Bertrand Duchaufour: 28 posts

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

The striking feature of L’Artisan Parfumeur Timbuktu, a dry composition of woods, vetiver and incense, is its incredible radiance. The fragrance has a marvelous soaring quality, from the top notes of pepper and citrus to the earthy drydown of patchouli and musk. It is as if the dark, dense notes are interspersed with fresh, effervescent layers, resulting in a fragrance that combines the rich warmth of cognac with the shimmery brightness of champagne.

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

I love the idea of an abstract gourmand, a fragrance that subtly suggests an illusion of something delicious and tantalizing without making its gustatory references overly obvious. Parfums MDCI La Belle Helene starts from this premise: a hint of mouthwatering dessert woven into an elegant oriental composition. La Belle Helene is a perfume inspired by a classical dessert, Poires Belle-Hélène, which was in turn inspired by Offenbach’s operetta La belle Hélène. Just as the great chef Auguste Escoffier interpreted Offenbach’s lighthearted parody in his own manner, perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour pays his personal homage to Escoffier’s sublime combination of poached pears paired with vanilla ice-cream, chocolate sauce and candied violets. La Belle Helene is a story of rosewater poached pear set into an elegant oriental backdrop of amber, incense and vetiver.

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

The fragrance industry is in dire straits these days, a fact that is exacerbated by the economic crisis. Each new launch for a brand is becoming more of a gamble, more of a risk. For one of my projects, I spent last week smelling over 100 recent launches and at the end, I was shocked at how few I could remember at all. At times like this, a surprising and memorable fragrance is a wonderful discovery. Such was L’Artisan Parfumeur’s Traversée du Bosphore (and to a lesser extent, Coeur de Vétiver Sacré, which I shall discuss separately.)

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

The lush complexity of tuberose is bewitching: the intense sensuality of its aroma; the surprising layering of green, mineral and creamy notes; the contrast between wet petally and ripe fruit facets. Although perplexing and challenging, this flower offers a rich source of inspiration to a perfumer. Even a brief glance at the L’Artisan Parfumeur tuberose collection reveals that it can be treated in strikingly diverse ways: as a coconut bonbon (Tubéreuse, first launched 1978 and now sadly discontinued,) an innocent ingénue in white (La Chasse aux Papillons), opulent, with an emphasis on jasmine notes (La Chasse aux Papillons Extrême,) or as a heady, creamy and spicy accord (La Haie Fleurie de Hameau). Nuit de Tubereuse, a fragrance by perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour and launched this spring, presents yet another tuberose treatment: earthy, musky, with a delicious tropical fruit accent.

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

There are seldom fragrances that I try very hard to like, but there are a few. I wanted to like the new Mille et Une Rôse by Lancôme because I wanted desperately to enjoy a glimpse of the original 2000 et Une Rôse. I wanted to enjoy Délices de Cartier because I have a weakness for red tinted bottles, but I could not get past the sugared cherries of the composition. When I first heard about the two newest fragrances from Eau d’Italie, I fell in love with the idea of scents capturing Sienese winters and Umbrian woods, a desire very much influenced by my travels in Italy. Thankfully, it was not difficult to find myself charmed by Sienne L’Hiver and Bois d’Ombrie. While neither strikes me as an exploration of a dramatically novel theme, their wistful character holds nostalgic connotations for me. …

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