18°55'S 46°26'E - Madagaskar Les Destinations 2023

I'm not huge on vetiver perfumes, but... To me this is the best vetiver to ever vetiver and definitely a wishlist item. What a beautiful unique blend this is. The take on the name is also very unusual: many associate Madagascar with vanilla, so seeing something that is more evocative of local nature is quite refreshing.

The scent is pretty linear with more citrusy beginning, getting heavier and woodier towards the drydown while still holding a remarkably fresh composition. The longevity is great, especially for such a fresh fragrance.

It's straight up a dewy rainforest in a bottle. Very realistic, fresh. Hints of conifery cypress and canarium make it truly reminiscent of all the unusual Madagascar flora. I believe it's something one would indeed smell travelling this island, so the concept is executed exceptionally well. I must also praise the fact that the samples were packed in tiny envelopes like postcards from faraway places. Great job from Les Destinations all around.

For me, Madagascar - along with Al-'Ula - is the best fragrance from the line (as of late 2023). Vetiver and cypress are among my favorite notes and are very well combined and executed here. After testing it, I immediately got a bottle and still enjoy wearing the fragrance regularly to this day.

The opening is fresh and light: bergamot brings a lovely freshness, while cardamom adds a subtle spiciness. Very pleasant and not too overpowering. In the heart, you can then sense the green freshness of geranium and cypress, complemented by the resinous quality of elemi resin - it all fits together very well and makes the fragrance special. In the base, it becomes a bit earthier and woodier. Not too heavy, but with enough depth.

For me, Madagascar is ideal on rainy spring days or in autumn. A calm, green, and unexcited fragrance that I enjoy wearing again and again. It could be a bit more long-lasting for my taste, but it is still within the acceptable range.

I bought it somewhat* blind - mainly because of the name. It sounded like vacation.
(*I had briefly tested it in the perfumery, but by then I could hardly smell anything anymore..)
Anyway - what can I say: It really smells to me like fresh air on an island, somewhere between sun, wind, and scattered woods. On the island, there are also trees/plants that bear citrus fruits.

At first, this clear citrus note comes through, really pleasant.
Gradually, it becomes drier, woodier, but remains light and unobtrusive.
I find it surprising that it even maintains a pleasant citrus scent after hours. It smells on my skin until the end, as if you had squeezed a lime on a piece of cedar wood. I really love that!

The longevity is really solid and the sillage is rather unobtrusive. Very fitting for the fragrance and not too little, in my opinion.

For me, an absolute hit from a brand I had no idea about.