Well, this should be interesting! After I lambasted the new Perris Monte Carlo Shining Moon the other day, it’s time to move on to their perfume relative from Paris, Houbigant. Will they cop the same treatment? Not quite. Read my thoughts below.
Earlier this year, the French brand released four new scents that supposedly take inspiration from and transport the wearer to the Middle East. Oh no! It can end poorly when European/Western brands attempt to conjure Middle Eastern inspirations into perfume form. Unfortunately, that’s mainly the case here, with a couple of exceptions. I’ll go into more detail on the one I enjoyed the most, but here’s a quick synopsis of the other three in the interest of completeness.
Of course, there’s a rose/oud (woo-hoo) called Oud Or. It’s obsolete. We’ve seen this movie before and smelled it a million times. Towards the dry down, the oud tones turn sweeter rather than pungent. Raspberry and orange blossom come along for the ride, neither taking the focus away from the core ingredients. Tabac Nomade features a leathery saffron dimension and an all-too-sweet base of tonka and vanilla. However, It doesn’t remind me of the famous Tom Ford but the sickly, over-the-top gloopiness of Dior’s Tobacolor. Proceedings take an upward turn with Patchouli Sauvage. It’s a clean patchouli backed by various kinds of wood (vetiver, sandalwood, cedar). And despite a dried fruit accord in the middle stages and a tonka and ambery finish, this patchouli remains fresh and airy.
And the winner is Ambre des Abysses. Although there’s nothing particularly new here, or indeed ambery, it throws up some surprises. There’s a metallic edge to the florals and herbal notes. The combined effects of the orange blossom and geranium mixed with the herbal notes of rosemary and mint give the perfume a cold, aromatic quality. There’s no mention in the advertising material, but I detect a lavender, soapy, citrusy undertone, perhaps owing to Dihydromyrcenol. Ambre des Abysses has a real throwback feel to an 80s or 90s aromatic fragrance. The mosses and tonka in the base reinforce the retro fougere stereotype.
There’s also a ton of vanilla in the creamy, musky base and hints of leather. As for the amber, I suspect it’s neither amber nor ambergris but a pleasantly dosed accord of Ambroxan. I draw olfactory comparisons with Minotaure Paloma Picasso or its modern brother Wake Up World from Parle Moi de Parfum. Ambre des Abysses lacks the fruity apple elements of the Parle Moi, but it’s perhaps a little fresher and mossier. And as it’s the season of giving, I’ll give it one and a half thumbs up.
However, none of these new scents from Houbigant quite hit the heights achieved by their fougere. It’s still my pick, with the amber just a smidge behind. Perfumers Antoine Lie and Luca Maffei combined on all the fragrances. Each of them lasted about 6-8 hours on my skin.
Have you tried anything by Houbigant?
Note: Besides the top image (Houbigant), all photos are mine. I purchased the samples.
Great post, Daniel. “Smell like a broken record” love that!. Leave the oud fragrances to the expert, and please let’s stop trying to make a rose and oud fragrance for goodness shake.
Frankly, nothing compares to Fougère Royale in the Houbigant line. It’s my all time favorite.
Haha. Thank you, I’m glad you like it. I agree, rose ouds are better left to the experts. Fougère Royale is indeed a beauty.
I am tired of the oud and saffron bomb releases! Tks for your overview! Beautiful pictures , as usual!
Yes, they have been overdone. Thanks very much, Tetê!
I wonder if there is an expectation for these well-established brands to color within well-established lines?
Certainly. It’s almost as if they feel the need to fill that void in their line, and not step out of line. Hopefully, some of these sell well, giving the brand the means/bravery to churn out more audacious fare.