So. Happy March. May spring come soon, please.
Had another ceramics class … managed to make a bowl (really good bowl, in fact) and the wonkiest little half vase/half something you ever saw.
This is the last of my 2024 samples. So, after this it’s what I own already or can sample in-store in our ‘big’ town which is a 20 minute drive or train journey (you can go by bus too but our bus service was cut last year from four times an hour to three).
This was a name choice. I didn’t even look at the notes till close to when I planned to write.
The Etat Libre site lists it as a Smoky Amber. Fragrantica doesn’t even bother with a label.
It’s a 2024 release, the nose is Jérôme di Marino from Mane. Notes from Fragrantica include davana, benzoin, bread (actually, EL has brioche accord which sounds much better and makes much more sense), orange blossom, rum, cocoa, vanilla, ‘woody notes’, amber and patchouli. EL’s list adds cistus and laurel.
The marketing materials so did my head in I’m not even going to try to parse them.
It brought to mind Masque Milano Madeleine, though that is muchhhhh sweeter; Lostmarch Lann-Ael, though that is milkier and the cereal aspect is more pronounced; and then there is Saint Honore by Parfums Nicolai which Portia reviewed here which I haven’t yet tried.
This is one of those fragrances that can’t be placed easily in a specific genre. Is it gourmand? Well, could be, but there’s something in there holding it back.
It opens on me brioche. Real, true slightly sour/slightly sweet smell of both dough and baked product. It does not start out mad sweet and if this sort of perfume is your thing then the opening will catch your interest. I found the beginning 10 minutes quite compelling.
I don’t know if we’ve discussed this before, but davana apparently smells sharp-bitter green with sweet balsamic undertones, per Wiki AI. And I think that maybe that mitigates any real sweetness from the brioche up top and reinforces the slightly sour aspect (ie, what dough really does smell like).
That opening is quite good/really attractive. And interestingly after 10 minutes what I expect is the davana disappears, but so does the sweet/sour play and what I get is very pleasant brioche.
I noticed that some reviewers on Fragrantica did a gag-me-with-a-spoon regarding the dough/pastry smell, saying it was like bread left out on the counter too long.
As things warm up I do get a very slight whiff of return to sour – but this isn’t unpleasant. Maybe the rum and cocoa. Anyway, the sweetness has disappeared though there’s still a doughy aspect. I wonder if there’s a bit of orris butter in here they just don’t feel the need to mention.
The rum is a bit of a conundrum in this. On my first test wear, towards the drydown I got something to smelled … well, really chemical and unsettling. On another go-round I decided this might be the rum and maybe too much of the alcohol coming through.
The drydown on first go was chemical but after that smooth, slightly sweet and a bit nutty. The chemical aspect disappeared. The fragrance is quite long-lived, at least 8 hours. I realised after a couple of wears that it ends up smelling like Lotus Biscoff cookies – those small, rectangular speculoos things you get with coffee in Europe sometimes. I’m not partial to them to eat – and definitely don’t want to smell like them. Brioche-rum is one thing. This is just a no.
It is available in 50ml and 100ml size bottles priced at £100 and £145, respectively. Positively affordable in our current price environment.
What do you think? Would this be worth a go? Impressions if you have.
Pics: Pexels, Wiki
I wouldn’t mind sniffing this for funsies, but no way would I wear it. I’m still stubbornly fixated on my favorite scent families, which don’t include gourmand and foody things. But Etat usually puts together clever things, so I’d still like a sniff!
As with a lot of this house’s offer, it is made to push buttons. I do think it’s clever, but I certainly don’t need it.
ELdO had a few that I liked, just not enough to purchase a full bottle. Since I like my brioche pretty much given to someone who appreciates it (I’ll take an English muffin thanks) and not as a perfume not I think I’d skip this one.
The farm shop here offers hand made crumpets (the UK type, with holes in the top — ie, ideal for butter) which I think I prefer to something like brioche. Like croissants more too.
Hey Cinnamon,
ELdO are one of my faves. There’s quite a few of then here. While I enjoy the artistry of Saint Honore and Madeleine, they aren’t really what I want to smell for long periods of time. They’re much nicer on other people around me, where I can enjoy it up close and then it just buzzes playfully around me.
Story of Your Life is a bloody good name.
Portia xx
It is a great name. Someone was inspired. Indeed, these sorts of things are fun to sample but I can’t imagine a bottle would ever make its way to my want list.
I can’t remember the last ELDO I sniffed. Maybe 500 Years?
I’ve done an inventory of ALL my samples, decants, minis & I’m ashamed of the vast number I’ve sniffed once & put away.
I’ve taken out a few to try to thunk over the next few months. Lann-Ael is one of them
I have a lot of affection for Lann-Ael. For an inexpensive brand (at least it was — haven’t checked recently) Lostmarch offered interesting, fun, wearable fragrances.
I have also sampled perfume based on its name Why not. It often takes me out of my perfume comfort zone and I like that. ELDO is not for me though. Some have weird chemical smells wafting in and out and others are boring despite what they are trying to do or what their name implies.
Yup, there are all kinds of reasons to be intrigued by something. I don’t recall that chemical thing I sort of got here in other Etat Libres I’ve tried — except maybe way back with the first ‘we’re trying really hard’ envelope pushing offers.
ELO has always had truly irritating ad copy, and I used to joke that it was written by teenage boys. I kind of gave up on them when they had a store opening whose banner said, “Smell Like a Slut”, so can’t be bothered to sniff anymore. They did use to have interesting reasonably priced perfumes, though.
I don’t generally pay much attention to their marketing faff but for some reason I read this and it just made me twitchy. Yes, teenage boys trying to both shock others and amuse themselves. Reminds me of my son and his friends in year 6 (around age 11) and their very unhumorous humour.