Nikander

The name and presumably formulation of this fragrance was changed from 'Champaca et fleurs tropicales' into 'Jasmin et fleurs tropicales'. In its current version, this could be the slightly sexier (and cheaper) twin sister of Diptyque's Olene. I smell mostly jasmin, which never becomes indolic, but surely intoxicating. The 'fleurs orientales' are mostly tubereuse and orange blossom, but they are the back-up choir to the main event.

This limited edition fragrance is supposed to evoke youthful memories of sunday afternoons spent in arcade halls. Though not a core memory of myself, I become nostalgic immediately after spraying this because it really is joy packed in a bottle (the cap of which, in full Sorcinelli fashion, is the show stealer, shaped as a giant joystick). After a blast of citrus, the smell of the plastic arcade mixed with green notes soon greets you (most probably due to a waxy, uplifting Iris note), layered upon a base of tobacco (after all, one could still smoke everywhere in the 80s and 90s). Amazing stuff and very unique in my collection.

After sampling this for over a year I finally pulled the trigger and bought a full bottle, because this is such a masterpiece. I love me an innocent and bright springlike floral perfume at times but this is truly a tribute to the animalic and procreative side of spring, to put it mildly. It offers what I was hoping to smell in ELDO’s ‘Afternoon of a Faun’. I smell a sweaty animal that has chased nymphs all day in the woods, taking a nap in a meadow filled with daffodils. Very impressive and sexy fragrance!

Smooth, effervescent and classy neroli fragrance, which is definitely worth the more than average price point. Unlike many other colognes centered around neroli this never enters astringent territory and I get insane longevity on my skin (over 6 hours). I also adore the artwork: this makes me want to lie naked in a hammock under a canopy of orange trees in blossom, all the while pensively peering at a romantic ruin in the distance, too!

Masterpiece and quintessentially L’Artisan Parfumeur. Lots of common ground with Camel and Aziyade, but those fragrances are loud and go way too heavy on the spiced fruit notes. This however is a masterclass in using ‘loud’ ingredients which then somehow take on an airy instead of an earthy quality, producing the most ethereal and uplifting silage. In that aspect this effect is very comparable with L’Artisan’s Voleur de Roses, which does the same trick to the notorious rose-patchouli combo.