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Vetiver Blanc

Sultan Pasha Attars

houdini

This is an impressive attar no doubt, but the combination of massive tuberose and vetiver is complimentary but opens borderline unpleasant to me as it's SO waxy and thick and with the earth of vetiver it comes over a bit like a more floral vetiver dance Andy Tauer. There's a weird chamomile type note maybe coming from the vetiver?Interesting to note the quality and amount of ambergris in this composition. Tuberose materials are quite varied from the limited experience I have, for example a from Effleurage material has completely changed how I think about tuberose, and the same is true of vetiver it's not all about big smokey Java and Haitian stuff. The waxy, handcream effect is curbed as it develops though but it's still a bit relentless for me, white floral and vetiver lovers alike will likely be bowled over by this fragrance, it's superb, just not my bag.

7 years ago

Opens up bright and cheery with a jam like sweetness and they some more decayed, geraniol rose giving a nice combination of sweet and dry/herbal. In all honesty the composition is dominated by rose (to begin with) and the only support I perceive is the mild sweetness of honey as it opens and a gentle breath of ambergris and oud when dried down. Don't get me wrong all this conspires to create enough complexity in a rose absolute perfume which has plenty in an of itself, but it doesn't speak to me as much as some. I think the fact that ambergris is identifiable in the dry down is interesting. It's great but not life changing.

7 years ago

I get a kind of cacao, chocolatey note in the opening and the support of heliotrope adding to the sickly sweet sensation, perfectly juxtaposed with earthy touches. It does have the sensation of classical iris/orris very rich but mildly herbal not that I've tried Iris Gris but this smells antiquated (in a good way) Nice blend, one of the more subdued attars in the collection, opening bold then mellowing considerably and with so much else to love it doesn't stand out but that's not to say it isn't brilliant because it clearly is.

7 years ago

As far as authentic myrrh fragrances go, this is pretty good and it's rare to get something showcasing the more off kilter, dry, medicinal side of resins, fitting with the ancient theme of the brand very well I thought. The opening is a bold spice statement from cinnamon but it's nicely tempered into an 'accord' of sorts with a nutmeg note, smelling predominantly of neither, which is a good balance. It's a little chaotic though, disjointed and very 'Indy' like (I mean what else do I expect from an indy?) I didn't have expectations of Peter being Thierry Wasser on his first foray, but let's face it, the guy has talked a big game on his youtube channel and anything less than life changing brilliance is sure to be a disappointment. Dendera is good, don't get me wrong, the way it settles to this opoponax/myrrh orris smell is pleasurable wear, the spicy opening is nicely transient (about 30 mins of top notes) and flows into that main body of the fragrance. I don't really detect the oud overtly (which was another surprise) but I've no doubt it's holding all this other stuff together. The first time I applied it as well as the spicy top I found a sharp, sappy wood/resin(like atlas cedar or olibanum), almost camphorous note but upon the second application it was replaced by more of an outright myrrh from the get go. (that's why you should always sample multiple times if you can) There's lots to like here but something about it doesn't quite hang together and it didn't speak to me personally in the way that I had hoped. It behaves like a 'proper' perfume there's clearly top, middle and base notes and it lasts very well. Worth a sniff but didn't grab me.

