Whispers of the wind, Puredistance Aenotus

In the fast changing world of perfumery one can easily get unimpressed by a number and quality of new launches, especially after spending a couple of years as an industry insider. Some brands decide to take ‘more is more’ approach (more perfume – more money) by throwing at us one fragrance after another. I tend to avoid those brands and even if I try them, they mostly turn out to be boring & not worth my time. Seriously – will a 20th oud in the line make your heart beat faster? But then there is a bunch of perfume brands that offer something new to their fans only once every 1-2 years. Their work is consistent, high quality and way more memorable. They are like white crows of current fragrance era. That’s why I think that new Puredistance was worth the wait.

At the beginning of Aenotus lies a bounty of citrus fruit, a true treasure of the Mediterranean. Announced by a super realistic lemon note that you can not only smell with your nose but you can almost taste it in your mouth too. It gives off a lot of mouth-watering juiciness that blends together sweet, sour & bitter elements. Its smell is very rich and saturated for a citrus, almost oily. You can easily identify a whole fruit – zest, juice, pulp and albedo. For a little while lemon is the only introduction to the newest Puredistance creation but that changes after a couple of minutes.

More colors and scents come to play and enrich this fresh opening of Aenotus. Orange introduces more tanginess to the composition while mandarin shares its joyful sweetness with us. Yuzu on the other hand is a source of delicate bitterness. When these various citric notes fill my nose with their delicious aromas I really feel as if I was transported to Greece or Italy. New Puredistance is filled with a lot of optimism and brightness. After some time all of the citrus notes fade and become more quiet, simultaneously revealing a background note that is slightly powdery but still related to citrus.

So far Puredistance Aenotus was dominated by yellow and orange hues but there comes the moment when it changes and some small patches of green start to emerge along with the appearance of Aenotus heart notes. With mint at the front line the fragrance develops an aromatic facet that combines with citrus opening with ease, giving birth to a completely new feeling of freshness. A freshness that this brand has never explored before. I also have an impression that a perfumer used some special kind of mint, like water mint, since its fragrance isn’t that strong.

Blackcurrant bud and petitgrain introduce even more verdancy to Aenotus. I especially like the warm & slightly woody effect of petitgrain that in my head goes well with the imagery of light filtering through tree crowns. This aromatic, slightly citrusy aura of latest Puredistance composition feels very tranquil, spacious & harmonious in my opinion. Every time I inhale a bit of Aenotus I have a feeling of blissful laziness pouring into my body. Fresh aspect of the perfume gradually disappears, those citric and green notes become more blurry, more distant – leading the way down to the base.

Aenotus has a really interesting olfactory foundation from which oakmoss attracts the most of my attention. Its kind of aromatic yet dusty scent gradually transitions into more dry profile of a shrub. This chypre element is very well-fitting in this perfume. There’s also a hint of spiciness to it that then becomes more woody-earthy. That would be the patchouli note. Finally newest Puredistance unfolds with musky notes that give this fragrance more sensuality and elegance. This note feels refined but at the same time there’s a bit of something wild, animalic and seductive to play with.

Aenotus by Puredistance is a beautiful fragrance. It’s composed to be completely different from the rest of the range but at the same time it perfectly fits in the line up, among Opardu, White, M and the others. I also wanted to share a personal remark – any time I would try Aenotus it reminded me of Dior Eau Sauvage from its good old days. New Puredistance release is like a classic cologne reimagined for 21st century. Modern & contemporary but echoes the past. At outstanding inclusion of 48% of fragrance oil perfumer Antoine Lie composed a perfume that combines fresh and sensual nuances but also wears very close to the skin. And I just don’t know if it’s good or bad thing. Puredistance Aenotus is a perfume extrait and is available in 17,5 ml, 60 ml and 100 ml bottles.