Portraits - The Uncompromising Sohan Penhaligon's 2017

A summer evening, it is already dark, and the oppressively warm air of the past day still stands in the canyons of the houses of this great city, as if it were too hot to work even for the makers of the wind today. After an afternoon in the open-air swimming pool, you go with your friends to a party in the backyard of some old building flats, where in the golden light of naked light bulbs about 200 people dance, talk, make friends. The mood is relaxed, potato salad is next to baklava at the buffet, and some jerk actually came in a suit. The music is harmless 80s stuff, but the alcohol served is expensive. You are grooving with your friends on the dance floor, something hits you in the head from behind, it's a cherry lollipop. Surprised and a little indignant you turn around - there stands the suit, boyishly he grins at you. He looks good. You get into conversation and you realize that there is more to this lollipop-throwing chav is than you suspect at first glance. An old soul, widely travelled and multi-faceted, warm, sometimes playful, sometimes serious, and always interesting. It will not be your last evening together
The fragrance briefly demands a leap of faith, but then rewards it with warmth and facets. The rosebud in particular reminds me briefly of the small cherry lollipops from the kiosk, before it fades away and an orchestra of oily, smoky-woody notes comes to the fore. All in all powerful and playful, never heavy, never sparkling. A cherry lollipop in a wood-paneled lounge.