7 years ago

It’s very difficult to convey my feelings about this perfume because they are so disparate but to use the cliché ‘love/hate’ is an understatement. The negatives are that I couldn’t wear Gaea, and not due to the honey notes which I actually think are very nice in this big, bold, authentic context against the atomic fruity note in here. It’s that syrupy, hyper pineapple smell of chewy, fruit salad bars (or something?) which eventually settles and subsides to a degree but still makes it a big no no for me. Now the positives are that I did say wow! When I first sprayed it because from a technical & originality aspect it’s instantly arresting, bold, and makes a big statement with a few olfactory ideas being conveyed simultaneously and feels like a layered composition instead of a thundering great Indy lump. As I mentioned Gaea does become cloying (to my tastes) shortly after but all the while I can feel the base, the green undergrowth slowly creeping into the fruity/honied vibes adding a naturalist layer. The best thing is the base, wait for it to settle right down and that’s where the rewards are waiting to be found it’s rare that you actually smell ambergris in perfume, it’s more of a fixative or exalting agent which improves ANY composition whether you overtly smell it or not. Here you do though, vague buttery, animalic saliva, breath on warm skin. It’s ultimately not for me but very, very interesting indeed, I’m curious to know what mixture of materials Peter used to create the fruity accord in here? It’s very potent to begin with but settles down quite mellow (thankfully) and long lasting Update: That vague animalic ambergris becomes marginally more skanky and shades of the civet replacer and dirtier element of ambergris that is for the most part completely shrouded in the fruity, honied opening and majority of the wearing experience.

7 years ago

Okay so Voyage from Hiram Green is striking in the same way that everything from Hiram is, the natural beauty immediately apparent. To me the florals are vivid in the opening but this is far from a floral fragrance. It smells faintly of a fruity, honey tinted tuberose/jasmine but lacking the power or character of either but somehow still evoking them, and that’s a positive for me don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to mislead tuberose lovers this is not that not is it even a floral centric fragrance because even in the opening I perceived what I felt was tonka be an absolute, clear as day. It’s not listed on here (not that it means anything Fragrantica is about as accurate as Nostradamus sometimes) but vanilla is and I have to say when everything else has gone after many ours it smells like the most gorgeous and simplistic vanilla note. Before that though it’s a dirty vanilla which I think is likely very high quality natural vanilla bolstered with isolated coumarin or indeed tonka absolute. It’s gorgeous and feels in its use here like the real warm base of a fougere allowing the greener notes or in this case a floral, amber oriental notes to shine through but act in a more transient nature. I love it, I don’t know what the original voyage was like but this one is pretty special I’d say.

7 years ago

Plague and pestilence is upon us! The sea will boil, swarms of locusts, and all that biblical shit, The ground opening up and releasing daemons into our mortal realm you know? All that. Why?? Because there's a Diesel fragrance that I actually like!!!! (Well think is passable) Well more accurately an 'OTB' line because they had those milk carton ones back in the day which were pretty good. In any case I've hated the rest with exception of this and maybe that camo one from a few years ago? This has a similar character actually, fruity opening, into a woody musk with touches of warmth. It's not great but It's alright, I was pretty shocked.

7 years ago

This one opens woody with a citrus blend, perhaps that grapefruit again? I actually think there's a peppery, light smoked hint of cedar at the back of this and if it was just cedar and citrus I'd probably accuse it of being boring or cliched, so I can't have it both ways. (Well actually you can just make a better fragrance!!) however, the vanilla makes the whole thing a bit smooshy...not offended as such, I just don't like it and I'm not a fan.

7 years ago

Almost lost the will to live in completing my reviews of this collection because the Vanilla ones just aren't that good. Vanori opens nice enough with a fresh, sharp and bitter grapefruit. There's an aroma chemical in here that I'm familiar with but can't place at the moment, in a woody context here it feels masculine, doesn't save this scent though. It feels misjudged in my humble opinion (which I'm sure people will disagree with) certainly after the initial freshness is gone. It can't tell whether it wants to go in a woody, aromatic direction or languish in a cloying, balmy vanilla hell? When settles there's a cozy woody smell in the base, familiar and slightly balsamic, rubbery nearly but despite that cozy warmth...it's not appealing. A couple of the Musc ones glimpse the spirit of vanilla heavy Guerlain offerings and I noticed someone comparing this to Angelique Noire below, sorry Angelique Noire this is not. Shame.

