Here comes part 2 of my list of the best perfumes of the decade; to read part 1, please click here. And please make sure you scroll all the way down to the end to check out my list of the best new perfume brands of the decade and to nominate your own favourite fragrance of the last ten years.
Cartier L’Heure Vertueuse – Mathilde Laurent; 2012
I can still recall – with neon-lit vividness – the shock I experienced when I first smelt this, at the Cartier counter in Harrods. As bold as Laurent’s best work, this may well be one perfumery’s most convincing statements on grass, lavender and all that is verdant and outdoorsy.
Amouage Interlude Man – Pierre Negrin; 2012
In a tenure that produced several gems, this was one of ex-Creative Director Christopher Chong’s finest creations. A maelstrom of conflicts – forbidding tar-and-plastic notes – revolving around a muscular core of smoke, spices, vanilla and burning agarwood chips. A break that you hope will last forever.
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Oud – Francis Kurkdjian; 2012
Many brands claimed to have done so, but Kurkdjian’s Oud was arguably the first agar wood scent to extend a clear bridge between east and west, placing the irresistible stench of its star material within a more occidental structure of citruses, woods and musks. A triumph.
Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka – Bertrand Duchaufour; 2013
Concept and execution came together in unforgettable fashion in this olfactory narrative about the warrior emperor who put aside his violent ways and embraced spirituality. Or, to put it in perfume-speak: a crack of leather is replaced by meditative sandalwood, via increasingly calming doses of fig, iris and jasmine. Suitably masterful.
Frederic Malle Dries Van Noten – Bruno Jovanovic; 2013
My first sniff of this – at Nice’s Tanagra – didn’t yield an especially dramatic response. But then, as I went about the rest of my day, I felt myself increasingly surrounded by a subtly sugary, skin-loving sandalwood that felt both quirky and effortlessly sophisticated. An unassuming epic, full of endless twists and delightful surprises.
Tauer L’Oudh – Andy Tauer; 2017
While everyone else was trying to link oud with unlikely companions, Andy Tauer stayed true to form: he bided his time and then went back to basics. His L’Oudh is almost a primer on the material, pulling it apart and allowing all its many facets – except, perhaps, the most fecal ones – a fair share of the limelight. A commendable achievement.
Vero Profumo Mito – Vero Kern; 2012
The sorely-missed Vero Kern didn’t make a single bad fragrance in her far-too-brief perfume career. All her creations highlighted her attention to detail and her refusal to work according to the schedules of retailers and distributors. For my money, this was her finest release of the last decade: a heart-stopping evocation of an immaculate garden, saturated with greens, florals and mosses. If Vero’s in some sort of scented heaven now, looking down upon us, I’m sure the place smells like Mito.
Le Labo Ylang 49 – Frank Voelkl; 2013
The souls of Aromatics Elixir and Opium came together in this retro-loving, peppery, rosy chypre. But rather than being allowed to wallow in the past, they were then brought right into the twenty-first century thanks to the inclusion of a vegetal, savoury note, edged with the metallic gleam of vetivert. This is Le Labo at its best: paying homage to what has come before without succumbing to mere pastiche.
Aedes De Venustas Iris Nazarena – Ralf Schwieger; 2013
A tour de force of slyness. At first, Schwieger’s iris is cold, almost standoffish. But then, it appears to grow under your very nose, employing cedar, incense, apricot, patchouli and powdery notes to bring its central ingredient to holographic life. Endlessly alluring.
Tom Ford Santal Blush – Yann Vasnier; 2011
I confess that when I first sniffed this, I didn’t think I’d get to the end of my bottle as quickly as I did. But looking back, I can’t understand why I didn’t predict that it would become a firm Persolaise favourite. The cardamom, the fenugreek, the incense — they’re all perfectly, smoothly pitched against the creamy sandalwood, helping to create one of the decade’s most endearing evocations of a stroll past Mumbai’s trinket shops. Beguiling.
Frederic Malle The Night – Dominique Ropion; 2014
There aren’t many perfumes that make me go weak at the knees and collapse to the floor in abject submission, but this is one of them: a lavish, decadent wedding feast of oud and incense-laden rose. Oh, sweet surrender.
Parle Moi De Parfum Papyrus Oud 71 – Michel Almairac; 2018
This may be an update of Almairac’s own, much-missed Gucci Pour Homme from 2003, but it deserves its place on this list because, 1) as far as updates go, it’s pretty flawless – placing a hint of oud on the original’s impeccable pepper-cedar-incense-amber structure – and 2) because it is downright beautiful. May this one never be discontinued!
