Modern perfume and really great modern perfume

I’m having a little trouble just focusing on one perfume to talk about these days – or any – after the halcyon days of last fall when practially everything that got popped under my nose was interesting or beautiful or both.

Back to reality. Isn’t that an Eminem song?

Van Cleef & Arpels Oriens, the bottle is really beautiful. I’d like to have it as a ring.

What?  I can’t just stop there?  I mean, it’s okay, it’s a nice Fruitchili, I do like it well enough, I wouldn’t hate wearing it and would probably like it after the initial pretty patchuiti blast.  Top notes of raspberry, black currant, and praline; middle notes of jasmine and fresh-cut white flowers; and a base of patchouli.    Is it wrong to just be disapointed because of how much I loved their Collection Extraordinaire?  Probably. This is definitely a more mainstream scent, following the same tried and true paths.  But if you are a bottle trollop, get it for that.  It doesn’t have the cheese factor that some of you ( not me, I love cheese!) found with the Feerie bottle.  It sits in your hand perfectly and has some heft to it.  You won’t hate the perfume in it, but you also won’t be exclaiming about its originality or anything close to that.

On the other hand, I love Parfumerie Generale Papyrus de Ciane.  Denyse was kind enough to let me smell some of hers when I was in Paris, but I sorta glossed over it in my rapture over the new L’Artisan (nope, you can’t get a word out of me, I am sworn to secrecy).  Notes of galbanum, broom, plants, creamy wood and Mousse de Saxe. What is not to love there.  It has that yummy base that feels all Caron’ish floating in a boat of green.  It really is so lovely to wear. It’s just hard to sniff this on one hand, which feels like such a loving tribute to perfume of the past, while making it modern and Oriens on the other hand.   If you haven’t read Denyse’s interview with Pierre and stared at his mysterious, dark, super-stud image as well (we’re having image problems on the blog – no, not cosmetic surgery ones, just can’t upload anything new, which is getting frustrating), you need to go do so now (fanning self).  I love his reverence for the art of perfumery and history, and I so hope he does what he is contemplating, bringing out non-IFRA compliant perfumes only for contemplative purposes.

Source of perfumes – Lisa at TPC send me some of the PG to smell, and the Oriens is from my bottle I’ll be decanting for TPC. Do you guys need me to tell you that?  You can usually assume that, unless I specify that I got it somewhere else. It’s usually there or the free samples I get with perfume orders 99% of the time.

And I am out of space! Winners of the Kilian Red Oud samples are:  Natalie and Melissa.  Just click on the contact us on the left, remind me what I’m sending you, and give me your address. This will be a teeny sample since I only have a bit.

  • Joe says:

    I’m really curious to smell the PG Papyrus soon. Sounds up my alley.

    You can keep Mr. Guillaume. I’ll take Francis Kurkdjian.

    Oriens? Meh. I’ll sniff it if it ends up in a grab bag. Doesn’t sound bad for that kind of thing.

  • Musette says:

    That PG sounds intriguing. I’ve been burned by PG ‘green’ (or what I thought was/should’ve been green) in the Drama Nuui but hope springs eternal….

    xo >-)

    • Joe says:

      Yeah, I’m still feeling your pain on that Dramarama. So sad for you. :((

      The banks of jasmine are all in bloom out here right now and it’s reminding me of it something fierce.

      • Musette says:

        Joe, Delight of Jasmine –

        You and I are ‘this’ close to being Scent Twins – if you get Papyrus first, you must let me know how ’tis.

        Q: how are you re aldehydes? I forget if we are twins on those (I am the Aldehydewhore)

        xo >-)

        • Joe says:

          Did you say aldehydes? :-&

          Yeah, definitely not twins on those. If you’re the aldewhore, I’m wearing an aldehyde chastity belt. 😮

          Seriously, I can take it in some things, but generally no. Natori I can tolerate, and someone mentioned it’s in Chamade but I don’t detect it. You can keep your No. 5 and your SSS Champagne de Bois.

          • Shelley says:

            Mwa-ha-ha! M & I tend to part over aldehydes, too. Generally, they don’t play nice with me. Like with you, Chamade plays nice…I’d say it behaves beautifully for me. However, I also ♥ Champagne du Bois…works in the same vein as Bois des Isles for me.

            No 5? Posh. Doesn’t play nice at all. Always fascinated to hear for whom it *does* work. I’m glad it exists; may it continue to generate income so that 31, Rue Cambon, Bois des Isles, Coromandel, Bel Respiro all continue to be produced…

          • Musette says:

            I’ll keep all the fizzies, then. Thanks! I’m reveling in No5 EdP today – it’s keeping me sane, as I reorganize the kitchen cabinets – for the 432nd time:-w

            ….and how can this much dust and dirt accumulate in a week’s time?

            oh well….No 5 will see me through!

            xoxo >-)

  • Aubrey says:

    Where can we sniff the PG line? Is it available in any stores, or just online through TPC and LS?

    • Patty says:

      That’s the only place I know of that is selling them. Wait, doesn’t Naz in Vancouver carry the line? yes, she does. Not sure how close that is to you, but she sells samples as well.

  • mals86 says:

    The Papyrus thingy sounds so nice – and The PG himself is both intelligent and, okay, really, really good-looking.

    The upcoming L’Artisan IS going to be a tuberose, right? You can confirm that since Denyse already let that much out of the bag… I’m already set to lemm on that one.

    • Patty says:

      His intelligence and passion for his craft makes him doubly attractive, don’t you think?

      Yes, tuberose, but – well, I can’t say more, it would start giving it away.

  • Rappleyea says:

    There was a fun discussion on NST the other day about the tourmaline on top of the VCA bottle. We all agreed we wanted one. The juice – not so much.

    The PG sounds lovely though and I would definitely buy non-IFRA compliant scents to contemplate….on my wrist, on my neck, on my… :d

    • Patty says:

      The bottle is so great, seriously. Not a lot of bottles thrill me, and this one is so close to cheese, but somehow manages to restrain itself and just be lovely to hold and look at. It gets props just for that.

      I’d have someone’s babies who would make non-IFRA compliant scents for me to, um, contemplate. 🙂

  • monoï says:

    Man, is it that bad?! Guess there’ll alway be some oldies but goodies to review if the fancypants new releases are this disappointing.
    On a related note, anyone have any idea what the deal is with Profumi di Firenze? I can’t seem to find a (EU-based) online or even brick & mortar outlet. They’re charming little scents but So. Hard. To. Find.

    • Patty says:

      Well, not that bad, but more back to the same old same old, which bores me to tears. The PG is great, though, so I have hope!

      Not sure about the Profumi di Firenze! Wish I could help, but I think a couple of those lines are just selling in Europe.

  • Louise says:

    Way looking forward to the new PG-I love my greens =:)

    Any word on release date?

  • Lee says:

    Back to reality… Are you thinking of this?

    Whereas I’m thinking of this amazing 80s track:

    Is all from me.

  • DinaC says:

    Lemming created for the PG Papyrus de Ciane. Love green scents, and especially galbanum. Sounds really well made with a good balance of notes…I look forward to sampling this someday. 🙂

  • violetnoir says:

    Woman–I don’t need to know where you got your ‘fumes from. I know you are on the up-and-up. But I guess if you have to because of that new silly regulation, well, I loves ya for it!

    Yeah, and that gentleman from PG is totally fine. Ooh-wee!
    I have to fan myself, and it’s not from flashin’, either, lol!

    Hugs!