Review: Bel Ami by Hermes

Bel Ami has got no connection to the famous porn production house but was inspired by the 1885 French novel of the same name. One can possibly argue that Bel Ami the novel in its time was as good as porn literature. Scandals upon scandals, how did this 'beautiful friend' become an inspiration for a fragrance? Beats me, but I'm glad it happened and Bel Ami the fragrance was created.

I obtained the original juice five years ago and it was out of this world beautiful, at least in my opinion. The first whiff transported me to a library in the 19th century - leather book bindings, old newspaper, acidic ink, leather upholstery, dust, fire place, tobacco and unwashed homosapiens. Never mind it broke me in rashes; I'd wear it even if my skin blisters. 

That bottle was precious, and the greatest irony of all happened: I lost it. Yes, I somehow stupidly misplaced a treasure. Fast-forward, I finally bought a new bottle today and what's better to celebrate this reunion than a well-deserved review? Sadly, the new formulation (I am pretty sure it was tweaked since I don't break into a rash anymore) 'cleaned' up Bel Ami. The scent and idea is still there, but it's lacking the depth and raunch of the original. The citrus notes are much cleaner, leather less castorum-like, and oakmoss is seriously diluted.

Bel Ami kicks off with well blended aromatic cocktail of citruses. The heart is carnation and orris, scandaled by dirty, smoky woods, and bound together by a handsome base of leather, oakmoss,vanilla and vetiver. It's truly complex and to quote Beauty and the Beast - 'bitter sweet and strange, finding you can change, learning you were wrong'. Ahhh ... scandals.

Rating: ***** (original)

           ****1/2 (new)

  

I'm back, and this time with a new lover

Apologies for my disappearance.

It's been a crazy month with lots of travelling and launches that distracted me from writing but I'm back now with more delicious and sinister reviews. I am fortunate to have met some really interesting people from the industry and across the continents and sniffed crazy creations, and some subdued ones, including the yet to be named 'Rihanna'.

To welcome the writings again, I thought I'd write something decadent, something American.

BOND NO. 9 SO NEW YORK

So New York represents the common love of New Yorkers - espresso and chocolate. I say it represents the common love of anyone destined to work in an office. I'm allergic to coffee and too much chocolate gives me palpitations but sniffing it keeps me happy. Coffee and chocolate are not uncommon themes used in perfumes and they do appear from time to time - CSP's Amour de Cacao, Thierry Mugler's A*Men Pure Coffee and Givenchy's Play to name a few. Sure, I love my coffee and chocolate, but I also do not wish to end up smelling like a confectionary, or worse, like tiramisu. A good fragrance should be one that evokes emotions utilising the publicised notes, and be good enough to be worn daily without making you feel sick or diabetic.

I crossed my fingers when I took a sniff as I really needed to find a gourmand I can wear with a suit without ending up like Willy Wonka. Opening is sparkling and fresh (yes, fresh) with very delightful slight hint of oak and spices. It is important to note at this point that this fragrance is very linear after the top notes wear out. The heart and base contains the stars of this scent - espresso with a dollop of warm milk and unsweetened dark chocolate with a dried plum for effect. Yes it is slightly sweet, but it's rightly sweet. Overall, this is a decadent scent with sophistication that is genderless. It doesn't remind me of food, nor places food comes from, but it does evoke emotions and memories of being in a lovely cafe on a Sunday. If it does remind you of the actual coffee and chocolate, then they better be Godiva.

Rating: ****1/2

Review: Ume by Keiko Mecheri

The perfumes of Keiko Mecheri come in such stunning bottles I'd love to collect for asthetic sake. Ume is an olfactory journey to the era of Art Deco in Tokyo where the stagnant traditions of the time were uplifted by glamour, fun and fantasy. Details to interior design, extravagant costumes, works in ceramic and lacquer promoted the national identity and meaning.

Ume is a fruity floral chypre that is hardly conventional. Having lived in Art Deco apartments, this fragrance is a spot on expression of the mood in one. It opens with bright citruses, a sharp lacquer note not unlike persimmon, balanced by the sweet-salty roundness of ume (Japanese plum). The heart is a bouquet of delightful oriental florals such as wisteria, jasmine, osmanthus and sasanka that is more fresh than narcotic. Supporting this is a blend of handsome hinoki, mahagony, suede and incense.

I think this is a fantastic perfume despite a few strange notes here and there. Think a Kabuki performance in French. There is something uniquely Japanese about this fragrance, like the scent coming out of an exquisite Japanese incense box. This is not for a teenage girl (or any ladies trying too hard to be cute) and you do need to be a woman of substance and respect to carry this off. You need to have the poise, grace and decorum of a geisha.

