Palimpsest by Mandy Aftel for Aftelier Perfumes 2014

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hiya Niche Nerds,

The other day I went and had lunch at the Sydney Opera House with a cool frag crew: Karen Gilbert (evaluator, perfumer, author, teacher, business coach), Ainslie walker (perfumer, candle creator, Jasmine Award winning writer, project manager, business woman) and Clayton Ilolahia (What Men Should Smell Like blogger, Director of Mens Fragrances for The Perfume Magazine, ex-Louis Vuitton Australiasia trainer and current Sydney Opera House trainer). Yes, these people are really inspirational, knowledgeable, interesting and fun. It was a fun lunch and I loved seeing these go-getters bouncing off each others energy. You know what they say, If you’re the smartest person in the room then you’re in the wrong room. I was in the RIGHT room, just sitting with them I learned so much, and their noses are spot on.

So, Mandy Aftel had sent me a spritz of her newest fragrance and I wanted to see how the super-clevers would like it. The deal was we would all get a spritzed touche, biro and writing paper and I would spritz my hand back. Then over the next 5 minutes we would record our first impressions as 10 words. That was the plan anyway….

Palimpsest by Mandy Aftel for Aftelier Perfumes 2014

Palimpsest Aftelier FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica Gives these featured accords in a circuitous line:
Grapefruity Yuzu essential oil, Gamma dodecalactone (a natural isolate exctracted from apricots) brings a soft, milky peach/apricot, vanilla absolute, banana facets of ylang-ylang, jasmine, suede, rose, tobacco, honeysuckle, chocolate, firetree, ambergris, phenylacetic acid (an organic compound with a dirty honey aroma and animalic tones)

Aftelier Perfumes gives these featured accords:
Top: Gamma dodecalactone, phenyl acetic acid, yuzu
Heart: Jasmine grandiflorum, peach, ylang ylang
Base: Firetree, vanilla, ambergris

Gamma dodecalactone: Waxy, fatty, sweet aroma with green-rind undertones
Natural Occurences: Found in apricot, bilberry, guava, papaya, pineapply, blackberry, strawberry, celery, cheese, butter, milk, meats, rum, beer

Phenylacetic acid is used in some perfumes, possessing a honey-like odor in low concentrations, and is also used in penicillin G production.

SPRITZ!

THE WORLD EXPLODED!

Seriously, we are sitting in the Green Room of the Sydney Opera House, there are maybe 50-70 people around eating their lunch from all parts of the theatre and our table goes freaking ballistic. We are all speaking at once, sniffing chatting, getting louder so we can get our points across and gesticulating, talking, laughing. This was a totally fun experiment and using such a polarising fragrance made it even more fun.

#1: Jasmine, honey, honeysuckle, sweet sherbet, effervessence, civet, narcissus, ambergris, much

#2: Honey, heady, animalic, spicy, Absolue Pour Le Soir, hippy shop, patchouli, incense, karma

#3: Auto rickshaw ride through Mumbai, outdoor toilet, spicy, bubblegum, fun

#4: Heavy, sweet urine, floral, gods, hair/fur, back of neck, musk, amber, sensual

As the fireworks became less intense a friend of mine walked past and I jumped up to hug her, the first thing out of her mouthy after “Hi Portia!” was “Wow! What is that perfume? Is that you? You smell amazing!” and then she leant over my Palimpsest by Mandy Aftel and swooned. What better expression of love can a fragrance get. That is one spritz on the back of my hand.

Here are some pics of us MADsters

Opera House Lunch Sept 2014 #1

Opera House Lunch Sept 2014 #2

Opera House Lunch Sept 2014 #3

Opera House Lunch Sept 2014 #5

Palimpsest: noun
1. a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text.

Sweet, feral, delicious and naughty Palimpsest is not for the faint hearted, is full of the joy of natural perfumery while smelling as finished, buoyant and aerated as the best niche offerings. Mandy Aftel seems to have captured the idea of rewriting fragrant history and planting her own delightfully wicked animal version on top of everything else we have. I was going to do a giveaway of the remaining juice but I have used it up. Sorry everyone. This is a fragrance all dedicated perfumistas are going to need to try….

Aftelier Perfumes has samples from $6

Portia xx

 

25 thoughts on “Palimpsest by Mandy Aftel for Aftelier Perfumes 2014”

  1. Thanks Portia for giving me another must try!!! I’m going to need to find another room to house my frags lol. This sounds absolutely yummy!!! Can’t wait to check this one out.

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    • Hi there Donna,
      This is a beauty. When you get another room for your frags put a bed in it. Then I can come over and sleep in there
      Portia xx

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  3. Thanks darling Portia Turbo-Gear your unbelievable review means so much to me! I just love your story and pictures about spritzing Palimpsest at your perfume power lunch! Whew, what a relief that people liked it!
    xx Mandy

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    • He He he! Mandy, the story would have been even more fun if someone had REALLY hated it and the rest loved it. I’m glad though that it was a winner too.
      Portia xx

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  4. This post was so good I felt like we got to join in the fun.

    Sounds like one hell of a fragrance and you did a great job of getting across its multi-faceted nature.

    This particular line is genius “Mandy Aftel seems to have captured the idea of rewriting fragrant history and planting her own delightfully wicked animal version on top of everything else we have.” Love it.

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  5. the smile on my face from vicarious living!

    i’m even more excited now to have the opportunity to be at the book/perfume launch at the IAO in October!

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    • Julie Ohara,
      Sometimes I really have to pinch myself about the places and groups I find myself in. It was a wonderful day.
      Portia xx

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  9. From all the descriptions I’m not sure if the perfume will be for me or not (that honey note sometimes gets awful on me though Aftelier Perfumes’ Honey Blossom plays very nicely on my skin) but I would love to be a part of that group sniffing fun you had.

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  10. Pingback: Aftelier Palimpsest EDP Natural Perfume Review | EauMG

  11. This one took me a bit be surprise, but then again, I continue to find Mandy’s creations thought-provoking and enjoyable.
    I hadn’t looked at the notes before trying Palimpsest as I enjoy trying to pick out individual notes. While the balsamic vanilla honey, ylang, and fruits were a given, another smooth scent was giving me a case of major deja vu.
    I find out it was firetree! I had purchased a small amount a while ago and remember loving it but not quite sure with it. It has a custard-like scent, with hints of resin and green. I had thought tropical, but never with the addition of vanilla. In fact, I think the firetree enhances the ambergris, as they are both mellow. It has some fixative qualities, too.
    It may have a bit too much honey for my taste, but I’d wear this any day over a generic department store vanilla floral any day. And yes, it does have a touch of Absolue Pour Le Soir, but can be worn sparingly in the office, unlike, Absolue.

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