Jasmine: 63 posts

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

Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse was created by Edmond Roudnitska, one of the most influential perfumers, the nose behind Rochas Femme, Diorella, Diorissimo and Dior Eau Sauvage among others. According to Frédéric Malle’s site, Le Parfum de Thérèse was composed in 1960s by Mr. Roudnitska for his wife, Thérèse. Upon the death of the master perfumer in the 1996, his wife allowed for the fragrance to be released to the public through Frédéric Malle.

Le Parfum de Thérèse is one of my favorites from the collection. The burst of sunny mandarin is followed by tart sweetness that reminds me of cantaloupe. A dry note of pepper softens the sweet fruity accord before green, yet animalic jasmine reveals itself. It is faint at first, however it becomes deeper over time. Roudnitska’s treatment of indoles–perfume materials that smell of decay and moth balls–in jasmine is fascinating. By amplifying the dark notes, he creates a genuinely sensual fragrance that straddles the fine line between seduction and repulsion.

While jasmine intensifies, violet and rose swirl out of the spicy green plum accords in the middle notes. The entire composition rests on a dry leathery base touched by earthy notes of vetiver. A fragrance both seductive and elegant, it unfolds gently on the skin, never failing to surprise me. I find something new in it every time I wear it.

Photo: Auguste Rodin, Fugit Amor (before 1887), marble, Musée Rodin, Paris. Photo by E. & P. Hesmerg.

Parfums Delrae was founded by DelRae Roth in 2000, and she has maintained her brand by collaborating with Michel Roudnitska, a son of genius perfumer Edmond Roudnitska. Michel Roudnitska, an accomplished perfumer in his own right, is the nose behind Parfums Delrae line, which as of now consists of four fragrances, Eau Illuminée, Amoureuse, Bois de Paradis, and Début.

Amoureuse, containing notes of tangerine, cardamom, French tuberose, French jasmine, Tahitian ginger lily, cedar moss, sandalwood, honey, is my favourite of the range. The first burst of sweet citrus underscored by spicy gingery scent of cardamom is reminiscent of my other favorite, Frédéric Malle Le Parfum de Thérèse, except where Le Parfum de Thérèse folds into the leather accord, Amoureuse continues to soar.

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

Parfums de Nicolaï Number One was the first fragrance to inagurate the line created by Patricia de Nicolaï and her husband Jean-Louis Michau in 1989. Number One won the prestigious Mouillette d’Or du Prix International du Meilleur Parfumeur, or Golden Scentstrip Award of the Best International Perfume Creator upon its debut. One whiff of this voluptous white floral composition, and it becomes clear why it received such an honor. De Nicolaï’s creations have an aura of grand parfums, while their structures are modern and radiant. Number One is a particularly harmonious blend of floral notes with a sonorous timbre of soft woods. After the initial sparkle of honeysuckle, the jasmine unfolds with its banana jam sweetness. Contrasted with sultry tuberose and green narcissus, the jasmine gains both complexity and sensuality. Iris with its powdery-rooty character lends Number One a caressing character. Its mixture of elegance and nostalgia is haunting.

Painting: Paul Gauguin, Bouquet of Flowers, 1896. Oil on canvas. National Gallery, London, UK.

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

Ormonde Jayne Sampaquita is as refreshin as a sip of lemonade on a hot summer day. It makes me feel rejuvenated and refreshed. The top notes are a Venetian lace of citrus notes, lychee, green leaves and white petals. Then the lemony melody softens into a floral medley. Here, water lily note is what I notice the most, paired with the spring-like brightness of freesia and the lush richness of jasmine sambac. The dry down is pleasantly earthy and musky.

Sampaguita, another name for a variety of jasmine sambac, comes from the Tagalog words “sumpa kita,” which means “I promise you.” It is the national flower of Phillipines, where the sampaguita is also known by a host of other names: sambac, sampagung, campopot, lumabi, kulatai, pongso, malur and manul.

Notes: Lychee, grass oil, bergamot and magnolia; sampaquita absolute, freesia, muguet, rose and water lilies; musk, vetivert, moss and ambrette seed.

Photo by willmack via flickr.

One cannot deny perfumer Ernest Daltroff’s genius in reinterpreting classical compositions and making floral bouquets seem like Impressionist paintings. When making a jasmine focused fragrance in 1929, he added a large quantity of synthetic component mimicking the scent of a pineapple. Jasmine in nature possesses a fruity note, and Caron Acaciosa presents it in the most delicate way.

Upon application the green notes are vivid, and as they gradually dissipate the opulence of jasmine resurfaces. Ylang ylang, lily of the valley and mimosa add to the floral bouquet. The pineapple becomes more pronounced in the heart. The delicate harmony of floral notes is my favorite aspect of Acaciosa. The drydown of heavy amber and resinous woods is much less interesting, and while the composition is pleasant, it is not distinctive.

Notes: rose, jasmine, lily of the valley, orange blossom, ylang ylang, pineapple, jasmine, sandalwood, amber, vanilla, musk.

On Reformulation (12/7/2010):
The original Acaciosa is a jasmine-orange blossom composition with an intense animalic note of leather and musk. The latest version misses the dark amber and animalic facets almost entirely, which makes Acaciosa a pretty, but unremarkable jasmine.