Cologne Bigarade Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2001

Cologne Bigarade was part of the first or second wave of Frederic Malle perfumes, and for me, it still ranks among the most delicious EdCs in the history of fragrances. Another masterpiece by JCE - the foundation not only for numerous Hermes perfumes, his globally beloved style of transparent clarity, but also the light version of the already exceptional Bigarade Concentree, which is probably the best summer scent I have ever encountered. So, I’m throwing around superlatives again, but this is absolutely justifiable when it comes to Cologne Bigarade.

Actually, I should have tested both Bigarades in a double test, but even back in my early days with Parfumo, the hype around the Concentree version was so great that I simply preferred it without thinking and was shot straight to the next perfume heaven - final destination Citrus Milky Way! But actually, I always want to test such siblings together now; it’s much more fun. For example, I spontaneously think of the still untested Eau D'Oranges by Hermes, which look extremely similar to the two Bigarades...

Anyone who knows the Concentree will naturally feel at home with the Cologne as well. You just have to spray it a bit more often - although in terms of performance, the Concentree didn’t exactly move mountains a year later, it was still a step forward. But even in CB, the bitter orange is wonderfully freshly sliced and crushed under your nose, the cedarwood grounds the scent and provides a counterbalance, cardamom and hay add a touch of fun, and the rose brings a hint of love and passion - a perfect fragrance that would have deserved an even better rating purely as a scent. But I simply cannot overlook the short longevity...

Bottle: I like the tall bottle even better than the small Malles!
Sillage & Longevity: for the 2-4 hours of presence, you sometimes feel like you’re standing in an orange grove.

I believe that back at the time of release, many perfume lovers had their jaws drop in delight - such a concentrated citrus-fresh feeling without scratchy aldehydes or much neroli has never been experienced before. And the only issues, the performance, were slightly improved with the successor... Thank you, JCE, for one of your greatest creations, which, in my opinion, has secured you a place in the fragrance Olympics!