7 years ago

Look at the notes listed here and I'll show you a happy man, anticipating a lovely creamy, fruity fragrance...but no. How to they fuck up vanilla so badly? Especially when the entire line has nods to popular Guerlain, vanilla laden formulas? I don't get it? So Valkyrie opens fantastically and I actually thought this was the equivalent of the Oranzo & Helicriss in that it's herbal, aromatic, slightly green and masculine leaning, all of which I enjoy, especially with a vanilla backdrop to combine with, it could've been interesting. However, it's very short lived and soon settles to a cloying groove of hideous, cheap, yellow custard, sweetness with maltol caramel. I'd love to actually use maltol/ethyl maltol or bisabolene effectively in a formula because trace effects probably do wonders in fragrances you don'r even detect them in. That's the key but blending though I guess? When you perceive but can't overtly smell them. In this instance there's not enough to mask the vape pen effect. I will concede that now after 6 1/2 hours the soft musk/vanilla on my clothes is a little better or my nose is fatigued and has just waved a little white flag and accepted defeat and resigned itself to the ineviatbility of smelling this way today whether I like it or not. Buy the ticket take the ride.

7 years ago

I've smelled something similar to Vangelis before and it's spicy opening leads out into a balmy amber testure but again there's something wrong with this scene. It has a medicinal rubbery effect on top of the gag inducing, tepid, wobble of a poorly made vanilla pannacotta. I'm kinda drawn to it by the resinous, dryness of the spices for a moment but I need to be strong and stick to what I'd wear and this ain't it.

7 years ago

I'm starting with my favourite of this collection so the reviews are only going to get worse folks. I've got to say that this Vanille collection are pretty terrible on the whole, something I was very surprised by considering some of the similarities with Guerlain's L'art Matiere line, glimpses of which are found in the musc and orange blossom lines...but oddly not the one where you'd expect to find it, The vanilla collection. Vahina (careful to avoid a typo the 'G' conspicuously close to the 'H' as it is) literally smells like Dramduie or a particularly heavy handed bartenders, Screwdriver in the opening a mixture of orange and breath of booze. There's a neroli/herbal green, petitgrain note freshening things up but generally when it settles has that effervescing, swizzles sweets vibe from Ozkan in the orange blossom collection. This one probably is the best from the Vanille ones, the vanilla being ever present and freshened up by synthetic, throwaway top but it's more fun than the rest, and mildly bearable to wear.

7 years ago

ozkan opens like fizzy, ‘Refresher’ or ‘Love Hearts’ sweets, chalky, effervescent and saccharine sweet. Somehow still bearable and wearable especially when you start to smell what’s at the core. Experience told me I could smell it in the opening and this would be a chameleon but it’s so funny how much of a 180 this does. I get Tonka and very reminiscent general ‘accords’ from Guerlain’s L’Art et la Matiere line, Cuir Beluga creamy and almost almond like and with the delicate touch of Iris ganache...loads of the good ones basically. This is very indulgent and well put together the orange blossom is there but somewhat second fiddle to a stunning base. I love it, and the sweetie opening is fun and interesting. The best one from this Orange blossom collection for me.

7 years ago

Oscarine opens with a wow! Genuinely excited for a fragrance with fruity context that I enjoy so much. There’s a definitive black currant note in here, not cassis but positive Ribena, set against powdery woods, and a hint of orris/violet/iris with a creamed core of white florals, not distinct as orange blossom until dried down. Vanilla sweet drydown again...cozy. It’s all nice and civilised, nothing complex or heart racing, but I like it very much.

7 years ago

Oranzo has the natural greeness that I was craving but perhaps goes a touch overboard with it? The opening is a bit like galbanum maybe and heavy petitgrain/neroli with this characteristic green vine, and creeping ivy sensation. This is more in the vein of a 4711 Cologne. It’s lightly spicy too even with a vague black pepper/coffee nuance...seriously. It reminds me of Goutal’s Ninfeo mio in a sense too. Then the orange note kicks on and the orange blossom accord reveals itself but still veiled underneath an overgrowth of green and still a faint coffee. Very nice. Like a classic petigrain/white floral but more Interesting. I was diggin’ it.

