Rice: 4 posts

Patricia wraps herself in iris, sandalwood and amber and talks about some of her favorite fragrances from Parfum d’Empire.

Even if Equistrius, a fragrance from the French niche line Parfum d’Empire, hadn’t been named for an outstanding competition horse, I would have been intrigued by the well-balanced combination of some of my favorite notes in perfume. Although Equistrius can easily be worn year round, I find it especially suited to early fall, when the days begin to shorten noticeably, the southward-heading robins congregate in my backyard Kousa dogwood to devour its ripening berries, and the breeze carries a premonition of the chill to come.

Equistrius opens with refreshing green notes and violet, but eases quickly into a warm and buttery iris that is mouthwateringly delicious and demands frequent wrist to nose enjoyment. This is a soft, rather than a demanding iris, and perfume notes have included rice powder to convey this softness. What I get is more a feeling of rice paper: white, translucent, and richly grained, allowing the warm amber and milky sandalwood to show through, especially as the perfume continues to soften and develop on skin.

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

Based on the concept of travel through Asia, the newest release from Kenzo, KenzoAmour, seems far too delicate and fragile to take one on a whirlwind ride. Instead, the comforting sensation it conjures makes me lose the desire to embark on a long journey. The fragrance was created by Daphné Bugey (Le Labo Bergamote 22, Rose 31, Neroli 36), who chose the notes and Olivier Cresp (Paco Rabanne Black XS), who formulated the perfume. While the resulting composition is not strikingly original, it has enough character to maintain interest. …

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

Ormonde Jayne Champaca smells like magnolia petals, green tea and basmati rice, a surprising and compelling composition. Although Ormonde Jayne feminines are named after the flowers that inspired them, they are far from being simple soliflores. Sampaquita only delicately weaves jasmine into its fruity-musky body. Ta’if’s gourmand sweetness is only framed by the lush rose petals. Osmanthus hints at its apricot sweetness amidst the sparkle of citrus. Likewise, magnolia champaca is cleverly introduced into the eponymous composition. Set against the milky backdrop of rice, it becomes an exquisite stillife rather than a study of one flower. …

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