Through a lovely swap with a dear Parfumo, I got a sample of Elixir des Merveilles.
According to the beautiful and interesting book Le Snob-Parfum, Jean Claude Ellena did not necessarily stand for quality until his first Jardin perfume. This changed in 2005 with Un Jardin sur le Nil. Elixir d. Merveilles, Voyage(s), and the gigantic Terre all come from the time after 2005... today he is undisputed and one of the greats of his time. Unfortunately, I haven't liked the slightly cool and technical perfumes from TDC lately (I don't know Shamash yet).
Elixir is still from the time when his fragrances were not quite so minimalist... when there was still a bit more warmth.
As for the scent itself, EdM starts like the Pi Pour Femme edition from Givenchy... I applied both for better comparison, one on each wrist. The Pi is just a tad more masculine, otherwise very similar... but not a twin or anything like that... but the image was immediately there.
However, this only lasts for 2-3 minutes, then EdM becomes much more complex... and sooo delicious. An irresistible blend of slightly sweet caramel (I had a small Monin syrup bottle for comparison), a fruity and ethereal note of orange (peel), and a not overly sweet vanilla note. In this blend, it would be "just" a nice women's fragrance, but it lacks D A S special something. D A S is achieved by EdM after just a few minutes... a dark note that gives the fragrance depth and maturity, setting it apart from the crowd... now it is still a lovely women's fragrance... but now with a kick. The whole construct smells so elegant now... I think this is due to the frankincense and the mild patchouli... unfortunately, I can't smell it exactly, as no note stands out directly... they are more like subtle trails in the scent. I unfortunately don't know what Peru balsam smells like, so I can't identify that note either. A woody note at the end (not identifiable as sandalwood for me) rounds off this beautiful elixir.
For me, one of the most beautiful women's fragrances ever. The woman should be at least 25 years old from my (male) perspective and fits perfectly with the stylish and elegant type.
The longevity is excellent, from around 10 am this morning, through the afternoon with 2 hours of outdoor sports and sweating, until now into the evening, EdM is still very noticeable.
Anyone looking for something very noble-sweet-fruity with a hint of dark depth is exactly right here.
Ungenau 8 years ago
