It was a mix of old and new (in more senses that one) over on Love At First Scent the other day, when I reviewed the latest addition to the Hermessence collection, Oud Alezan, as well as limited editions of Diptyque Do Son and Serge Lutens L’Orpheline, and a superbly preserved, vintage Nina Ricci L’Air Du Temps. If you’d like to watch the episodes on YouTube, please click on the links that follow. Otherwise, keep scrolling to view the videos right here on this post. Below, you’ll also find some further thoughts on a few of the perfumes. Here are the links: Hermes Oud Alezan review — Serge Lutens L’Orpheline review — Diptyque Do Son 2024 edition review — Nina Ricci vintage L’Air Du Temps review.
Although it doesn’t score especially high marks for originality, Oud Alezan instantly becomes one of the more sophisticated entries in the none-too-short list of rose-oud compositions, no doubt thanks to Christine Nagel’s ability to imbue familiar materials with her trademark suave seamlessness. It’s also interesting to note that it doesn’t hold back on the woods in the drydown, making it one of the darker, spikier members of the Hermessence range. It’s clearly been designed to attract Middle Eastern spending, but that doesn’t mean that its mix of European and Arabian codes is devoid of interest.
On the other hand, Do Son (named after a coastal district of Vietnam) insists on presenting its central tuberose note as anything but dark, bringing out a sunny optimism with which the flower is rarely associated — a (problematically?) bright take on a part of the world with which France has long had a complex relationship.
Somewhere in the middle – meaning that it’s tender and fragile, without being particularly cheerful – lies L’Orpheline, which sees Uncle Serge turning his back on the outside world and confronting his many internal demons. I reviewed it when it was first released (here’s a link), and I’m pleased to say that, ten years on, it’s as compellingly introspective as ever.
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Persolaise
[Samples of the Hermes, Diptyque and Serge Lutens were provided by the brands in 2024; the Nina Ricci was obtained by me.]
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[…] Christine Nagel talked to me about the creation of the latest addition to the Hermessence range, Oud Alezan, as well as the new H24 flanker, Herbes Vives. To read my interview with her, which reveals […]