In the first instalment of what might turn out to be an occasional series, I’d like to take off my critic’s hat for a moment – or at least wear it at a more casual angle – and focus on the original inspiration for this site: the pleasure of wearing perfume. Or, to be more specific, the pleasures (or lack thereof) of wearing my choice of perfumes for Summer 2019. A look at my very own Perfume Playlist for the holiday season, if you will. A casual round-up of the scents that are currently ‘on rotation’ (or should that be ‘on shuffle’?) in the olfactory dimension of my world.
Guerlain – Aqua Allegoria Bergamote Calabria (Thierry Wasser & Delphine Jelk; 2017)*
I feel a full review of this one coming on, mainly because it keeps causing me to think of what certain figures in the scented community call ‘performance’. I’d like to try to work out precisely why the term irritates me as much as it does. After all, the technical aspects of a composition (diffusiveness, tenacity etc) are not unimportant. But the word ‘performance’ seems to place excessive emphasis on fragrance as machine: a product required to deliver the goods. Plus, there’s a sexual undertone to it that I find crude and reductive. I’d be interested to learn your thoughts on this. Does anyone feel like putting together an essay? ‘It is not helpful to use the word ‘performance’ in assessments of perfume. Discuss.’
Anyway, all that aside… even though Wasser and Jelk’s homage to that most ubiquitous of fragrance materials – bergamot – doesn’t last very long, I’m currently enjoying the precision with which it balances its citrus notes with its spicier, more tea-like aspects. The shower gel is a joy too.
Mugler – Ambre Redoutable (Jean-Christophe Herault; 2019)*
My personal jury is still out on this one, but I have found myself reaching for it more and more frequently in recent days. And Madame Persolaise loves its initial burst on me, so there you go. At heart, a classic amber, it attempts to make the form more modern with the inclusion of a bitter gentian note in the opening.
Serge Lutens – L’Eau Froide (Christopher Sheldrake; 2011)*
In recent years, the Lutens I’ve packed into my summer suitcase has tended to be 2014’s Laine De Verre, but for some reason, this time, I’ve gone for the sub-zero company of the older Cold Water (a conscious nod to Davidoff?) with its unashamed use of synthetic musks and marine notes next to mint and incense. Incidentally, this brings us to…
Paco Rabanne – Genius Me (Dominique Ropion; 2019)*
One of the brand’s new Pacollection fragrances, this is not dissimilar to the Lutens, with its reliance on synthetic wizardry to revitalise a classic structure: in this case, IFF’s aldehydic Cristalfizz ingredient employed in the service of a citrus-cologne. So far, I’ve yet to detect much genius in it. But I suspect it may take on a more brilliant sheen when the weather begins to cool down. Judgement currently reserved.
Acqua Di Parma – Arancia Di Capri (1999)*
Last year, I went on my travels with the charming Chinotto Di Liguria, so I thought I’d choose another Blu as one of my perfumes for summer 2019. Perfect for an early-morning spritz. An instant, sun-coloured smile.
Parle Moi De Parfum – Papyrus Oud 71 (Michel Almairac; 2018)*
Yes, yes, yes, I know I’ve gone on enough about this one, but as I am wearing it at the moment, it warrants a mention here. A glorious update of Almairac’s own Gucci Pour Homme: probably the finest ever juxtaposition of pepper with cedar, incense and amber. My admiration of it remains unabated. For my original review, please click here.
Sugandhco – Gajra**
An oil-based gem I picked up on my last visit to Lucknow, showcasing all of the headiest, most intoxicating charms of jasmine. It’s as seductive as it is innocent… which is to say, it is seductive in the extreme. Think: femme fatale teaching you how to whistle. Incidentally, if you’re not aware of this brand, do check out my video on them (click here) and visit their site (click here).
Hermès – Un Jardin Sur Le Nil (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2005)**
If there is a Persolaise Summer Signature, this may well be it. Its optimism, its effortless sophistication, its subtlety, its transparency, its ingenious mix of fruit notes with a superb incense facet… all of these never fail to move me.
Amouage – Opus XI (Pierre Negrin; 2018)*
Hey, even summers have nights, right? And this rocket-fuelled blend of oud with oud-like materials and various other flammable substances has been my companion on several nocturnal outings.
Goutal – Songes (Isabelle Doyen; 2005)**
In case you were wondering, Madame Persolaise is very much a part of my summer adventures too, and she’s taken to radiating the spellbinding aura of Songes – quite possibly the most wondrous frangipani composition ever bottled. As luck would have it, I found a bottle of the downright gorgeous oil version heavily reduced at a local perfumery… so, of course, it had to be hers.
Chanel – No. 5 (Ernest Beaux; 1921 // Jacques Polge; 1986)**
No, I’m not kidding. I still can’t get enough of the stuff, and fortunately, Madame P enjoys wearing it too (the Polge eau de parfum iteration, for those interested in the finer details) which means a whiff of those plush, flower-kissed aldehydes is never far away… made even more poignant this year because I’ve been reading Anne De Courcy’s Chanel’s Riviera. Mad pre-war hedonism followed by mad wartime suffering. It’s a compelling tome, but perhaps I’ll write more about it another time. Oh, and at the risk of ending on a terribly prosaic note, the No. 5 soap is just astonishing. The way it scents a bathroom beats any candle or reed diffuser… so Chanel, please, never stop making it!
—
I hope the holiday season is treating you well, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. Stay tuned for info about the next episode of my Love At First Scent series of live videos. In the meantime, if you’d care to share what’s been on your personal playlist of perfumes for summer 2019, please leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
*provided by brand
**obtained by me
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.