Yapana Volnay 2013

Volnay's "Yapana" and I met on February 28, 2014, in Paris and on May 30, 2014, in Ibiza. The locations couldn't be more different, on one hand the glamorous French capital and on the other hand the relaxed Mediterranean island.

During our first encounter in Paris at the incredibly impressive "Jovoy Parfumerie" (as overwhelming as the selection of unusual fragrances there is, I could easily spend an entire day just there), I was already so overwhelmed that I perceived "Yapana" as very pleasant, but nothing more than that. It was only on the way home that the scent from the perfumed spot on my skin occasionally wafted up to my nose, which led it to land on my watchlist.

Later, when I ordered something from ALzD, I included "Yapana" as one of the three free samples.

But for some reason, it then slipped my mind. When I had to think about which fragrances I wanted to test during my vacation, "Yapana" came back to me and thus embarked on the journey to Ibiza.

Ibiza in May has its own charm and allure for me personally. It is not overrun by tourists; the island is just waking up from its winter slumber, the weather is pleasantly warm during the day at around 25 degrees, but the evenings and nights are still quite cool.

And it was exactly this evening chill that led me to take "Yapana" out for dinner on that May 30. I could vaguely remember that it is a rather warm scent that would certainly perform better in a slightly cooler atmosphere.

Immediately after spraying, a very light and green impression is created by the bergamot, underlined by a slightly tingling pepper. However, the pepper does not sting the nose but rather feels invigorating.

The heart notes quickly overshadow the top notes, but I can't really distinguish individual components as everything plays out under a very noble and fine powdery veil. I can detect a bit of rose (not fully bloomed yet), clove (not sharply dominant), something resinous (not scratchy), and vanilla (rather unsweetened and dark), but I can't really define them more closely.

The transition to the base is fluid and almost imperceptible. "Yapana" gains depth and intensity through benzoin and patchouli. Rice and iris contribute their unsweetened powderiness to perfectly balance the fragrance between darkness and light.

"Yapana" is a decidedly present scent, but it doesn't crash into the room loudly. It exudes an absolutely noble scent aura around it and occupies space with restraint.

Perhaps that was the reason why the waitress at the restaurant found her way to our table more often than necessary and came closer than needed while serving? She seemed to have a genuine interest in perfumes, as she unmistakably wore "Vétiver Tonka" by Hermès.

After dinner, we drove to the nearby beach to stretch our legs a bit. I really enjoy the sea and the beach at night. Everything is quiet, you can only hear the sound of the waves. That evening it was relatively windy, so "Yapana" kept wafting up to my nose. It had a calming, warming, and supportive effect on me. I felt very close to myself, unable to be shaken by anything or anyone. At the same time, I felt complete harmony and contentment...within me, with me, my life, and the life-person by my side.

From that moment on, I was sure that "Yapana" (by the way, it is a South American plant with medicinal properties) belongs to me, must belong to me.