Irisfauve

When it comes to Chypre fragrances, few do it better than @rojadove @rojaparfums . Whether you see it as a homage or a reinterpretation of the classics, his love letter to the genre shines through, always intriguing, sometimes breathtaking.

I used to own Musk Aoud Parfum, and what a scent. But as gorgeous as it smelled, the performance was easily one of the weakest I’ve ever experienced.

That’s where the Absolue Précieux comes in and it completely transforms the experience. It takes that same rich DNA and gives it depth, projection, and staying power, all without losing its signature elegance. It lingers in the air with a kind of refined intensity.

This is a Chypre with oud at its heart, a timeless mix of bergamot, rose, ylang-ylang, and just a touch of jasmine. But what grabs you from the very first spray is that dark, musky, leathery ambrette accord. It’s dirty in the most luxurious way, regal, not rustic. It feels expertly crafted, like old-world opulence with modern finesse.

If you’re into musks or Chypres, you owe it to yourself to smell this one. It’s a true gem and another masterpiece from Roja.

It’s hard to put into words what I feel when I wear Salome by Papillon. Long story short this is a masterpiece. I haven’t smelled anything quite as human, chaotic, melancholic, and erotic as this. We’re not talking vintage jasmine or some deer musk relic pulled from Sultan Qaboos’ olfactive library this is pure perfumery talent.

After a summer of playing it safe with iso-e super bombs and breezy synthetics, I fell back into my old bad habits of wanting to smell like an animal. people who gravitate toward these kinds of scents are probably a little intellectually perverted. Because Salome doesn’t care about being liked It’s here to provoke.

What you get for this price is a raw, unapologetic olfactive experience. It doesn’t really fit into the chypre mold it’s more of an oriental, deeply indolic and unapologetically animalic concoction with one of the most fascinating evolutions I’ve smelled.

The opening is deceptively pretty, with a floral touch that slowly spirals into this filthy, warm, almost unnervingly intimate skin scent. The jasmine is lush and indolic, but never cliché. And then there are those other smells absurd, bodily, brilliant that I won’t try to list here.

It’s not for everyone but for those of us who want something feral unhinged Salome delivers.

To be honest this is my least favourite elixir attar, although the perfume has many facets and a wonderful evolution, it’s a tad to retro for my taste and I expected more of the deer musk in the opening.

The notes play in a very unusual way, they whisper then disappear, then emanate again from the darkness of the patchouli. It is very lemony and soapy.

A beautiful perfume from the brand, just doesn’t match my preferences.

Many moons ago, while scrolling through Fragrantica and reading the comments, I stumbled upon someone mentioning the perfume they were wearing: Vétiver Nocturne. At the time, I knew nothing about artisanal perfumes. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the little picture to see what it was and that click opened new doors in my life.

I’m not a huge vétiver fan, and there are only two I truly love: Sultan Vétiver by Nishane, and this one. Another name that would suit this fragrance perfectly is Jardin Nocturne (though it’s already taken by Shalini).

Bortnikoff is, to me, the master of exotic florals and this is one of his finest, if not the finest. The opening is like stepping into a night garden: night-blooming jasmine, golden florals like frangipani and champaca, all wrapped in a generous dose of ambergris. The vétiver stays quietly in the background, supporting the florals and adding depth, alongside creamy sandalwood, in this case Santal 100K from Feel-Oud.

The result is dreamy, comforting, soothing, and incredibly elegant. I can confidently say Bortnikoff is my favourite artisanal house; his perfumes have a rare balance they don’t shout, they whisper and that to me is their magic.

I think that based on the name, 99% of us would expect this perfume to be dark, smoky, and intensely tobacco-heavy—after all, Sir Winston Churchill was known to smoke around ten cigars a day.

What Dimitri @bortnikoffparfum created instead is a very abstract and surprising interpretation: a bubblegum-like fragrance built around real tuberose, with a honeyed nuance, even though honey isn’t listed in the note pyramid. Most likely, it’s the combination of tuberose and a generous dose of ambergris that creates this sweetened effect.

A prominent tea note opens the composition and blends seamlessly with the rest, while tobacco plays only a supporting role, serving as the backbone of the fragrance.

Overall, it’s an unusual yet sensual composition, with moderate sillage and longevity. Here, the tobacco stays quietly in the background.