Cuir Pleine Fleur by James Heeley - gone but not forgotten. I was very impressed with this one, for a couple of reasons. First, for a leather fiend like myself to stumble upon a unique and unconventional leather scent (mind you, this one came out in 2006) is very rare. Second, I was not expecting to smell a Jean-Claude Ellena in a Heeley bottle.
Now, don't be fooled by the note breakdown with this one. People see violet leaf paired with leather, and shout "Fahrenheit," in the same way they see fruity-chypres featuring peach and shout "Mitsouko," and so on. This perfume smells like nothing I have tried. It takes bits from here and there, but as a whole, it is unique. The only thing that rings familiar to me is the aesthetic, its execution. In that regard, it strongly reminds me of Hermessence Cuir D'Ange, and overall, of Ellena's style. If someone told me this was created by Jean-Claude, I would believe it. And then, some critics claimed James Heeley to be the next Jean Claude Ellena, so there's that. I admit, I'm not familiar with the house, so I can't offer an opinion on that, but there's a strong resemblance to Ellena's style in this perfume.
As for the composition itself, this is steering more into Agrestic territory than Leather, although there is a clear presence of the latter. The leather accord behaves much as the one in Cuir D'Ange, while the rest of the perfume smells entirely rustic. It brings to mind perfumes such as Greco's Œillères, Providence Perfumes Moss Gown, and small bits of Prin's Haxan. I'd say more readily the first two. If you'd strip Œillères of its sweaty leather accord, or add a gentle leather touch to Moss Gown, you'd get a good impression of Cuir Pleine Fleur. However, there's a bit more to it, besides that - a very subtle honey note and a quite assertive cinnamon touch that sticks around for quite some time.
From the listed notes and accords, I get the violet leaf, cinnamon, hawthorne, leather, honey, and vetiver. Violet leaf and cinnamon open the way, a burst of ozonic green accompanied by the fiery-spicy kick from the cinnamon. Then, the bucolic landscape begins to shape the fragrance on a suede leather canvas. The hawthorne is prominent with its bitter-green and powdery touches, reminiscent of how it complements the leather accord in Cuir D'Ange. But then I get several "phantom accords" that, albeit not listed, are very tangible to me: hay and chamomile. It might be the way the ingredients and molecules interact, but what I smell is without a doubt a dry, grassy, and herbal heart where hay, chamomile, hawthorne, and the lingering violet leaf pave the way for the leather. The latter is a soft, suede-like take on the accord. It bears the minimum amount of smokiness and animalic twang. In the base, it goes into a creamy musk direction with hints of dry and aromatic vetiver. This is a subtle take on leather that works great during Spring and Summer, but can be worn all year round.
If Ruade is the rugged leather saddle you ride on and Œillères is the rustic waistcoat imbued with the sweat of a day's work in the fields, then Cuir Pleine Fleur is the elegant pair of leather gloves you match to your tweed suit while taking a road trip to the countryside for a breath of fresh air. It is Cuir D'Ange's rustic cousin.
IG:@memory.of.scents
Top Notes 
Violet leaf
Cinnamon
Italian bergamot
Heart Notes 
Suede
Honey
Mimosa
Rose
Base Notes 
Birch
Atlas cedar
Castoreum
Vetiver
Hajuvana
Hermesh
