Earlier this year, I wrote about the three latest releases from Arquiste Arquiste – Venice Rococo, Almond Suede and A Grove By The Sea. Surprisingly, I found that I enjoyed A Grove By The Sea the most, despite it featuring figs. Indeed, it was far more than just a fig fragrance, possessing a strong backbone … Continue reading Arquiste – Tropical – Solar Surprise
Amouage – Existence – Loud Lily Of The Valley
I will no longer complain about Amouage's commercial direction. It's too easy to sit back and take potshots at the house. They've gone in a completely different business direction under Renaud Salmon, and that's fine. That's their prerogative. Think about it; it wouldn't have made artistic sense to keep producing scents that mimic the style … Continue reading Amouage – Existence – Loud Lily Of The Valley
L’Objet – A Solid Set Of Six Scents
L'Objet, a homewares brand with an Israeli owner, a French name, a porcelain atelier in Portugal, and a boutique on Madison Avenue in New York City, has developed a solid set of perfumes. The brand, founded by interior designer Elad Yifrach in 2004, initially specialised in handcrafted luxury decorative pieces for the home. Over the … Continue reading L’Objet – A Solid Set Of Six Scents
Acqua di Parma – Buongiorno – Citrus Herbal Joy
Acqua di Parma hasn't exactly cornered the market on citrus aromatics, but its Colonia and a few of its subsequent flankers will go down as classics in the category. If someone asks me for a fresh scent for summer, I'm sure to point them in the direction of the venerable Italian brand, advising them to … Continue reading Acqua di Parma – Buongiorno – Citrus Herbal Joy
Review – Guerlain – Iris Torréfié – Old World Glamour In A Modern Guerlain
Review - Guerlain - Iris Torréfié - My favourite from the L’Art et la Matière - 8.5/10. This week, I’m in the mood for irises. It’s walking iris season in my garden, and to celebrate, I’ve been discussing a couple of new iris fragrances that have recently been released. If you’d like to revisit those … Continue reading Review – Guerlain – Iris Torréfié – Old World Glamour In A Modern Guerlain
Frassaï – Ajedrez – Atmospheric Chess Game – A New Favourite
Back in 2013, Ralf Schwieger composed one of my favorite iris scents, Iris Nazarena, for Aedes de Venustas. Some people interpreted this fragrance, like many iris scents, as cold and gloomy. However, as it unfolded on my skin, it felt so regal, evoking the image of a noble gentleman reclining in his leather armchair in … Continue reading Frassaï – Ajedrez – Atmospheric Chess Game – A New Favourite
Essential Parfums – Velvet Iris – Not An Essential Iris
Dominique Ropion made his debut with the relatively affordable French brand, Essential Parfums, earlier this year. In his fragrance Velvet Iris, he pairs iris with an old friend, leather. Several scents come to mind that pivot on these two ingredients, including Iris Nazarena, Cuir Ottoman, Iris Malikhân, and Iris Ebène. After wearing Velvet Iris several … Continue reading Essential Parfums – Velvet Iris – Not An Essential Iris
Isabelle Larignon – Mandi Rhubi – Rhubarb Cologne
Now and again, I need to do a factory reset on my nose. It's usually after I've been exposed to too many woody amber scents with their spiky, uninviting drydowns, like last week's Ormonde Jayne – Vetiveria – From Fizz To Flat. Maybe I should call it an olfactory palate cleansing. I typically accomplish this … Continue reading Isabelle Larignon – Mandi Rhubi – Rhubarb Cologne
Ormonde Jayne – Vetiveria – From Fizz To Flat
I'm like an overly excited Price Is Right contestant when a new vetiver hits the market. Indeed, the announcement of the new Vetiveria from Ormonde Jayne had me enthused, energetic, and ready to come on down! But rather than walking away feeling like a showcase winner, it feels like I've bowed out early and come … Continue reading Ormonde Jayne – Vetiveria – From Fizz To Flat
Where’s Wally? – Le Labo City Exclusives – Osmanthus 19 & Coriandre 39
Osmanthus 19 Stop the presses! Stop the presses! Le Labo returns with another City Exclusive, and now that it's September, everyone with access to a Le Labo store can sample it. However, good luck finding the hero ingredient in this latest offering. I couldn't help but chuckle as I sprayed the Kyoto-inspired Osmanthus 19 in-store … Continue reading Where’s Wally? – Le Labo City Exclusives – Osmanthus 19 & Coriandre 39