It’s fair to say that the French house Maison Crivelli has generated a lot of attention and enthusiasm on social media. Virtually always positive. That’s usually a red flag for me. So to see what all the fuss was about, I purchased a discovery set some time back, tried most of their line, and must say I’m more than a little disappointed with what I sampled. They’re not all ordinary, but in the main, the dry downs are flat and scratchy on quite a few.
The biggest letdown was Iris Malikhân, a scent many seem to have pegged as their favourite iris. It won’t be replacing Dior Homme as my favourite iris, nor will it be entering my iris hall of fame anytime soon. I won’t go through them all in any great detail, but let’s look at a few in today’s blog post. I may as well start with the iris.
Maison Crivelli – Iris Malikhân – This scent reminds me heavily of one of the leather scents from Memo. I think it was the Italian Leather. Maybe it’s the Irish Leather. I can’t remember, and it doesn’t matter because, sadly, it has the cheap leather accord that runs through much of that Memo collection. The opening is aromatic with a touch of galbanum pairing with dry powdery iris before they both fade away. And fade rather quickly to a nondescript modern base that leaves a lot to be desired. Amber woods, the aforementioned cheap leather, and synthetics dominate for the remainder of the scent. Hard to figure out what all the song and dance is about with this one.
Absinthe Boréale attempts to mix fougere/herbal notes with citruses and a bitter green wormwood accord. The blend smells off on my skin, oddly balanced, and I find L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Fou d’Absinth and Kilian’s L’Heure Verte a better representation of the “green fairy.” Santal Volcanique’s spicy combination of cardamom and ginger fails to add much spark to a flat sandalwood scent. I don’t pick up much of the promised coffee. Papyrus Moléculaire is a dry ill-fated woody scent in the same ballpark as Le Labo’s Santal 33, only not as good.
Citrus Batikanga at least tries to do something a little different. Bertrand Duchaufour combines bergamot with spicy facets of cardamom, chili pepper, and fenugreek. It is a novel interpretation of freshness, but I’m not sure it’s entirely successful, as it, like Absinthe Boréale, feels oddly balanced. Fleur Diamantine strikes a better balance. This green aromatic white floral where jasmine meets mint is worth checking out if you’re into those notes. The oakmoss in the base gives the scent an earthy, almost forest-like freshness. Rose SaltifOlia (yes, that’s a capital O) is a well-composed floral, fresh marine scent in the vein of D.S. & Durga’s Rose Atlantic. If you like that one, you’ll enjoy the Crivelli.
My favourite of the bunch is Bois Datchaï. The blackcurrant and cedar combo certainly conjures up memories of forest hikes. There’s more than a hint of the Serge Lutens classic Feminite du Bois in the mix. However, Bois Datchaï is a touch smokier with its tea and incense accord. Moreover, the fruits are toned down compared to the plum-fuelled Lutens. It makes me think of the colour purple. Dorethee Piot is the perfumer.
After sampling Maison Crivelli’s wares, I’m left quite disenchanted. In all honesty, I wouldn’t buy a full bottle of any of these. However, I did enjoy Bois Datchaï. There are quite a few from the brand I still need to sample, including a patchouli perfume composed by up-and-coming perfumer Quentin Bisch. The notes on that one look somewhat promising, but then again, so did the notes on the biggest letdown Iris Malikhân. I know this brand has many fans, I like the aesthetics, but the scents didn’t speak to me. Parfum d’Empire, a brand I liken a little to Maison Crivelli has a stronger range. Let me know if your experience with Maison Crivelli is similar or any different from mine.