7 years ago

Helicriss opens herbal, a bit dry like thyme or something? Then it settles to a very synthetic, woody musk, more masculine if you like, with hints of citrus accenting ISO E SUPER and soft curried spices, coriander seed, cumin that sort of thing. These instantly bond to my skin sitting nicely over uber modern, clean musks giving a more lived in feel. I really like this and it's quite familiar from escentric molecules, Ormonde Jayne, a few others. I liked it.

7 years ago

Immediately the name gives it away somewhat and I'd say the usual trifecta of 'exotic' floral accords (when I'm not sure what I'm smelling) I have a stab at Jasmine/tuberose jazzed up with a bit of Ylang? and nine times out of 10 I'm correct. This is cleaner though and less banana peel, waxy and more fresh, watery, bright and musky with signature vanilla. It's nicer than many perfumes in this genre but crucially not the sublime Embruns d'Ylang by Guerlain. Sorry to keep bringing up Guerlain but SD asked for it really by mentioning the fact she's ex Guerlain and that would be a perfume I'd inevitably compare it to, and sadly it doesn;t even come close for me. It's a meh.

7 years ago

This one freaks me out a little bit. It's an uncomfortable smell and I can't see me wearing it due to a combination of powdery florals and a strange almond note. I'm sure I heard once that some poison like strychnine or Cyanide smells/tastes sweet like almonds (am I making that up?) but this has that deadly darkness to it, despite being a mild, appealing musky vanilla on the surface. Wouldn't surprise me if there's heliotrope in here as I always get a little creeped out by it. This is strange thing like a siren beckoning a weary sailor, you know you shouldn't but but something in you lusts after it. Having said all that, there's a lot to love, the opening had me pretty floored with a lovely almost fruity notes. My tastes just won't allow for it as I ultimately find it repellent, cloying and unwearable. It's funny because most of the time bases aren't the issue and even the worst top and heart notes can subside to a nice base but when it's the other way around there's no escaping the fact that I don't enjoy it.

7 years ago

Dovana was a tale of two halves really and here's why... It's rare that I spray a fragrance and say that it's instantly 'Too feminine' (whetever that means?) and ultimately not for me, but this is one of those occasions. It's also, slightly acrid in the opening resembling the throat gag of hairspray and too much of a cleanly assault. Boy is it strong JEEEZ!!! Settles to a much more pleasurable, touch of iris perhaps? Rose hips, apricot aldehydic, powdery, lightly soapy, Talcum. Reminds me a little of a Chanel or Hermes I can't place...perhaps Faubourg? Maybe? In hindsight I actually would wear it, if the opening persisted like that for too long though, I definitely wouldn't. Dries down to smell like a freshly shampooed head. So some harsher, 'cheap' elements followed by more classically likeable stuff. adds up to 'meh'

7 years ago

Okay so...Let's review the musc collection from Sylvaine Delacourte and I have to say on the whole I found all three collections to be slightly lacking. At first I thought, good craftsmanship, realtive value for money, mild Guerlain derivatives but you could do a lot worse than to emulate Guerlain...however on balance for the few that are good there's some here (mainly in the Vanille collection) that are plain unwearable. This was my first outing in collection muscs and it's a cozy musk lovers dream come true I'd say. I'm in a phase of loving warm,clean, fuzzy, hazy, diffuse, collection of paint samples with names like 'Sugared Almond' 'Gentle slumber' and 'Cappuccino foam'. This is a gently swaying barley field of a fragrance but not before it opens with a positively fresh, juicy fig like note, giving a fruity and uplifting start to what is a lazy Sunday morning of a scent. I need to be sure not to run out of analogies because I've a feeling the entire collection is going to be like this. Descends into a touch of fruity aldehyde musk powder and a mild balmy amber and then BANG!!! Sweet, vanilla clouded, ambrette type of base but the heart is vaguely floral and sticks around. In fact the 'base' is fresher and less ambrette like as the drydown changes yet again to a transparent resin and almost aquatic, Angelique Noire. For lovers of low impact, pretty and personal musks this is a delight.

