Dries Van Noten par Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2013
1
A Difficult Relationship
Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle. Oh boy. My relationship with this perfume has been a rollercoaster from day one. It is a peculiar perfume, to say the least. I first tried it in-store many years back and didn't like it. I took the card home and sniffed it again, hours later and was positively impressed by how it evolved. Over the years I owned small bottles and samples and sprayed it on myself every time I had the opportunity to visit a Malle boutique. I never committed however to a full bottle till I heard it was going to be discontinued. I purchased a bottle and after a couple of years, I sold it. I immediately regretted it and re-purchased it. Now, after so many years of back and forth, we have come to an understanding. I noticed I prefer the newer bottles, post-2016, to the older ones. They smell rounder, less abrasive, less sweet, and luckily, the medicinal patchouli doesn't come out anymore, as it used to do with the more "vintage" batches. I also detect the Sulfurol better with the later iterations, which in my opinion, is the hallmark, and my favorite part, with this perfume.
I remember back in those days, I was during my "Sandalwood Phase," when I found out about Dries. Even then, when I wasn't very familiar with Sandalwood in its pure form and various origins, I never felt this perfume was a good approximation of that. Today, I feel even less inclined to believe so. I would classify it as a Spicy-Woody-Oriental, with a hefty dose of vanilla and balsamic facets. However, the main star of this perfume is the Sulfurol. Once you smell this material on its own, you realize how well it is exploited here, and how much of an impact it has on the whole composition. More frequently used in the food industry, Sulfurol has this nutty, milky, and "foodie" smell. I always wondered what gave Dries this powerful nutty aroma, and the "steamed milk" vibe, because I get both strongly.
The opening of Dries Van Noten is arguably the most difficult to digest. It comes off a bit medicinal, especially with the older batches. Spicy, with plenty of nutmeg and saffron. It lasts a bit before it smooths out and the perfume starts working its magic. Here, is where I was getting that "Monsieur" medicinal patchouli Jovanovic seems to love so much, with the early versions of Dries, and I am delighted to see that part was mended later as it did not sit well with me (the main reason I sold it first and had a hard time convincing myself to purchase a full bottle). Once the fiery opening fades away, you start to get this steamed milk accord, together with a strong nutty quality. This is what makes people say this perfume smells like milk and cookies or speculoos. And I totally see (and smell) that. It's the Sulfurol at play, together with the jasmine, the woods, and the balsams. This part is fully displayed in the heart and as the perfume dries down you start getting more of the sandalwood, or the woody qualities, but that nutty biscuit and steamed milk vibe never leaves. Hence for me, Dries is more of a gourmand affair than any kind of sandalwood approximation, although the latter can smell quite "foodie" on its own. I love wearing this perfume in the colder months of the year but even in the heat seems to work well.
It has a nice debonair and flemish air that feels so classy even though it is clearly a gourmand. A sophisticated gourmand perfume tailored for mature people who like their dessert stylish. I never cared for this genre of perfumes, but Dries is one of the two gourmand compositions I thoroughly came to enjoy. Above all, it is such a unique smell that I can't compare it to anything. That is part of the reason I couldn't do without it. Sometimes I feel the urge to smell it from the cap, that's how much the scent intrigues me. Perhaps is because I have never come across another perfume that uses Sulfurol as a main ingredient, and so well. Maybe, I also enjoy too much that "milk and cookies" accord. Whatever the case, I am happy to own it and pledge not to part ways again.
Another thing I want to mention is the way I associate its scent with the aesthetic of film director Wes Anderson. I always link perfume to other arts, and with Dries, the world of Anderson comes to mind every time. The color palette, the symmetry, the humor, the music, it's all there. Wes Anderson happens to be one of my favorite film directors so maybe that has to play a part in my infatuation with this perfume.
IG:@memory.of.scents
I remember back in those days, I was during my "Sandalwood Phase," when I found out about Dries. Even then, when I wasn't very familiar with Sandalwood in its pure form and various origins, I never felt this perfume was a good approximation of that. Today, I feel even less inclined to believe so. I would classify it as a Spicy-Woody-Oriental, with a hefty dose of vanilla and balsamic facets. However, the main star of this perfume is the Sulfurol. Once you smell this material on its own, you realize how well it is exploited here, and how much of an impact it has on the whole composition. More frequently used in the food industry, Sulfurol has this nutty, milky, and "foodie" smell. I always wondered what gave Dries this powerful nutty aroma, and the "steamed milk" vibe, because I get both strongly.
The opening of Dries Van Noten is arguably the most difficult to digest. It comes off a bit medicinal, especially with the older batches. Spicy, with plenty of nutmeg and saffron. It lasts a bit before it smooths out and the perfume starts working its magic. Here, is where I was getting that "Monsieur" medicinal patchouli Jovanovic seems to love so much, with the early versions of Dries, and I am delighted to see that part was mended later as it did not sit well with me (the main reason I sold it first and had a hard time convincing myself to purchase a full bottle). Once the fiery opening fades away, you start to get this steamed milk accord, together with a strong nutty quality. This is what makes people say this perfume smells like milk and cookies or speculoos. And I totally see (and smell) that. It's the Sulfurol at play, together with the jasmine, the woods, and the balsams. This part is fully displayed in the heart and as the perfume dries down you start getting more of the sandalwood, or the woody qualities, but that nutty biscuit and steamed milk vibe never leaves. Hence for me, Dries is more of a gourmand affair than any kind of sandalwood approximation, although the latter can smell quite "foodie" on its own. I love wearing this perfume in the colder months of the year but even in the heat seems to work well.
It has a nice debonair and flemish air that feels so classy even though it is clearly a gourmand. A sophisticated gourmand perfume tailored for mature people who like their dessert stylish. I never cared for this genre of perfumes, but Dries is one of the two gourmand compositions I thoroughly came to enjoy. Above all, it is such a unique smell that I can't compare it to anything. That is part of the reason I couldn't do without it. Sometimes I feel the urge to smell it from the cap, that's how much the scent intrigues me. Perhaps is because I have never come across another perfume that uses Sulfurol as a main ingredient, and so well. Maybe, I also enjoy too much that "milk and cookies" accord. Whatever the case, I am happy to own it and pledge not to part ways again.
Another thing I want to mention is the way I associate its scent with the aesthetic of film director Wes Anderson. I always link perfume to other arts, and with Dries, the world of Anderson comes to mind every time. The color palette, the symmetry, the humor, the music, it's all there. Wes Anderson happens to be one of my favorite film directors so maybe that has to play a part in my infatuation with this perfume.
IG:@memory.of.scents