Les 4 Saisons - Hiver M. Micallef 2003

The winter fragrance from Micallef offers me another olfactory surprise, as I have yet to smell a perfume that is both fresh and warm, lush and light at the same time.

The scent opens with spicy citrus aromas, mind you, aromas, not the sour citrus freshness we usually encounter in top notes. The floral heart with a hint of cinnamon brings the warmth, and not just after the opening, but it glides seamlessly into it. The iris adds a powdery touch to this heart note and rounds the fragrance off beautifully at this stage.
It evokes the feeling of a cold, sunny winter day when one is - for whatever reason - happy. Cold nose, but warm at heart! It is an exceptionally friendly scent. The transition to a soft-woody finish is hardly noticeable; there are no breaks, everything flows harmoniously into one another.

I find it remarkable that this winter fragrance does not use the usual ingredients. It works without the typical Christmas gingerbread spices, without the otherwise inevitable vanilla, and the Orient did not need to be called upon, aside from the hint of cinnamon.

This is a winter perfume that paints pictures without kitsch and brings us the beautiful sides of the cold season to mind, or rather, to our noses. While I may want to enjoy spring for now, Les 4 Saisons - Hiver is on my wish list for next winter.