Turandot

A fragrance that entices with galbanum right from the start already has an open door with me. This somewhat unruly note takes the Christkindlmarkt character away from the spices and allows the rose to spread elegance without arrogance. Frankincense and a hint of patchouli give a silvery finish and prevent the vanilla in the base from drifting into an overly sweet territory in conjunction with the tonka bean. It goes without saying that Thomas Fontaine showcases his talent once again here.

I believe Lubin will be the next brand I will delve into extensively once again. Not least because of the impressive website, where I often lose myself, telling stories that have been wonderfully translated into perfume.

Black Rose will likely be a friendly companion for me through the dreaded gray autumn, which no golden October can alleviate. But yes, I know, spring will surely come again.

I am so fed up with the many current amber-tonka-vanilla-warm scents. The more I enjoy the clear, elevated, and yes, sometimes icy coldness that perfumes radiate when they have been transformed into the present by Thomas Fontaine. They do not need to appear cozy; rather, they are sophisticated, perhaps even a bit aloof at first. Neither does the top note barge in sales-hungrily through the door, nor do the fragrance notes of the Far East attempt to tell fairy tales from 1001 Nights in the moderately temperate zones of Central Europe.

Adieu Sagesse is, for me, an example of how a cool scent can tell an entire novel, playing on the keyboard of emotions while still remaining serious. However, a whole cornucopia of flowers plays the main role. These notes are used in such a way that they do not come across as romantic to the point of kitsch or tropical sultriness. Only a perfumer who knows how to play with nuances and does not need to go all out can achieve this.

That not only the Heritage line from Patou now belongs to the past is, for me, an example of how sacrilegious it is to handle the treasures of the fragrance world in favor of sales. The entire perfume house Patou has surely sunk into the opaque depths of a luxury corporation by now. All the more I appreciate it when perfumers do not indulge in the spirit of the times but do not deny their olfactory signature.

Yes, I know, Adenauer is said to have said that. But don't we all feel that way from time to time? I have caught myself today - 5 years later - no longer standing by my statement about 31 Rue Cambon EdP. However, since there are agreeing responses underneath, I won't delete it. After all, it was my impression at the time. I also suspect that I was simply disappointed back then that my dearly loved 31 Rue Cambon EdT was no longer being produced. I missed the radiance, the sprightliness of the EdT. So perhaps it wasn't entirely objective after all.

But now, a sample of the EdP has catapulted the perfume onto my wish list in no time. This is a dream scent that holds a delicate iris in check, less powdery than is usual for perfumes with iris in the heart note. Not really powdery and certainly not dusty, as I experience some iris fragrances. Fortunately, Ylang Ylang and the rose also show comparatively noble restraint, thus embodying Chanel's elegance that doesn't need to chase any trends.

To once again draw a comparison with the EdT: What was a drawback for me back then, I see differently today, as the missing lightness and radiance of the EdT has been more than compensated for in the EdP by depth and sensuality and a warm merging with the skin. The fragrance has lost none of its preciousness, and so I will enjoy the sample and slowly start to feed the piggy bank.

...and what do I have from it now? How long have I hoped to discover a "real," yes "proper" new Guerlain fragrance again. I almost gave up hope, had already blasphemously suspected that the modern Guerlain noses just can't do it anymore. But I was wrong, they can still do it - and how. But I will probably never be able to glimpse higher Guerlain dimensions more than with just a few drops for testing, so to speak, a look through the keyhole.

With Perle Impériale, Guerlain has once again created a fragrance that I simply want to call complete, yes perfect. Silky, flattering, shimmering like pearls, delicately powdery and yet never sweet or heavy, the scent floats over my skin. It may be that trained noses can recognize the fig, the sandalwood, or a soft leather. The longevity is also astonishing, because fundamentally this is a delicate fragrance despite all its elegance and expression. It whispers, but what it whispers is poetry, is harmony, is simply complete. I can only enjoy the result and have no reason to even attempt to unravel the formula.

Am I really sad that I can never truly call this fragrance my own? Almost, but I'd rather be happy that, thanks to Parfumo, I can at least enjoy my "eighth bay leaf." (Stolen from Reinhard Mey) So I remain quietly silent and once again describe happiness as being able to experience a new Guerlain fragrance.

Oud in the base of an Aqua Allegoria fragrance sounds to me like "neither fish nor fowl." Too fresh-spicy for an oriental and too voluminous and demanding for a summery light AA fragrance. To make matters worse, Oud is one of my nemeses, as none of the versions of this note have truly impressed me so far, so I usually flinch a bit when I find it in a pyramid. Especially when it appears prominently in the name of a perfume. I must admit, however, that the Aqua Allegoria line doesn't really entice me anymore, as I have lost the common thread that characterized the fragrances in the past. Especially when the "Forte flankers" hit the market, I dismissed the theme as unimportant for the time being.

So now AA, forte, and also Oud - can this work, or should it be discarded...?
Even though I have expressed several times elsewhere that I have distanced myself from Guerlain, a test still tempts me now and then, especially when I find something in the souk.

I will try to block out everything around it and focus solely on the scent on my skin. And lo and behold - it actually works. The top note, where the mandarin and the rather green-citrusy yuzu clearly dominate, has a true Aqua Allegoria character: expressive, cool, and energetic. I can't detect a break to the heart note, but it is true that the fragrance drifts into a familiar neroli aroma, which some members of the perfume community apparently take issue with. I can't understand that, because I like it. Amber gives warmth to the neroli and simultaneously leads into a base that I find pleasant. It may be synthetic - why not. But this somewhat austere finish, which is surprisingly long-lasting on my skin, pleases me immensely. Oud is, at least for me, well wrapped between cedar and vetiver and only acts in the background - so to speak as a scent enhancer, certainly not as the theme it is marketed as in the name of the perfume. So, good news for those who avoid Oud like the devil avoids holy water. I actually belong to that group too. I'm also not sure if Guerlain did the fragrance a favor by presenting Oud so prominently in the name. Mentioning the note in the pyramid would probably have sufficed and would not have polarized so much.

Since the season is not aimed at acquiring a new Aqua Allegoria fragrance for the fragrance cabinet, I will probably settle for a decant for now, and who knows, spring will surely come again. Because even though I don't perceive the fragrance as lightweight, I do prefer other calibers for autumn and winter.