Lubin Akkad Review – Delphine Thierry; 2012
Persolaise It’s very difficult for perfumers to say anything new about amber. With Guerlain Shalimar at one end of the chronological spectrum and Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan just about at the…
Guerlain L’Heure De Nuit Review – Thierry Wasser; 2012
Guerlain L'Heure De Nuit review by award-winning perfume critic Persolaise (Thierry Wasser, 2012)
Amouage Interlude 53 Review – Pierre Negrin; 2020
Amouage Interlude 53 extrait review by award-winning perfume critic Persolaise (Pierre Negrin, 2020)
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – January to March 2014
Could this be the start of a regular feature? Below, you’ll find all the mini-reviews I’ve posted on Twitter since January of this year. I’ve decided to re-publish them here…
Persolaise Review: Jeke, Sova, Ore and Norne from Slumberhouse
Some landscapes are easy to enjoy, but almost impossible to describe. They offer many pleasures, yet they defy attempts to capture their charms in words. They may not even be…
Persolaise Review: Oud from Reminiscence (2012)
As soon as I adopt a policy of never using the word ‘oud’ again, along comes an agar perfume which deserves a mention.The Côte d’Azur-based brand Reminiscence may seem like…
Persolaise Review: Eau De Monsieur from Annick Goutal (Annick Goutal / Camille Goutal & Isabelle Doyen; 1980/2013)
Wow! Cover me with slices of lemon and sprinkle me with a pinch of salt. Eau De Monsieur is back. Sadly, I never had a chance to smell the original…
Persolaise Review: George from Jardins D’Ecrivains (perfumer unknown; 2012)
The marketing of perfume tends to be an intensely gender-specific business, so it’s always interesting to think about which materials and accords signify ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine’ at any given moment…
Buttons, Dots And A Whole Load Of Gatsby Dresses – London’s FiFi Awards Ceremony
My FiFi evening began with a wardrobe malfunction. Just as Madame Persolaise and I were about to step onto the red carpet at the entrance to London’s Brewery, I felt…
FiFi UK 2013 Best Independent Perfume Award Shortlist
Image: Fragrance Foundation UK The people at Fragrance Foundation UK have just released the shortlist for this year’s Best Independent Perfume FiFi Award, a category for which I had the…
Persolaise Review: Golden Chypre from Grossmith (perfumer unknown; 2012)
Golden Chypre is an excellent name for this perfume, or at least for the first few stages of its development. A convincingly gilt-edged radiance accompanies the initial citrus notes as…
Persolaise Review: Sikkim Girls from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
The Constantines’ love of using heady naturals comes to the fore in this highlight from last year’s mixed bag of scents under the collective name Volume 2. A compelling tale…
Persolaise Review: Pink Friday from Nicki Minaj (perfumer unknown; 2012)
An evening at Maison Persolaise. Two of our nieces (let’s call them Miranda, 16, and Tilly, 12) have come over for a meal with their favourite aunty and uncle. We’re…
FiFi UK 2013 Best Perfume Commercial Nominees
As we’re approaching the Easter weekend – a time when I hope we’ll all be able to slow down and rest – I thought I’d indulge in a post that’s…
Persolaise Review: Entre Naranjos from Ramon Monegal (Ramon Monegal; 2012)
I seem to be somewhat out of step with my colleagues in the critical community, as I’ve found myself unmoved by most of Ramon Monegal’s eponymous scents. However, I’d like…
First Shortlists For 2013 FiFi UK Awards
The first few shortlists for this year’s FiFi UK Awards have been announced and, as ever, they make for interesting reading. I’m always fascinated to discover which scents the industry…
Persolaise Review: Oxygen, Carbon & Hydrogen from nu_be (Antoine Lie, Françoise Caron; 2012)
Pick a concept for a new perfume brand. What hasn’t been done yet? Scents inspired by famous authors? That idea’s taken. Fragrances linked to blood groups? That one’s gone too.…
Persolaise Review: Hellstone + The Bug from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
Hellstone neatly sums up both what’s right and wrong with Gorilla‘s Volume 2 scents. On the one hand, it features an excellent accord: vetivert, cumin and opoponax brought together by…
Persolaise Wins Second Jasmine Award
Richard E Grant dropped the F-bomb. Air kisses were executed with a level of skill normally reserved for Olympic sports. And I finally got to meet Bois De Jasmin‘s charming…
Persolaise Review: Euphoria + Devil’s Nightcap from Gorilla Perfume (Simon & Mark Constantine; 2012)
If you had to make a list of perfumery ingredients which convey intense excitement, what would be on it? Sparkling citrus oils? Fizzy aldehydes? Sensuous vanilla? How about clary sage?…