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Elysium
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6
A Leafy Vanilla Scent For Adults
Majestic Green is part of four perfumes in the ZARA Fragrance Series N° 01 collection, a select line signed by leading master perfumers. And that’s what amazed me most at the first test, for its aroma is so unsettling compared to its name, everything but green. I would have expected a herbaceous slap in the face, full of leaves, bushes, and saps, but no. Fabrice Pellegrin gives us a disturbing dark vanilla served on a woody carpet wrapped in a super dose of spice and citrus. It is not particularly complex, yet its structures offer some delightful contrasts and exciting transitions.
Majestic Green has an output mainly composed of bright citrus and mild spices. The first notes that expand in the air and reach my nostrils are the intense ones of black pepper with a tinge of waxy lemon, both the zest and juice. It almost looks like I’m slicing a ripe lemon sprinkled with freshly ground pepper. It’s creamy, buttery, and slightly sweet with intense tart lemon flavour—like a curd, a creamy lemon version of jam. If I smell it close, too close, my nose itches, and I feel like sneezing. But I can’t help but smell it. In the background, there is a balsamic and mentholated tone, that of green cardamom, so fresh, submissive, and not impertinent. The lemony facet blends perfectly with the spicy cardamom, and the cardamom’s aromatic aspect provides freshness to the whole composition.
Once the initial spicy shimmer fades, the smokiness deepens considerably. The cedar adds a dryness without exacerbating the chip look, but the smokiness prevails. The composition maintains a delicate balance between sweetness and smokiness, with neither dominating. Frankincense is not explicitly mentioned; however, a pleasant-smelling incense lingers after some time and gives a hint of smoke. I want the incense note to be more pronounced.
Slow, slow, now the vanilla extract slowly comes to life and emerges from the base. Until now, the vanilla was barely silent and didn’t show itself until the dry-down, which is gorgeous. It is a sweet and creamy bourbon vanilla, but spicy and not like that used in sweets and puddings. Hence, Mr. Pellegrin added super creamy sandalwood to the sweet, powdery vanilla as if that weren’t enough. At this point, the perfume took a completely different direction. The sharp tartness and initial spiciness have given way to an amber, powdery, enveloping sweetness. It has a slightly smoky and almost syrupy taste. The scent is subtle and sweet but not overly sweet. The creamy look of the woods mixes impeccably with vanilla, resulting in an exquisite suede feel. What remains on the blotter, even after a few days, is a hint of spicy, balsamic, and smoky vanilla, like the unique aroma of a Mahalabia (Lebanese Cardamom Pudding). Besides, there's a kind of like nutty note, similar to brown cased almonds.
It’s satisfyingly vanillic and wealthy while still feeling light as a feather. The only drawback of Majestic Green is its longevity. I get about half a day on my skin and a little more on clothes. It is a fragrance suitable for the in-between seasons, assuming you live where four seasons occur. It is a little weak for winter but delicate for summer evenings and nights, where enormous potency with a fiery scent trail is irrelevant. Majestic Green was, and still is, an outstanding discovery.
I'm basing my opinion on a bottle I have owned since March 2023.
-Elysium
Majestic Green has an output mainly composed of bright citrus and mild spices. The first notes that expand in the air and reach my nostrils are the intense ones of black pepper with a tinge of waxy lemon, both the zest and juice. It almost looks like I’m slicing a ripe lemon sprinkled with freshly ground pepper. It’s creamy, buttery, and slightly sweet with intense tart lemon flavour—like a curd, a creamy lemon version of jam. If I smell it close, too close, my nose itches, and I feel like sneezing. But I can’t help but smell it. In the background, there is a balsamic and mentholated tone, that of green cardamom, so fresh, submissive, and not impertinent. The lemony facet blends perfectly with the spicy cardamom, and the cardamom’s aromatic aspect provides freshness to the whole composition.
Once the initial spicy shimmer fades, the smokiness deepens considerably. The cedar adds a dryness without exacerbating the chip look, but the smokiness prevails. The composition maintains a delicate balance between sweetness and smokiness, with neither dominating. Frankincense is not explicitly mentioned; however, a pleasant-smelling incense lingers after some time and gives a hint of smoke. I want the incense note to be more pronounced.
Slow, slow, now the vanilla extract slowly comes to life and emerges from the base. Until now, the vanilla was barely silent and didn’t show itself until the dry-down, which is gorgeous. It is a sweet and creamy bourbon vanilla, but spicy and not like that used in sweets and puddings. Hence, Mr. Pellegrin added super creamy sandalwood to the sweet, powdery vanilla as if that weren’t enough. At this point, the perfume took a completely different direction. The sharp tartness and initial spiciness have given way to an amber, powdery, enveloping sweetness. It has a slightly smoky and almost syrupy taste. The scent is subtle and sweet but not overly sweet. The creamy look of the woods mixes impeccably with vanilla, resulting in an exquisite suede feel. What remains on the blotter, even after a few days, is a hint of spicy, balsamic, and smoky vanilla, like the unique aroma of a Mahalabia (Lebanese Cardamom Pudding). Besides, there's a kind of like nutty note, similar to brown cased almonds.
It’s satisfyingly vanillic and wealthy while still feeling light as a feather. The only drawback of Majestic Green is its longevity. I get about half a day on my skin and a little more on clothes. It is a fragrance suitable for the in-between seasons, assuming you live where four seasons occur. It is a little weak for winter but delicate for summer evenings and nights, where enormous potency with a fiery scent trail is irrelevant. Majestic Green was, and still is, an outstanding discovery.
I'm basing my opinion on a bottle I have owned since March 2023.
-Elysium
Updated on 04/17/2023
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