An Afternoon with a Faun

The faun awakes from his mid-day sleep, and contemplates his morning’s encounters with some nymphs. In his reflections, his pursuit of the alluring creatures takes on libidinous proportions as he seeks to satisfy his desire. It is a beautiful memory – but did it really happen? Reality fades, and confusion reigns until overcome by sleep – which can open the door to more dreaming.

This is the way Etat Libre d’Orange describes its new perfume, The Afternoon of a Faun. With notes of bergamot, pepper, cinnamon, incense, immortal flower, orris, myrrh, leather and benzoin, the perfume dances into the imagination with a sweet opening reminiscent of orange, but the powerful spice overtakes soon, like a powerful man-goat overtaking a fecund maiden. The pepper is prominent and everlasting as the sweetness is toned down. Smoky incense mingles with softness as the afternoon wears on. But just like a faun’s dream, the affair is soon over and the scented experience is only a memory.