April 2011: 29 posts

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Although this spring we have several new orange blossom perfumes, from Lancôme Ô de l’Orangerie to Guerlain Floral Romantique, I still pledge loyalty to an orange blossom fragrance that offers the most authentic tribute to the beauty of this marvelously contrasted note–Annick Goutal Néroli. Néroli is not a complicated fragrance, yet with a few carefully balanced accords, it conveys both the sparkling innocence and the languid warmth of orange blossom.

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Our topic today is quite wide: feel free to talk about anything perfume or food related. What are your most anticipated seasonal foods? What fragrances bring you out of the slumber of winter? If you are celebrating Easter this weekend, what is on your menu?

As I type, I am trying not to get the almond and lemon scented batter of my Easter cakes all over the keyboard. I think that it shall be my perfume this weekend, though I already anticipate changing into Guerlain Chamade parfum later tonight.

I love spring for the scents that it brings–fresh grass, cherry and apple blossoms, magnolia, maple flowers (they smell sweet and sour, with a hint of melon) and earth after the rain. I cannot wait for the first asparagus, green peas, strawberries and ramps. I look forward to baking my grandmother’s rhubarb pastries and making my springtime lemon scented risotto with asparagus.

Image: antique Russian Easter postcard.

Since I posted lists of the top 20 fragrances preferred by US and French women (men’s lists will be coming soon as well) I decided to compile a list of Bois de Jasmin reader favorites. You might recall a post I ran a few weeks ago in which I asked readers for their top five favorite fragrances. While blog readers are not at all representative of the general perfume-wearing population, I thought it would be interesting to see what perfumistas prefer. Moreover, many answers were unusual, with selections that inspired me to explore new lines and new fragrances.

So if you have not had a chance to share your top 5 favorites with me either here or on Facebook, please do. I will include your answers when compiling the Bois de Jasmin list of reader favorites.

Image: Chanel Cuir de Russie, one of my top 5 favorites.

My article on orange blossom, a note I adore, appears today in Financial Times Magazine. In Orange Blossom : A Note That Embodies Spring, I talk about different effects that orange blossom can capture, from light and innocent to dark and sultry.

Extra from Bois de Jasmin archives: Bitter Orange family: Orange blossom, Neroli, Petitgrain.

In April, Caron is launching two new fragrances, Délir de Roses and Yuzu Man. Both fragrances are created by Richard Fraysse. Délir de Roses includes notes of jasmine, lily of the valley, lychee, lotus flower and rose. Despite the list of notes that reads like every other fruity-floral on the market, Délir de Roses is quite an interesting rose focused composition, with a pronounced gourmand accord. The fragrance is reminiscent of a Turkish delight confection scented with roses and almonds. Another addition to the roses trend this spring.

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