Hermes Cardamusc – Christine Nagel; 2018
Why bother dressing up cardamom when it’s so perfect on its own? Perhaps that’s the question Christine Nagel asked herself when she took this most intriguing of materials – cool, spicy, citrusy, woody, leathery – and decided to do nothing but pour it into an oil base and increase its staying power with some musks. Irresistible.
Salvatore Ferragamo Testa Di Moro – Fabrice Pellegrin; 2018
I don’t know if Pellegrin was knowingly updating Antaeus when he made this beautiful beast, but a glorious update is what it is: a modern leather that conceals a core of night-clouded thunder beneath a restrained, chiselled exterior. Poised and striking.
Mugler Cuir Impertinent – Jean-Christophe Herault; 2015
In his best composition for Mugler’s exclusive range, Herault took the tangy leather of the likes of Knize Ten and gave it some 21st-century audacity by adding a dose of sharp, minty star anise at the top. It’s far too charming to be called impertinent, but it definitely comes with a dangerous purr.
Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom – Bertrand Duchaufour; 2010
Bertrand Duchaufour’s re-orchestration of the Penhaligon’s classic was a celebration of spring fertility: a perfumed breeze carrying the promise-filled scents of tuberose, jasmine and of course, the eponymous citrus blossom to dream-inducing effect.
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire – Thierry Wasser; 2012
Yes, I know this has been flankered to death, but I still say the 2012 ‘sort-of-original’ is naively charming, balancing its overdosed sweetness with herbs and that now almost-infamous sour cherry note. A delightful treat.
Lush Kerbside Violet – Simon & Mark Constantine; 2014
The best perfumes often rely on unexpected contrasts to achieve their impact, and nowhere could this be seen more clearly than in Kerbside Violet. Everything you need to know about it is in its name: leafy, sugary violets on the one hand; concrete and exhaust fumes on the other. Together, they work with the insouciant charm we’ve come to expect from Lush.
Tauer Les Annees 25 – Andy Tauer; 2018
On more than one occasion I’ve suggested that the spirit of early twentieth century Guerlain lives on in a few of Andy Tauer’s creations, but in Annees 25, he gave the ghost a living, breathing body. Citruses over resins over sandalwood over amber — cascading onto each other like layered embroidery on an opulent ball gown. A sight to behold.
Readers’ choice…?
For the final spot on the list, I turn to all of you. What would you like to nominate as one of the best perfumes of the decade? What have some of your favourites been? There are certainly plenty of releases to choose from. Did you enjoy the growls of Cartier La Panthere, Liquides Imaginaires Peau De Bete and Tom Ford Sahara Noir? Were you impressed by the power and volume of Naomi Goodsir Bois D’Ascese, Arquiste El or Guerlain Songe D’Un Bois D’Ete? What about the photo-real grandness of Grandiflora Magnolia Michel? The mystery of Papillon Dryad? The quirky contrasts of Roos & Roos Mentha Religiosa? The gentle assertiveness of St Giles The Tycoon? The eccentricity of Ostens Impression Cedarwood Heart? The romance of Ex Nihilo Cuir Celeste? The vintage glamour of the reissued Jean Patou Chaldee? The equally retro-loving Bogue Mem and Goutal Mon Parfum Cheri? The subtle, slyly observant London, Amsterdam or Los Angeles from Gallivant?
I could go on, but I suspect you don’t need me to jog your thoughts or memories on this particular matter. Please leave your suggestions in a comment below – or on one of my social media channels – and I’ll see if I can collate them and come up with some kind winner… not that this is a competition. Far from it. The idea is to generate an enjoyable discussion. So, over to you.
Best New Brands Of The Decade
And finally, in alphabetical order, my selection of the best new brands of the decade.
Aedes De Venustas
Arquiste
Gallivant
Naomi Goodsir
Neela Vermeire Creations
Olfactive Studio
Ostens
Parle Moi De Parfum
Papillon
Perfumer H
Roos & Roos
St Giles
Persolaise
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Two Perfumes from Neela 👋 great choices …
Absolutely! I love Ashoka.
Thanks very much for reading.
