Nightflights And Dreamscapes – Review: Guerlain Vol de Nuit Eau de Toilette

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Olfactoria

There are perfumes in my collection I reviewed very early on, there are reviews on my blog, of perfumes that never made it out of sample status, and there are bottles in my closet, I have loved, worn and cherished for years, but for some reason kept mum about.

Vol de Nuit is one of the latter category. I guess I did not review Vol de Nuit for so long, because I find it hard to put into words what is is, how it smells, how I love it.

Sadly, this is not the bottle I have, but the one I aspire to.

Vol de Nuit was created in 1933 by Jacques Guerlain and includes notes of bergamot, galbanum, petitgrain, jasmine, daffodil, spices, woods, iris, vanilla, amber and forest notes. Another notes list reads:  Orange, mandarin, lemon, bergamot, orange blossom; jonquil, aldehydes, galbanum; vanilla, spices, oakmoss, sandalwood, orris, musk. Stil another has the following notes: orange, bergamot, lemon, mandarin, petitgrain, galbanum, sage, aldehydes, violet, rosewood, palmarosa, jasmine, daffodil, pimento, vanilla, benzoin, Peru balsam, musk, cedarwood, orris, tonka bean, oakmoss, agarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, ambergris and castoreum.

This is the refillable Habit de Fete bottle of EdT I have.

Its history can be best read on Bois de Jasmin and Perfume Shrine. I also like this review on Yesterday’s Perfume. My bottle of EdT is from before 2000, I’m no expert whatsoever when it comes to vintages and reformulation and when what took place, but I believe my bottle is still pre-reformulation. See a review of the extrait by Tara here.

It is not that Vol de Nuit is the best perfume I ever smelled, far from it. But still – Vol de Nuit has a special meaning. It was the first Guerlain classic I fell, for and I’m still of the opinion it is one of the most accessible.

Let’s hear a musical version of Vol de Nuit, that is how it smells to me: a familiar theme interpreted in an interesting way, it sticks with you and it is almost unbearably beautiful.

Vol de Nuit EdT opens with a fresh citrus accent that stays for a long time and is slowly getting greener and greener, bolstered by galbanum. The floral heart is well blended, I can discern orange blossom and jasmine, infused with spicy notes on a dominant oriental bed of ambery-mossy woods.

Vol de Nuit touches me. It makes me feel elegant and wordly, but not in a “lady” kind of way. It is warm and comfortable, the word that comes to mind again and again is timeless.

Vol de Nuit is transporting me to another time and place.  A place outside reality, Vol de Nuit is a night flight into a world of dreams and fantasies, a means of escape.

Vol de Nuit flies me through the night to wherever I want to be, to whatever I want to be. Vol de Nuit leaves all possibilities open. Unlike real life, Vol de Nuit never closes a door in your face.

Having such a place in your heart and knowing where to find it, is all that matters.

Image source: fragrantica.com, http://www.rasiel.com

Posted in Amber, Chypre, Citrus, Fragrance Reviews, Green, Guerlain, Iris, Jasmine, Oriental, Spicy, Vanilla | Tagged , , , , | 36 Comments

Going Vintage – Review: Guerlain Vol de Nuit Extrait de Parfum

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Olfactoria

By Tara

Up until this year I had successfully managed to avoid vintage perfumes. I resisted trying old formulations because I knew I would fall madly in love, thus condemning myself to a stressful search for an elusive bottle which – if found – I’d have to pay a high price for, with no guarantee that it hadn’t turned.

Vol de Nuit was created in 1933 by Jacques Guerlain and includes notes of Hesperidic (citrus) notes, galbanum, narcissus, green notes, woods, oakmoss, iris, vanilla and spices.

I have tested Vol de Nuit in its current pure parfum formulation a number of times and liked it, but not enough to buy a bottle or even get round to acquiring a decant or sample. However, my view of this 1933 classic changed when The Candy Perfume Boy very generously sent me a sample of his vintage Vol de Nuit extrait de parfum, saying I had to try it.

I spilt half of the sample vial’s contents onto the back of my hand and was utterly transported. I knew I had to have it – just like that – and as soon as possible. Luckily, within a fortnight, a sealed vintage (possibly 1960s) 30ml bottle of the parfum, came up for auction. In the end I got it for a far bit less than I anticipated, but what condition would it be in?

