L'Hêtre Rêvé Nez à Nez

I thought that I was applying a perfume by Heeley today, and L'HETRE REVE opens as though it could be a Heeley: bright and refreshing aromatic, spicy with a bit of a boozy quality, and obviously geared toward the fine masculine cologne crowd.

However, as this perfume dries down, its strong woody base becomes more and more dominant. It's somewhat sweet and woody and spicy and has the concoction vibe, for lack of a better expression, which I have come to associate with the house of Nez à Nez. I won't say that it smells stale, but it's moving in that direction. This is the kind of perfume that will definitely not smell good on clothes on laundry day--which by the way, turns out to be a great litmus test for fine fragrance, as is the scent on HRH Emperor the day after I have worn a perfume. No animal abuse is going on, mind you, he just manages to lift scent from me through his ordinary snuggly activities.

Back to L'HETRE REVE: to my nose, there is something just slightly off-kilter here, not in a challenging but in a mistaken way. I feel that the wood is very heavy, but so are the spices, and together they start to feel like a house guest who has outworn his welcome.

So, no, I will not be pursuing this perfume further. I'm sure that this will work for someone, but it's not for me.

At the start slightly sour, this fragrance quickly shifts to an unusual gourmand theme. Spicy and pleasant, I am greeted by clove, cinnamon, and various spices. I could just sink into it. The top notes are rather masculine, but that changes quickly. Star anise remains elegantly in the background. Thankfully, this composition has nothing to do with Etro's Ouzo-anise screamer or similar fragrances. Instead, the autumnal composition clearly features cinnamon. The woods extend a hand to the spices and give the Eau de Parfum a soft-matte sheen. The foundation of L'Hêtre Rêvé almost reminds me of the smell of a juicy cake, though it remains a bit too soapy to be edible. Just looking, or rather smelling, not biting in. Nevertheless, the overall impression is enticingly delicious.

Unfortunately, the strong spices unexpectedly dissipate on my skin. This is quite disappointing for an Eau de Parfum in this price range. I can also hardly sense the promised plum. The fragrance, with cinnamon, star anise, and all the spices, seemingly offers the perfect environment for a robust, sweet-dark plum note. It seems to have gotten stuck halfway. The woods, with a dominant sandalwood note, comfortably stretch out on a light amber base. Unremarkably linear and warm, a very persistent, light vanilla develops from the base notes, alongside the woods.

There was so much allure and tension in this composition, but from the heart notes onward, the air is out. Perhaps the fragrance develops better on less dry skin. Captured in this autumn mood, lulled by the gentle spice scent, I am not lounging on an amber base, but in my rocking chair, and I feel quite comfortable doing so.