Mimosa: 12 posts

In the depths of winter, when I begin to lose faith that spring will ever come again, the yellow pompoms of mimosa lift my spirits. No matter how rushed I am, the slender branches arranged in the florist’s windows tempt me to slow down, and I walk out of the store burying my face in a large bouquet. The fluffy flowers caress my cheeks and dust them with lemon-yellow powder, and the scent is vivid and joyful to match the explosive color–a mixture of green violet and honey soaked almonds. It’s delicate, but remarkably persistent, filling the room with the aroma of Provence within minutes.

Even if you haven’t smelled real mimosa*, chances  are you’ve encountered it in perfume. This material is one of the most intriguing and complex. The mimosa used in perfumery belongs to a related family, Acacia, with two varieties processed commercially for their fragrant oil–Acacia decurrens var. dealbata (called simply mimosa in the perfumery trade) and Acacia farnesiana (cassie). The former is the pompom like yellow mimosa in my photo, the latter is simpler and more austere but equally fragrant.

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

Sometimes I like to revisit fragrances a few years after their initial launch. My tastes might change in the meantime, but also the landscape of the market itself is likely to be different enough that what seemed disappointing earlier, turns out to be a pleasant discovery. This is exactly what happened with Yves Saint Laurent Cinéma. When I first smelled it in 2004, this amber laced mimosa seemed lost in the sea of other floral orientals—Giorgio Armani Sensi (2002), Cacharel Amor Amor (2003), Burberry Brit (2003,) Dolce & Gabbana Sicily (2003,) Christian Dior Pure Poison (2004,) to name a few prominent launches. Today, its warmth and softness stand out as particularly sophisticated next to the sugary gourmand blends currently popular. While it may sound like a backhanded compliment, Cinéma is a well-made, polished blend that deserves a second chance.

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

Caron Farnesiana defies conventions with its interpretation of violet and almond tinged mimosa notes. The classical softness of mimosa is rendered as suave and tender, yet the effect is more like delicate swirls of incense smoke rather than the swan dawn lightness of spring flowers. Farnesiana has an elegant, mellifluous character, yet at times it speaks in sultry whispers, with the overall impression of the fragrance being surprising, dramatic and at times unpredictable.

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

To me few scents evoke spring more than the honey and cucumber fragrance of mimosa. Even before the snow melted on the streets of Kiev, sidewalk vendors would suddenly appear with large baskets of fluffy mimosa branches wrapped in wet newspaper. I could never resist the sunny yellow color nor the warm, sweet fragrance, and I happily traded my school lunch allowance for a smell of spring. Today I would gladly exchange the most precious perfume in my collection for the utter joy of burying my face in a soft cloud of fragrant mimosa orbs, staining my fingers with indelible newspaper ink and feeling my pulse quicken at the thought of spring being near. Therefore, I simply could not wait for Annick Goutal Le Mimosa to arrive on our shores, even if the real mimosa rarely does. Launched this month as a part of the soliflores collection, Néroli, Des Lys, La Violette, Le Muguet and Le Chèvrefeuille, Le Mimosa is Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen’s ode to spring.

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

Frédéric Malle Une Fleur de Cassie inspires a comparison with espresso–the initial bitterness serves as a prelude for the caramelized and nutty undertones. Similarly, the dark powdery opening of Une Fleur de Cassie hides the warmth of violets and rose wrapped in mimosa. The fragrance also has an odd wet paper note before it takes an unexpected twist into the almond and violet. It’s an acquired taste, but once I acquired it, I fell in love with Une Fleur de Cassie’s juxtaposition of accords and tonalities.

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