Top Notes 
Raspberry liqueur
Orange blossom
Italian bergamot
Heart Notes 
Somalian frankincense Orpur®
Atlas cedar Orpur®
Cypriol
Patchouli
Base Notes 
Amber
Oud
Suede
Musk
Labdanum
10/13/2021
Elysium
887 Reviews
Elysium
3
Hidden Gem Nobody Talks About
I've always had a soft spot for skyscrapers, but I had never seen a real one until 2003, October to be precise. The start of a new global business project had required my presence in Princeton, New Jersey. Hence, I had travelled over the weekend to visit Manhattan before leaving for work on Monday morning. I remember staying in a shabby hotel to save the company money, with a tiny room where the King Size bed filled it three-quarters full. The window overlooked a blind cavity. A shock, but I didn't care. I was in Central Park. I was in New York. I remember spending the weekend wandering up and down the avenues, from uptown to downtown, moving from one neighbourhood to another without stopping, taking a myriad of photos looking at the sky, visiting the Empire State Building with a breathtaking view across the state of New York and beyond. The last time I was a couple of years ago, this time on vacation, the summer before the pandemic broke out, and the effect was always fascinating, impressive, astounding. And maybe it's just my passion for skyscrapers that led me to collect Elizabeth Arden's 5th Avenue series. I started with the classic and then bought all the flankers, one after the other, up to this last jewel that nobody talks about. Yes, because the bottle looks like a skyscraper, and the glass is as dark as night for the Royale flanker. It captures the mystery of Manhattan at nightfall.
Unrestrained and gloomy. The oud immediately makes its presence felt. The scent begins with a burst of lightly burnt raspberry liqueur on the face. It is an alcoholic, chocolaty, and medicinal accord, reminiscent of raspberry cough syrups, the fruity ones, the good ones. The pyramid note does not mention cocoa or chocolate, so this probably comes from patchouli, which often takes on a chocolate tinge. I can't tell if there is any bergamot in there because of the syrupy accord and a touch of sweet orange blossom shyly oozing. The abundant, thick, and greasy scent makes me doubt whether to wear it during the day or for the office - it could overwhelm my co-workers.
After a few minutes, it turns into a glorious smell. The leathery fragrance comes with a touch of incense. The accord of incense and patchouli exudes exotic craftsmanship and sensuality. The notes come in slowly, almost on tiptoe. On my skin, the heart remains balsamic, and the dryness of cedarwood and cypriol does not turn out as expected. Maybe it needs more time and more wear. The first impression never captures all the details. Afterwards, it doesn't change much as it dries. I observe that the patchouli warms it up a bit.
After about an hour, the fragrance fades, and the previous notes merge into the hypnotic accord of amber oud, synthetic but strangely good, slightly healing as mentioned above. Oud resin isn't alone but features smooth suede cuffs and clean mosses. Suede, yes, but not very leathery or animal for my nose and a soft flower that I still can't place, perhaps the opening orange blossom. The smell of delicate skin comes from the labdanum, the cistus or rock rose. I'm pretty sure I've smelled something similar before, in my collection or a shop. However, the oud here is used in a gourmand way, not mixed with spiced saffron or floral rose. To me, it smells like a leather jacket the morning after being worn on a romantic evening. The whole composition is gentle, with a musky undertone. It's that wonderfully quirky, almost salty variant of moss that I'm in love with.
Ambiguous. Brilliant. Mesmeric. Perfume is all those adjectives and more. Suede, chocolatey patchouli and liqueur with the addition of caramelized ripe raspberries are a pretty accurate description of what this fragrance is for me. Yes, the top notes are a little shrill, but wow, once it dries a little, it's so good. The cool evenings and nights of October, and generally autumn, are the perfect time to wear it. Dare with it to go to a party, out in the open, to dinner, to the theatre, or the cinema. I'm not sure about the performance yet; maybe wearing it a few times will give me a better idea. Sure, there is leather, incense and spices, but the overall result is not a manly fragrance, even if nothing is missing to be worn by a man, without hesitation or resentment. This perfume is ideal if you are looking for a light oriental, not extremely powerful, not so sweet and without the typical oriental damask rose. Its price is low, ridiculous, but it smells expensive, like a priceless Tom Ford perfume. My nose smells pretty niche, and I would never say it's Elizabeth Arden! And I'm surprised nobody talks about it.
I base the review on a 75ml bottle I have owned since June 2021.
-Elysium
Unrestrained and gloomy. The oud immediately makes its presence felt. The scent begins with a burst of lightly burnt raspberry liqueur on the face. It is an alcoholic, chocolaty, and medicinal accord, reminiscent of raspberry cough syrups, the fruity ones, the good ones. The pyramid note does not mention cocoa or chocolate, so this probably comes from patchouli, which often takes on a chocolate tinge. I can't tell if there is any bergamot in there because of the syrupy accord and a touch of sweet orange blossom shyly oozing. The abundant, thick, and greasy scent makes me doubt whether to wear it during the day or for the office - it could overwhelm my co-workers.
After a few minutes, it turns into a glorious smell. The leathery fragrance comes with a touch of incense. The accord of incense and patchouli exudes exotic craftsmanship and sensuality. The notes come in slowly, almost on tiptoe. On my skin, the heart remains balsamic, and the dryness of cedarwood and cypriol does not turn out as expected. Maybe it needs more time and more wear. The first impression never captures all the details. Afterwards, it doesn't change much as it dries. I observe that the patchouli warms it up a bit.
After about an hour, the fragrance fades, and the previous notes merge into the hypnotic accord of amber oud, synthetic but strangely good, slightly healing as mentioned above. Oud resin isn't alone but features smooth suede cuffs and clean mosses. Suede, yes, but not very leathery or animal for my nose and a soft flower that I still can't place, perhaps the opening orange blossom. The smell of delicate skin comes from the labdanum, the cistus or rock rose. I'm pretty sure I've smelled something similar before, in my collection or a shop. However, the oud here is used in a gourmand way, not mixed with spiced saffron or floral rose. To me, it smells like a leather jacket the morning after being worn on a romantic evening. The whole composition is gentle, with a musky undertone. It's that wonderfully quirky, almost salty variant of moss that I'm in love with.
Ambiguous. Brilliant. Mesmeric. Perfume is all those adjectives and more. Suede, chocolatey patchouli and liqueur with the addition of caramelized ripe raspberries are a pretty accurate description of what this fragrance is for me. Yes, the top notes are a little shrill, but wow, once it dries a little, it's so good. The cool evenings and nights of October, and generally autumn, are the perfect time to wear it. Dare with it to go to a party, out in the open, to dinner, to the theatre, or the cinema. I'm not sure about the performance yet; maybe wearing it a few times will give me a better idea. Sure, there is leather, incense and spices, but the overall result is not a manly fragrance, even if nothing is missing to be worn by a man, without hesitation or resentment. This perfume is ideal if you are looking for a light oriental, not extremely powerful, not so sweet and without the typical oriental damask rose. Its price is low, ridiculous, but it smells expensive, like a priceless Tom Ford perfume. My nose smells pretty niche, and I would never say it's Elizabeth Arden! And I'm surprised nobody talks about it.
I base the review on a 75ml bottle I have owned since June 2021.
-Elysium
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Elysium
