Kikolja

There was a real highlight for me at the Esxence trade fair this year - and no, I'm not talking about the usual suspects. I stumbled across a fragrance that really blew me away, it's indelibly etched in my memory, this fragrance meant the whole Esxence Experience in Milan to me. A perfume that smells so authentically of caramel popcorn that you want to bite into it. It immediately stood out from everything else, even more than "What about Pop | The House of Oud", which is actually also known for its popcorn note.

At first, I wasn't really sure which of the two fragrances in the Conspiracy Line with a popcorn interpretation had won my heart, because I just quickly smelled a strip at the stand and realized that it was a popcorn fragrance. But one thing was clear: the scent I couldn't get out of my head was intense, straightforward popcorn. When it arrived at my home, it was even darker than I remembered, a little more wicked, almost a tick more for men. I have to say, I interpret this fragrance more as popcorn with truffle than the tester I received from "Flash0021 | Perfume.Sucks", which contains the actual truffle as a fragrance ingredient. "Flash0021 | Perfume.Sucks" is less gourmand, more "French soft/elegant", but also fancy, at the same time. Perhaps it's the truffle note that somehow manages to sneak through the salty caramel or perhaps the nard in "Love6567 | Perfume.Sucks" for me.

My special thanks go to the perfumer Andreas Wilhelm, who left a lasting impression with his accommodating approach. Despite my negligence in collecting the order from customs, he sent it to me again, but dear people please read the terms and conditions because he didn't have to do that according to the contract. This gesture not only highlights his caring customer service but also the passion and dedication that goes into his creations and sharing them with the world.

Should you decide to buy a perfume online from Perfume.Sucks, based in Germany, pay careful attention to any message from FedEx, especially the notes on customs procedures, which can easily be overlooked.

When the dust of the Wild West met ancient civilizations, Florian von Gritti galloped in as a perfume outlaw. Cardamom, ginger and saffron, the spiced gunslingers, enter the saloons of our senses with a bang, their aromas as sharp as the gunshots of a duel at sunset.

The Arabian Taif rose, accompanied by eaglewood and myrrh, is like a fearless band riding across the dusty plains of the Orient. At the heart of this adventure, the precious oud sits enthroned like the hidden treasure of a long-forgotten city, surrounded by the spicy notes of cardamom and the dramatic presence of Taif rose towering above them as a silhouette, wild and untamed like the spirit of the West itself

Sandalwood, incense and civet form the foundation of this masterpiece, like the quiet moments around the campfire, under the endless canopy of stars, telling stories of freedom and adventure. Somewhere a hyena is pacing around, searching in vain for the civet.

The bottle, a tribute to the elegance of Italian aristocracy, blends with the roughness of frontier life, a symbol of the union of culture and wilderness.

Florian, the Ruby of Gritti is the call of adventure, the echo of treasure maps and forgotten legends, wrapped in a fragrance. He brings the calm after the storm, the contemplation around the campfire, while the last embers light up the night with stories of freedom and adventure.

I'd like to play with the idea of what would have happened if Louis XV had been in charge of a DJ controller instead of a monarchy - Althaïr rocking the microphone with bourbon vanilla as lead singer on the stage of the Haute Parfumerie, accompanied by a background chorus of woods, amber and a hint of praline so irresistible that even Madame de Pompadour would wink enviously from the corner.

Julien Sprecher, the maestro behind it, together with perfumers Hamid Merati-Kashani and Ilias Ermenidis, has captured the warmth of vanilla, which caresses the freshness of the citrus notes so skillfully that one wonders whether an entire bakery might not already be created here when one says: "Let him cook."

It is a men's fragrance that is so elegant and hedonistic that every woman wants to conquer it - the fragrance - for herself. And why not? In a world where handbags for men and sneakers for a gala evening are completely normal, why shouldn't a fragrance be just as universal?

Bourbon vanilla becomes a real luxury item here, which is also celebrated as a mood enhancer. If Althaïr were human, he would definitely be the one who is always surrounded by a happy crowd at parties.

It is the art of hinting, of almost saying, that gives "Kama" its unique selling point. The composition begins with the lively sweetness of the blackberry, which interweaves with the smoky depth of the birch tar.

Violets and iris are gently embedded in this landscape, their floral accents like splashes of color that lend the composition an airy lightness. The violet, with its delicate, almost fleeting sweetness, and the iris, whose powdery elegance caresses the senses. The hint of sugar that runs through the composition never ends up overwhelming.

Leather and nagarmotha add an earthy, almost mystical quality that strengthens the foundation of the fragrance pyramid. The leather, with its warm, deep resonance, and nagarmotha, which contributes a woody, slightly spicy note, manage to make this fragrance both timeless and unmistakably modern.

Amber and moss weave themselves into this tapestry with a richness that cloaks the fragrance in a soft, enveloping aura. The warm, almost salty embrace of the ambergris and the earthy, green moss anchor the more volatile notes, lending the whole a profound dimension.

The final notes of cashmere wool, musk and a delicate touch of musk give the perfume a subtle, almost tangible texture. Cashmere wool envelops the composition with a softness reminiscent of soothing touches, while musk contributes a sensual depth that leaves the skin with a lingering echo of the fragrance.

Each spray of this elixir strikes at the heart of our own ideas of what is essential - art, the pristine beauty of nature, genuine human connection.

"Kama", hardly bigger than a secret, not only fills rooms with its aroma, but also has the ability to reveal the hidden paths of our desires and temptations... and, yes, worries. It works its magic, and it seems as if Kama, the Hindu god of love, himself, armed with a bow made of sugar cane and flower arrows, floats silently through the room.

The bottle of "Kama" serves as a window through which we can catch a glimpse of essential beauty, captured in minimalist yet expressive "one-line drawings". The black and silver hue of the bottle envelops the mystery of the fragrance, inviting you into the night and promising not to let you fall in experiencing the emotions of being human.

Created in Zurich, "Kama" as a unisex extrait de parfum, enriched with natural essences, tells its own story on every skin - a tribute to the diversity and uniqueness of our innermost desires.

Cappadocia by Gaël Montero attempts to capture the essence of Cappadocia with a blend of saffron, flowers and creamy woods, but ends up somewhere between trying and inspired. The combination of saffron with frankincense and myrrh offers an interesting note, but the overall composition doesn't quite seem to achieve what it promises - a solid perfume that neither completely disappoints nor deeply impresses. Despite the poetic promises of a journey through Cappadocia's mystical landscape, the creation proves to be nothing more than an indecisive saffron trip. Instead of taking us on an exotic journey, Cappadocia merely leaves us longing for authenticity.