Vacances

Reserve Edition - Vacances Liquide

EMES 2009

There are fragrances that transport you back to a specific moment in your life. You are there again, at that place, which, in connection with the entire experience, has created a memory that you will never forget, because you soaked up every second back then and internalized it with the awareness: This is a unique moment in my life! “Vacances Liquide” is (at first sniff) such a moment, the moment when I got to experience the absolutely perfect beach.

“Vacances Liquide” strongly reminds me of the scent of lemongrass. Fresh, green, woody, and juicy-dry at the same time. The sweetness of coconut comes through just a little, but the first thought remains lemongrass. I can only hear the saltwater rustling from afar; I can't really smell it. When I sniff this fragrance, I remember the highlight of my trip to Vietnam, a beach on Phu Quoc. Many islands have the natural conditions for a classic paradise, but very few can still offer its essence, solitude: I feel the fine-grained sand between my toes, no human soul (tourists) in sight except for three small children in school uniforms, who watch us with critical eyes before quickly seeking the distance. No house in sight, no stone in the water, no fish, no jellyfish, nothing at all, just clear saltwater, a clear sky, and bright sunshine. A glance to the left, nothing, a glance to the right, nothing, just the gentle swaying of the palm fronds in the background. They say there are moments when you are overwhelmed by the beauty of nature; that was such a moment (kitschily, you can now also imagine Moby's “Porcelain” from “The Beach”).

“Vacances Liquide” conveys an island feeling, but unfortunately, the scent is not as beautiful and breathtaking as bathing on a nameless beach. From my perspective, it remains somewhat one-dimensional and has no scent development. From beginning to end: lemongrass paired with the sweetness of coconut and a (very) little vanilla. However, the coconut not only adds sweetness to the fragrance but also a slight nuttiness that immediately caught my attention without any knowledge of fragrance notes. The nuttiness combined with the grassiness is indeed an exciting, previously unexperienced combination, but I still can't detach the scent from Asian food (lemongrass!!). What remains is the desire to eat or travel, rather than to spray myself with “Vacances Liquide” - just for the sake of the scent. The liquid memory that the brand name promised has definitely been activated, but it also carries the risk of evoking 100%-images that a 50%-scent simply cannot keep up with.