Ambery Family: 53 posts

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

He brings the sunshine. That’s how Etat Libre d’Orange describes its latest fragrance Fils de Dieu, du Riz et des Agrumes. “Son of God, rice and citrus” was brought into this world by perfumer Ralf Schwieger, who took the idea of a classical oriental and made it new and memorable. What drew me to Fils de Dieu from the first inhale was how well it played on the contrasts: the effervescence of citrus cologne and the plush richness of vanilla, the spring-like brightness of green leaves and the sultry darkness of musk, the clarity and the complexity.

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Part 1: Florals ~ Rose
Part 2: Florals ~ Jasmine and White Florals
Part 3: Florals ~ Lily of the Valley and Violet
Part 4: Florals ~ Blends
Part 5: Essentials

My Perfume Wardrobe is back from its winter break with a new installment on ambery fragrances. This perfume genre is warm and sensual, with rich notes of vanilla, amber, patchouli, sandalwood and musk. The fragrances like Coty’s  L’Origan (1905), Ambre Antique (1910) and Émeraude (1921) paved the way to the dazzling array of ambery perfumes available today.

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

Does anyone else wear any of the Krizia fragrances? Although some of the best in the collection have bit the dust, Krizia exemplifies such an ebullient and vivacious side of Italian perfumery that it should be explored for this reason alone. Thankfully, the elegant floral K de Krizia by the great Maurice Roucel is still around. Unfortunately, some of my favorites are gone*: Teatro alla Scala, a composition of amber and tobacco, the coffee laced Spazio Krizia Donna as well as the effervescent and sexy Krazy Krizia. The latter is particularly fun—imagine Guerlain Shalimar dressed up for 1980s.

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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 first time I smelled Sweet Redemption, the newest fragrance from by Kilian, was on a hot August morning. It was a typical New York summer day, filled with the heavy smell of hot asphalt and roasted peanuts. As the fragrance was warming up on my skin, however, I found myself in an autumnal mood. Visions of burnished gold and crimson leaves, rain puddles and foggy afternoons swirled in my mind, somehow inspired by this wistful orange blossom composition. Sweet Redemption is warm and tender, serene and introspective. It has a wonderfully comforting aura, a perfect antidote to the cold reality of autumn which is soon to come.

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

Where is the exhilaration and intoxication? Where is the delicious darkness of a fine aged liquor? Where is the opulence typical of ambers and woods? For a fragrance that comes from a venerable cognac producer, Frapin 1697 seems like a particularly disappointing offering. It delivers none of darkness and richness one might expect from an amber oriental liberally dosed with rum notes and instead falls apart into musk and sour fruit. If it were a cocktail, I would have asked the bartender to remix it.

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