Eau de Gloire Parfum d'Empire 2014 Eau de Parfum

The masses of tourists are gone at the beginning of September. You are not alone, but there is space, and tranquility returns. The temperatures are still high, it is dry, even parched. But the pines provide shade, and a fresh breeze blows down here, close to the sea, bringing scents of herbs and resins and the ripe berries of myrtle. Further up in the mountains, it becomes barren. The grass has turned to straw, the flowers have dried, and soon only the maquis offers company. Thorny and prickly, it does not invite you to linger. So, it’s back down to the beach, to the sunset. The last rays are best enjoyed with a glass of wine. Salute!

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Eau de Gloire is a scent of memories for me. Memories of a trip shortly after graduation when I traveled around Sardinia for a month with a friend in his VW bus. And even though Eau de Gloire is from the Collection L'Héritage Corse, I think it doesn’t make much difference; Corsica is close by.

The fragrance starts with a pronounced mastic resin: sweet, spicy, green, a bit rubbery. At the same time, it is also fresh and slightly fruity, with the citrus notes staying more in the background. For me, there is also something that is not directly moist, but still slightly luscious, likely from the resins and perhaps also from the myrtle, which is more sensed than recognized here. However, this impression fades quite quickly, drying away in the Mediterranean sun as the immortelle becomes more noticeable. It presents itself as straw-like, dry, spicy, and also slightly floral, but not harsh or medicinal. This is certainly due in part to the resins, especially frankincense and cistus resin (aka labdanum), and also to the now more perceptible fresh notes, which I cannot quite identify (neroli, rosemary, bergamot make sense, though). A hint of moss is also detectable. Towards the base, it becomes less fresh, but more resinous, spicier, and overall a bit darker. The fragrance, however, remains relatively gentle, at least for a scent in which immortelle plays a significant role. It is no comparison to The Afternoon of a Faun or even Ganymede, where I perceive the immortelle as, at times significantly (Faun), harsher. It certainly helps that Eau de Gloire is quite restrained.

Napoleon Bonaparte, who was famously born in Corsica and spent his youth there before exploring the rest of Europe, claimed he could recognize Corsica by its scent even with his eyes closed. At least, that’s what he is said to have claimed, although on another island, in another sea, where he was not entirely voluntary, but let’s be honest, he deserved it. Perhaps Marc-Antoine Corticchiato knew this story and therefore created a fragrance that smells like Corsica. I cannot judge, as I have unfortunately never been there, but I find Eau de Gloire fits wonderfully on Corsica's southern neighbor. Or of course, it is also quite welcome in our latitudes, especially now that spring is finally at the door.

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A brief comparison to Immortelle Corse, the other immortelle fragrance from the Collection L'Héritage Corse (which is generally highly recommended): with Immortelle Corse, I find the immortelle is even more in the spotlight; it is also a bit more robust, including a hint of Maggi, yet still gentle. It is also fresher, not least due to the oak moss. As a perfume, I find Immortelle Corse a little better; however, it does not evoke memories of landscapes, no matter where.