When it arrived I opened the zebra print box and sat the stunning propeller bottle on the kitchen table. (Incidentally, that smoked glass Art Deco bottle has to be my absolute favourite bottle design). Nervously, I cut the threads around the neck and tentatively rubbed the glass stopper against my wrist. At first sniff I must admit I was a little disappointed that the citrus top notes had clearly evaporated over time, but happy that the wonderfully acrid galbanum remained. Even after several decades, this bottle of Vol de Nuit still seemed to pulse with plant life; tree sap, green shoots, budding daffodils, woods and undergrowth.

Resinous and mossy but also balsamic and slightly powdery with a touch of vanilla, Vol de Nuit seems to reside at the intersection of chypré and oriental. Possessing a slight edge and a hint of darkness, it has shown me the wonder of real oakmoss. Half forest floor, half seashore, this much lamented natural material is nothing short of addictive. The other great thing is the presence of Guerlinade, that mysterious signature accord you find in some of the classic Guerlains.

Sadly, the current parfum doesn’t make me swoon in the same way. Vol de Nuit has always been a svelte composition but the current formulation is just a little too stark to move me. The vintage version is so much fuller, deeper, greener and mossier. It is altogether so much more.

Just the other day, when I applied my vintage Vol de Nuit and slung on my Patti Smith-style leather jacket, something just clicked. I felt strong and self-possessed, just like that rock ‘n’ roll poet at her 1970s peak. It occurred to me that Patti Smith and Vol de Nuit make a good match. Both are empowering, androgynous and truly compelling.

photo © by Lynn Goldsmith

“Brimming with audacity, it is the perfume of the woman who goes for broke”
– from the Vol de Nuit page of the Guerlain website

Do you have a vintage perfume tale to tell?

Come back tomorrow for a review of the Eau de Toilette by Olfactoria.
Posted in Chypre, Fragrance Reviews, Guerlain, Oriental | Tagged , , , , , | 39 Comments

Monday Question – Has A Review Ever Ruined A Perfume For You?

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Olfactoria

Is there a perfume that you don’t enjoy as much anymore after reading a damning review?

Is your perception of a scent influenced by the opinion of others?

Did you ever stop wearing something, because of what somebody else said about it?

My Answer:

Unfortunately, yes. I used to wear Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune with abandon in the summer over many years. Then, when I was falling down the rabbit hole into Perfumeland, I read up on my old favorites and promptly found several reviews stating that Pamplelune has a distinct B.O. note.

What??? Pamplelune stinks and I never knew?

I have been wearing a perfume that reeks of sweat and unwashed armpits for years and did not notice? Did others? Apparently this is something several bloggers noticed, so they must be right.

Pamplelune is totally ruined for me. I am afraid of it actually. I’m afraid of wearing something I really enjoyed, because maybe it smells strange to others and I just don’t notice it. It makes me a bit sad. It is not that I have not enough choice in my closet, even for summer, but still… I found Pamplelune to be a carefree and invigorating, uplifting and happy scent I applied lavishly. Apparently I was a walking armpit.

Even if this is not true, and I never got any complaints, the image is burned into my brain and there is no way I could ever wear it again.

What about you? Any old favorites turned to pariahs thanks to a review?

Posted in Citrus, Guerlain, Monday Question | Tagged , , , | 117 Comments

Vintage Paradise – A Few Treasures For My Closet

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Olfactoria

Despite my one bottle a month rule, I could not withstand the temptation I unsuspectingly ran into last week. A perfume store in Vienna, one I had passed by and somehow not seen hundreds of times, turned out to be an Aladin’s cave of treasures. A nearly complete line up of Guerlain’s from the 1980s, numerous other vintage and hard to find fragrances. I almost had to sit down inside, my little heart was beating so hard.

Here were perfumes I had never seen with my very own eyes. Parure extrait and Eau de Parfum, Liu Parfum de Toilette, Guet-Apens even…

But without further ado, here are the ones that went home with me. I’m a lucky and a happy girl indeed.

Shalimar Extrait de Parfum

Shalimar has been a long-time favorite and I have been looking for an older extrait for a while.

And here comes Vol de Nuit:

Vol de Nuit Extrait de Parfum

Look out for two separate reviews of Vol de Nuit EdT and the extrait (by Tara) scheduled for next week.

