Monday Quick Sniffs, part 53

Othoca by Acqua di Sardegna opens with a tangy bergamot note that sparkles on the skin. It’s chilly and bubbly but this impressions quickly fades away when red thyme and marjoram join the composition. These two warm up the scent in an instant, making it more herbaceous and dry-ish, like herbs drying in the sun. This herbal vibe becomes floral and purple over time because of lavender accord. It’s there but is not overly pronounced. There’s also a metallic juniper hiding in the back. However seaweed note steals the spotlight, introducing a marine and salty smell of algae. Costus, which I personally don’t like, adds some stench of wilderness to the blend. The base of Othoca hides a dry, oceanic-tinted amber combined with grassy vetiver which smells almost like hay note to me. The perfume is finished with earthy patchouli and textured cedarwood which feels a bit rough when you smell it. I think costus is the key element that doesn’t allow me to enjoy this perfume, it could be quite okay without it.

Oranger Alhambra from Armani Prive is a rather enjoyable summer perfume. It starts with a sharp, acidic note that imitates neroli but then the scent rounds quickly and reveals a tart note of bitter orange. In this case it’s mostly about aromatic rind rather than the juiciness inside the fruit. Bergamot and lemon add a bittersweet flavor to this concoction. Petitgrain introduces a hint of verdancy, like leaves rusting in the wind. In the heart of Oranger Alhambra there is an airy and summery jasmine accord – very luminous and sheer one. It’s been paired with marjoram & rosemary, both of these notes add more freshness and transport you to a meadow in the mid of July. This perfume has a lovely base of moss that makes it slightly more earthy, woody and veering towards chypre direction.

1978 Les Bains Douches is one of the six perfumes in Les Bains Guerbois range. At the very first whiff you can smell a lot of whiskey with its boozy, malt flavor. After a couple of minutes this alcoholic scent gains a spicy edge thanks to roaster & crunchy cardamom blended with davana. Those are followed by bitter orange and yuzu. Both citrus notes are delicious and mouth-watering. Later in the fragrance development there’s a herbaceous clary sage that’s responsible for adding more masculine character to the scent. Hints of oriental rose reach my nose at some point and they melt under milky spiciness of heliotrope. Swirls of tobacco smoke entwine with the smell of vanilla and myrrh for a pleasant concoction. Ambery notes brighten up the perfume. Atlas and Virginia cedar create a solid base that makes 1978 Les Bains Douches last for hours. Patchouli adds depth to this intriguing, night club inspired fragrance. It’s oriental and powdery mostly, rather unisex.

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Monday Quick Sniffs, part 45

Monday Quick Sniffs are so rooted in my writing habits that I couldn’t do without them in 2018. Here I go with part 45, which also happens to be a first installment of the series this year. Enjoy!

Maison Berdoues expanded their Collection Grands Crus with two fragrances. Couple of months after Maasai Mara was introduced I learned about Hoja de Cuba coming up next. I quite like this perfume series and Maasai Mara is a great fragrance in my opinion but I can’t say the same about Hoja de Cuba. It opens with a vetiver that provides a mixture of grassy, earthy, rooty and dried tones. Afterwards the perfume gains a spicy edge thanks to pimento. On my skin it was rather nice and toned down. It was far from overpowering. Disappointment came a bit later when tobacco started to become noticeable. It smells nothing like a sensual, smoky pipe tobacco that I prefer. In Hoja de Cuba it’s not smoky at all, it smells surprisingly floral & I get shivers of disapproval when a lot of sweetness comes up. The sugary coat covered the entire perfume bringing my teeth to the point they wanted to scream for help. There’s too much vanilla (or honey, because later it develops a honey scent). Well… I tried it, gave it a grin and am ready to move on.

Almost 2 months ago I was contacted by a representative of Sana Jardin, a recently opened perfume house that introduces themselves as “the world’s first socially conscious and ethical fragrance house” wanting to economically empower women (female flower harvesters). I received couple of samples and from the ones that were sent to me I liked Tiger by Her Side the most. This fragrance is overally delicate, opening with a gentle golden shimmer of amber. It floats just above the skin surface and there’s that lovely fluffiness to it that instantly gives me the impression of something soft, furry. Perhaps a friendly tiger who likes to cuddle. Or at least a blanket with tiger print. After some time there’s a glimpse of rose – its scent is slightly dusty. Patchouli could provide this dustiness but it also adds some earthly values to the scent and make the perfume more deep. Frankincense makes Tiger by Her Side smokier, more mysterious & there’s also something leathery to it on my skin. My only issue with this scent is its minimal sillage and that it becomes a bit flat after 2-3 hours. But I still recommend trying it.

Lò from Acqua di Sardegna is a funny and weird fragrance at the same time. It starts with a delicious cinnamon note that combines spicy and sweet facets in perfect proportions. Couple of minutes later a sensual red-tinged saffron joins the composition making the perfume intensively warm and almost carnal. However things change when grapefruit appears giving the entire Lò a new, soapy shape. It starts to smell clean, soapy with spicy elements still being noticeable. Green notes push the perfume deeper into the soapy territory. Heart of the composition is more fresh and crisp – combining the juiciness of apple with aromatic, floral-green aspect of geranium. Base notes manage to push the soapiness away, revealing a generous dose of fuzzy suede immersed by the oily scent of smokiness. Patchouli makes it more dirty and rotting and so does musk note. As you can see there are many shifts and turns in this scent but I’m not sure if I like how it develops. To me it’s kind of chaotic, not to mention that transitions are quite drastic, “dramatic” if you can use such expression. But it exists on the market and probably has some fans. Bottle however is very pretty, right?