Time-hopping was high on the agenda in my recent set of Love At First Scent broadcasts: I compared the new Il Profumo version of Acqua Di Parma Colonia with the original, as well as Etat Libre d’Orange Clean Suede with their seemingly discontinued Tom Of Finland, and, most nail-bitingly, a first-batch bottle of Frederic Malle Portrait Of A Lady with the recently-released, 15th anniversary edition. Here are links to all the videos, followed by some further thoughts below: Acqua Di Parma Colonia Il Profumo review — Etat Libre D’Orange Clean Suede review — Frederic Malle Portrait Of A Lady 15th anniversary edition review.
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My considered verdict is that Etat Libre D’Orange Clean Suede and Tom Of Finland are one and the same scent, or at least they’re close enough for my nose to consider them identical. I must say I’m relieved, as I think the world is a better place with Antoine Lie’s thigh-smacking, hyper-heated leather in it.
Portrait Of A Lady is a slightly more complex matter. As I said I would in the video, I spent the day or so after the broadcast smelling both blotters blindly. On pretty much every occasion, I noticed a difference between them: the new batch came across as very, very slightly brighter and greener. The potential reasons for this are numerous, and I went into many of them in the video. I should also point out that while I was able to spot something different when comparing two blotters, I may not have been able unfailingly to identify the batch had I been presented with only one blotter; after all, comparison makes things a bit easier in such situations. The upshot of all this is that Portrait is as good as unchanged. I would still happily gift it to Madame Persolaise and she’s still happy to wear it. Thank you, Lauder! And well done.
Persolaise
[Samples of the Acqua Di Parma and the Frederic Malle provided by the brand; the Etat Libre D’Orange was obtained by me.]
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