Shiseido’s Feminité de Bois has been transferred into the Serge Lutens line, but in a reformulated version and in Eau de Parfum concentration only.

I always longed for the original version of Feminité de Bois, finding the parfum version was a dream come true.

Family Photo

And here is the whole happy family together.

Have you recently had a lucky find?

What would you like to find out there?

Posted in Collection Photos, Guerlain, Serge Lutens | Tagged , , | 81 Comments

Bottle Of The Month – March And A Giveaway

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Olfactoria

By Kilian Amber Oud is my bottle of the month for March. See it here in all its glory… because this is not the one I have, I am happy that Kilian makes refills as well, and that less glamorous but decidedly more economical option is what graces my perfume cabinet right now.

I fell for Amber Oud hook, line and sinker upon first sniff. It was not entirely unexpected, but I still didn’t think that it would be such a great love for me.

Thanks to Kilian’s inspired marketing (and accompanying budget, because I’m sure many smaller houses would love to do what Kilian does, but just can’t afford it) many of you have a sample of Amber Oud, but I still want to share a bit of mine for anyone who didn’t get one or can’t get enough.

Please leave a comment on this post telling me about your first amber love, or your first experiences with amber as a note. I will draw one lucky winner who will receive a generous spray sample of Amber Oud plus a manufacturer’s sample of Pure Oud.

The giveaway is open until April 5 midnight GMT, I will announce the winner here on the blog on April 6.

Good luck everyone!

P.S: Those who suspected my March bottle is a Guerlain are not totally wrong, we’ll have to wait for April to see it though. 😉

Posted in By Kilian, Collection Photos | Tagged , , | 98 Comments

Fragrant Mystery – Review: Penhaligon’s Artemisia

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Olfactoria

You do not hear much about Artemisia in Perfumeland. I wonder why that is.

Does everybody find it unworthy of reviewing? Is it not marketed enough by Penhaligon’s, so nobody knows about it? Is it so bad, it is shunned by those in the know? Is is so good everybody who tries it want to keep it for him/herself?

Well, the last point it is probably not the reason nary a review is to be found about this perfume, because once we Perfumistas find something we like, we do not keep mum about it, we tell it to the world. And so I will…

First of all though, before we even start sniffing, look at the bottle –  it has a pink bow! What more can you ask of a bottle?  🙂

Artemisia was created in 2002 and includes notes of Nectarine and Green Foliage, Green Apple, Lily of the Valley, Jasmine Tea, Violet and Vanilla, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber and Vanilla.

If I had started out reading the notes list, I probably would not have bothered with Artemisia in the first place (Aha! Maybe that is one reason for the google blankness on this fragrance!) It sounds like a right fruity-floral, doesn’t it?

Artemisia smells smooth, well-blended and simply good. It intrigues and confuses me. Why? Because I never know whether Artemisia is extremely complicated or totally simple. I never know what I smell at any given moment, no one note gives itself up to my nose, all I get is a perfect blend. A blend that smells…

Hmm, I am stumped. (Aha! Maybe that is the reason for the google silence on the subject!) Artemisia presents itself to my nose well rounded and perfectly formed. Whenever I try to get an angle on it,  it slips away from me. There is no entrance into this perfume, no starting point, no similes, no metaphors. All I can come up with is: It smells good (if slightly boring – hmm, another possible reason for the Artemisia embargo).

That is a bit weak for a review, isn’t it?

So what do we know: Artemisia presents a problem. For someone who sits down daily to write a perfume review, to not find a single possible descriptor for the perfume under my nose – this is interesting, to put it mildly.

It makes me feel half incompetent, half amused. I may be totally out of it, or I may have found the un-analyzable perfume.

Therefore I want to ask for your help.

If you know Artemisia, please help me out. What do you smell? What is your angle, your approach? What does it say to you?

Image source: luckyscent.com, Artemisia Gentileschi Self Portrait via settemuse.it
Posted in Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Fruity, Penhaligon's | Tagged , , , , | 39 Comments

To Eat Or Be Eaten – Review: Reminiscence Les Notes Gourmandes Do Ré And Mi Fà

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Olfactoria

Gourmands can be tricky. No one wants to smell like dessert. (Those who do, can skip this paragraph and go directly to the review).