I’ve enjoyed both parts of your list. There are some real gems among your choices (Mito, Opus V, Cuir d’Ange, Galop d’Hermes…) I surely haven’t tried as many perfumes as you did but I didn’t have to think very long to choose some of my favourites from the last decade. I have a big issue with new releases because I always compare them to eighties perfumes on which I grew up and love most of all so the ones that remind me of that glorious period in perfumery are my favourites 🙂
If I had to choose only one perfume, it would be Charenton Macerations’ Christopher Street (Ralf Schwieger) To me it is the modern embodiment of the old chypre. Next to it is Bruno Fazzolari’s Seyrig which is another chypre. This one is unfortunately discontinued or rather sold out and I doubt that it will be produced again. The next one is Bottega Veneta, a classic beauty in the Italian tradition from the eighties, like for example Trussardi in the white leather bottle. And finally, there is an interesting mainstream release – Alaia, the first, black one. It’s a spicy musky perfume with great longevity and power.
My vote for the best new brand goes to Bruno Fazzolari and Charenton Macerations. They both have a conceptual approach to perfume which is a great alternative to mainstream releases. Important is that their perfumes are all very wearable.
Hi Neva,
Thank you so much for your kind words and your detailed comment, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
I actually checked our Christopher Street after your recommendation and was very taken with it — in some ways it reminded me of Testa Di Moro.
Thanks for mentioning Fazzolari — I thought Au Dela was wonderful.
Great list Persolaise. A couple of recent releases I’ve enjoyed include Gallivant Los Angeles and 2016’s Wood Jasmin from BDK Parfums. Such interesting takes on tuberose and jasmine respectively. Going back a few years, Traversee du Bosphore from L’Artisan another favourite. For the warm weather it’s hard to go past Cologne Indelebile from Frederic Malle, and Mugler’s Hot Cologne.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for taking the time to write and for sharing those excellent choices. I wondered about including Traversee on the list: I love its sweet, leathery iris.
Hot Cologne and Cologne Indelebile are great too.
Very interesting choices, and I’m in agreement with several. 🙂
I haven’t tried some on the list, so those are the ones I’d look out for. Rather shocked to see MFK’s Oud make the list.
I’d pick some that didn’t make it to your list –
Christopher Street – memories of gin and citrus and some paper scribblings, wrapped in leather, chanced upon in the afternoon on a New York fall day of fading sunlight.
New York Intense – For those who knew and loved Patou pour Homme, Heritage et al, and for those who never got the chance; retro, nostalgic, but eventually timeless. If I ever met Patricia de Nicolai, I would give her whatever she would want.
La Fille de Berlin – a tour-de-force one-note wonder; rose, living, blooming, breathing. It’s not dark, but it is deadly and devastating in its beauty, in the best possible ways.
Sahara Noir – smoldering frankincense; TF has released many duds and a few pleasant surprises (Vert des Bois), but this remains the best from the brand in this decade. Criminal, to have had this disco-d.
Puredistance M – A three dimensional update on the classic Bel Ami, with stunning depth and almost a gravitational pull.
Superstitious – A majestic essay on aldehydic florals; retro, and full of thoughtful introspection.
Granville – An effortless fresh-green aromatic, equally at home in the countryside and the downtown; perhaps the best in its style.
Chypre Palatin – A heady musky-chypre that is simultaneously sophisticated and utterly romantic.
Memoir Man – Deep, dark woods married to minty frankincense with a touch of smoke, but everything rendered in dark grey than jet black, and played out in mid-volume; understated, reserved. Sort of like Le 3me Homme de Caron: somewhat drowned out in the loud noise at its time, but always growing more compelling with each passing year.
Ok, too late at Toronto to be typing up ‘notes’; some others I’d mention in passing – Adjatay Cuir Narcotique, Itasca, Thirty-Three, Cuir Cannage, Epice Marine, MAAI, Mona di Orio Cuir, Misia, Terre d’Hermes Eau Tres Fraiche.
I am sure to be missing a few more, though I think we have agreement on another point: both our lists are Creed-free. 😉
Oh wow! What an excellent list. Thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your descriptions.
I thought long and hard about including Sahara Noir, which is a superb scent in my opinion. And of all the Lutens releases this decade, Berlin was the one I considered including.
Thank you so much for writing.
First of all, Merry Christmas, or perhaps Happy Holidays, and thank you for giving us another entire year of astute, thoughtful reviews. I always think you give perfumes the benefit of the doubt-you’ll try anything, and then give it an honest review, tempered with your own good natured tendency to be generous. It’s an amazing balancing act.
I don’t get to try as many new things because I live in Eastern Canada and there are very few brick and mortar stores. But i did try Gallop (bought it, and I love the amazing bottle it came in, too) and the Dries Van Noten scent, which I totally love. I wanted to suggest the Grandiflora Michel scent-so glad it came up on your radar, too! When I smell it I feel like I am in said Magnolia tree, so I can smell the flower, and the tree, and all the living things around it. I once wore it and had a man exclaim he could not believe it was a perfume-he was sure that there must be a garden nearby. But It’s Canada in the winter so definitely no gardens in bloom.
