Flaconneur

Black by Puredistance is the creation of French perfumer Antoine Lie. Lie has put his talents to good use with the creation of Wonderwood by Comme des Garçons and Divin’ Enfant by Etat Libre d’Orange, just to name a few. His newest endeavor is based on a concept created by Puredistance’s founder Jan Ewoud Vos. The idea was to create a delicate perfume that lay close to the skin. According to Vos, Puredistance’s newest perfume also needed to possess a sensual quality that released the layers of the scent in quiet whispers, without shouting. As part of the back story for Black, Vos included images of famed rocker legend David Bowie and the renowned actor Jeremy Irons in the visual brief for Antoine Lie. Both the musician and actor had qualities that mirrored Vos’s concept for this new perfume. He feels that David Bowie’s elegant and mysterious character and Jeremy Irons’ darkly humorous and charismatic manner are appropriate inspirations for Black the perfume. I believe that Lie successfully completed the task set out by Vos but regrettably, Black is perhaps a bit tongue-tied.

I guess you could conceive Black as an masculine oriental of sorts. This seems to be the intent of its creator and somewhat consistent from other fragrances I’ve sampled from Antoine Lie. You can’t help but think that Lie’s signature will influence an integral part of Black’s character, whether you like Lie’s work or not. Black opens with a flick of bright, juicy citrus. The perfume abruptly shifts to an acute sharpness that tickles the nose, the likes of pink peppercorn or black pepper. Off putting but interesting when combined with a subtle eruption of a soft creamy vanilla or tonka bean accord. This slightly sweet note tempers the peppery sharpness and is a wonderful transition to more conventional coziness to come. The heart of Black is structured around warm and comforting amber woven with smoky frankincense. Like a trusty hat and scarf to keep your head and neck protected, amber does an equally adequate job of keeping the heart of Black warm and fiery. As Black’s heart progresses, you are taken on a journey over blackened, pebble smooth roads filled with complex twists and turns, traveling through a forest of smoke and sensual woods. This warming sensation is quite memorable and fortunately continues on to the base of Black, where one or two new aromatic woody notes are introduced. Black’s base is layered with residual amber, spice and smoke as a touch of saffron appears. The base is further complicated by a delicate oud, light in nature and complimented with earthy patchouli. Last but not least, an animalistic musk gives Black its mysterious human characteristic.

I will admit that Black has lived up to the conceptual ideal of “layers” successfully. Black’s lay-low disposition however, extinguished any excitement created by the evolution of this perfume. Black has some interesting elements; spiciness, a warming quality, a composition of lovely woody accords and a slightly smoky overtone. What’s not to love? While enjoyable, Black it is not as extraordinary as Puredistance’s other offerings; Annie Buzantian’s Antonia or Roja Dove’s M. The latter are examples of very well composed and memorable perfumes. You might find yourself picking either of them up, removing the cap just for a quick heavenly sniff. I don’t find myself intrigued enough with Black to revisit it in the same way you might a favorite book. I find that Lie’s creation is very similar to several other of his perfumes. Like many perfumers, Lie has a signature that is all too apparent in Black. While it is composed of 25% perfume oil, I also find the longevity of Black questionable. Its subtle and discreet nature made it forgettable to my nose after about an hour. I had to remind myself that I put it on. For me, Black is a very well composed skin scent. Again, not as enamoring as any of the other offerings I’ve experienced from Puredistance. While a mysterious, quiet and sensual nature seemed to be the objective of Puredistance’s founder, it certainly does not translate well in value. I’m sure that Black will find its place within the Puredistances collection, and I understand why Vos perhaps felt this profile was necessary to round out their collection. Black does possess a mysterious, sensual demeanor, but it’s a sly cat or sorts.

The opening of Tribute Attar is focused on spicy saffron and smoky frankincense, giving an Oriental impression at first sniff. Personally, I find this collaboration successful and intoxicating. I love a little saffron in my rice, and a whole lot more in my perfumes. Tribute Attar’s opening combo is a predominantly masculine onslaught, at best, but thoroughly enjoyable and warming. The oil-based concentration of this attar clings to the wearer’s skin endlessly, while developing a deeper, richer, more comfortable texture as time passes. You become hypnotized by the spicy and smoky opening, but you are then unknowingly tricked by the heart of Tribute Attar, which is clad in delicate flowers. Sweet jasmine and spicy rose are but a scrim over more overtly hot and smoky embers. The warming opening does not wane, but becomes just another layer in the evolution of Tribute Attar. Amouage departs from its Arabian roots with a modern Western inspiration; leather. The introduction of leather offers an interesting animalistic element and a complete contrast to the earlier spice and smoky opening. The fragrance takes on a completely masculine accord. It is further complicated by the addition of earthy patchouli. The introduction of fragrant tobacco and aromatic cedar are perfect, but oddly predictable partners. Cedar grounds this fragrance and adds clarity. Finally, a trace of vetiver gives all the mostly heavy notes a slightly lighter green, unpretentious temperament. The saffron has now comfortably settled in, and once merged with the vetiver, allude to a soft powdery accord.

