It surprises me that this is my first review of a Byredo perfume. I haven’t tried everything they have to offer but most of what I have sampled has been well made, if not rather interesting (it’s hard to ignore the genius of the tinsel-esque M/Mink and Solero-esque Pulp). Still, my laziness as a blogger has resulted in the brand not being featured and for that I shall have to give myself a large slap on the wrist.

That was until a sample of the latest Byredo fragrance – ‘Infloresence’ – arrived on my door step. They pretty much had me at the name, but it was the brand’s description of the scent that got me;

“to celebrate the beginning of spring, nature’s perennial and powerful rebirth, Ben Gorham (Founder and Creative Director of Byredo) envisaged a wild garden and a floral scent that would capture the strength and beauty of its blossoms, just as they reach their dramatic peak.”

It didn’t take much more than that to get me salivating! According to my good friend Wikipedia, inflorescence means; “a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches” [1], and this is entirely in keeping with the fragrance’s theme of a bouquet of intensely aromatic flowers.

The Notes

Top: Rose Petals and Pink Freesia
Heart: Magnolia and Lily of the Valley
Base: Fresh Jasmine

How Does it Smell?

One could be forgiven for understimating Inflorescence at the first sniff. On the surface it comes across as an incredibly squeaky clean and aqeous floral in the same vein as Estée Lauder’s epic Beyond Paradise, however less immediately impressive. The initial impression is of blindingly bright and hot floral air trapped inside a greenhouse – it overwhelms at first but as the air becomes more breathable around you the intricacies of the perfume come out to play.

After a slightly rocky start Inflorescence pays off. At its core sits a wonderfully balanced white floral bouquet; magnolia, jasmine and muguet, all string together to waft the aromo of intense blooms, giving the impression of an exotic white bird taking flight. The contrast of crisp and dewy green notes against warm, creamy petals is truly exceptional, creating a whole spectrum of textures.

The base is full of whisps of musk and hay as if the perfume has worked it’s way, through its stages, all the way from the petals in bloom, down the stems to the dry grass below. Things definitely subdue with time and what starts out as an olfactory explosion settles down to a sun-kissed glow of a skin scent.

Inflorescence is one of those fragrances that grows on you with time. My experience with it certainly wasn’t love at first sniff, but as we all know those kind of love affairs do not last, it is the persistent fragrances that win our hearts in the long run. Not too loud. If summer ever appears then Inflorescence is going to get a lot of time on my skin, that’s if my little decant doesn’t run out first!

Availability

Inflorescence is available in 100ml Eau de Parfum for £130.

Disclaimer
Sample provided by Byredo. Notes and quotes byredo.com. [1] via Wikipedia. Image 1 via reallifeiselsewhere.blogspot.com. Image 2 via byredo.com.