Victorious Floris 2012

This must be how it feels when you win bronze: you get to step onto the winner's podium, but you don't really want to celebrate it. Victorious conveys - contrary to what the name might suggest - nothing that reminds one of radiant glory. Rather, it exudes an aura of bitterness, telling tales of sacrifices and efforts that ultimately go unrewarded.

Everything starts off so boldly, the eager wearer is greeted by a delightful hint of mandarin, finely woven with light berry notes. But after a short time, the scenario is enriched by something I would like to call a "dusty gourmand." Partly nutty, partly straw-like, unusual combinations of dried fruit and desiccated steppe grass stimulate the synapses. At the same time, a red wine note begins to unfold, making references to barren, mineral soils and shimmering through in varying intensities.

Without completely abandoning the gourmand spectrum, Victorious undergoes a transformation in the heart note. If I had to use just one term, I would describe this phase of its development as "thorny." Unexpectedly, one feels as if standing directly at the florist's. Freshly cut rose branches, from which unnecessary leaves are being plucked from the stems, release their bitter aromas. The flowers themselves are relegated to mere extras; it is all about the branches.

After being confronted for a long time with only partial aspects of the scent spectrum, Victorious enters a somewhat more contemplative phase towards the end. The hopeful, sweetly light start and the middle part marked by toil and severity have been overcome, leaving behind an again atypical mélange that invites contemplation: pastry notes, reminiscent of Easter cakes in their lightness, are mixed with herbal, maritime elements. This is as unusual as it is skillful.

In general, it can be stated for Victorious: what is often perceived as unrefined or even overloaded in other compositions turns out here to be a rare stroke of luck. The multitude of impressions firmly denies the fragrance a clear classification; surprisingly, this gives it character. Whether it is enough for a gold medal is something everyone must decide for themselves, but I would certainly award it bronze.