Heavy, dense, strict, sensual, elegant. The personality of this camphoraceous-green flower, with antiseptic nuances, fruit- or honey-like sweetness, slightly spicy, slightly powdery, minimally indolic, creamy-‘meaty’, and ‘nocturnal’ is very distinctive and pronounced. Therefore, it finds its use primarily in opulent perfumes.
This one is not, and in addition, it is a soliflore, which makes dealing with the tuberose particularly tricky, as it is generally considered the most difficult floral note to master due to the outlined character. Perhaps that is why the Italian brand Laboratorio Olfattivo engaged a perfumer of Jean-Claude Ellena's caliber for this. This is his first tuberose-focused fragrance, and in my view, he manages to tame it convincingly. He uses a tuberose absolute, i.e., the essence from the flowers, and designs a very approachable version without sacrificing essential characteristics. The green-camphoraceous, slightly floral aspect, as well as an increasing sweetness over time, are clearly recognizable. An excessively antiseptic scent impression is avoided, as is a rich creamy and meaty one that would have resulted from the use of the roots. This way, the tuberose loses density and sharpness, appearing slimmer and more pleasing.
Its rather atypical compatibility here, in my eyes, is gained through this slimming down and, above all, through the fact that a plum-like sweetness (not syrupy, but fruity) has been paired with it, which balances much of the strict-green characteristic. It gives the fragrance a softness and, together with subtly integrated spicy nuances - which I cannot identify individually - creates a distinctly rounded aroma that makes it very wearable, in my opinion. The only aspect of the composition that I do not particularly like is the aforementioned fruit sweetness, which increases a bit too strongly over time, similar to what I experience with Duchaufour's ‘Enchanted Forest’ or L'Artisan Parfumeur's ‘Cœur de Vétiver Sacré’.
Alongside the two main components, tuberose and plum, I also perceive a very subdued, clean musk note that lends the fragrance a certain freshness and lightness without compromising its original character.
In this, I find Ellena's signature and craftsmanship. He creates a carefree and wearable perfume with few components, yet remains close to the fundamental character of the demanding flower. He emphasizes its sweet aspect and slightly “distorts” it, making it no longer completely naturalistic, but more interesting. Craftsmanship can only be admired here, as it appears remarkably effortless.
If one is very critical, one might describe it as somewhat overly trimmed, a bit boring, and too pleasing. Positively expressed, one could speak of a modern, undemanding, yet quality tuberose. It resembles Malle's ‘Carnal Flower’ in its softer drydown, but does not quite reach its depth and richness of facets. It is a touch less bitter and significantly sweeter.
For me, it is a very approachable, slightly sweet variant of a classic tuberose soliflore.
Tuberose absolute
Musk
Coriander
Spices
Tagetes
Sniffsniff
Rieke2021
Parma
