Tea: 26 posts

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

The summer has been chilly until the past couple of weeks, and I have been wearing ambers and orientals rather than fresh colognes. For this reason, I wasn’t in a rush to seek out the newest addition to the Dior “Voyage” collection, which debuted in 2008 with a light and fizzy Escale a Portofino. However, Escale à Pondichéry suits my current mood perfectly, for not only it has enough warmth to make its straightforward cologne structure enticing on a chilly summer day, but it evokes the memories of my Indian adventures. While my next trip is not until the winter, I am consoling myself with scents that remind me of India.

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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 smell alluring one would never expect to don the scent of rubber and smoke. Yet, Bvlgari Black with its smoke and resin accords that oscillate between dark roasted lapsang souchong tea and rubber is one of the most sensual fragrances I have tried. Its sensuality is not the skintight silk dress seduction of Robert Piguet Fracas or the strawberries and champagne charm of Yves Saint Laurent Yvresse. Black is Marlene Dietrich in the 1930’s film “The Blue Angel.” It is thrilling, smoldering and daring. Nothing about it is conventionally beautiful. The best way to describe it is arresting. …

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

The newest addition to the Bvlgari tea party, Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge (2005), renders the cup of tea in a wispy, haiku manner much like its earlier predecessors Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert and Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc. However, while the former is a citrus and the latter is a soft floral, Thé Rouge offers a twist on the woody oriental theme. It is a vision of a cup of dark tea; however, where a sip of the dark ambery liquid would reveal the full depth and richness of the beverage, Thé Rouge remains a suggestion of steam rising in delicate swirls above the rim. …

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

Inspired by a visit to the gardens of Beijing’s Forbidden City, Hermès Osmanthe Yunnan, Jean-Claude Ellena’s creation for Hermessence range explores the marriage of tea and flower. Yunnan tea and osmanthus is a combination of natural harmony due to the fact that the flowery rich tea tonality underscores the fruity delicacy of osmanthus. Its scent, elusive and haunting, ranges from tea-soaked dried apricots to jasmine soap crushed in a leather bag.

The hesperidic notes sparkle like sugar crystals falling into a tea cup, their astringent quality appearing as somewhat sharp on the skin. The tart orange becomes more pronounced, contrasting with the gentle richness of tea. As could be expected, the composition is quintessentially Ellena—delicate transparency paired with complexity of the final result, which is a panoramic display of the idea. The composition appears rather smooth, with none of the notes dominating, but instead melding elegantly into a transparent, yet velvety fruity-floral scent. …

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

Hazy and gentle, Annick Goutal Duel seems inappropriately named, as more than anything it calls to mind opponents who would rather exchange polite remarks than gunshots. It has a certain subtlety that delicately hints at its more forceful aspects, wrapping them in sweetness of violet. On the one hand, it may register as too subtle, yet, on another, it has the same charm as the pastels. Thus, whenever Annick Goutal fragrances are compared to the watercolors, I always think of Duel as a good example of such an analogy.

Created by Isabelle Doyen in collaboration with Camille Goutal, Annick Goutal’s daughter, Duel is a fragrance with a romantic air. Its violet tinged coolness of iris paired with crisp greenness of maté conjures a vision of the Belle Époque salon set with preparations for tea.  …

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