A Midsummer Dream Roja Parfums 2016

"There, look! There ahead under the old oaks not far from the clearing!" said Chris in a whispering voice to his friend Will, pointing roughly in that direction with his forefinger. Will, all nervous and uneasy as he crouched on his knees, pushed aside the thick brush hanging down from the ledge. The air shimmered in the heat of this late summer day, as suddenly this incredible and fabulous scenario manifested itself before his eyes as well...

The two had always been good friends. Always in search of new adventures, they have recently searched an old attic. In the process, this old map had fallen into their hands. Dusty and written in faded ink, this fragile parchment had marked a place they actually thought they knew. The map showed the enchanted clearing in the Bleak Forest. There were many eerie tales surrounding this forest in general and in front of the clearing in particular. That was why they had never ventured there before, even though curiosity had always lured them. But now, with this ancient map, they could no longer resist the temptation to seek out this place. For on the destination of this map was something incredible...

Will couldn't believe his eyes. "Pinch me good," he asked his buddy. "I think I'm dreaming..."
On an old gnarled stump of cedar sat a pan. Clinging to the base of the stump was a carpet of orange, summer citrus blossoms. Lovely and benevolent, they filled the surroundings with their tartly sweet, creamy scent. The Pan itself, an ancient creature of times long past, had two legs overgrown with moss and lichen, resembling a ram. On his head were two imposing curved horns, which shimmered soft and velvety in the dusky evening sun. In his hands he held a panpipe, and each time he played it, it emitted glittering bubbles of fine musk. The bubbles caught in his long woody beard, bursting and mingling with the other aromas to create an essence worthy of this figure.
What a breathtaking image and scent it was, carried gently and unassumingly by the evening breeze to the two of them. A mood as if from another world that could not have been more magical...

"Come on Will, let's go again before he spots us," Chris urged his friend. Will replied in a low voice, "Yeah, let's get out of here and keep quiet about it. Let this be our secret this summer..."

***

A Midsummer Dream was, surprisingly, an olfactory game changer for me in a long time. On the one hand, the aura of this nevertheless quite complex work has reached me and on the other hand just as convinced. Just the fact that I could immediately during the first test an imaginary bridge to Terre d'Hermes and a little bit also to The Tycoon, let me sink deeply into this composition.
The reference is, in my opinion, obvious. The orange blossoms as well as the citrusy sprinklers at the beginning, are with all their facets in Midsummer richer and more distinct than in TDH. Especially the top note scores here, although it is less dry and brittle in appearance, but expressive and present - simply beautiful.
The further course is enhanced by the velvety and soft resins, which give fullness and depth. Through the magical aura of the forest mosses it glitters all the time and every time when said soap bubbles burst and the fragrance molecules spread as a fine veil in the environment, it was done around me! The elegantly woven musk characterizes and shapes the fragrance structure significantly and represents for me an essential component in the entire spectrum. All these components make Midsummer finally to what it is:
Magical, mysterious, actually a little like from a fairy tale and one deeply in the soul touching...

Since this was the first Roja with which I have dealt more closely, I can or must correct my opinion regarding the label a little. Significantly the probably exaggerated pricing policy, so seems to me also with Midsummer the price relatively high. To what extent this is actually justified, however, I can not judge. Another small shortcoming of the fragrance would probably be the lack of corners and edges. The fragrance is always round, soft, smooth...a soul-flatterer. But that's exactly what he wants to be...a summer night's dream!

"The cheerful is the master of his soul" (William Shakespeare)

It was a great pleasure to welcome you to this dreamy summer night...