Penhaligon’s Solaris, Les Indemodables Patchouli Noisette, L’Artisan Parfumeur A Fleur De Peche and other reviews – 2023

We went from peachy sunshine to nutty patchouli via citrusy basil in the latest episode of Love At First Scent, with reviews of new and new-ish releases from Les Indemodables, Guerlain and Penhaligon’s, amongst others. Here’s a link to the video, followed by a complete list of the scents I talked about, with timestamps: Penhaligon’s Solaris, Les Indemodables Patchouli Noisette, Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic Harvest, Parfums De Marly Valaya, L’Artisan Parfumeur A Fleur De Peche reviews.

Penhaligon’s Solaris (Alienor Massenet) 3:49
Les Indemodables Patchouli Noisette (Antoine Lie) 14:28
Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Mandarine Basilic Harvest (Delphine Jelk) 25:19
Parfums De Marly Valaya (Quentin Bisch) 33:12
L’Artisan Parfumeur A Fleur De Peche (Antoine Maisondieu) 43:43

It’s pleasing to see the Puig brands (L’Artisan and Penhaligon’s) on commendable form with their new creations. Solaris is a rare example of a sun-inspired scent that actually manages to evoke the optimistic clarity of a midday sky. No doubt, this is at least partly because of Massenet’s decision to avoid overly synthetic, coconut-and-SPF cliches. Her choice of lemon and blackcurrant over skin-nuzzling creaminess works a treat here and, crucially, manages to feel naturalistic at all times.

Maisondieu’s work on A Fleur De Peche also swerves away from cliches (in this case: the velvety-orange fuzziness that spells ‘peach’ in air fresheners) and results in a tenderly floral presentation of the fruit, with a lactonic backdrop that recalls some 90s compositions. Equally noteworthy is the way in which Peche manages to come across as both gentle and all-enveloping at the same time: a comfort blanket that is as intimate as it is expansive.

Patchouli Noisette is an equally cliche-free zone. An attempt to remain true to its central material without going down the gourmand route or reaching for predictably earthy-camphoraceous facets, it relies on an innovatively extracted hazelnut material to emphasise woodiness and sophistication. I hope to interview the scent’s creators on YouTube soon so that they can explain the composition process themselves, but for now I will just say: seek out a sample as soon as you can.

Persolaise

[Samples provided by the brands in 2023.]

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