Eau de Noho Bond No. 9 2003

Shimmery violet perfumes now abound: Balenciaga PARIS, Tom Ford VIOLET BLONDE, Dsquared2 SHE WOOD, the list continues to grow. The first perfume in this category which I ever tried was Bond no 9 EAU DE NOHO, and I love it still today, as I approach the bottom of my 100 ml bottle. (I won't actually be running out anytime soon because a while back I picked up a tester back-up.)

So why do I love this composition so? It certainly does not hurt that I love violets, but the story does not end with violets. The differences between this sort of composition and the many beautiful and natural-smelling violet soliflores in a more-or-less nineteenth-century style, including Borsari VIOLETTA DI PARMA, Berdoues VIOLETTES DE TOULOUSE, L'Artisan Parfumeur VERTE VIOLETTE, and Histoires de Parfums BLANC VIOLETTE, are many.

First, there is the glistening shimmery quality, which to me is like a coating of shellac has been applied to the violets--though fortunately they do not smell like shellac! Then there is a significant yellow powdery mimosa note, which adds richness. In addition, I believe that linden blossom is present here (and Michali agrees with me, see below), though it is not listed among the notes. I believe that it is the linden which really makes EAU DE NOHO stand out from the crowd.

To me EAU DE NOHO is the most natural of the shimmery violets, and although I like all of them to some degree, this one is my favorite, hands down. It also has excellent longevity and wafts so beautifully that I love to wear it when running around town.