Marla of PST once told me that a goat bit her wrist, where she had applied Mandorlo di Sicilia by Acqua di Parma /Blu Mediterraneo. I found that story hilarious, but it is always at the back of my mind as a warning: She who smells like food, is bound to be eaten.

A good gourmand scent is more than a food smell, I think we all agree on that. Guerlain and Parfumerie Générale are the houses of choice for me, when I get the craving for something sweet, but I recently found two lovely and affordable perfumes that satisfy my sweet tooth just as well.

The Les Notes Gourmands line includes four perfumes named after the Italian musical scale – do re mi fa sol la si do. The bottles tread the fine line between cute and kitsch, but on a good day, they fall on the side of cuteness for me.

I have tried the first two: Do Ré, an ode to Heliotope and Mi Fa, a song for Marshmallows.

Do Ré:

Do Ré was created in 2008 by Jacques Flori and includes notes of green notes, fig, heliotrope, almond, virginia cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin, and musk.

Do Ré is all about heliotrope/almond. Sometimes, really all I want, is to smell a good almond note. My go-to perfumes in this department are Carner Tardes, Caron Farnesiana and Etro Heliotrope. It is the latter, that Do Ré most resembles.

A green tinged, not overly sweet, lovely confection reminiscent of marzipan, but fluffier and a lot greener and airier than one would imagine reading the notes list, Do Ré is not heavy at all. It is easily wearable with discreet sillage, and lasts for at least six hours on me.

It is often available on eBay or at discounters for a very good price.

Mi Fà:

Mi Fà, also a Jacques Flori creation, inlcudes notes of bergamot, tangerine, orange, almond, lavender, rosemary, peppermint, green notes, ozonic notes, neroli, petitgrain, black pepper, jasmine, tonka bean, vanilla, virginia cedarwood, patchouly, sandalwood, ambergris and musk.

Mi Fà is all about marshmallow and that is the truth. It is a sweet, but airy, spun sugar scent that somehow manages to evoke images of soft pink marshmallow clouds to bounce around in, without being overwhelming or cloying in the least. The fresh citrus top notes stay for a long time, diffusing the sweet rose-jasmine vanilla core into a gauzy and weightless affair.

Mi Fà has excellent staying power and moderate sillage. It is a lot classier than one would think, and it is really not only a perfume for the teenage set. I don’t feel even vaguely mutton-ish when wearing it.

By Kilian Love is very close in smell actually, so Mi Fà would be a vastly more affordable dupe.

The credit for discovering the line goes to Vanessa, who found the perfumes in Budapest and wrote about them, and my friend Florence, who generously shared samples with me. Thank you, Ladies!

Image source: reminiscence.fr, lesliesteinberg.com, sugar_rush confections via flickr.com
Posted in By Kilian, Floral, Fragrance Reviews, Gourmand, Guerlain, Heliotrope, Orange Blossom, Powdery, Reminiscence, Rose, Vanilla | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 35 Comments

The Prince Of Amber And His Favorite – Review: Histoires de Parfums Ambre 114

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Olfactoria

By rights this should have been the first Histoires de Parfums scent I should have tried, I have a certain reputation to live up to after all. But for very practical reasons, testing was postponed. My dear son, Niki, the Prince of Amber (apple, tree etc.), took hold of the sample and proceeded to apply it all over his tummy, proudly declaring: “Ninti smells gooooood now.”

While he was undoubtedly right, it was not enough for me to write a review about, so I had to order another sample and finally – here we are.

Ambre 114 was created by Gerard Ghislain and includes notes of thyme, nutmeg, rose, geranium, patchouli, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, amber, vanilla, tonka bean, benzoin and musk.

Ambre 114 has its Le Labo’esque name because the formula includes 114 ingredients. Now, we know that I have not only one amber in my collection, but Ambre 114 will make its way there too eventually (in the form on one of those cute and wonderful 14ml bottles). Why, you ask? What makes this different from the others? Let me tell you!

Ambre 114 is very light, despite the genre, despite a whopping 114 ingredients, the feel of this perfume is airy and weightless. It is not dense, no heavy winter scent to stifle you in the months to come, but a very wearable, soft and exceptionally well blended warm oriental.

