Launching The Past
Persolaise I think excitement is always made more electric when it carries a crackle of nostalgia, like the anticipation of meeting up with a dear friend you haven’t seen for over…
Review: L'Eau by Serge Lutens (2010)
Artists are allowed to change direction. But their fans aren’t obliged to follow them wherever they go. So when Serge Lutens decide to propel themselves as far away as they…
All Greened Out
The words ‘outdoorsy, ‘practical’ and ‘green fingered’ are never, ever used to describe me, which is why today was something of a trial. A sizeable patch of our garden has…
A Genuine Start?
I think I’ve mentioned before that the demands of my day job go through distinct phases. Most of the time, I’m fortunate enough not to have to take a great…
Review: Géranium Pour Monsieur by Editions De Parfums Frederic Malle (2009)
What’s the smell of the modern dandy? Does a metrosexual wear one of the generic woody cocktails that flood the market at the rate of twenty a week? Does he…
Spring Bargains
Don’t ever let me say that good luck never comes my way. Today, at an antiques fair, I spotted a pristine, sealed box of 10ml of Diorissimo Esprit De Parfum.…
The Science Of Scent At The Royal Institution
Some of you may be interested to learn that the Royal Institution in London has rescheduled the Science of Scent talk that was meant to have taken place in April;…
Of Time And Salisbury
Time for formulation has been almost non-existent over the last few weeks. The inevitable delays caused by the ach-cloud-induced rail journey from Istanbul meant that it took a while for…
Review: Idylle eau de parfum by Guerlain (2009)
When Idylle hit the shelves late in 2009, the response from Guerlain acolytes was muted. The realm of the soft-focus floral was, they felt, best reserved for flash-in-the-pan celebrity fragrances,…
The Scent Of Blighty
This is too good not to post; it’s extracted from an article in the current edition of the Times Education Supplement: The tourism quango VisitEngland was pilloried for spending £8,500…
No Scent Please, We're British
If I may be permitted to resort to generalisations for a moment: the British attitude to perfume never ceases to leave me dismayed and disappointed. The other day, during my…
And The First One I Sprayed Was…
Although this blog doesn’t have thousands of readers, I flatter myself that perhaps one or two people wander by every now and then to read my ramblings, so I thought…
Glass, Ash & Sand
I guess my refusal to buy some civet-infused oud must have angered the gods, because the volcano in Iceland has meant that my wife and I are now stranded in…
All Rosy In Istanbul
Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar doesn’t offer nearly as many olfactory temptations as the markets in Marrakesh and Tangiers, but I can’t deny I’ve spent a good deal of time sniffing the…
I Need My Hit
Further to my last post, I can’t help mentioning that, at the airport, en route to the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, I actually sampled some of what’s being…
Somewhere Between Europe And Asia
This blog will be quiet for a little while, because I’ll soon be rummaging through the wares on offer at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. Wifi permitting, I might upload a few…
Evasion Tactics
As a rule, I’m not a fan of big gatherings. Today was Easter Sunday. The entire clan came over to our place for lunch. Was I a happy bunny? I’ll…
Review: Malabah by Penhaligon's (2003)
This isn’t quite a scrubber, but it outstays its welcome very quickly and adds fuel to the argument made by several critics that Penhaligon’s scents aren’t nearly weighty and meaningful…
Happy To Pay
Who would ever have thought I’d be looking forward to paying a custom’s charge! I arrived home today to find a slip left by Royal Mail which meant only one…
On The Move…
I’ve got free wifi for a few minutes, so I just wanted to say that my wife and I are doing ok and using trains to head north-west towards Britain.…