New Sniffs: 20.9.2018

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hey Hey Perfume Junkies,

APJs new Thursday thing for September. Hoping to combat the guilt I feel when so much arrives and so little gets written about, the idea of New Sniffs emerged.

The idea is that anything worthy of comment, either good or bad, that’s passed under my nose through the week will get a short write up. Up till now I have kept APJ positive comments only, those days are gone. If I think something is terrible, shamefully lazy, greedy or stupid and you should know about it, it will be said. Not everything works for everyone and it would be pretty boring if it did >>> YMMV. I’d love it if you all agree, respectfully disagree, have any thought-out opinion and want to share, do so in the comments below. The point is starting a conversation.

New Sniffs Aug 2018

Anything that I’m not keeping becomes a super simple GIVEAWAY. All comments are entered. Next week I’ll tell you who random.org picked. If the winner doesn’t eMail me during the week it will JACKPOT to next weeks winner who will get both.

Last Weeks Winner: marcellavmiller

eMail me at (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with your address please

New Sniffs: 20.9.2018

Pluie Noire by Parfumerie Particulière

Imagine salty sea and metal joining with the sharp tang of juniper berries. Pluie Noire is cold, refreshing and weird. Like being inside a clock mechanism, metal, oil, cold, sharp. Not for the faint hearted but so interesting.

Patchouli Oud by Affinessence

Ignore the first minute or two of Patchouli Oud. It has nothing to do with the excellent fragrance underneath. Patchouli, incense and the lemony resin zing of elemi all work together seamlessly to produce a very wearable fragrance that is unusual enough to maintain interest. I also smell a dose of rose or clove that’s not mentioned in the notes.

Cedre Iris by Affinessence

If you told me that Cedre Iris was from the Hermessence line I would totally believe you. It has that weightless and slightly oily feel to it. Doughy iris and warm pencil shavings. Nice.

Eleventh Hour by Byredo

Stewed fruit, pepper, booze and woods. People are poo-pooing this release but I find it gorgeous. It’s in the style of those early Serge Lutens releases but with a 21st century upgrade. Eleventh Hour could be retail FB worthy for me, I’m going to give the sample a few more wears.

Pour un Homme Millesime 2014 by Caron

This should be the gold standard lavender. Desiccated, parched and windswept lavender softened by a rich vanilla/amber. Breathtakingly gorgeous and a huge surprise. WOW! I WANT IT BAD!

Tiger’s Nest by Memo Paris

My experience of this brand will be forever tainted by my memory of knocking over and breaking one of their candles at Le Bon Marche in Paris. The sheer weight of mortification cannot be understated.

BUT! If you love incense and want one that smells more like a Pacific Islands version than India, Japan or the Catholic church then this is a very good one. 90% incense with lovely bitter green wormwood, dry cracked pepper and tea rose. Smells worthy of the hype.

Tendre Nuit by Isabey

Very pretty feminine. Almonds, vegetal musk and rose. Its gentle, smooth elegance could fit easily into the Sylvaine Delacourt lineup. I bought a 15ml Travel Spray and the packaging is to die for. EXCELLENT stocking filler. Not a necessary purchase for anyone who already has something smooth and pretty.

(homage to) Hemingway by Masque Milano

OK, if you LOVE vetiver or don’t have a vetiver in your collection then you should give Hemingway a sniff. A very accomplished vetiver with a few bells & whistles for extra zing. Personally, as a softcore vetiver liker, I found it not clever or unusual enough to warrant a purchase.
My collection already boasts bottles of L’Artisan Coeur de Vetiver Sacre, Lalique Encre Noire, Montale Red Vetiver, Guerlain Vetiver, Terre d’Hermès plus some vetiver-centric decants.

Have you tried any of these? How did they work for you?
Portia xx

83 thoughts on “New Sniffs: 20.9.2018”

  1. I haven’t tried any of these though I have the original Caron Pour Homme. A bit too medicinal for me. I like Byredo’s Ouds. I do like vetiver; so, Hemingway sounds good. I like vetiver and petitgrain together. Mmmmm.

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  2. Tiger’s Nest. Must try for me. I’m an incense newbie and have had some great suggestions from the crowd on the blog. This one sounds different enough to make the cut.
    Oh no! What happens if it’s so good and I go FB on it!?? Then I will be vicariously feeling your painful mortification as well! I must unread that part of the description. Ugh. I can just feel that instant rush of burning heat that zaps your whole body when something like that happens. Well….glad it wasn’t me 😇

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  3. I’ve never had the chance to smell any Hemingway fragrance but the others vetiver juices from your personal collection list are really great. Vetiver note is such a wonderful note if blended properly, and i’ve experienced a lot of nuances and types of vetiver. I would add Bal D’afrique byredo and Vetiver from Dior prive line (sadly discontinued) . These 2 are my favourites vetiver fragrances.

