It’s been a long while but my memory of Tam Dao is crisp, dry woods. Spiritus/Land is greener, spicy and incense laden woods.
Portia xx
Yeah, they’re pretty different. I’d say Spiritus is more about the incense, and earthier– Tam Dao is more about the sandalwood. On me, Tam Dao is stronger. Both lovely.
Thanks March. X
I know the brand but don’t know anything about the brand – at least I don’t think I do. This sounds a bit too incense-y for me but for incense lovers, it sounds aMAYzing!
Spring? What is this ‘Spring’ of which you speak? LOL! we have a FREEZE warning for the weekend, with nighttime temps plunging to 30F! Luckily I only have brassicae in the garden because mama didn’t raise no gardening fool!
How’s your garden going? Are the chooks settling in?
xoxo
Hey Musette,
A couple of art type guys who create stuff. The range has become quite big over the years. I have 5 of their bottles here in my collection.
Sorry to rub salt in your springless wound.
Garden is prepared, seeds are sown and germinating. Chickens have been vetoed soundly by all but me. WAH!
Kisses and hugs right back.
Portia xx
I remember this and loved it! Not sure why i don’t still have it, maybe it got harder to find? I liked all of the Miller et Bertaux scents. I wish they had gotten wider notice, really good and well made. Now I need to see if I have any of this laying around!
Yeah, 100% agree Patty. I think the guys are far more interested in creating art and artistic things than marketing them.
Miller et Bertaux are my vote as best niche perfume house you’ve probably never heard of.
Portia xx
Wow! I completely missed this one – and it sounds amazing!
It’s really good Bee, for its time it must have been extraordinarily ground breaking.
Portia xx
I love Miller et Bertraux and somehow this one escaped my attention. A sample now in my shopping cart at Aèdes.
Hey Carolyn,
I’m pretty sure it was from their earliest set of three. Modern perfumery is ALL about the next best thing so anything a few years old often gets relegated to the no news cycle.
I hope you love it when it arrives.
Portia xx