Rating: ****1/2

Review: Aire Loco by Loewe

Known by many as a serious leather and fashion house, Loewe is undoubtedly also a serious perfume house. Like Chanel and Hermes, Loewe's appointment of an in-house perfumer, Emilio Valeros, certainly paid off big time. I personally enjoy most of their fragrances, as I usually do if they come packaged with a strong concept. The Aire family started with Aire Loewe, the classic green chypre, in 1985, which is still my favourite of the Loewe lot.

Aire Loco is the newest lady to join the Aire family and she is your modern survivor with unspeakable secrets. She is a seductress and a voyeur. She is the inner thoughts of your wives and girlfriends. It was only after reading the press release that the advertorial campaigns made sense. Even if they didn't, they were still provocatively enticing.

Aire Loco opens with a platter of fresh and energetic citrus peels that are clean, tarty, and mildy peppered. The heart is almost edible with passionfruit and sambac jasmine. It is quite a challenge to feature fruity and floral notes together without them working against each other but I think the perfumers have done a wonderful job with Aire Loco. The fruitiness and florals are so interdependant that you'd think they come from the same tree. The base is woody and spicy with notes of cardamon, patchouli and cedarwood. 

What do I think of this? I love it, because a fresh, fruity fragrance that when worn will make others still take you seriously is hard to come by. Despite the campaigns, I find this perfume very unisex. The twisted bottle and akwardly off-centered cap are symbolic of  the craziness of today's women. I agree. lol.

The perfumers of Aire Loewe are Yves Cassar and Carlos Benaim.

Rating: ****1/2

50 fragrances in a week + Review of Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire

It's been a real hectic week with a lot of smelling and evaluation (over 50) and it is very frustrating that I am unable to make any descriptive mention of them on this blog until the green light but nevertheless, the line up of new fragrances for this year is rather exciting. Keep your eyes (and nose) open for Voyage d'Hermes and Versus. Meanwhile, I received a request to do a review of Parfum d'Empire's Ambre Russe so here it is.

Like the other perfumes of Parfum d'Empire, Ambre Russe is an oriental olfactory time-machine back to Tsaric Russia. The opening reminds me of those whisky filled dark chocolates you buy at airports. It's a strong 'alcoholic' opening that leaves you a bit tipsy, and just as you think that's all, you get slapped face on by a thick cloud of frankincense and dark tea. You'll recognise the amber accord, but before you think - oh amber .. warm, fuzzy, snuggly, comfy, you are wrong. This is serious amber, R(21) amber rated for violence. The perfume remains smokey like a slow-burning cork and warm leather but there's not much going on here except the occasional coriander and cinnamon passing by so don't mind them and that pretty much sums up the fragrance. It is dark, gloomy and heavy, but strangely in a controlled fashion. I find this picture the best description of this fragrance.

This is not something anyone can pull off for you do need the thick jaws, thick wrists, fat fingers and furry chest to make this fragrance work for you, otherwise you will only end up awkwardly strange. Nevertheless, it is great art in a bottle thus is worth a keep. Ambre Russe is created by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato and features notes of rum, incense, coriander, cinnamon, vanilla, samovar tea, amber, honey and leather.

Rating: ****1/2                                                                                                                     image source: wikipedia.org

Green Cousins

Here I present you two fragrances by very different companies, in very different packaging, with very different stories, but similar in story and perfume structure.

                        
&

      

A Taste of Heaven by Kilian                                                                                                                                                                     Eau de Gloire by Parfum D'Empire

I have a thing for fragrances in green and I think that's because it gives it a potion-like appeal. I once described to a friend what I do for a living and he quickly replied 'you're a witch!'. Perhaps that is why I fell in love with A Taste of Heaven. Created by the very talented Calice Becker, it was 'inspired by Absinthe, bittersweet nectar of poets.' A Taste of Heaven opens with an intoxicating dance of green bergamot and absinthe, followed with a candied lavender solo, supported by a warm bitter-sweet ensemble of amber, oakmoss and vanilla. It is as mesmerizing as the green fairy can get and this is one mysterious oriental-fougere for the modern witch with a fat wallet.

When I sampled Eau de Gloire, I knew I had to do a comparison with A Taste of Heaven. Eau de Gloire was created by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato, founder of Parfum D'Empire, and was his homage to the olfactory experiences in a day in the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. It opens citrusy and aromatic with bergamot, lemon, orange, rosemary and lavender, not unlike Guerlain's Eau de Cologne Imperiale. The heart is sweet with aniseed and tea, bearing a little resemblance to A Taste of Heaven and drydown threads lightly with tobacco, incense and oakmoss. The journey of Eau de Gloire is documented well by it's well defined exposition, climax and dénouement and is a modern take retaining characteristics of the classic colognes.

Rating:

A Taste of Heaven ****1/2
Eau de Gloire ****