Cologne Bigarade Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2001

Sometimes a vivid fragrance description is quite simple. This is the case with "Cologne Bigarade," for example.

Everyone knows orange sorbet or has an idea of what it might taste like. If so, then you can already imagine the basic direction here. Now expand your imagination with a master of his craft, who truly understands his trade and creates this semi-frozen mass of juice, fruit puree, and a bit of sugar particularly well, also because he counteracts a sticky sweetness by integrating a bitter orange in a contrasting yet complementary way. The fruits have naturally ripened in Mediterranean latitudes to the peak of their flavor and are correspondingly refreshing, simply pure nature and therefore particularly aromatic.

Now we are quite close to "Cologne Bigarade" from Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle. It is clearly a citrus interpretation of the classic Eau de Cologne. In this sense, the imitation of the natural appeal of the fruit is very successful. The scent stands on equal footing with "Blu Mediterraneo Bergamotto di Calabria" from Acqua di Parma or "Orange Sanguine" from Atelier Cologne, and these two brothers are very grand and charismatic. Provided you can somewhat appreciate the citrus fragrance direction, the joy is boundless.

"Cologne Bigarade" also somehow fits its creator Jean-Claude Elléna, if, as is often read, "Voyage d'Hermès" represents his current style. Here, the beautiful authenticity of the citrus theme is sensually united with a subtle green spiciness, so that the expression of the whole is ultimately wonderfully smooth. In his fruity creations, Elléna often lets the central product shine beautifully on its own and does not distort its natural charm. Rather, he subtly supports the effect with other ingredients and rounds everything off, where here, in the base ingredient, the bitter orange, an interesting contrast of sweetness and bitterness is already present. The devil is in the details. For example, I am bothered by some citrus Annick Goutal fragrances where the natural fruitiness is over-seasoned with herbs, to put it in culinary terms.

Seen this way, this Cologne is very strong, a fruity green representative that wonderfully absorbs the essence of well-ripened bitter oranges. Perhaps some may find it too straightforward, although it is particularly challenging to translate the theoretically conceived or longed-for taste/scent when imagining a bitter orange into practice. It is no coincidence that it takes more than just one ingredient to replicate this one-to-one. In cosmetics, it is said: Well-applied makeup is when you don't notice that you are wearing makeup, and that is a lot of work. It is quite similar here. Transporting a naturally beautiful impression is certainly not the easiest thing in the world; one knows how many have already failed at it. In this respect, Elléna has done brilliant work with "Cologne Bigarade."