L'eau de Kasaneka

重ね香

Menard 2004

A few days ago, I stood in front of my sample collection, puzzled about what I could try that evening. Perhaps you know this state after concentrated work, where you don't really know what you feel or need. So I randomly reached into a glass with small sample vials, and L'Eau de Kasaneka was in my hand. Purchased in a perfumery in 2007, I had not liked the scent at all back then, and the opened sample had been slumbering in my cabinet since. With the expectation of a rather boring fragrance, I generously applied some to my wrist. The top note must have evaporated over the years; I barely detected a whiff of scent and spread the half milliliter completely on my skin.

I could sense a slightly aquatic, fatty note accompanied by a few little flowers and a hint of spice as I pressed my nose to my skin. Disappointed that the fragrance did not greet me even the tiniest bit, I let my arm drop and turned to other things. But then came the surprise!

After about 15 minutes, a delicate, incredibly transparent, cozy floral veil suddenly enveloped me. A slightly fatty rose and a green garden carnation, nestled in a trace of heliotrope, rose so fine and light that the scent almost felt cool to me. Gradually, the fragrance became more radiant, intense, and warm, yet remained transparent and ethereal. I felt gently lifted by the scent and floated through a room full of delicate, beautiful feelings (ask my husband, he was there!). To my great surprise, the whole room filled with the fragrance. How could this be, such a strong sillage and at the same time this incredible transparency and finesse?

After 1.5 hours, fruity ylang-ylang took over from the other flowers, stepping forward alongside heliotrope and dancing with it in a changing circle of delicate passion and warming, almond-like sweetness. My floating happiness transitioned into a physical-ethereal sensuality. Sigh...

After about 3 hours, the ylang-ylang almost completely faded into a slightly powdery musk-vanilla base, which reminded me a bit of grape sugar, accompanied by the last memory of flowers and heliotrope. Even though the landing was gentle, I didn't particularly enjoy the ground contact in this combination. I often like musk very much, but here, after the uplifting experience, it felt almost ordinary and sobering. What a pity.