It’s always interesting to see how a perfumer’s natural tendencies are either curbed or encouraged by a brand. In the case of Alberto Morillas, the area to watch is invariably musks: he certainly knows how to use them well (CK One, Kenzo Flower, Mugler Cologne) but when he’s been encouraged to tone them down, he’s managed to give us some surprising, equally impressive gems (Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour Homme, Amouage Opus VII). In L’Artisan Parfumeur Chant De Camargue – part of the house’s Paysages collection – he appears to go for a half-way approach.
The scent’s drydown relies heavily on the powdery, skin-embracing power of the modern musks Morillas loves so dearly. But it doesn’t push them too far into the space around the wearer, allowing room for an intriguing ‘salty/milky rice flour’ facet in the heart, tinged with neon pinks, snappy green notes and a whisper of leather reminiscent of L’Artisan’s own Dzing! If Kenzo Flower was the perfumer’s take on a defiantly modern floral note – petals peeking through the cracks in the pavements of Ginza – then Chant De Camargue feels like the very same flower’s weekend getaway to the coast. It’s still in full possession of its urban edge, but it allows itself to breathe and relax. And most importantly – as it enjoys its time away from the noise of the crowds and the traffic – it realises that it doesn’t need to shout. It may be a quiet piece of work, but its tune is well worth listening to.
[Review based on a sample of eau de parfum provided by L’Artisan Parfumeur in 2019.]
Persolaise
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