Une Fleur de Cassie Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle 2000

The brief but incredible opening has mild jasmine, coupled with subtle bergamot and mimosa accents. Soon after, I detect a dollop of cumin is added to a subdued but persistent rose heart that keeps the scent dark and somewhat dirty. The cumin has a bit of the dreaded "BO" note I tend to run from in fragrances, but unlike most scents with that note, Ropion has masterfully held the cumin just enough in-check to convey the dirtiness of the florals without being off-putting. I am also getting a nice dose of violet, and even quite a bit of carnation in the heart of the scent (even though carnation is not a listed note). The rose hangs around through the base notes, while joined primarily by musk to keep Une Fleur de Cassie's dark nature at the fore. Projection is average to slightly below average, but the scent has very good staying power.

I love Une Fleur de Cassie, and while I may not know if it achieves the true character of the Cassie flower, I can highly recommend it regardless. I am starting to come to the conclusion that Dominique Ropion has become my favorite living modern-day parfumier. Brilliant! 4 to 4.5 stars out of 5.