Cedarwood: 32 posts

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

Serge Lutens Cèdre (2005) is a flame caressing hot cedarwood curls. Its pairing of tuberose and cedar settles into a dark warm composition, with rather soft woodsy notes. Once again, Sheldrake&Lutens flight of fancy results in an enchanting Arabian vignette, taken from the One Thousand and One Nights. The sensual fluidity of the composition transports one from the fragrant pillows of Middle Eastern palaces through the spice stalls of the souks and into the confines of a tea house, where steam rising from the cups swirls amid heated conversations. Tuberose shimmers against the dark backdrop of resinous juices dusted with cinnamon. Heated by a hot breath of spices, the floral notes attain a clove ornamentation. This soft whisper of cloves echoes through the dark sweetness of wood. Ambery warmth suffuses the sonorous melody of the composition, adding an autumnal feel to the cedarwood foundation.

Picture: Limited edition bottle of Cèdre.

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

Olivia Giacobetti’s fragrances have a distinct voice—clarity contrasted with darkness. The aura of her creations is a haze over the rising morning sun, radiance shining delicately through the mist. Préparation Parfumée is not an exception in this respect. Created in 2001 in collaboration with interior designer Andrée Putman, Olivia Giacobetti’s fragrance joining the divide between masculine and feminine perfumes captures perfectly a scent of sunbleached wood. A touch of crisp sweetness is provided by a modest ornamentation by water lily, while the top notes are a whirlwind of the black pepper.  Transparent and minimalist quality of the fragrance should in no way be interpreted as anything promising boredom, because one simply cannot be bored while basking in its misty, yet bright glow.

Painting (click to enlarge): Mermaids (Rusalki, Based on Night in May by Nikolai Gogol) by Ivan Kramskoy, 1871. Oil on canvass. The Tretyakov Gallery collection, Moscow, Russia. www.abcgallery.com.