Category Archive: Perfume Reviews

Perfume Review: Ganymede & Ganymede Extrait by Marc-Antoine Barrois

I always wondered whether the noses and minds behind classic fragrances such as Shalimar, Nº5, Poison, Opium, CK One etc. had any inkling that these creations would be considered as masterpieces. Did they know they were making history at the time? Or was it years later that the classic status was bestowed upon them? If so, how quickly did this happen? I think the answer varies but the moniker of classic is something that is most often awarded in hindsight and it really is the test of time that is the true decider.

We can, I think, see fragrance history in the making and it’s easy to point to a number of creations over the last decade or so that have quickly become modern classics. These are scents that have broached entirely new olfactory ground and have become hugely popular because they smell so entirely unique. I’m talking about fragrances such as Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s fiery marine Baccarat Rouge 540, Le Labo’s crystalline woody Santal 33, and of course, Marc Antoine Barrois’ spacially ethereal Ganymede.

Ganymede comes from a creative partnership between couturier Marc-Antoine Barrois and perfumer Quentin Bisch. They speak of their kinship as part of this creative synergy and how it has helped translate Marc-Antoine’s emotions and imaginations into olfactory art. Ganymede is described as a fantasy, one inspired by the moon of Jupiter and the Trojan prince from which the satellite takes its name. That all may sound a little bit abstract, but Ganymede is an abstract, cerebral fragrance that presents an entirely new olfactory experience. Is it destined to be a classic? Well, I think the answer to that is incredibly simple: it already is.

In this review I’m sniffing Ganymede in both its Eau de Parfum and Extrait concentrations. Two perfumes born from the same creative spark but with completely different points of view.

Let’s Sniff!

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Perfume Review: The Britologne Collection by Thameen London

Christopher Chong, in-house Creative Director at Thameen London and I have something in common: we’ve both taken an extended break from the world of perfume but now we’re back! I’m certainly very happy to be back and to be smelling his work again. You’ll be familiar with Christopher’s fantastic work at Amouage, a brand that he really turned around and brought to the forefront of niche perfumery. The perfumes he creates are bold, innovative and often times challenging. He is not one to shy away from brashness, working with world-class perfumers to push the boundaries forward. You may have not loved everything he did at Amouage but you can never accuse anything he has worked on of being boring and for that, he deserves a huge amount of respect.

Having taken up residence at Thameen London, Chong presents The Britologne Collection. Consisting of six fragrances (as of now), this capsule collection within Thameen London’s wider oeuvre is an homage to Britain and the traditional Eau de Cologne, fusing both words together to create Britologne. The result is a collection that subverts that classic Eau de Cologne structure, pushing it firmly into the 21st century with fragrances that are dramatically unique and fantastic examples of olfactory storytelling. The Britologne Collection may be inspired by familiar themes, but if I’ve learned one thing from my years of sniffing perfumes created under the direction of Christopher Chong, it’s to expect the unexpected.

Let’s Sniff!

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Perfume Review: Infleurno by Eau de Boujee

Infleurno is the latest fragrance from Eau de Boujee (formerly ‘Boujee Bougies’), a British fragrance house that creates bold, high-quality perfumes with exciting and unique concepts. It is loosely based on their Hellflower candle, which was inspired by a terrible sci-fi novel with a fantastic name. They call Infleurno a “pyrotechnic burst of citrus and florals” with a description that channels Persephone, Hades, fruits, embers and demons. If that doesn’t have you intrigued, then I can’t help you, my friend.

I cannot be unbiased about anything created by Nick and Pia of Eau de Boujee because they have been my friends for a long time and I spent a few years working with them at their fragrance house Olfiction, where I specifically worked on one of the Boujee Bougies (Thorny). So I’m not going to try and hide my bias here, but I will say that if I didn’t like this fragrance (or any scent from their brand for that matter), I simply wouldn’t write about it. Make of that what you will. Anyway, disclaimers are boring so let’s move on to the fun stuff, i.e. the review.

Let’s Sniff!

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Perfume Review: Eau d’Ombré Leather by TOM FORD

Hey there, it’s been a while.

I’ve been a bit out of the loop with new fragrance launches for quite some time. Whilst I’ve still maintained an interest and have visited stores to keep up to date with what’s fresh and exciting, I have to admit that I’ve only been moved by a handful of new scents over the last 12 months or so. Perhaps I’m too out of the loop or I’m not smelling the right things, or maybe I’m just getting fussy in my old age, but certainly in the mainstream, there doesn’t seem much to get me excited.

I did recently come across something that tickled my nose in the right away and I’m sure you’re already guessing what it is: Eau d’Ombré Leather, the latest launch from TOM FORD. I’ll admit now that I hold the controversial opinion that the TOM FORD Signature Collection (Black Orchid, White Patchouli, Noir, Costa Azzura etc.) is miles better than the more expensive (and often, IMHO, underwhelming) Private Blends. I’d happily own one of each of the Signature Collection scents (and in fact, do own my fair share) and this new, somewhat lighter interpretation of the staple Ombré Leather (which I do also love) is no exception.

So here I am, raising my head tentatively about the parapet to tell you about a fragrance I like. Feels a bit like old times, doesn’t it? I’ve missed writing a lot (and snapping shots of fragrances to accompany that writing too) and a huge amount has happened since my last post in October 2021. I feel like I’m an entirely different person to who I was then and maybe I’ll be a completely different writer, who knows. I’m not sure if I want to write more than this or more often. This may not be me jumping back into the pool, it may just be more a case of me dipping my toe in, but I do know that I felt compelled to write something today. So, here we are. Let’s see if I can remember how to do this…

Let’s Sniff!