I find Tribute Attar to have a captivating sense of antiquity. This fragrant attar has a timelessness and attractive demeanor. Because the manner in which attars are created, a little goes a long way. Attars should be worn in areas of the body that generate heat. The inner elbow, chest and neck are great places to apply an attar. The bloodflow in these areas will help keep the oils in the attar brewing for hours, and promotes the oil’s ability to emanate. Attars are subtle and more personal scents. Their personality is not loud and boisterous but soft, comforting and alluring. The end result is equally divine and heavenly, as well as precious and potent.

Antonia by Puredistance is the second of three perfumes created by Romanian born perfumer Annie Buzantian. She is no newcomer to the world of perfume. During the beginning of Buzantian’s career, she was the co-creator of such familiar fragrances as Clinique’s Happy for Men, Armani’s Acqua di Gio and Victoria’s Secret’s Pink. She has created many other fragrances for such names as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Azzaro and Estée Lauder. Buzantian has two other successful fragrance creations for the Netherlands based company Puredistance under her belt, but Antonia is the most impressive to me thus far. Antonia takes us on an amazing sensory journey that embodies a strong, resilient, modern woman who is a little bit heroic. This woman also has softer, more gently maternal characteristics associated with the notions of traditional femininity. This perfumer’s conceptual woman, with such an intriguing dichotomy, is the inspiration behind this intriguing fragrance.

Antonia is modern in structure with rather formal vintage implications. This fragrance takes you on a journey akin to a walk through an Edwardian garden, bathed in a warm summer air that’s percolating with soft, spicy roses and subtle green nuances. Its entrance is an arbor surrounded in fresh greens, dripping in sweet jasmine. A sheer green note waves in and out between the sweet and spicy blooms. The aftermath of this jasmine and rose duet, successfully creates a modern femme fatale perfume. The opening of Antonia emulates some of Buzantian’s signature notes, rose, jasmine, and her love of fresh greens. The heart of Antonia presents a much more modern convention of florals, however. Orris, with its clean violet likeness and woody accord, melds beautifully with the highly tropical yet simplistic, fruity nature of ylang-ylang. There is a faint suggestion of powder, but not in an old suffocating way, but in a clearly fastidious manner. The base of Antonia commences with galbanum’s schizophrenic greenish, yet musky charm. This, paired with sweet, tantalizing vanilla with its little bit of coziness, is exactly the warmth Antonia needed. The addition of vetiver supports the warm qualities of vanilla and the musky overtone of the galbanum. It also adds a much needed light woodiness and makes the finish earthly bound. The floral ensemble, which seemed so prevalent in the opening and heart of Antonia, is now but a quiet whisper. Antonia’s dry down is a perplexing, but satisfying combination of powdery aldehydes, fresh greens and musky woodiness that is interesting and compelling.

There is no arguing that Antonia is a sophisticated combination of modern versus vintage. We see this marriage being somewhat commonplace today in such avenues as fashion and interior design. What Buzantian has created is a captivating concoction, one fantastic feminine cocktail if you will. Antonia is a fragrance for a woman who lives in the modern world but is emotionally tied to the past. I remember my first impression of Antonia as being truly one of the most intriguing fragrances I’ve experienced. I enjoy its nostalgic references and modern disposition. Antonia is a bit of a tele-transporter of sorts, with its feet firmly planted in the modern world. It offers a brief escape, taking you back to a time of simple pleasures, like a walk in an Edwardian garden on a warm summer day.

Fresh was founded in 1991 by Lev Glazman and Alina Royberg. This team has created some very interesting fragrances, with a concentration on using natural ingredients. Cannabis Santal was created for Fresh by perfumer Caroline Sabas of Givaudan. She is responsible for Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy, Glow by J. Lo and CK Free Blue by Calvin Klein. Sabas seems to have her creative energy aimed directly at what is young and popular. Cannabis Santal encompasses some of these culturally trendy elements, but leans more towards a fresh, woody fragrance with a slightly musky fringe.

Cannabis Santal lifts off with bright, fresh citrus blend of bergamot and orange. The true star of this opening act is black plum. The plum in Cannabis Santal is sweet, overly ripe and almost candied, but a perfect complement to the tart citrus start. As the plum note subsides, a patchouli heart enters with a green, light, fresh and vibrant quality, and not at all heavy or dank. The cannabis accord enables Cannabis Santal to have a wonderful aromatic freshness with a woody core. So far, Cannabis Santal is a perfect masculine combination of fresh and woody. This continues right through the heart to the premier of a subtle and soft rose note. Rose is always a safe flower choice for a men’s fragrance and an interesting partner for such unlikely components. The rose here is well-mannered and polite, with a spicy and pure quality. The base of Cannabis Santal introduces a delectable dark chocolate with bitter nuances. This note is not overly stated but a very nice reference. The vanilla lays very quietly in the base with just enough presence to suggest something nutty, and a great combination with the woody heart. There is a clean suggestion made in the base, but not overpoweringly so. Grassy vetiver complements the green factor and completes Cannabis Santal’s surprisingly fresh persona.

