![Lanatra]()
Lanatra
1
La cathédrale du temps – the church of Time
Some of the strongest impressions of childhood experiences are engraved in our memories by way of the nose, and the perhaps most famous example in literature is the madeleine cake in À la recherche du temps perdu. I have no idea if Adi Ale Vans artistic vision with Origini is actually inspired by Marcel Proust, but it is indeed a project that could have In Search of Lost Time as a working title. The scent is his Extrait de Hotaru, and I reckon this is the Romanian village by the Danube river, bordering Bulgaria – his origins, hence the perfume's full name: Origini – Extrait de Hotaru.
I grew up not far from a river myself, albeit in a very different part of Europe. But I was immediately struck by something that triggered my memory that could well be the impression of the vegetation that is incessantly soaked by the passing water, but then left to dry in the spring sun releasing strong scents to attract the winged pollinators. Only the bravest of insects dare to feed so near a lively stream that is both a source of life as well as a constant reminder of the passing of time – not to mention the dangers if you get caught in its currents.
But then the next time I get the whiffs of Origini, life is quieter, and you are perhaps in a kitchen. Or you wish you were in it, because something is being prepared and it teases you with the fact that it is inaccessible and forbidden; all you know is that this something is so incredibly attractive. For an adult, it is a strange expression of sensuality and you are not sure if the forces released in you are erotic or Hestian. But you become immensely curious. What an Epicurean wonder this perfume is. And you never step into the same river twice.
I have sprayed my wrist with Origini and am amazed at how the scent changes character as I move my hand around, from arm's length up to my nose, from side to side. The vegetal and the gourmand interchanges, there are impressions of exotic essential oils so beloved in Eastern Europe but more rarely used in my parts. They are perhaps an inheritance of the Ottomans, but the result is unique for Romania, the Balkans and perhaps also other parts I am less familiar with. There are also impressions of a house; the strange way every house a unique smell.
You enter the living room on the Sunday morning as a child. You are the first person to be awake and the room has reminiscences of everything that happened the day and night before. But all the cleaning, cooking, the guests' perfumes, their clothes, their polished shoes, the walls of the house itself – it has all blended into something very unique and special.
Who can wear Origini and when? I really don't know. It has an identity that is sort of not based on gender, because of its uniqueness. You could think of it as a more versatile Dior Homme Intense perhaps, much less intrusive, a bit less sweet but much more exciting. I am talking about stylistic impressions here, not specific notes. If I should make an attempt to be more prosaic, I would say you smell the hemp oil (nothing to do with smelling marihuana), you get the coconut but it is altered by patchouli so it is rather like smashing a brown coconut so that you get the skin scent as well. You certainly get orange blossom, but rather like it behaves in the oven when it is an ingredient in a pastry you have cooking there. You get some black pepper but only vaguely. The myrrh is elusive to me but it probably adds to the ever so slight oriental impression.
You can only hope production will resume. In the meantime there are still stores that have stocks. But try before buying. Over 200 euros for 50ml of extrait is steep, but this is nothing you buy just like that.
Top Notes 
Coconut
Sage
Black pepper
Heart Notes 
Orange blossom
Hemp
Myrrh
Base Notes 
Patchouli
Cashmere wood
Woody notes