I did buy Chaldee on the strength of your review, and a bottle of SL Fourrier Noir while I was at it. I was very sick with a head cold when they arrived and so I put it away till I felt better, and then forgot about both. I’ll try them over the Christmas holidays.
This was my year to buy some Serge Lutens before they go back to being Palais exclusives. I bought A La Nuit, which I adore. Fille en Auigilles – ditto. And Daim Blond. I had a sample of it about 15 years ago and had been thinking about it out of the blue. Then I read about the changes in distribution and bought a bottle or two. Or three. I love it. And since they also had Iris Silver Mist, I bought the black vapo set and the clerk gave me two more refills. I’ve been reading about that for 25 years so it’s quite thrilling to be able to wear it. I don’t find it cold at all-I associate iris in perfumery as structured and elegant, like vintage Je Reviens. I love the spiciness of it. I am lucky enough to have De Profundis too, and I get loads of compliments when I wear it but I feel ike it doesn’t suit me at all. I think I like the less complicated Serge scents the best-hey, they have to appeal to some of us, right??? :)))
The rest of my perfume funds went to buying some discontinued Annick Goutals- Myrrhe Ardent, to complete my Orientalists collections, and Mon Parfum Cherie, par Camille, in the stupendously gorgeous plum bottle. I love the special collection bottles from Annick Goutal. The MA mixed with amber Sultan is fantastic-the sum is greater than the original parts and i just didn’t think that was possible. The Encens scent was always too pine-y for me but maybe I’ll try and layer with the other scents. The perfume Cherie is worthy of purchase just for the plum coloured bottle with black ribbon.
And not to end on a sad note but I read, and loved , Suzanne’s Perfume Journal for years, and the Non Blond blog as well. Both of these beautiful humans died this year and I feel their absence-Suzanne especially. She had sent me some fragrances over the years and she taught me to appreciate different perfume notes. She sent me Sharif, for example, and I never would have tried that. The perfume bloggers work is amazing to me-the perfume community in general is amazing to me. The members are so thoughtful and so generous-not just with their scents but with their time and their incredible knowledge. So please let me say thank you for so many years of enjoyment. I hope you and your family have a fantastic holiday and enjoy good health for decades to come.
Very best regards,
Carole
Carole,
What a lovely and touching comment to receive. Thank you so much. It really means a lot to me. And if what I do is an amazing balancing act (thank you!) then it’s made easier by the fact that I’ve got readers like you who make all this so enjoyable.
That’s quite a list of purchases you’ve got there. Impressive! I hope you enjoy them all.
And I’m sorry to say that I didn’t even know Suzanne had passed away, so thanks for mentioning her. It’s so sad when our little community grows smaller.
All the best to you and yours,
Persolaise.
MDCI Chypre Palatin. I am on my second bottle and whenever I am feeling a bit sluggish, this gem gets my spirits going! And thank you for your YouTube channel. Informative and delightful!
Thanks for that Dennis. I was certainly very taken with Palatin when it came out.
All the best to you and thanks for your support.
I see several favourites here: Dries Van Noten, Anima Dulcis, Séville à l’Aube, Ylang 49, Orange Star, Portrait of a Lady (which gives me a headache but I admire it immensely). Like another poster, I also love Bottega Veneta, probably my favourite mainstream release of the decade, and Dior Cuir Cannage, which is I suppose « masstige » at this point. Aedes and Papillon are my favourite new brands, love nearly all their scents.
Thanks for writing, Tara. Yes, I was impressed with the BV and with Cuir Cannage too. Such a shame Dior discontinued the latter. I’m glad we’ve got some ‘overlaps’ here 🙂
You’ve captured the decade so well with your list. Some of my favourites include Twilly d’Hermès, Cartier L’Envol, Dior Cuir Cannage, Diptyque Tempo…
That’s very kind of you to say.
It won’t come as a surprise to you that Twilly, Cuir Cannage and especially L’Envol (a personal favourite) were strong contenders for the list. But in the end I decided I had to be ruthless and keep the numbers low enough for the rundown to remain ‘special’, if you see what I mean.
Perfectly understandable. And your list certainly has all the special ones.
Perfectly understandable. And your list is certainly full of special ones.
[…] a fantastic round-up of the best fragrances of the last decade? Then Persolaise’s post is essential […]
Thanks very much indeed for the link.
Only a pleasure.
