BrianBuchanan

Its hard to imagine how such a pentrating note as the one being used here could ever be balanced in a harmonious accord.

Even such a talented perfumer as François Demachy with a strong track record : J'Adore, the Ungaro trilogy and many Dior flankers, couldn't pull off the feat of taming this sulphurous beast of a note.

ES Cologne is quite well done in the current ultra-fresh style, and possibly one of the better summer flankers to hit the male shelves this year, but at the end of the day I can't say its good because it hurts my nose.

It was told to me in all sincerity, dear reader, by the antiquarian book dealer who sold to me this priceless jewel, that the manuscript I present before you today is a genuine translation of a copy taken by an assistant pot washer at the alchemical laboratory of Holee Wood.
He furthermore led me to know that the perfume in question was conceived of by order of none other personage than the last Phaeroh and renown Queen of Egypt Cleopatra, when she tired of the unguent her priests would bring to her.
It is believed, she would complain that the Khyfu as they called it, was a viscous brew that smelled darkly of honey, spices, wine, myrrh and other balsams, and that she could not remove the stuff from her hair for many days after having been anointed with it.
The great Queen therefore ordered the Imperial perfumer to create for her a perfume unique to her, and seemly to her status as the most beautiful, famous and beloved of women of her age.
The manuscript which I faithfully copy out for you now is confirmed to be the authentic product of a most exigent collaboration between the Queen and her Mage.

MANUSCRIPT
Take ye the essence of persic and candelwick, flowers of the rose of Turke, jessamin and tubarose of Gresse, rich wood, hotte spyce and sweet roote of orris, white lys and narcisse. Add to them spirits of wine and pass them through ye alembyc. With podds of vannill, resine of ciste and olibanne, & if ye see violetts put them inn. Be sure to find patchouly leaf, moss of oake and ambergries in small proportion by her lady's wishe.

Place in a cool cellar for 9 passages of the moon, cause thy apprentice to turn the closed vessel by the weeke.
To the waters add ye the pressed skin of the orange tree, flr of bittr orange and fine bergames of Sicili. Leave again to turn by ye appr. for sixe months till all hath attained to honeyed balm and by juste proportion made fayre.
Makes of ane very good perfume.

It be reported that the great Cleopatra, her of wide celebritie, did order Maitre Ben Ayim ye alchymist to the makyng of it, and that she did closely tailor the progess thereof, to her bountyous delight and satysfaction.

END OF MANUSCRIPT

Green baize : on the smelling strip the motif of Émeraude is clear from the start. This woolen fabric used to cover card tables would have been familiar to François Coty as he was a player of the game Piquet.
Analysing the baize effect reveals an opposition of citronella and rose, a woody background with a hint of civet and a sweet note strongly contrasted with a bitter edge.

Very soon a powdery iris note rises. This seems to combine with a floral bouquet to give a bizarre yet delightful accord of of soft pink sweet rubber, backed up by a hard and dry citrus note. A dark animalic undertone appears at times to be part of the citrus - floral accord, and at other times to form a base beneath it. Herbs also contribute to the picture, lending an additional piquancy and greenness. I think sage as well as the tarragon mentioned by Barbara Herman are candidates.
There is more than a passing resemblance to Shalimar and the Guerlain style, in particular the use of herbs.

In a profile as complex as this it's possible to pick out several themes running side by side. At one moment it could display a pink rubbery floral, the next bright lemon, and later toffee. Other combinations may pop up at any time giving the perfume an unpredictable character and lots of interest; and green baize shows up of course.

Despite feeling old fashioned it doesn't appear dated; it's not of the moment but then it's not a relic either. Émeraude makes a quite acceptable masculine. The hardeness of the citrus, its dark undertone and odd rubbery note all mitigate against an out and out feminine interpretation. In fact it doesn't feel like a feminine at all in todays terms, except maybe in the dry down.

The rubber also bears reference to Bulgari Black, but a passing glance only, Coty wisely kept it toned down. The citrus is notable for its piquancy and impressive longevity; obviously there are more than citrus oils involved here, possibly aldehydes and elemi.

Although not short lived, by one hour all the elements are in place with a sweet toffee amber already on display. Coty managed to push most of the profile's development into the opening phase, allowing it to merely unwind thereafter. This allows for the greatest complexity over the longest time, and he achieves this without sacrificing clarity. The structure is by no means linear however, and it may surprise you!

The green baize theme remains intact deep into the profile. How the baize is constructed and how it can last so long are not clear but a galbanum resinoid seems to be a possibility.
Coty may have also used clary sage - judging by a tobacco note in the dry down.
There seems to be a lot more going on here than the note pyramid would suggest.

The soupy aroma of opopanax forms one key to the base; its spicy side linking up with the herbs, and its resins combining with the balsam found in the other key - a vanillic amber which spreads a sweet powdery texture over the base.

A sweet and spicy jasmin bouquet, toffee like amber and civet lie on the card table at four hours.
At seven hours what's left are amber, tobacco and pale dried flowers.

This is a fabulous ride, full of plot twists to keep the nose and brain engaged.
The technical aspects are quite brilliant. The manner in which Coty could manipulate his materials is really accomplished, and all the more astonishing in someone who was largely self taught.
Émeraude is built around his brilliant citronella and rose formula first used in Une Rose Jacqueminot - which was a huge success - taking a million francs in four months at the start of the twentieth century.

It's no wonder that there is a certain antique quality to Émeraude, it comes from another era and will soon be 100 years old, but no matter, this pictorial masterpiece in green is still just as beautiful today.


This review is of the Perfume in a squat glass bauble labelled Coty Div. Pfizer, and coded to year 04 on a ten year cycle. Which decade? I don't know.

Once the nice fruity iced tea has gone, you're left with a Trésor clone of Stonehenge proportions....

Not really a cologne because it's as much about rose as citrus, but it is an elegant and well made summer floral none the less.


Edited 22-06-16