Super Scent – The Very Best Of Hermès
Persolaise Hermès founder, Thierry Hermès Guess what: I found this Super Scent list very difficult to compile. But for an unexpected reason. As I explained to Candy Perfume Boy when I…
Hermes
Gift Recommendations For Father’s Day 2016
It’s that time of year again when dads get their own share of the shopping spotlight. So if you’re looking for gift ideas, please take a moment to scroll through…
Persolaise Review: Muguet Porcelaine from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2016)
The soundbites If Muguet Porcelaine were a colour it would be: aqua green with a suggestion of pink If it were a piece of music, it would be: Alone In…
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – January to March 2016 [part 1]
It’s that time again: a round-up of my mini-reviews from Twitter. Come back soon for part 2. Cedro Di Taormina from Acqua Di Parma (2016)* Typically elegant AdP cologne, this…
Persolaise Review: Eau De Rhubarbe Écarlate (Christine Nagel) & Eau De Néroli Doré (Jean-Claude Ellena) from Hermès (2016)
Today’s review takes the form of a conversation between the outgoing, in-house perfumer at Hermès, Jean-Claude Ellena, and his replacement, Christine Nagel. It is entirely fictional. Probably. — Christine Nagel…
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – October to December 2015 [part 3]
Here’s the third and final part of the latest compilation of mini-reviews. Fresh Couture from Moschino (2015)* Yes, the bottle is original & chuckle-worthy. The scent is a cliched mandarin-floral…
The All New London Perfume Shopping Guide (Updated: 6th December 2025)
An extensive, regularly-updated London perfume shopping guide from award-winning critic, Persolaise
Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – January to March 2015 [part 2]
Here’s part 2 of my digest of mini-reviews from Twitter, spanning January to March 2015. For part 1, please click here. À La Rose from Maison Francis Kurkdjian (Francis Kurkdjian;…
Uplifting Scents On ParfumPlus
Please click on this link to read my latest piece for the Middle East’s ParfumPlus magazine. Some of you may recognise it as an edited version of my recent post…
Father’s Day Ideas – What To Do If Your Dad’s Perfume Collection Is Already Quite Healthy
Blame the geek in me: I’m always on the lookout for an excuse to make a new list. And I’ve just discovered that I haven’t addressed Father’s Day since 2011…
Goldfish, Rice And Musky Teleporters – Perfume Recommendations For A Sunny Day
Best summer, sunny day perfume selection by award-winning critic Persolaise, with Chanel, Tom Ford, Frederic Malle, Guerlain, Hermes and others
“I Try To Take You By The Hand” – An Interview With Jean-Claude Ellena, Perfumer At Hermès
image: Hermès “My perfumes are sensual like the women of Hitchcock. I love Kim Novak. I can watch the same Kim Novak movie several times. And Grace Kelly too. There’s…
Persolaise Review: Le Jardin De Monsieur Li from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2015)
At the Paris launch of his fifth ‘garden’ scent for Hermès – which he refused to concede would be his last – Jean-Claude Ellena stated that Le Jardin De Monsieur…
Persolaise Review: Icon from Dunhill (Carlos Benaïm; 2015)
Carlos Benaïm‘s recent collaboration with Frederic Malle – the scintillating Eau De Magnolia – was seen by many critics as a modern rendition of 70s-style chypres, chiefly Edmond Roudnitska‘s Diorella…
Best Perfumes Of 2014 – A Time For Looking Back
If a pining for the past is a sign of social disquiet, then 2014 must have been a worrying year for the perfume industry: a significant proportion of new releases…
Kicking Up A Stink – The Definitive Guide To The Best Oud Perfumes
Guide to the best oud perfumes by award-winning critic Persolaise (feat. Tom Ford, Amouage, Dior, Le Labo, Montale, Nicolai, Ajmal, Francis Kurkdjian)
Persolaise Review: Cuir D’Ange from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2014)
In David Almond’s book, Skellig, a young boy encounters a strange man in the ramshackle shed at his new house. He’s filthy, his clothes are in tatters and he reeks…
Persolaise Review: Jour D’Hermès Absolu from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2014)
I still haven’t made up my mind about the original, 2012 edp of Jour D’Hermès. Those of you who saw my post on it may remember that several readers who’d…
Persolaise Review: Dior Homme Eau For Men from Christian Dior (François Demachy), Déclaration L’Eau from Cartier (Mathilde Laurent) & Terre D’Hermès Eau Très Fraîche from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena)
I still haven’t signed up to the policy which says that the arrival of warmer weather means we can wear only light scents. I always enjoy a spritz of sharp…
Persolaise Review: Amber Oud and Rose Oud from Nicolaï (Patricia De Nicolaï; 2013)
Ah, the power of peer pressure! A few years ago, you needed quite a few fingers to count the number of brands who said they’d “never do an oud.” Now,…