Aventure Il Profvmo 2006

How Aventure retains its freshness for hours, light and ethereal, yet underpinned by substance, is truly something special.

The name of this perfume could also be "Air," referencing the beautiful Air from the third orchestral suite by Johann Sebastian Bach. Light and seemingly free from the constraints of the beat, the melody floats there, yet never frays or slips away. This is ensured by the clearly structured undertone.

I find the concept of Aventure quite similar. As for its "notes," I perceive a somewhat different interplay in the first hours than the pyramid suggests, namely primarily anise, fennel (perhaps...), and lavender on one side, and leather on the other. The fruit in the top note makes only a very brief appearance, and I initially catch the companions of the lavender in at most homeopathic doses.

At the beginning of the scent's development, a (as Seymour has already speculated) probably anise element stemming from absinthe carries the ethereal lightness, shortly accompanied by lavender. Quite soon, leather joins in and, as especially anise, but also lavender gradually weaken, it steps further into the foreground. However, for quite some time, it does not set a typical leather accent, but rather supports like an undertone and increasingly functions as a substitute in a way that can only be achieved in a composition like Aventure with a very specific leather note.

And by leather, I mean that of a still quite new lambskin. For those who have not held one: It only sounds like that; it comes from the lamb :-). This leather is - at least in the higher-quality specimens - extraordinarily fine and soft and has a very special scent. Perhaps because it is indeed from the lamb. Certainly, because it must and can be processed more considerately given its sensitive, yet not overly demanding purpose than other leather goods. In any case, it lacks that somewhat harsh, typically leathery, at times almost piercing scent. It does smell distinctly of leather, but much more delicate and natural, even a bit sour-fresh.

One must, of course, imagine away the slight sheepy smell that occasionally wafts in from the fur side. [Edit - in response to the reply: Only the lambskin smells of sheep, only the lambskin...]

With Aventure, I perceive exactly such a fine leather note. It gives substance to the lightness, a bit of strength, and holds it firm. Since it also hardly changes the character of the lightness, it can simultaneously replace the fading ethereal anise freshness a little and stretch it, so to speak, far into the scent's development. I find this much smoother than letting the lavender save the freshness over time. By the way, it took me a little while to notice this highly elegant camouflage. IMHO, that is true artistry.

I find it forgivable that after about four to five hours, the freshness slowly runs out of steam and the scent appears somewhat muted. The other components come into play. The leather - still fine and noble, but now with a somewhat more typical note - remains present until the end, sometimes more, sometimes less distinctly noticeable. The incense makes itself heard more prominently, it seems almost sweet to me, beautifully rounded off by a bit of jasmine. This is all quite nice, although not as special as the start. After about seven hours - but still into the evening - I smell almost only the base. However, this does not detract from the overall impression. Expecting to maintain an ethereal aura for an entire day would certainly be too much to ask.

Conclusion: An extraordinary perfume. Highly recommended especially for those who enjoy freshness but are looking for an alternative to citrus scents.