Tea For Two by Olivia Giacobetti for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2000

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hiya Stink Monkeys!!

,I have been reading about Tea For Two on blogs, trying it irregularly and when it was discontinued there was wailing, tearing of hair and gnashing of teeth by perfumistas all over this lovely globe. I have tried it a few times, a spritz here or a dab there, and never been enamoured by it. Not that I didn’t like it, I did. There just seemed to be so many other fragrances that I was more charmed or captivated by. Perfumes that I NEEDED to own a bottle or large decant of and thought that life without would be unbearable, you know, general frag hag drill. So when the lovely Undina, from Undina’sLookingGlass, sent a generous sample with some other stuff recently T42 got shunted aside in preference for things more top of mind, till yesterday and now today.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives the featured accords as:
Top: Bergamot, star anise, tea
Heart: Cinnamon, ginger, spices, gingerbread
Base: Honey, vanilla, leather, tobacco

I love the fresh yet warm opening where the bergamot shimmers over the anise which is warm and breathy and surprisingly sweet, like the gingerbread is already there warm from the oven, and the honey and vanilla seem to be floating around nearby also. This fragrance is what I think of when I think of a gourmand, my mouth has been watering since I sprayed earlier in the day and I want cookies and cakes so bad. Not to mention a hot steaming cup of tea. Back in a moment….

Photo Stolen dorisday.net

Don’t get me wrong, though this is sweet the tea holds everything in check so it doesn’t become annoying or sickly. Olivia Giacobetti has walked a very fine line and I know the notes don’t say it but I have something very white flowers going on too, maybe orange blossom (just read in BoisDeJasmin that it is! Fist Punch! Woo Hoo!), that buttery warm human scent plays background for the first couple of hours when Tea For Two is strongest on my skin. The smoky tar laden tea so spicy and strong is just given the lightest touch of cream and then the leather comes rolling in, across and through softly but decisively to give heft and depth to the lovely cuddly sweet vanilla and tobacco. Then somewhere between 4-6 hours, depending on the day etc, my skin eats all remnants of having worn fragrance at all.

Photo Stolen huntington.org

Not a sillage monster but you are definitely fragrant and do leave a lovely bright trail behind you that lasts a touch more that a moment, just enough time to tantalise, though this is more a warm comfort scent than a come hither and get you summa this. Perfectly acceptable to wear anywhere except frag phobic offices, even when spritzed with abandon.

BoiseDeJasmin for further reading and PerfumeSmellingThings does a hilarious husband and wife take, must read!
eGlobalBeauty has 100ml delivered $135
SurrenderToChance starts at 1ml/$4

So thank you Undina from Undina’sLookingGlass for another MUST OWN fragrance, you are an enchantress and and enabler and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me go back and retry Tea For Two.

What are you wafting? Is there tea in it? Do you have a favourite Tea-centric fragrance? Share with us in the comments please.

Till tomorrow we wish you the good stuff you wish for yourselves and a moment of magic,
Love,
Portia xx

24 thoughts on “Tea For Two by Olivia Giacobetti for L’Artisan Parfumeur 2000”

  1. I have wanted to sniff this one out for ages as I had heard it described as a masterpiece ! I almost dropped to the floor in fragrant delight when I saw David Jones stocking the entire line of L’A fragrances ! I huffed it , loved it and left it there , it’s lovely but we just didn’t take it to the next level ! I already have Spice bomb and I thought I have that genre well covered !
    I love love love Bvlgari Black for my tea note , rubber and tea with a leather undertone really excites me and I find my bottle is getting low as my SO seems to love BB as well ! There is nothing better than smelling your favourite fragrance on your partner, thou he is buying the next bottle that’s for sure !
    Your a lucky lady PT with friends in all the right places , thanks for your thoughts on this one !
    Nighty night
    X

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    • Hey Tim,.
      I am indeed a lucky lady. I have to go back and retry my Spicebomb. I don’t remember it being terribly similar to T42? Do they have T42 at DJ’s? Or in Balmain? I bought a bottle of Bvlgari Black when I adored my decant but I’ve still not finished mt decant, I’ll go back and have a go there too.
      Thanks Tim.
      Portia xx

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      • Yes they do ! The only L’A they don’t have yet is the new orange blossom offering ( sorry its late and I can’t spell it ) you know the one ! David Jones has a entire new frag department with added niche brands ! U must take a fragrant excursion soon , talk to Garry at the creed counter ! Lost of samples to be had , I have seen inside the draws and they are full of samples ! Wink * I guess I have some friends too !

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  2. I think Tea for Two is the only tea frag I have, but I love it. I bought a decant unsniffed and it was definitely worth the risk. Strangely enough, I read the smoke in this as cigarette smoke, and even though I don’t care for the smell in real life, I quite enjoy it in this. Weird how that can be.

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  3. Oh Dionne,
    I love the smell of cigarette smoke. YUM. When our homestay boy is away for the weekend I let Jin smoke in the house because I just love it so much and makes home feel like home to me. Sometimes I make him have one in our bedroom and for the next 2 nights I sleep like a dead person.
    I know, i’m weird too,
    Portia xx

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  4. I love T42. I was so happy when I snagged a bottle before they were completely gone. I just can’t wear it when the weather is warm. I thought we were getting autumn here, but this week it’s decided it wants to be summer again with highs from 27 to 31.
    So glad you gave this one the extra chance that it deserves. Enjoy it!

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  5. I love this stuff. I get more smokey tea from it than anything else. It makes me feel like I’m snuggled up by a cozy fire. It’s a comfort scent for me. I can’t understand why they would discontinue it. Lovely review as always.

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    • Thanks Poodle,
      You aren’t the only one saying they get Smoke in Tea mainly. I love Lapsang Souchon (Er… spelling?) tea because it’s a real kicker. Smokey and resinous YUM. We don’t really do fires here in Oz but maybe in the next house?
      Portia xx

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  6. I confess that I bought this on impulse as soon as I tried it…so intriguing the way it changes from smoke to honey leather to something sweeter.
    We have only one perfumery stocking it here in WA. Needless to say they know me well!

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  9. I smelled Tea for Two years ago before I started taking notes like a good little perfume nerd. Sigh. I wish I could remember it as it is now very sadly discontinued.

    Your review makes me think that I should seek out a decant from Surrender to Chance!

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  10. I’m so glad you like it, Portia! I cannot wear Tea for Two too often – it’s too strong on me but when I wear it I really enjoy it.

    Last year I bought two of Jo Malone’s colognes from the Tea Collection – Assam & Grapefruit and Earl Grey & Cucumber. I like both but they aren’t distinctive enough to recommend them to anybody unless they are Jo Malone’s fans (as I am).

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  11. Pingback: Tea for Two by L’artisan: A Beauty Habit Love Story « AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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