Ambre 114 is, after a sheer herbal opening reminscent of a diet version of Ambre Sultan, a very sweet and spicy, creamy, soft, well rounded and pleasantly woody amber with a hint of smoke.

We are reminded of Amouage Opus VI, when I say lightweight amber, but the two are very, very different. Ambre 114 is much softer and more feminine, the sweet aspects of amber are pronounced here, whereas Opus VI is dry and masculine, square-edged, angular, chiseled almost.

Those two impress me as the Yin and Yang of the amber spectrum.

“Opposites only exist in relation to each other. Yin and Yang are not opposing forces (dualities), but complementary opposites, unseen (hidden, feminine) and seen (manifest, masculine), that interact within a greater whole, as part of a dynamic system.”

– wikipedia.com

So that explains why I need to add a little of Ambre 114 in my life- because who am I to upset the cosmic balance?

The Prince of Amber doing field research into all things smelly.

And, the greater workings of the universe aside, “Ninti smells goooood” too.

Posted in Amber, Fragrance Reviews, Histoires de Parfums | Tagged , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Amuse Gueule – Review: Parfumerie Générale Cozé

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Olfactoria

I had a sample of Cozé for some time and it languished ignored among its peers, as I read a post on Vanessa’s blog Bonkers about Perfume where she describes a talk given by Pierre Guillaume at Les Senteurs in London recently.

She tells us how Pierre demonstrated Cozé and proceeded to lick it off his own wrist to show the spiciness that is apparently as tasty as it smells good.

A mad scramble for that sample ensued on my side. I sprayed, I licked and here we are…

Created by Pierre Guillaume, Cozé includes notes of canapa sativa seed oil, pepper, pimento, coffee, ebony wood, chocolate and bourbon vanilla pods.

More on the masculine side of the spectrum, Cozé is a spicy, peppery wood scent that features hemp oil. According to Luckyscent, PG has the patent on the particular method of extraction used for this oil.

I don’t love to wear overly masculine leaning scents usually, but I have no problem whatsoever wearing this. I would unhesitatingly classify this as unisex and recommend it to the most feminine of women.

Cozé opens with a lively shot of pepper and pimento and then becomes smoother, warmer and softer as the hemp makes itself known. It smells green, leafy with a “dark-brown” (synesthetically speaking)  undercurrent of sweetness. This sweetness is picked up by chocolate and vanilla notes in the drydown, but this is by no means a full on gourmand, the herbal quality of the hemp and the spiciness that stays throughout the development take care of that.

So how does it taste? 😉

Apparently PG’s intention was to demonstrate the “pepper in the throat”, the spiciness of Cozé that is also apparent when tasted and his licking was the “most sensual demostration of perfume” Vanessa has ever witnessed. Sadly, very, very sadly, I did not witness this, but the image in my head is quite sufficient.

Cozé tastes hot, peppery and sharply green, that much I can say, although the gesture is what counts rather than the experience of taste. 😉

It is not my intention to reduce PG to his physicality - but it is right there for all to see, alongside his creativity and talent.

I will happily wear Cozé now, for it has an incredible image attached in my mind.

Also, I predict a run for Cozé, get your bottle before it sells out. 😉

Posted in Fragrance Reviews, Gourmand, Parfumerie Generale, Spicy, Vanilla, Woods | Tagged , , , , , | 61 Comments

Monday Question – What’s on Your Full Bottle Wish List?

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Olfactoria

By Tara

Which perfume(s) do you want to buy a full bottle of?

Do you keep a record of the perfumes you want to purchase?

Do you buy them in strict list order or do you “line skip” when you suddenly discover an intense new love and must have it NOW?

Can you split your wish list into different categories such as “To Buy” and “To Buy One Day When I Am Rich”?

Or are you perfectly happy with your current collection and want for nothing at the moment?

My Answer:

I don’t keep a written record of perfumes I want to buy because there’s usually relatively few. However, I do “line skip” when I fall madly in love with something new and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this. I figure that I must love it a lot more than the others already on my list because I just can’t wait!

On my wish list right now are the following:

Parfums d’Empire Equistrius

Guerlain Vol de Nuit EDT (pre-reformulation)

Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle Portrait of a Lady

Ormonde Jayne Champaca

So, let’s compare lists!

Posted in Monday Question | Tagged | 90 Comments