CD1810

Sometimes you have to think in clichés and write formulaically. With this magnificent Eau de Parfum, I could only reach into the linguistic cliché box and come up with this somewhat hackneyed title. Because: the name and the headline are the program, and I can't summarize it better.
Edelweiss, without knowing how the flower itself smells, is an association I immediately have with Stella Alpina: a mountain meadow in summer sunshine, blooming, many fresh herbs, bees buzzing, but from the slightly gloomy forest wafts a cool breeze that becomes icy after sunset - that is Stella Alpina: fresh, herbal, floral, creamy, and - quite hidden - a certain sharpness. The whole thing comes without any significant progression, yet it feels consistently very natural.
For me, Stella Alpina is clearly unisex, the longevity is quite good, but the scent remains very close to the skin overall. At €80 for 100ml, I find that quite forgivable, especially since the Eau de Parfum, like all of this brand, comes in a really stylish packaging.
Gentlemen are also highly recommended the accompanying "Stella Alpina (Aftershave) | Saponificio Varesino," which, with the same fragrance pyramid, offers a very nourishing and refreshing addition with its slightly creamy texture.

Every year, when the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, my olfactory needs change. While I always prefer light citrus-fresh scents in the summer half of the year, they somehow no longer fit as well starting in autumn.

Fragrances that are associated with winter can probably be characterized by the traits sweet, flattering, cozy, often also woody and spicy. It is common for winter scents to contain Oud and Tonka, and one can also expect strong longevity and projection.

And that’s where my problems begin: sweet is just not my thing. Nothing against a strong longevity, but it shouldn't be too overpowering either. And Oud? Yes, it can be great, but even a masterpiece like Alexandria II Parfum I eventually sold because I simply didn’t wear it. So where is a winter scent that doesn’t have all that?

Here, namely at Altaia - and it’s called Woo(e)d. The (moderately original) wordplay actually characterizes the scent very well - it is first woody and yes, it woos, but it doesn’t attack you. It is powerful with decent longevity, but has rather restrained projection.
Cedar and Guaiac provide a subtle yet extremely present woodiness. The resinous quality of the Guaiac wood and the rock rose is beautifully flanked by bergamot, which brings a very nice citrus note to the fragrance without making it feel fresh. Leather and other spices develop very prominently for me after about half an hour and harmoniously round off the whole experience. I find that the various scent notes are quite well balanced - you can't say that it is a woody, a leathery, or a citrus scent; it has a bit of everything and yet is not arbitrary.

For me, Woo(e)d is just right this winter: it flatters, it envelops, it warms, it lasts, but it doesn’t impose itself, even though it is very present and remains so. Together with a truly wonderful bottle in very nice packaging at an acceptable price, it is a real gem from the house of Altaia. Grazie tanto!

A fragrance from 4711 in the collection? That shouldn't really be possible, right? It's embarrassing, it's cheap?

Yes, one might think that, and I have to say that I am also a victim of overpriced branding, and I enjoy it too. I wouldn't even consider buying a fragrance from 4711.

And yet, I did it today and I don't regret it one bit.

So what do you get when you purchase "Wakening Woods of Scandinavia" from the Cologne Intense line by 4711 for an astonishingly small amount?
Exactly what you wish for. A summery impression of coniferous forest - fresh, green, woody, spicy, citrusy. All of this in an astonishing quality, without the chemical punch being swung too heavily. Although perfumer Geza Schön certainly uses ISO-E-Super and has likely done so here as well.

But that doesn't matter at all. "Wakening Woods of Scandinavia" even has a development: it starts off very fresh-citrusy for me, the fir gradually comes into play and becomes more dominant, but never sharp. Floral sprinkles always remain integrated, but become clearly perceptible after about half an hour.

For me, this is clearly masculine and not particularly short-lived; "Wakening Woods of Scandinavia" projects quite moderately, but it's not completely close to the skin either.

And that's why - sure, it feels strange to have a 4711 in the collection and to be so enthusiastic about it. But I wonder: how would "Wakening Woods of Scandinavia" be discussed here on parfumo if it were in a Pana Dora or Louis Vuitton bottle and cost six to seven times more? It performs quite a bit longer (or at least equally) than the rightly hyped and priced Afternoon Swim or Cactus Garden and offers me pure fragrance joy.

In that sense, it is really, even if not exactly fancy, cool or sophisticated, really good:
Bra gjort!

Like many others, I came to Parfumo to get new ideas and inspirations from the world of fragrances. However, it doesn't always require this forum. Sometimes, a knowledgeable, well-run niche perfumery can help discover new brands or scents.
In this case, I stumbled upon a small stand with 30 ml bottles of L‘Essence des Notes at la Schiller in Oldenburg by the checkout. The equivalent of the Snickers shelf at the supermarket checkout, no question about it. And it had the same effect on me, as I immediately bought the wonderfully green citrusy Pampelmousse et Basilic. After I had also purchased and gifted two other scents from this line, I recently got Cardamome er Enbruns.
And once again, I am very satisfied. Like all the fragrances in this line, you get a simple, light, yet special scent in terms of quality that delivers exactly what it promises. A green, somewhat dry spice note is mixed with salty aquatic notes, amber, and musk, rounding it off with a slightly floral base. This is truly excellently constructed, and much more complex than one might initially expect.
However, one cannot expect much in terms of longevity and sillage. Reapplying is a must, but at €39 for 30 ML, it is quite justifiable.
For those who do not have access to the fragrances of L’Essence des Notes, I recommend ordering a discovery set. This house has a lot to offer and is worth discovering. And who can really resist a Snickers in between?

Maison Francis Kurkdjian used to be a guarantee for unusual, multi-layered niche fragrances. Milestones like Lumière Noire, Absolue pour le Soir, and APOM showcase what the master once dared to create. Unfortunately, that time is over; the three mentioned fragrances have been discontinued.
Recently, in my perception, rather arbitrary and especially expressionless fragrances have been launched: 724 repeated the usual Kurkdjian white floral powder number once again, but fell far behind old milestones in the genre (Absolue pour le Matin, Universalis forte). L'homme à la rose, apparently thrown onto the market as a substitute for Lumière Noire, turned out to be a horrifically synthetic contraption. And the three Cologne forte alongside the three Aquas were expressionless and, above all, unnecessary.

Now, another Cologne forte - but this time, without an Aqua or Aqua forte preceding it. The green bottle says everything about the fragrance. You get a green-citrus freshness that is ultimately cushioned by a decent amount of musk. Matcha tea and bergamot are the dominant notes. It starts off very tea-heavy, with the citrus coming in after about a quarter of an hour - and that’s about it.
Not very exciting, right? Absolutely not, but measured against the low standards that MFK has recently set, this is a step forward. One can wear and smell Aqua media Cologne Forte and it doesn’t even smell too fleetingly - green-citrus, clean, and well-groomed. Nothing bites, nothing stands out unpleasantly, nicely done.

However, I won’t be buying this one. Compared to what MFK once was, this new release doesn’t offer enough to be exciting, and that’s something a fragrance from this house (and this price range) simply should do.

But at least - it’s not bad, and unfortunately, that’s worth mentioning lately with MFK!