Bana Banana L'Artisan Parfumeur 2019

Since I had never tried a fragrance with the theme of banana before, I was extremely curious about this new release from L'Artisan Parfumeur. And what can I say given the name Bana Banana: You want banana, you get banana... and indeed a whole, intensely fragrant bunch of bananas.

While I initially imagined the banana to lean towards a tropical-sweet, somewhat dense and sultry direction (I could have just read the entire fragrance pyramid), the Bana Banana banana (please repeat that three times quickly) is dressed in a very prominent iris-powder veil. So, anyone expecting an intrusive, syrupy-sweet artificial banana can rest assured. Thanks to the iris and other slightly floral hints, likely attributed to jasmine, the fruit loses some of its authenticity, but remains distinctly recognizable and dominant as a medium-ripe, possibly even slightly green banana. Only after quite a while does the tonka bean timidly make its presence known, without the leading banana ever taking its leave.

Bana Banana fits perfectly for spring and can fully unleash its strength on moderately warm days. Since banana scents are anything but mainstream, this perfume allows for a highly creative and individual expression. In terms of sillage and longevity, the fragrance performs only moderately, making it quite wearable indoors as well. However, one must also be clear: You definitely smell like banana. Whether one wants that or not is something everyone must decide for themselves. Personally, I like the scent, but it would quickly become annoying if worn too often. On laid-back days, when you don't take yourself too seriously (and perhaps when there isn't an important business meeting or job interview on the horizon), this fragrance can definitely bring joy to you and the monkey troop around you.