My lovely Italian friend, Carla, insisted that I try Cannabis Santal and I’m glad I took her suggestion. I’m not completely sure I would have sought out this fragrance for myself based on note structure alone. I found Cannabis Santal a very pleasant surprise and a bit addicting. There was nothing in my collection that even came close to the harmonious sweetness and fresh green quality Cannabis Santal had to offer. Fresh’s creation is the perfect answer for a warm weather day. Cannabis Santal is great worn solo, but if you really want to experiment with an interesting combination, try wearing Cannabis Santal layered with another great fragrance from Fresh, Hesperides. The duo is delightful.

When talking about Eight & Bob, you can’t help but ask the following question: can a fragrance be as fantastic as the story behind it? Eight & Bob has done an exceptional job at combining two elements to insure successful marketing of this fragrance. The first element is a brilliant story line, and who doesn’t love a good story? Second, smart packaging design that connects the story perfectly to the product in order to intrigue the consumer.

My first in-person experience with Eight & Bob was at Neiman Marcus to visit a fellow fragrance friend. She presented me with a book covered in small grey and white stripes that was entitled “Eight & Bob.” She insisted that I open the book and read the contents. Honestly, I had no idea what I was about to read, so I just started in on the story. After a few sentences, the story of Eight & Bob began to unfold. I found it compelling and I continued on to the story’s end. This was a tale of coincidences that seem unlikely but eventually turned into something marvelous. Not knowing anything about the contents of the “book” I held in my hands, I was pleasantly surprised as I turned the last page to find a bottle of Eight & Bob nestled within carefully cut pages as to hide the bottle inside the book’s body. The story catches your imagination and the packaging design related to the story is ingenious and appropriate. I find myself getting hung up on the question of whether or not there is any truth to the story of Eight & Bob. Is this story an accurate representation of actual events, or has it been carefully concocted to romanticize the fragrance making it more palatable to the fragrance buying public? Personally I was hoping for the latter.

If the story of Eight & Bob isn’t intriguing enough, there is one more complication. There is a rare ingredient that seems to be the nucleus of Eight & Bob, and it is called Andrea. The supposed creator of Eight & Bob, the son of a Parisian aristocrat by the name of Albert Fouquet, took a hiking trips through the Andes looking for plants to add to his perfumes. During the hike, Fouquet’s butler Philippe, who accompanied him on this trip, found a plant that the butler named Andrea. Apparently, Andrea can only be harvested during the months of December and January because of the limited growing area. The production of Eight & Bob is directly based on how much Andrea can be harvested during this particularly short season. This unfortunate set of circumstances makes Eight & Bob even more precious that the story itself. If Andrea is such an intricate part of Eight & Bob, why isn’t it listed as part of the notes of the fragrance? Enough about the story surrounding this fragrance, it’s time to talk about the juice itself.

I found Eight & Bob’s opening to be rather traditional and nothing surprising. It is a biting citrus blend of bergamot and lemon, predictably masculine and fresh. Interlaced with the citrus top notes came a spice accord that was subtle and somewhat perplexing. While ginger and cardamom are listed in the top notes, personally I felt that the reference to them was vague at best. There was a greater herbal presence not previously mentioned. In many great men’s fragrances, this is where we would find lavender, rosemary or thyme. Perhaps this is where the sacred Chilean Andrea comes into play. The heart thrusts forward with a host of sweet, nutty, almond-like qualities that are layered with resinous dry woods and set with powdery cistus. The dry down of Eight & Bob is where this fragrance tends to shine. It is comfortably tinged with sweet vanilla, a dollop of warm amber and an animalistic nod of sorts. It seems more likely that a nice dank patchouli brings on this musky quality when combined with aromatic sandalwood. From beginning to end, Eight & Bob was rather delightful.

Obviously, I enjoyed Eight & Bob as so did the people I encountered while wearing it. It has a straightforward, modest personality without expectation. For some, the simplicity of the fragrance could possibly be its only downfall. If Eight & Bob’s story is true and subsequently developed during the 1930?s, its modern masculine structure is reflective of the time period in which it was born. The fragrance’s use for day or night is a little noncommittal. It works perfectly for casual circumstances just as well as an evening out on the town. Eight & Bob does not boast or blabber but speaks quietly and softly like a Parisian gentlemen should.