Andy Tauer – Phtaloblue – Oh dear, unfortunately, this one isn’t my favourite from Andy Tauer. Kudos to Andy for giving the much-maligned aquatic genre a shot, but it’s a misfire. It’s a heavy dose of calone, aquatic, salty, and seaweed-like, with the Andy Tauer ambery signature providing a base. A slap in the face, and not exactly how I want to smell. Calone lovers may enjoy, but if you’re after a better fresh scent from Andy, go for the steam iron citrus of L’Eau or his Swiss Alps scent from last year. This one is unwearable for me. Sadly, Phtaloblue belongs on the bottom of the ocean.
Laboratorio Olfattivo – Tonkade – The bitter neroli opening is slightly challenging, but Tonkade soon finds its footing, settling into a delightful mix of spiced cardamom, vanilla, dried fruits, and tonka. The vanilla isn’t heavy or cloying, and the tonka is toasty and enveloping. The clever use of dried fruits gives the fragrance just the right amount of sweetness. Incense reveals itself in the base and tempers the sweetness while providing balance and contrast. It doesn’t push out as much as one might expect from a dark fragrance, but I think that makes Tonkade more wearable than scents of similar ilk. Very nicely done by perfumer Marie Duchene.
Have you tried these new releases?
Note: Bottle images courtesy of Google