Chypre: 72 posts

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

While recently exploring dark, oriental roses, I realized that I have never reviewed the sultriest of them all, the original Agent Provocateur. It is an omission on my part because this fragrance not only posseses a fantastic aura—an explosive mélange of everything dark, seductive and hypnotic — but it also manages to strike a great balance between provocatively flamboyant and classically elegant. The usual route for sexy, deep cleavage perfumes is the oriental genre with its warm, opulent notes of vanilla, spices and balsams, but Agent Provocateur chooses the mysterious allure of chypre and its mossy woods to convey its passionate character.

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

A dyed in the wool fragrance connoisseur is often apt to look down upon fruity floral fragrances, much like an aficionado of Albert Camus might spurn the work of Danielle Steele. After all, this fragrance family is one of the most popular among the large commercial launches, and its motifs can feel overplayed and tiresome. Yet, just like one should not judge a book by its cover, appraising fragrances by their notes is misleading. A strong fruity accord woven into a floral composition can result in Jelly Belly Fruit Salad or Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, depending on what the creator intends. A fragrance I like to bring up as an example of an utterly sophisticated and elegant fruity floral is Hermès Amazone.

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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 finally had to admit to myself that Hermès Kelly Calèche disappointed me. It did not deliver on the promise to evoke the prized soft leather of Hermès bags, which naturally possess a subtle floral accent; nor was the signature of genius perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena fully obvious in the final result. The fragrance in my mind was glorious, the scent on my skin turned out but a pale shadow of it.

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Fragrances in the chypre fragrance family remind me why I love perfume in general. Granted, the topic of chypre could fill a whole book, I offer some tidbits to incite curiosity to explore this great family further. I also offer a selection of favorite chypres, from classical and modern, as well as some advice to those new to exploring this family. …

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

While the newest Miller Harris fragrance, Fleurs de Sel is inspired by the traditional fragrance concept, it is a modern composition with a nod to the classical past. Our love affair with chypre fragrances—those complex and intense harmonies of citrus, floral, woody, mossy and animalic notes—has always been tumultuous. If some families such as florals have an immediate and familiar appeal, abstract chypres require more patience in order to appreciate them. Yet, witnessing the revival of the family over the past few years leads me to conclude that we are once again in a chypre-infatuated decade. …

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