Hello Frag Family,
It was very early in 2014 and Michael & I were traveling through Europe, first stop Vienna in Austria where we met up with Birgit and Sandra of Olfactoria’s Travels and Val the Cookie Queen who writes both for OT and APJ. Vienna is its most beautiful in winter but sadly 2014 was not so cold as previous years and there was almost no snow, to make up for that loss we did get loads of rain which meant the city was greener than I’d ever seen it while maintaining its bare branches on the trees. Basically, though we were there in winter it felt like we had arrived in spring, a very pleasant way to see Vienna especially for Michael’s first glimpse of Europe.
Of course, what is it that perfumistas do when they are in a new city? We shopped fragrances! I did a fair spend at the CHANEL store there and a couple of vintage finds in the smaller, niche hole in the wall stores that Vienna seems to have an abundance of yet also these places seem to have stock from 60 years ago too.
Cadjmere by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Generale 2007
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Myrtle, cypress, Brazilian rosewood, blood mandarin, vanilla, sandalwood, coconut milk, amber
Amber, vanilla and something green burst off my skin as soon as I spritz Cadjmere. They turn almost immediately to this weird, funky almost nasty curdled green leafy milk. It’s interesting, intriguing and awkward: LOVING IT! The notes really aren’t correlating to what I am smelling, what I get here in my head is a bakery in a plant nursery and lumberyard that’s in turn right next to a tip. There’s something of that compost sweetness, rotting vegetation and plastic. Ha ha ha ha! I have just read back what I wrote. OMG! I make it sound dreadful but it’s not.
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Pierre Guillaume has a way with fragrance and often combines beautiful sweet notes, comfortable and comforting notes with something dark, less desirable. What then happens for me is that I will happily smell the sweetness and every so often I will be surprised by an off kilter piece of the puzzle that will draw me in again, searching for it.
Into the heart of Cadjmere I find most of the sharp edges rounded nicely and we are in sweet woods territory, I don’t know if Pierre Guillaume was using Australian sandalwood or a chemical sandalwood but it has some of the lovely eucalyptus menthol hints that the Australian one displays (or it could be some of the greenery). I don’t know and am often getting stuff wrong note wise, it doesn’t matter.
Photo Stolen WikiCommons
What does matter is that Cadjmere is ridiculously gorgeous, a totally beautiful fragrance that will warm the cockles of your heart and give you comfort if you are low. Later on I get a fabulously animal fur and resins mingling with the woods, glorious.
Longevity is above average and for the first couple of hours sillage is moderate, you are fragrant without skunking, after that Cadjmere hums along quietly for hours and hours. If you spray your clothes they will still smell fabulous next day MMMM MMMMMM!
Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and The Non Blonde
I was given my sample at Le Parfum in Vienna, Austria
First In Fragrance have €95/50ml
Surrender To Chance have samples starting at $5/ml
Have you tried or bought Cadjmere? Are you a Pierre Guillaume fan? Do you have a favourite?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
No. No. And no. But I will give this a go next time I am in Vienna, it does sound worth a try. I am sat here in16 degree strange warmth. Even less wintery than it was this time last year. I wish you were coming over again. Bussi. xxxx
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That is weird Val. Last year was positively balmy in Austria. Ohhhh winters were winterier when we were young……
I wish I was seeing you too but I’m glad we are not traveling this year, though it’s early days yet.
We will have to find other things to amuse ourselves.
Portia xx
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Hello Portia,
So many scents yet to try! This may be one of them. The Australian sandalwood smell you describe makes me think I would like this. I love S. spicatum oil. My favorite is a little tin of solid fragrance made with nothing but the essential the oil, beeswax and bits of ground up sandalwood. The sweet, vegie rotting thing is intriguing too. Regarding the weather: It seems to be getting wetter here every year providing plenty of damp and rotting vegetation
Azar xx
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Hi there Azar,
Wetter as apposed to cold? Or generally wetter?
A few of us were sent a Sandalwood oil set by the Australian manufacturers/growers. It had Mysore oil, Australian Sandalwood oil and another one (can’t remember). It was so interesting, the Australian one had us all coughing and gasping for air in the first few minutes, so unexpectedly strong.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia,
We have reputation here for rain, but the last couple of winters have been wetter than normal while the temps have stayed about the same or have been slightly warmer. The rainstorms have changed character too with more dumping soakers instead of the constant drizzle.
Re sandalwood: I have the Australian “Mysore” – S. album (thanks to a draw from Jordan River) and the S. spicatum, both from Mt Romance. Such a pleasure!
Azar xx
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Yes, they are the ones we got to try. Jordan organised the whole thing. I gave my samples to Suzanne R Banks so she could try finding some differences in energetic powers.
Does the drizzle persist too or are you now getting cleare days in between?
Portia xx
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In previous winters we have gone for more than forty days and forty nights with nothing but rain. This year the sun has been coming out from time to time but the rain is much harder. Today was more normal, kind of a drizzly mist with fog and clouds swirling around. I go out in the weather every day with Fender. He is such a fussy dog that he won’t mess up the acre that is our yard. We have to climb a steep hill and go about a mile from the house to find the perfect spot…everyday rain or shine. Believe me, I did not instigate this behavior. It was his idea and now he has me well trained!
Azar xx
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HA! Dogs will push the boundaries till they are EXACTLY how they like them, they know we will give in in the end.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia,
Unseasonably mild today here in the UK too. Cadjmere is a no-go for me because of the coconut but it’s really well done.
My fave PG at the moment is Liqueur Charnelle.Loved it on first sniff and looking forward to re-trying.
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Hi there Tara,
I bought Liquer Charnelle while out with Birgit in New York last December. I was so crazy for it but, as per usual, I haven’t opened the box since we got home. I love that Osswald has the 30ml sizes though.
Portia xx
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Yes I’ve tried Cadjmere and liked and I love PG perfumes. My favourite so far is L’Ombre Fauve. Gorgeous amber, musk patch combo. My other favs are Tubereuse Couture, Intrigant Patchouli and Cuir d’Iris. Was a freakily warm 22 degrees in France. x Megan
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WOW! 22 degrees! You’re talking F not C though right?
YAY! You are another PG fan, it’s so great to meet another one. I love the way he makes sweet so interesting.
Portia xx
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Hi Portia – no a freaky 22 degrees celsius. Slightly disturbing really! And yes I share the PG love. I actually like most of his that I try. Love his weird mixes.
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WOW!! 22 degrees midwinter is fabulous. How lucky you are. Unless you work for a Ski Field, then I am a bit sorry.
So still wearing t shirts in the day? It reads like a mild Sydney winter.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia! I Have Cadjmere and rarely reach for it. Strange because when I do I love it. I love Tubereuse Couture and Myrrhiad. I also loved Liqueur Charnelle and managed to fenagle a sample. Will have to try that again soon. Sandra xo
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Hi there Sandra,
Myrrhiad is gorgeous. LOVE it.
Next time I’m in Austria we need to do a PG specific sniff day.
Portia xx
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This sounds so strange and so fascinating! Green leafy milk…could be horrendous, could make a good scent extraordinary! Will have to find out for myself 🙂
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Hey Erica,
Yes, I make it read rather disgusting but it is wonderful. Most excited to read what you think.
Do you like any of the PGs?
Portia xx
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