To friendship! Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant

Thanks to Atelier Cologne a brand new idea of making perfumes appeared in the PerfumeLand. Since 2010, when this perfume house came up with a cologne absolue concept, basing on a traditional eau de cologne but adding it more depth with precious raw materials and longevity by raising concentration to 15% or more – they added a modern twist to a classic theme. They gained a group of fans with their hard work for making great scents. Now they’re presenting a new addition to their line – Cedrat Enivrant – an homage to sunny citrus, cedrat (citron, etrog.)

The composition of Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant starts with a hefty dose of lime. It’s so juicy and mouth-watering that it’s hard not to drool over it. The note also has a nice portion of zest that adds some refreshing acidity to the blend. Moreover lime accord smells so natural and realistic in this perfume that probably only squeezing an actual lime in your hand could give a similar olfactory impression. Lime is a single player for 20 minutes, then the perfume begins to transmute.

Next comes the mint accord starting an aromatic phase in the new Atelier Cologne creation. Mint is not especially fresh here, it provides more of an herbal vibe combined with the green smell of crushed leaves and a sap. At this point the lime accord becomes more full-bodied and cedrat makes an entrance. At the beginning it’s very quiet and combined with mint it smells clear. Once it starts to develop you can notice no more no less than four totally different aspects of this citrus.

First you can notice the aromatic aspect of the rind, flavoured with some sour tasting sprinkles. This lasts for 15 minutes. Secondly there’s a smell that is typical to the white albedo part of the citrus fruit. It has a mild scent making me think of vitamin C hot drinks and there’s also a pale powdery quality keeping around this stage. 10 minutes and it’s over. Then mint seems to become a little bit stronger than it was. Now it’s like a mojito, sparkling like bubbles in the fizzy water.

As the 3rd element of citron you get the actual fruit pulp. It smells like some kind of a tropical smoothie and is very similar to Orange Sanguine. This feeling subsides after 15 minutes. The last part of cedrat in Cedrat Enivrant is the juice. It has a lovely smell that balances between sweet and sour elements. This part of the fragrance has an additional portion of juiciness! There’s a shot of bergamot all over it, introducing the lovely vibe that is aromatic and citric at the same time.

When the first hour is gone Cedrat Enivrant starts to develop a new quality. There are fresh spicy notes that come to the front now. Among them – basil. It effuses a nice portion of green freshness entwined with the spicy aspect of the plant leaves. Herbacious feeling is also a part of the note. It makes me want to enjoy the basilic accord when it’s done like in this fragrance. Eau d’Italie Jardin du Poete has a similar basil accord. At 1,5 hours woody notes appear in the composition of this cologne absolue.

The molecules building a vetiver accord in Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant are handled in a careful way in my opinion. The accord is done in my favourite way because for most of the time the note is kept in a woody style. The aroma it gives is substantial and its dry style suggests the impression similar to the one given by gin. It doesn’t smell of alcohol but it brings that cool and chilly, refreshing vibe of a drink. Juniper berries accord pairs with gin in a fantastic way, adding it an aromatic-metalic edge. This combination of cedrat, gin-like vetiver and juniper lasts for a good couple of hours.

After four more hours the metal cold vibe is put aside and the perfume enters the drydown. Vetiver is a little bit more earthy with a rooty feel to it. The density is added with the elemi resin – it makes Cedrat Enivrant more balmy and it causes that this perfume shouldn’t and cannot be considered a “one more cologne.” No! This Atelier Cologne is quite far from the traditional cologne style. Sure it has citrus but it’s rendered in a non-typical way. As the final, tonka bean adds warmth and spiciness to the fragrant pyramid of this perfume. The lasting power is beyond amazing!

Cedrat Enivrant was inspired by a French 75 cocktail, made with gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar. The beverage got its name from the French 75mm field gun, as the combination was said to have such powerful kick. The perfume certainly has a kick of positive energy. It is also a toast to friendship and cherished moments of spending time with the friends. Let’s toast those we call our friends!

As the sun set on the beach, they were all together again. Full of emotions, they could not stop talking. Had it really been so long? They shared many memories and another round of French 75s with laughter and tears in their eyes. No one wanted the night to end. As the sun rose, it was a sparkling moment of absolue friendship.

It was Ralph Schwieger who blended Cedrat Enivrant for Atelier Cologne. This cologne absolue is concentrated at 15% (concentration of eau de parfum) – it has a really great sillage, leaving a scented trace behind the wearer. The longevity is +10 hours. I know that now it’s not a perfect time to wear scents like this but I suppose this fragrance would work even better when it gets warm.

The composition was introduced for the first time on December 23rd 2013 and is now available in a couple of selected stores – it will be widely available since March, so I’m going to treat it as a perfume released in 2014. Cedrat Enivrant (“Intoxicating Cedrat”) comes in 30ml, 100ml and 200ml bottles with a lime green label. The big bottles have a cap wrapped with leather. To me this is a lovely, sophisticated and sparkling perfume. Will be perfect for summer.

[note] Many thanks to Atelier Cologne for providing the scent. Pictures: my own. All rights reserved.