Le Mimosa Annick Goutal 2011

The scent of mimosa is something I'm very familiar with. I grew up on a property where this stuff bloomed everywhere. I played under it as a child and delighted in snapping off branches of the stuff, yet as I got older, it gave me dreadful hayfever.

Le Mimosa is close to the scent of my childhood, but unfortunately it has been overshadowed with syrupy peach and sugary musk. I see this fragrance as being a delightful, bright little Spring scent, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect more from this release.

At times this fragrance is a little powdery and honeyed. To me it doesn't smell like mimosa, instead it smells like the inside of a beehive or another flower altogether. It's pleasant and unique so to say; very sunny, bright and yellow just like mimosa blooms itself, but still to my nose, this is not mimosa.

In all honesty it's mostly peach, powder and a dash of icing sugar. It's unfortunately quite linear and predictable after a while, which leaves me a little lost as to how to describe it. It's a fragrance that's trying to follow in the footsteps of the sugary and pretty Songes, but somehow it fails to live up to its proud predecessor.

The drydown is quite musty, yet it's only then that I sensed a glimmer of sweet wattle tree blooms that made me long for home. My first full-blown fragrance love, which I find reminds me of home more vividly, is Burberry Weekend for Women. So for fellow Australians like myself, that long for that beautiful, homely scent, Burberry Weekend might soothe some of your cravings.

Le Mimosa was unfortunately poor in terms of longevity and sillage. It's times like these that I tend to curse Annick Goutal, even though nothing has come to rival it as my favourite niche house. I will use my Le Mimosa sample, but I won't be buying a full bottle anytime soon.

A few years ago, I owned a bottle of Petite Cherie. I loved its transparent nature, its green freshness, the succulent pear, and understated florals. Unfortunately Petite Cherie was a bit too juvenile & thin for me, so I swapped it because I wasn't wearing it. I've since regretted that decision and wished I kept it, not to wear it but to sniff it on occasion and enjoy its playful, uplifting nature. Since then, I have been looking for a fragrance to replace Petite Cherie. Finally, I found it - Le Mimosa, which is Petite Cherie all grown up.

First off, let's face it: Le Mimosa is a fruity floral. There I said it. If that category is on your "I'll wear a fruity floral over my dead body" list, then move along because there is nothing to see here. If you don't harbor disdain for the concept, perhaps even wore fruity florals 10 or 20 years ago, then Le Mimosa might be worthy of sampling ... and reading on.

Like many AG femmes, Le Mimosa is transparent and has AG's signature accord. I think that characteristic of the AG femmes is soothing and soft, yet distinctive. It was something I craved after I let go of my Petite Cherie bottle, and I love that about Le Mimosa. The green is not as bright & long-lived as Petite Cherie. Le Mimosa is not as thin as Petite Cherie, and it's more balanced, with clean musk in the base, a hint of woodiness, and a touch of naughty. Compared to Petite Cherie, the fruit (peach) is more present, more persistent and more impressive, so much so that Le Mimosa could have been named La Pêche. As others have stated, Le Mimosa is not a soliflore mimosa. Rather, it's an AG impression or interpretation of mimosa, which apparently is peach-tinged.

Le Mimosa is an appropriate fragrance for summer & spring, and I struggle to think of anyone who would be offended by it. That's another way to say it's office-appropriate. It also would be appropriate to wear to warm-weather gatherings like weddings or family picnics. It's an understated & effortless fragrance that exudes niceness yet remains memorable.

Like many femme EDTs in the AG line-up, Le Mimosa is close-wearing and is short on longevity. But I forgive it - it's not that type of fragrance. I'd love to have Le Mimosa in body products, such as a body powder, so I could envelop myself in the scent without over-spraying.

I think Le Mimosa would most appeal to those who like transparent peach and pear scents such as AG Petite Cherie, Fresh Sake, and Keiko Mecheri Peau de Peche.

Annick Goutal LE MIMOSA is quite sweet. It lists aniseed and iris among its notes, but there seems to be violet or vanilla or perhaps both as well. In fact, the sweetness level is on a par with some of the Laurence Dumont LES SENTEURS perfumes. Basically, if you do not like sweet perfumes, you will not like this one.

That said, I find LE MIMOSA to be entirely natural smelling. This a mixture of a few different flowers, including mimosa, with peach, and the peach becomes more and more marked in the drydown. I like this composition, but it is very simple and reminds me of something that might be produced by Jo Malone or found in the Demeter All Naturals collection.

People looking for a mimosa soliflore may be disappointed with this perfume, so I'd definitely advise that you try before you buy. At the same time, I'm pretty sure that this would make a good gift for someone who is used to wearing mainstream fruity-floral fragrances, as this one smells much better than those.

The delicate mimosa spreads out before your eyes, conveying the maker's passion and making you think, "She really loves mimosa."

What's noteworthy here is the exquisite use of anise. The unique, fluffy, floating sensation of anise injects air into each tiny mimosa flower, creating a three-dimensional effect that makes it seem as if the yellow landscape is floating into the sky. Like cherry blossoms in Japan, an overwhelming presence instantly lifts people's spirits. Such a scene is depicted in this soft, expansive fragrance.

Furthermore, the green accord infuses the mimosa with a natural breeze, imbuing it with the freshness and vitality of life found in nature. While powdery, an unwavering transparency flows deep within. It is this coexistence of "bright powder" and "clear breeze" that defines the unique character of this fragrance.

The opening stage of Le Mimosa is the most floral moment throughout the whole development. I can smell the powdery iris. Regarding to mimosa, I'm not familiar. Thus I'm not sure.

Then comes the sweet and slightly ripen peach, and it soon becomes the leading role. At this stage, Le Mimosa is more like a peach fragrance balanced by floral notes. The sweetness is delicate, and the whole scent feels casual and carefree. After 4 hours it then turns into a gentle sandalwood and musk trail with a hint of sweetness, and last for another 4 hours.

The sillage of Le Mimosa is soft. It actually is a comforting peachy floral fragrance and easy to appreciate. I like it, but am not motivated to purchase a full bottle.