Sovereign by Le Galion

Hi there Posse. Most of us have such large collections that we are often a finding old favourites while searching for something else. This usually means giving it a wear and then putting it back in its box till next time. While searching for my still unfound Elizabeth Taylor Diamonds and Rubies I noticed in my Le Galion box the gold lid of my Sovereign bottle. In the true nature of an ADHD sufferer (though I am not a diagnosed alumni) saw something shiny. The search was over. It’s been a while since Sovereign got a spritz. Created in 2015 by Amelie Bourgeois and Anne-Sophie Behaghel. Harking back to the glory/godawful days of Western Imperial Colonialism.

Le Galion: “Back in the 1930s, when Le Galion was founded, Europe still bore the marks of the previous century’s wave of orientalism, which shone a spotlight on a preconceived image of the East by the West. Sovereign offers a lavish view of generosity as a highly prized quality in Middle-Eastern and North African regions, all from a very Parisian point of view.”

Sovereign by Le Galion 2015

Le Galion gives these featured accords:
Top: Black peppercorn, pink peppercorn
Heart: Rose, iris, myrrh
Base: Oud, patchouli, cedar, guaiac wood

Last night I wore Sovereign to work. Yeah, I was in drag. It felt so luxuriously subversive to wear such a vaunted dudes frag in drag. I loved the dichotomy. Unsurprisingly it got a couple of compliments and questions. Both by women who really loved it, for themselves.

Spicy, sizzling oud opens Sovereign. It crackles with excitement. Quickly, this fireworks display calms with resins and rose damping the drama. Still the peppers and oud stay in play but take a middle ground.

The heart is a different take on the oud/patch/rose triad. The oud is a dark but not fecal, lightly medicinal, charred wood effect. Cool and calm, like wandering through a dry cave after hiking in the heat. Rose is only a backup player and we really don’t get huge patchouli play till later. Here it is an earthy bystander. Maybe made more clean by the iris but I’m just guessing. The heart stays around for a couple go hours before we see another large shift in Sovereign.

As we head towards dry down and the fragrance softens its waft considerably, there is a feeling of resinous forward amber. Not a sweet, sweet vanilla version but the dryer, more tears of tree resin variety with only the merest hint of vanilla. Interestingly, I do get the pencil shaving aspect of cedar quite clearly. It bobs up and then submerges quite noticeably through this end few hours before disappearing in a barely there whisper.

Normally when I rediscover a fragrance it’s one wear and away. Sovereign has stayed out on the desk the last two weeks. I keep giving myself sneaky spritzes and enjoying the ride. Perfect for after work wind down. Watching some TV or reading while wafting is gorgeous. You’ll note above that my bottle is the original Le Galion reimagined falcon. This is the original Nicolas Chabot era bottle. I think it was a gift from him. I may have bought it though. Most of my Le Galion are retail self purchases.

This is a perfect Made-For-Dudes but smells fabulous on everyone else too. Leaning traditional modern masculine but will definitely blow some skirts as well.

Sovereign’s projection is moderate, longevity is good. A lunch respritz if you are doing an event. Softest, beautiful whisper of dark amber woods by day end if you don’t.

Do you love any of the Le Galion oeuvre?
Portia xx