Review: Kokorico from Jean-Paul Gaultier (2011)
Persolaise There’s at least one person in the world who thinks Kokorico is a work of genius. A couple of weeks ago, when I picked up the scent’s tester at a…
perfume review
Review: Vitriol d’Oeillet from Serge Lutens (2011)
Uncle Serge and Christopher Sheldrake have been up to their old tricks again. Their latest release could easily be dismissed as an old-fashioned feminine, a woody floral stuck somewhere in…
Reviews: Yuzu Man from Caron (2011) & Hiroshima Mon Amour from Nez À Nez (2011)
The spirit of orientalism is alive in the latest masculine from Caron. Yuzu takes its inspiration from the East Asian (predominantly Japanese) fruit of the same name, and as you’d…
Reviews: Juniper Sling, Esprit Du Roi & Eau Sans Pareil from Penhaligon’s (2011)
Would it be too cruel to say that Penhaligon’s Anthology series of re-issues comes to a close not with a bang, but a whimper? Eau Sans Pareil is pleasant enough,…
Review: Stecca from Hilde Soliani (2008)
If I must have a fragrance that isn’t flawless in its entirety, then I’ll choose one whose weak section is the top notes: at least they fade away fairly rapidly.…
If It’s Friday, This Must Be Grasse
Free Wifi hasn’t been as easy to find as I’d hoped, but I’m pleased to say that so far the holiday has gone very well (although I gather the situation…
Review: Mon Numero 1, 6, 8, 9 & 10 from L’Artisan Parfumeur (2011)
Is there anyone out there who thinks there should be more perfume releases? Clearly, the answer to that question is a resounding Yes, because the number of new creations emerging…
Review: Auburn Pentachord, Verdant Pentachord & White Pentachord from Tauer Perfumes (2011)
One of the reasons I’m an admirer of the music of Björk is that it combines the finest elements of classicism with a reckless love of everything that modernity has…
Ciao For Now – Summer Break 2011
It’s hard to believe, but almost twelve months ago to the day, I published a post saying that Madame Persolaise and I were busy packing for our summer holiday. Well,…
Reviews: Fareb, Sucre D’Ebène, Manguier Métisse, Ambre Céruléen & Naïviris from Huitième Art (2010)
The unifying concept behind Pierre Guillaume’s Huitième Art certainly seems promising on paper. “What would Chanel N° 5 be without its aldehydes,” asks the range’s dedicated website, “L’Eau Sauvage without…
Reviews: Shalimar Parfum Initial from Guerlain and Miss Dior Chérie Blooming Bouquet from Christian Dior (2011)
Okay, here we go. Time to bite the bullet and articulate my thoughts on what is unquestionably one of the most important perfume releases of the year, regardless of the…
To Snub Or To Scathe?
You know you’re exhausted when you place an order for what you think is a new raw material only to discover that you’ve already got it in your lab. In…
Review: 02 Owari from Odin (2009)
You know the onomatopoeic ‘sound effect’ captions used in comic books? Well, Owari opens with a KA-POW, BANG, SHAZZAM! The top notes leap off the skin in a burst of…
Sample Give-Away + Review: Vanille from Mona Di Orio (2011)
A perfume should be able to speak for itself. But on some occasions, hearing its creator explain the logic behind its formulation adds considerable depth to how the scent is…
Review: Santal 33 from Le Labo (2011)
When I first sprayed Le Labo’s latest, I immediately went on Twitter and posted the word, “Wow,” thereby breaking my personal rule about jumping to conclusions. This was India in…
Review: Honour Man & Honour Woman from Amouage (2011) + Perfume Names
Amouage perfumes don’t exactly keep themselves to themselves. Bold and emphatic, they tend to conquer every lily-livered weakling in their path, showing no mercy and taking no prisoners. But Honour…
Review: Aqua Allegoria Jasminora from Guerlain (2011) and Aqua Fahrenheit from Christian Dior (2011)
I’m often asked if price is a good indicator of the quality of a perfume. When I’m told that I must restrict my answer to one word, I always say,…
Review: Blessings eau de parfum from Belinda Brown (2011)
I think my brain’s vocab centre has had a slight melt-down. I need a synonym for ‘fuzzy’, but none of the ones I’ve come up with so far capture the…
Review: Week-end À Deauville from Nicolaï (2011)
Generally speaking, there are two types of perfume labelled with the word ‘leather’: those which take their inspiration from the stench of a tannery and those which aim to evoke…
Sample Give-Away + Review Showcase: Angela Flanders
96 Columbia Road must surely be London’s best kept fragrance secret. A cosy shop decorated with Venetian masks, Rajasthani puppets and antique European furniture, it’s one of only two places…