Greetings from Hong Kong!
Enjoyed your list – a few in there I clearly need to try now, as well as a couple of particular faves (Seville a l’Aube & Mito!)
I actually also found Amindya’s suggested additions paralled my own tastes to a large extent. I would definitely include Granville, Chypre Palatin & Memoir Man as standouts of the last decade. Lost count of how many bottles of Granville I have been thru – in summer here I wear it’s Garrigue / Pine ‘sober greeness’ la lot.!
Miyako; This dark leatheresque take on osmanthus is evocative, masterful, compelling stuff. It does lean a little towards a couple of my favourite darker chypres, Mitsouko and the original Acqua di Parma Profumo but here, of course, osmanthus stands in for the peach and plum touches (respectively) of the other two.
Kimonanthe. This Diptyque take on osmanthus is sunnier, brighter with a slight balsamic, musky warmth. Very original piece of work – can’t think of anything quite like it.
Sova. I approached the Slumberhouse line with some trepidation until a dear friend in Singapore handed me a mini-collection siphoned off from her own. I love the deep forest vibe of Norne, but in the end I ordered Sova, which is dense, leaning into a deep sherry or port wine mood. Solid, complex and choc full of good stuff – including some decent sandalwood!
Cologne du Parfumeur from Thierry Wasser. He came up with some great additions to the Guerlain canon – too many to mention really, but the very first extremely limited edition of L’Abeille is wonderful (drown in golden pollen) along with Lui (dry, peppery carnation straight up) and Les Deserts series . . . but I mention his Cologne because it is such an effortless wear and a great EdC to slip into the collection alongside other favourites Eau Imperiale & the chyprish Eau de Guerlain. I also use it copiously in summer – refreshing, while managing to stick around without resorting to any cheap tricks to keep it present.
Amouage Opus II. An underrated spiced fougere that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys Idole de Lubin to check out. Deceptively clever stuff – the way the spice and classic lavender fougere accord sing in harmony is a sight to behold! (Mixed metaphors, not withstanding – and don’t look at me in that tone of voice!)
L’Arbe from Olivia Giacobetti’s IUNX line is classic sandalwood at its best, with a hint of immortelle in the opening.
The original Homage Attar from Amouage – glad I grabbed a bottle before it disappeared from view – best rose I have ever come across. Console yourself with their Lyric Woman if your missed it – much darker, but still a superb rose creation!
There will be others that come to mind but fun to jump in – we like lists! Thanks for your ongoing writings and musings 🙂
All the best,
Morton
Hi Morton,
Thanks very much for taking the time to put together this wonderful, thought-provoking list. I remember I was very impressed with Kimonanthe too.
Hi,
I’m glad I see The Night here. To me, it is the best well-crafted niche perfume ever. I hope I will buy it someday. It has the smell of my childhood, the rainy days in the countryside, when humidity and earthiness collide and the funk is all I smell. I Think Portrait of a Lady is probably the best unisex perfume ever made. It leans more on the masculine side, but determined women can wear it well: pretty sexy on them.
My tops unmentioned in your list:
Rien Intense Incense. Unique, big, what a cloud. Takes me to church, where people are burning incense on leathery plates and praying to Lord. It’s sexy, performing, as animalic as it should be, no words, my second favorite perfume of all time.
Jovoy Psychedelique is another one I like a lot. Seems like it stopped houses from dealing with the 1960’s patchouli vibe, and it did well. Since Reminisence Patchouli, Psychedelique is a crown owner in that direction of patchouli.
You will not be happy about my last one, but I cannot help it that it is my favorite perfume of all time. I loved it when I was only 20, I’m 25 and I just enjoy it more and more: Monsieur. by Frederic Malle. Let’s be honest, that FM did not make it for everyone to like. Did not make it for the chest-haired. The feeling of Monsieur. is melancholia. It is a perfume of reflection because it is a cold scent, just like our reflective thoughts must be. Elegant, Refined, incomparable to any other patchouli (including TF PA), maybe not as unique as Patchouli Intense by Nicolai, but a game-changer patchouli. I did not come across any other earthy-chocolaty patchouli recently. Patchouli can be medicinal and this is the perfect one. For what it does, it deserves some credit. Definitely not from me, as I love it without thinking what it does to the industry.
I’m glad you read our comments, not every blogger does it! Thanks
Theo, thanks for taking the time to leave this long and detailed comment.
I’m really glad that you love Monsieur. It just shows that all scents need to be given sufficient time to find the right audience.
The Night and the Rien flanker you mentioned are very special too.