Minigolf

"Knowing", translated to German as Wissend, by Estee Lauder is for me one of the mossiest, woodiest, driest, and best adult chypres ever. It has an incredible radiance. The forest, crackling branches, dense tree cover that only hints at the sun's rays. A moss bed in the underbrush, on which someone has placed a small bouquet of dark red roses. Warm, spicy forest air that hints at a still distant, cooling summer thunderstorm. The woman who has settled here for relaxation presses her cheeks once more against the fine soft moss, holds her nose to the fragrant roses, listens to the sounds of the forest, under which a distant, barely audible rumble mixes. She sets off, walking her way home, not far from the spot where she sat. At the edge of the village, surrounded by the forest. She knows that nothing bad can happen to her in Mother Nature.

Pecksniff, an English peculiar brand that hardly anyone knows here in Germany. When I discovered a perfume from this brand (in a double pack with a shower gel) in a department store of big brands at small prices, the name reminded me of a snobbish English lord with a monocle in his eye. Never heard of it. I wonder what it smells like? Like the Queen when she is "not amused"? I was lucky that some customer had already opened the packaged goods, because normally there are no testers available, as the assortment changes constantly. I carefully spritzed a bit on the back of my hand, and the pleasant surprise was perfect. The scent came across very friendly, had something of a floral chypre, under which something mossy-woody mixed in as the fragrance developed further. Strong, but not overwhelming sillage with a smiling greeting from a very nice, slightly quirky English lady who could be a good friend of mine. About like a younger version of Miss Marple in her early 50s. For me, a lovable cheerful scent. The set cost me 15 euros, reduced from 50 English pounds.

Koreandre is an unusual fragrance that I had not smelled before. I ordered it from an online perfumery for a small price (100 ml for 28 euros). The packaging, green like malachite, promised me a fragrant experience. The opening is green-spicy and slowly transitions into a pleasantly floral, rather unsweet middle that lasts quite a long time for me. The base accord is very warm, soft, and woody. Hints from the spicy entrance resonate quietly throughout the entire fragrance journey, making it incomparable to any perfume I know. For me, smelling this fragrance evokes memories of long-gone times when I was still a child. Warm, carefree days that I often spent at the swimming pool. Noisy joy and zest for life. All in all, Coreandre is a wonderfully old-fashioned chypre that is far too rare these days, not even found in regular perfumeries. A successful fragrance.

Jean Louis Scerrer - this name meant nothing to me in the world of perfumes. But this fact piqued my curiosity when I spotted this white, simple, rectangular box in the well-stocked, owner-operated perfumery in my town. In front of it stood an almost full tester with a greenish-yellow shimmering liquid. It invited me to sniff. The familiar saleswoman explained to me that this was a "green Chypre." Very special, and only sought after by a few customers. Special, in the best sense, it was indeed for my nose. And in an absolutely must-have manner. Bright sunny days at my workplace, a garden center, smiled at me. Coupled with the prospect of going to our tree-lined mini-golf course after work to practice for a tournament. Pure sunshine under an unclouded steel-blue sky. Bergamot, galbanum... But, in the scent development, a cool undertone mixes in, reminiscent of a fresh east wind that hints at a night frost on such clear May days. I suspect the influence of oak moss and vetiver here. I had never smelled a fragrance like this before. It gives me the feeling of filling my lungs with it like a balloon with every breath, capturing each individual scent molecule. A wonderful old "rascal," hardly known, that I no longer want to miss.

EncreNoire is listed as a men's fragrance, but since I prefer extraordinary perfumes, I dared to approach this black cube. It was available in the perfumery of the neighboring town at a 50% discount for stock clearance. The owner mentioned that it wasn't mass-appealing and therefore didn't sell well. My specialty. Even the first whiff after spraying it for testing literally made my nose "perk up." Foggy patches in unlit streets of an autumn city like London came to mind. The music that plays when it gets thrilling in old Edgar Wallace films echoed in my mind's ear. Although I've never been to London, this comparison is fitting in my imagination. A murderer behind the next wall? No, just men in trench coats with turned-up collars, women in far too thin nylon stockings under tight 60s skirts. They are glad to return home to their cozy warm apartments. Passing by the dark, damp city park to relax. With the vetiver-cedar scent of Encre Noire. From the comforting haze of incense sticks. An interesting autumn fragrance even for bold ladies.