Byredo Bullion is a really funny perfume to me. Probably because in Polish we have a word “bulion” (written with one “L”) and it means a soup base. Even though Bullion has nothing to do with bulion, I can’t escape the connection of the names. On my skin Byredo Bullion starts with a floral smell of tiny osmanthus flowers. To me the note smell like a green tea infusion, flavored with apricot. After 10-15 minutes it turns fruity with plum that is dried and smoked. Addition of leather accord highlights the smoky and balmy character that Bullion just gained. Some time later the fragrance gets watered down, maybe because of magnolia. There was also a pale woodiness of sandalwood and other woods, described at Fragrantica as “dark woodsy notes.” 5 hours later, in the drydown there’s a lot of musk, white and quite clean with a hint of spiciness sourced from pink pepper. All in all Bullion by Byredo is a nice perfume but on me it’s very weak in terms of longevity and projection. If somebody has tried it – please share and tell if the perfume sticks to your skin for longer than 6 hours. It was launched in 2012.
Ambre Muscadin by Laurent Mazzone’s LM Parfums was introduced in 2011. To me it opens with a tsunami of honey. In the opening stage there’s a lot of bright sweetness and luckily it’s not sticky or cloying. It just wraps around your arms and becomes warmer and warmer, softer and softer. Musk plays a significant role in this perfume. It’s sensual and erotic. Not exactly clean as it has some dirtier facets bringing to mind a view of sweaty, sporty body. Amber is luminous here. Not plastic at all but more mineral, slightly marine-salty with a noticeable tones from cedar wood. Later on vanilla and benzoin amplify the amber accord adding it more depth and weight. They add a creamy and slightly gourmand feeling to the composition of Ambre Muscadin. The notes of amber, musk, honey, entwine with each other creating a harmony of aromas. This perfume is potent and it never overpowers despite having such powerful ingredients. In the drydown of this LM Parfums creation I detect some woody aroma (vetiver) combined with sheer beauty of flowers (violets). I also get a hint of suede. Ambre Muscadin is a great perfume. Lasts for quite long and has a decent sillage that becomes more intimate after some time. Ideal for a cold weather.
Gold Rush by A Dozen Roses is an interesting perfume, a marriage of floral and gourmand flavors. First of all it starts with a refreshing orange blossom that has a really nice aroma. It lasts for around 20 minutes and then a sheer, watered-down and pink rose joins the composition to give it a proper dose of femininity. At 45 minutes mark I started to notice the creamy accord of ylang-ylang that was slowly evolving into a sweet’n’spicy mix of mexican chocolate. There’s a lot of pleasant milkiness in Gold Rush. The choco accord is really well made here. Then a forest fruit accord appears on my skin. Blackberries join the chocolate note and the desert is almost ready. Just add a little bit of woody elements, sprinkles of ebony and finish everything with a pinch of spices. Et voila! As much as I generally don’t like gourmand scents Gold Rush is quite acceptable thanks to the addition of woods and spices. Still, I wouldn’t wear it because I find it too feminine.
I’ve never heard of A Dozen Roses. Interesting.
I think they’ve launched 4 or 5 perfumes so far, in one of the earlier MQS I wrote about Shakespeare in Love from them too.
I think you might like Gold Rush.
I need to check them out for sure.
Sounds like a good plan. In any case I will be happy to send you my samples if you can’t find them closer.
How sweet. Thanks for the offer. I’ll see how readily available they are before I take you up on your lovely offer Lucas.
No problem! Just send me an email if you have trouble getting them!
Steve, Neiman Marcus carries that brand but I don’t think you’ll like those perfumes: bottles are interesting but perfumes are too generic. But see for yourself – either in NM or takingLucas up on his offer.
I see, good you’re in the know that they’re available where you live.
Your association of bulliion with soup made me laugh, because as soon as I saw the word I thought of a stock powder we have here, called Bouillon! I guess it’s actually meant to conjure up gold bullion?? Maybe I think too much about my tummy ……
It made me laugh too. “bulion” for Polish people is a soup base, a chicken brot.
I see you get your own associations! Funny!
The soup thing was the first thing I thought of when I saw that bottle, even before reading your description! It sure would be a contender in anotherperfumeblog’s worst perfume names list.:)
Really? What made you think of soup instantly? I guess it would rank high in worst perfume names list
Same soup association in German, Boullion. Not a good name indeed, and also one of the very few Byredo scents I don’t like so much.
Nothing less from the West neighbour 😉
I haven’t tried many Byredos yet, only know Bullion and Sunday Cologne.
Hooray for Monday Quick Sniffs — I am doing the happy dance!
Of the 3, A Dozen Roses sounds the most interesting to me, followed by Ambre Muscadin. Interestingly enough, I though “muscadin” is a type of grape but I was wrong…the grape muscadine has an “e” at the end. As to the meaning of muscandin, this is what is says on Wikipedia (I know, I know, I should not use it as a reference but hey, it was the first item on the results list and I am TOO darn lazy to move on to the next one):
The term Muscadin, meaning “wearing musk perfume” came to refer to mobs of young men, relatively well-off and dressed in a dandyish manner, who were the street fighters of the Thermidorian Reaction in Paris in the French Revolution.
I know you love MQS! 🙂
I quite expected you’d say something like that.
And thanks for the lesson! I didn’t even check out if muscadin has any hidden meaning
Isn’t Ambre Muscadin a small (or not so small) wonder?
I love how it goes through different stages and lasts forever.
🙂
Yes, it’s a lovely scent. I think Kafka would love (or already loves it)
In fact, I read your review, went to my drawer and spritzed liberally with it, although it is not necessary, since only one spritz would do.
Did you know it was created by Mona di Orio?
Has Kafka written about AM? I should check her review then.
I had no idea that Mona di Orio did it! I thought it was Laurent Mazzone since it’s his maison.
No, I think she hasn’t written about it yet.
I had read about Mona composing it but wasn’t sure so, when I was writing my review, I double-checked with LM and he told me the nose behind it was Mona.
Try to compare side to side with Mona’s Ambre and you will appreciate the beautiful similarities and differences. I love both!
I don’t have a sample of MdO Ambre on hand but I remember I wasn’t in love with it.
I still hope you can find a sample so that you are able to smell them side by side, even if you don’t love it, You might feel those two share a certain sensibility.
xoxo
Caro
I will keep that in mind!
[…] Lucas of Chemist in the Bottle, things were a little different. For one thing, the musk was as dominant on his skin for the […]
thanks for including me.
Same broth association from a Russian-speaking person 😉
😀
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[…] Lucas of Chemist in the Bottle, things were a little different. For one thing, the musk was as dominant on his skin for the […]