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Post by Portia
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Hello Fragrant Lovers,
This tea scent is based on Jeju Island, the South Korean honeymoon island. Where newlywed South Korean couples have their 3 day honeymoon and wear completely matching honeymoon outfits. It’s so cute, they dress EXACTLY the same, except for some minor gender differentiation. The island itself is quite large and it has loads of fun stuff to do including gardens, parks, caves and caverns, fishing, there is even a mountain that you must climb (the crew did but I stayed home and read my book).
Above you can see us in one of the fields grown expressly for Jeju honeymooners to have their photos taken in smoochy, loving positions. They have various love seats and love furniture, very twee and old fashioned but surprisingly fun. It was really lovely that we got to do it and as stupid as it seems I felt it was one of those moments of pure happiness that I will often look back at and smile. In fact, the moment I read that L’Ile au Thé was about Jeju my mind went instantly to the tranquil, sunlit moment in a sea of flowers.
L’Ile au Thé by Annick Goutal 2015
L’Ile au Thé by Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin pulp, Citruses
Heart: Osmanthus, apricot, tea, mandarin blossom
Base: Green tea absolut, white musk
Citrus, in a burst so ripe and juicy, lightly sugared and the dry tea is already giving it nuance and body. A wonderful, fun, uplifting open that is so pretty it just screams spring and renewal. After about 5 minutes the pith comes through, a feeling more than a scent, it’s soft and sueded and still a lovely fresh citrus abounds.
A cologne-ish fragrance without the usual herbaceousness. In L’Ile au Thé it’s all about citrus and tea with the slightest hint at salt air. Simple. pretty, pleasurable and extremely wearable. during the heart I get a lovely piquant lime zest smell that is both radiant and fizzy, such a great way to wake up the senses in Sydney’s current Indian Summer (24C today and glorious). It’s put a real spring in my step.
All of these things L’Ile au Thé is, yet sometimes I wear a fragrance for a few days and wonder if the world really needs another citrus cologne, no matter how lovely. Would I put down hard earned cash for it? Maybe, probably not, my collection has ample in this style. If I had none or one cologne, if I was thinking of buying for a friend that likes citrus, tea or white musks then definitely. It’s not a very expensive fragrance in the scheme of current frag prices, though $149 is a lot of money, and it’s 100ml. So I could comfortably spritz lavishly. One thing in L’Ile au Thé’s favour is that it lasts longer than most Annick Goutal’s and most colognes. It also has a dazzling citrussy sillage that I find really appealing.
From Annick Goutal site: “Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen invite us on a trip to Korea, on the paradise island of Jeju, known for its charm, the beauty of its landscapes and ranked as one of the wonders of nature…..
L’Ile au Thé is an infusion of well-being, an invigorating and soothing perfume to be shared.”
Further reading: Perfume Posse and Candy Perfume Boy
LuckyScent has $149/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4.50/ml
Have you been to Jeju Island or any part of South Korea?
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Seoul early summer of 1988 (Husband worked for company insuring NBC for Olympics) and 1989 New Year, when we had to quit Japan before midnight 1988 or face a Huge tax bill! Only seen it steaming hot or icily frigid. That pic of you two on Jeju is a definite keeper – both serene and happy (and good looking too).
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Hey Bernadette Winfield-Gray,
WOW!! 1988 must have been very different to now. I bet almost no one spoke English then and it would have been far less industrialised.
Thanks, we love that shot too.
Portia xx
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hmmm… this sounds just like the kind of think I like to wear in the summer. Are you able to compare the Annick Goutal with Jo Malone’s Assam and grapefruit? I have that one and am wondering if it has a similar vibe? Thanks!
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Sorry Ciel,
I don’t know that Jo Malone, sorry.
In my imagination it’s like a hefty, longer lasting Jo Malone.
Portia xx
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Ahh, this is one I almost blind bought solely because it was based on Jeju Island (and I generally like tea!). Despite being born in Seoul and making several long trips to Korea, I haven’t been to Jeju yet – but I definitely want to go someday with my family. My grandmother hailed from Jeju and my mom can speak some of their funky dialect. I almost went for a PhD in linguistics with a focus on the Jeju dialect. 🙂 I still have yet to get my nose on this one because I haven’t heard that many great things about it, and I would hate to be disappointed. But I should still probably try it one of these days. Thank you Portia for your take on it – and the lovely honeymooner photo. 🙂
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Sun Mi,
Jeju is fun. we had a ball. I particularly loved the couples outfits. So cute.
Go into the fragrance with an open mind, if it’s Jeju you want to smell it may let you down. I really would have liked some dank cave in the depths of dry down.
Portia x
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I was aware of Jeju Island. I sometimes watch Korean dramas and Jeju Island is often featured in them
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Hey Fazal,
Those Korean dramas are epic aren’t they?
Portia xx
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I enjoy them. I primarily got interested in Japanese and Korean Dramas because they also show us the beautiful Korean and Japanese cities, their cultures and so on!
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I haven’t heard of Jeju island so far but the idea of a honeymoon island is fantastic. I like romantic places of every kind and my fiance is very fond of Korea, so maybe one day…why not?
L’Ile au The is a nice scent but I wonder if I really need it in my collection. Plus like all Annick Goutal’s scents it turns rather sour on my skin and that’s not the point
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Hey Neva,
Interesting, I’ve never thought of Gout’s base lines as sour. My skin skews sweet so maybe I get a softer fade?
The South Koreans only get a 3 day honeymoon so Jeju is the best. There is a list of things the couple has to accomplish on the island./ Wear matching clothes, climb the mountain, see the caves, have a field of flowers picture and a couple I can’t remember. Great way to get to know someone, always having a shared goal. We loved it.
Portia xx
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