Perfume Mini-Reviews From Twitter – October to December 2015 [part 3]

Here’s the third and final part of the latest compilation of mini-reviews.

Fresh Couture from Moschino (2015)*
Yes, the bottle is original & chuckle-worthy. The scent is a cliched mandarin-floral over huge musks. Oh well.

Jour D’Hermès Gardenia from Hermès (Jean-Claude Ellena; 2015)*
Original‘s abstract floral bouquet, with emphasis on textured, assertive, vintage gardenia. Delightfully 80s.

Alien Oud Majestueux from Thierry Mugler (2015)*
Unconvincing oud note rammed rather unkindly into the familiar musky-jasmine core. We don’t really need this.


Modern Muse – Le Rouge from Estée Lauder (2015)*
The original‘s transparent floral heart, punctuated by fruity, berry notes that work surprisingly well.

Replica – Lipstick On from Maison Martin Margiela (2015)*
Not the violet bomb you’d expect. Iris & galbanum combine to create a dry, vintage-conscious floral. Well done.

Replica – By The Fireplace from Maison Martin Margiela (2015)*
Less about wood than about roasted, caramelised chestnuts. Interesting take on hazy, heated sweetness.

Lampblack from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2013)*
Solid, dependable masculine: woods, leathers & spices. An 80s F1 driver with a nonchalant smile. Very well done.

Monserrat from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2013)**
Translucent, sedate tea note with bergamot, lemon peel and cherry blossom. Brown leaves in wind. Autumnal.

Five from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2013)**
70s-inspired cologne construction (mint, citrus, moss) with metallic facet, increasingly seaweedy and fishy. Shame.

Room 237 from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2015)**
Abstract, unwelcoming array of jagged citruses & rubbery, glue-like woods. Too thin to make convincing statement.

Jimmy from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2013)**
Images of cooling summer cleanliness. Lemon. Lime. Cucumber. Shampoo. Bath time. Bubbles. Primary colours. Nostalgic.

Au Delà from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2013)*
Homage to vintage leather chypres. Bold peachy florals. Elegant citrus. Combined forces of Miss Dior & Cristalle.

Seyrig from Bruno Fazzolari (Bruno Fazzolari; 2015)*
Chilly, candle-wax aldehydes over sharp hazelnuts. Burnt & cold. Very interesting. Shades of ELDO’s Archives 69.

12 Lacha from Odin (2015)*
Haze of spice rather than presentation of individual spices. Milky, creamy backdrop. Oddly dense & opaque. Better on fabric.

Noir Exquis from L’Artisan Parfumeur (Bertrand Duchaufour; 2015)*
The coffee/maple notes at the top are a bittersweet delight. Musky gourmand drydown rather more pedestrian.

Bell’Antonio from Hilde Soliani (Hilde Soliani; 2008)**
Clean, somewhat mono-dimensional tobacco scent, with scorched facets. Not without charms.

Electric Wood from Room 1015 (Amélie Bourgeois & Anne-Sophie Behaghel; 2015)**
Blemish-free, pale cedar over resins and salty Ambroxan. Can’t really say I see any sparks. Pleasant enough.

Blomma Cult from Room 1015 (Amélie Bourgeois & Anne-Sophie Behaghel; 2015)**
Compelling, unsettling musky floral. Cough-syrup rose. Scalpel-edged violet. Scarlet leaves. Sweet, acrid & warm.

Atramental from Room 1015 (Amélie Bourgeois & Anne-Sophie Behaghel; 2015)**
Astonishing evocation of ink – bitter, metallic – loses power but remains curious & turns medicinal, powdery, clean.

Essences Insensées 2015 from Diptyque (Fabrice Pellegrin; 2015)*
Super-indolic jasmine, with strong, funky banana notes. Earthy, woody drydown. Dark & impenetrable.

Colonia Ambra from Acqua Di Parma (2015)*
Ostentatious, abrasive amber note made less palatable by inclusion of frown-inducing marine facets. Screech.

Persolaise

* sample provided by the brand
** sample obtained by the author