7 years ago

I'm not the impartial person to review this perfume because I love both the perfumer and the brand and respect the mastery of Givaudan perfumers some of whom are viewed as the old guard, or a new generation of the old guard at least. There's a perception of them churning out minimalist pieces, based around tired and well trodden paths. Playing devils advocate.... that's exactly what She was an Anomaly is. If you're familiar with Andrier's work you'd know what to expect here, iris, gentle musk, powdery, warm and very minimal. To me this smells like a Grosjman accord based, ionone and woody musk base. The interesting twist is that this formula was created with the help of 'Carto' Givaudan's AI machine which makes suggestions to perfumers and allows them to create perfume in an intuitive and interesting new way. I welcome this sort of innovation, some might say it's a gimmick or be against such things, but the geek in me finds it really cool. Apparently Carto recomended overdosing certain materials to make it more iris like, encouragement I'm sure Daniela doesn't need to be told twice, favouring it as she does. Opens with that kind of violet, iris effect, quite dry, powdery and Iso E super like, a kind of soft wood. Then settled it's a much warmer, faux orris, buttery and musky maybe even a little ambrette like? It's not overly warm but it's balanced. I think what makes it is the story passionately conveyed by Etienne and Olivier from ELDO. I still don't get what it's about but... haha!

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7 years ago

Terror & Magnificence

BeauFort London

houdini

I think this is something expected from Beaufort if you are familiar with the brands aesthetic. Smoky, brooding, naturalistic, earthy it's all here in abundance. As spiky as a Hawksmoor church spire with a rougher incense accord, Papyrus, birch tar smoke and black pepper but there's something inherently creamy and rounded about it. This doesn't have the dynamic, juxtapositions of Tonnere or Iron Duke but everything is complementary and a pleasure to wear. It's not a fragrance where the notes are masked in smoke, the Tar element being handled with a deftness of touch. Kyphi is a Ancient Egyptian incense blend I believe (I've seen a odour historian selling it) seems to have a light camphor and sharpness of Frankincense and the cream of sweeter soap myrrh. Vetiver is ever present and even though much more rounded and clearly better than anything I could do, it's similar in style to something I've been working on for several months. Heartening as it's clearly a good direction and my first experience of British perfumer Pia Long. It's decent.

7 years ago

Personally, my least favourite of the collection but only a taste thing really, although I did describe it as 'Orange shake n vac' in my instagram review. This subsides and it becomes quite a pedestrian, femme floral, but soapy clean jasmine approximation. Much nicer when dried all the way down because the creaminess of the orange blossom, effectively the 'base' of this perfume comes out to play and is actually very pleasant indeed. Not my bag though, the bit I liked is masked in stuff I found very passe.

This opens poorly for me, either showing how carefully crafted Orange flavour ‘shake n vac’ is or how this isn’t? I can’t decide? Clear orange note opens a clean musks & sharply soapy sort of floral scent, drying down to something which emerges as a nice Jasmine approximation. It’s a more ‘designer’ feminine affair you’ve smelled a million times, at least to my sensibilities...Does get much nicer after a couple of hours when it’s a soft Jasmine and you can actually smell the creamy Orange blossom, very pleasant indeed but can’t forgive masking that with an altogether cheaper vibe, still Not my bag.

7 years ago

So this is really nice. I was reluctant whether to state that Osiris wasn't the most traditional orange blossom but having tried the rest of this line I'd have to say it's the most conventional of the lot, giving light citrus and waxy, white floral creaminess at it's core. The element that threw me was the sweet, powdery, vanillic nature of the opening and first hour or two. It's very sweet but then there's a nice balance of true orange note and chalky, aldehyde normally associated with peach or apricot notes but on this occasion, firmly an orangey vibe. The orange blossom accord actually grows as it dries down into more that classic, fatty waxiness, but it's very subdued and never to the point of a truly heavy floral orange blossom. Osiris still has a vanillin, custard sweetness, a theme that's a little L'Art de la Matiere, something I will touch on in other reviews of this line, because the Guerlain ties are pretty glaring....in a positive way. This is an enjoyable wear for me today. :)

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7 years ago