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Elysium
2
Barefoot, Staring At The Midnight Ocean, Lost In Thought And Wonder
As a "Joop! Homme" worshipper, I had no doubts about instantly purchasing and wearing Nightflight when it was released in 1992. The blue sapphire bottle engraved with stars and the cap wrapped in a silver metal band immediately attracted my attention, and the juice inside did the rest. Nightflight was a surprisingly pleasant alternative to the original, which I found to be a black cherry syrup juice.
The original version of '92 had an unbelievably fresh property, with a kind of vibe kindred to Azzaro Chrome and Davidoff Cool Water, Giorgio Beverly Hills Wings, and Chopard's Heaven, quite mysterious, imagine the smell of sparkling moonlight, nightfall full of stars. Did you ever fly at night, the full moon reflecting above a blanket of clouds, the sky full of stars? Nightflight reminded me of that phantasmagorical scenario. It was quite a bright, fresh, sharp, floral aquatic fragrance, but anything calone for that matter!
Right off the bat, a fresh burst of citrus fruit, lemon and bergamot, creamy lavender, and grassy green notes spread in the air after the initial sprays. Albeit pineapple is one of the most rated notes, I did not remember it as such an important note, surely not a kind of like Aventus for instance. A touch of juniper berries was balancing otherwise too zesty and creamy opening. The overall opening was aromatic, citrus, a bit fruity, and green, of course.
The heart turned into something more bittersweet and floral. Venomous masculine and overtly hypnotic almond went very well with feminine white flowers, gentle rose, and rosewood. Again, this heart did not result in a sweetheart thanks to the addition of earthy geranium. It was a core that led to floral, with a touch of gourmand and woody facets, and plenty of white florals. That floriental scent lingered for hours before wearing off when dry.
Finally, when I thought there was nothing more to come, the dry down exploded in all its fragrance. Woody and musky accords of flat sandal and clean musk juxtaposed against yummy dry amber and sweetish tonka. There was a burnt note in the background. When I wore it twenty years ago, I didn't know what it was. Now I know, it was the smell of roasted tonka beans and cumin! Even with plenty of tonka added in the base, the cumin added a tad of spiciness and continued to prevent this composition from becoming particularly cloying. Besides, the cumin gave the fragrance an intriguing saltiness, and only smelt like cumin if you concentrated.
As an oriental, I preferred to wear it when I was outside during the colder months, the sweetness was all too much for me in the heating period, and tonka, amber, and sandal lent it a little warmth. It did quite an excellent job during winter as it cut through the cold air. Exceptional longevity and the sillage was great as you'd expect from Joop!. I've just realized it's suited for a lovely summer evening, maybe even during the daytime in spring and fall, now I know. I found that when I wore Nightflight in 'passionate moments' it started to shine with the heat of the body.
Stay well; stay healthy.
-Elysium