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Perfume Review: DANCE Amongst the Lace by Miller Harris

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At the back of my childhood home we had a sprawling piece of land that my parents never really did anything with. At time it was vastly overgrown and my siblings and I would have to beat our way through the undergrowth with big sticks to get to the wooden fort my father made for us – our base where all mischievous schemes were planned. As you can imagine, all of this was tremendous fun and I have vivid memories of us playing in the tall grass and weaving in and out of the rows of cow parsley that stood tall along the borders – long stems exploding like floral fireworks out of the ground.

Cow parsley, or “Queen Anne’s Lace” as it is also know, is the inspiration for Miller Harris’ latest fragrance ‘DANCE Amongst the Lace’, which joins WANDER, LOST and HIDDEN in the brand’s Forage Collection. The idea of the collection is to celebrate the idea of nature existing in urban spaces – the interplay between the natural and the man-made. DANCE aims to capture the “surprising freshness and unique scent of cow parsley” – a plant that is found in many of London’s urban spaces. What they’ve created is an incredibly modern and easy-to-wear fougère that is perfect for summer.

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Perfume Review: Wild Vetiver by Bentley

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The fact that luxury car manufacturer Bentley are making excellent fragrances is a surprise to pretty much everyone. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not surprised that a brand who is responsible for some of the highest quality motor vehicles in the world gives a damn about quality when it comes to their diffusion products – that actually makes a lot of sense. But, this is not just acceptable perfumery from a brand using good quality materials – this is really well thought out and executed perfumery that fits the spirit of the brand and the man who one would expectg to wear such fragrances. In short: Bentley is doing some great stuff so don’t sleep on them just because they also make cars…

Bentley’s latest launch is the Bentley Beyond collection, which consists of three fragrances: Exotic Musk (Mathilde Bijaoui) Majestic Cashmere (Julie Massé) and Wild Vetiver (Sidonie Lancesseur). The collection is an exploration of exotic places – Acapulco, Goa, Java – through singular materials, a story that is not new, but is really well executed here. Both Exotic Musk and Majestic Cashmere are delightful olfactory experiences, but it is Wild Vetiver that is the gem of the collection. It’s a vetiver that, even after all of the other vetiver fragrances in the world, feels new. That, my friends, is something worth turning your attention to.

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Perfume Review: Bronze Wood & Leather Cologne Intense by Jo Malone London

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Jo Malone London fragrances are offered as colognes and as such, boast a weightless, transparent signature. They are not rich, heavy and opulent scents with an endless reach – they are easy, breezy and transparent. But they are not without character – far from it, in fact, and many have become regular staples of mine (see Mimosa & Cardamom, Tuberose & Angelica, and Basil & Neroli) because they do have a distinct personality that I find really easy to wear and even easier to enjoy.

Because of their lightness and apparent simplicity, the Jo Malone London fragrances lend themselves well to layering (or ‘Fragrance Combining’ as the brand calls it) allowing one to mix and match their scent to create their own semi-bespoke signatures. With their Cologne Intense collection, Jo Malone London offers the same style of fragrance as their main range, but these fragrances have a bit more heft to them, allowing the band to explore the worlds of ouds, orientals, opulent roses, and heady florals, creating stark contrasts for their Fragrance Combining blends.

The latest fragrance to join the Cologne Intense collection is Bronze Wood & Leather. Daring to be a little bit sexier than other fragrances from Jo Malone London, Bronze Wood & Leather evokes wood warmed by the rays of the sun. It’s a smoky-delicious blend that has a darker, deeper and more daring edge. Remember what I was saying about Jo Malone London fragrances having character? Well this one is a perfect example and it shows how the brand offers lighter (the Cologne Intense fragrances are richer yes but they are hardly powerhouses) fragrances that don’t skimp on character.

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Perfume Review: Sesame Chān by Anima Vinci

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Anima Vinci offers a very solid collection of fragrances. They riff off classic styles – the hesperidic, the rose, the white floral etc. – but bring something entirely new to their respective genres. Most are beautiful (find me a prettier rose than Rose Prana, I challenge you) and some, like Wood of Life, are new and challenging. All are fascinating, fully fleshed out fragrances created with a vibrant spirit and a sense of passion.

Sesame Chān is the latest launch from Anima Vinci. It’s an ode to vetiver via an unusual combination of nutty notes and sesame seeds:

Sesame Chān exudes tranquillity, Japanese gardens, a touch of almond pink flowers, light meditation stones, deep and rich grounded emotions, the cosiness and warmth of a winter season.

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Perfume Review: Classique Cabaret by Jean Paul Gaultier

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The great thing about packaging your flagship fragrance in the shape of a couture-clad torso is that you can redress it again, again, and again, leaving lots of room for many exciting limited editions. The possibilities are endless and it’s true, Jean Paul Gaultier’s Classique has a vast wardrobe (one that many a supermodel would envy) packed to the brim with corsets and gowns, each of which has been fashioned from the imagination of a game-changing, rockstar of a fashion designer: the cheeky yet supremely talented Jean Paul Gaultier.

For 2019, Classique once again has a new outfit and this time, a new scent to match too. Classique Cabaret is the latest limited edition to launch in the Classique canon and aside from the original, which I love, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this is the best version yet. Inspired by the cabarets of the 1940s, Classique Cabaret is a light-hearted and liberated fragrance that just wants to have fun. The glitzy-red dress wearing Classique Cabaret blends the signature orange flower of Classique with electric ginger and sensual amber, putting together quite the olfactory show. So roll-up, roll-up, take your seats and get ready for the smelliest show in town: the Jean Paul Gaultier Classique Cabaret!

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