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  4. Hey Portia,
    I inwardly shuddered at your Le Bon Marche story. Accidents happen but the embarrassment is the worst.
    I don’t know any of these. I really like the Masque Milano line but don’t love vetiver dominant perfumes.
    Eleventh Hour sounds like everything I can’t cope with 🙂 Always fun reading your thoughts on new releases though.

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  5. Eleventh Hour will be a future sample purchase, boozy fig is a must-try for me. We used to have knock-off Bon Marche chain stores here in the US, but they have all closed or been absorbed I think by Macys.

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  6. I am so far far behind that I have not tried any of these but I thank you Portia for being our tester! Quite a few sound lovely!

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  7. Haven’t even heard of most of these offerings but our fearless leader will do the nosework for us😉. I’m doing my own little sniffage on my newbie this week.

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  11. I love this New Sniffs series because it’s a quick guide to what I should try and what I can avoid. I’ve only just found one Byredo that I like so I think I’ll try Eleventh Hour too. Memo has also interesting fragrances so I’ll give Tiger’s Nest a try also. Btw, I like the name.
    Congrats on your win, Marcella!

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  12. This whole New Sniffs bunch seems like my kind of perfumes: they’re either strange (smelling like a clock mechanism or a boozy fruity je-ne-sais-quoi by Byredo) or, even better, iris-, vetiver- and lavender-centred scents. I love vetivers, Guerlain being the most adored and Tom Ford’s coming a close second, and I wear Pour un homme. Actually, I wish it were more astringent, I get a LOT of vanilla from it.

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    • I used to think those odd smells like clock mechanism did not belong in fragrances. But lately I’m beginning to like it. Maybe and sometimes. The clock smell however is oddly comforting. Weird, eh? Maybe I’m gettin’ with the times!

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  13. Since this is a ‘New Sniffs’ focus group. Pray tell, has anyone tried any of the Carner Barcelona’s?
    For some odd reason that name keeps popping up and equally inexplicably triggers my curiosity.
    So, anyone able to spill the beans?

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    • There are many I like in this line, although I haven’t tried the newest ones as they are slow to get to the US. Cuirs is probably my favorite, super comforting woodsy leather; a lot of people like Tardes, an ambery rose that I love sometimes and sometimes find too sweet. There’s a beachy one I like – and own! – and can’t remember the name of! Also a good iris. D600? Bad memory and not at home to check!

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    • I tried Tardes which was pretty and not too heavy or too sweet and D600 which is more of an office friendly, modern scent (in a good way). Absolutely worth sampling.

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      • Merci Ingeborg. Tardes has cropped up two other times, so three including yourself. It’s going on the list together with El Born. No one mentioned it, but if I get one score out of two I’ll be pleased.

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      • Thanks Brigitte. Tardes sounds great. My collection is well represented in the warm and cuddly. Tardes goes on the list!
        Oh! I was in a shop today and found loads of essential oils by NOW. I’m going to revisit when I have a bit more time.

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        • Oh yes!!! If you see the oils in real life then definitely explore them! You can sample in the store and then see if they are more discounted online.

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  15. I am a vetiver fan and really like the ginger and vetiver of Hemingway. Bought it. Oopsie. I found the Memo a nice incense, but it got a big ‘baby powder’ thumbs down from my person. Will have to retry Iris Cedre as it didn’t sit with me the first try.

    I too love this new feature!

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  18. Hi love,

    I think you saved me some $$ on Eleventh Hour. I was excited about it, but when I tried it, it was just straight up clove oil on my skin. I generally love Byredo though.

    Thanks for letting me smell some of these! Yay!

    xx Tina G

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  19. Oh dear, I’d turn inside out if I accidentally broke something like that! Did they ask you to pay for it, or just let you curl up in embarrassed agony for the rest of the visit? I was terrified that something similar might happen when I visited you, haha, those pedestal boxes were GREAT for a quick shot of adrenaline! 😉

    Pluie Noire sounds very fascinating, I love weird “non perfume” accords. I’m also very into stewed fruit and booze, NG Cuir Velours is in the crosshairs for that combo, but I’ll have to give Eleventh Hour a sniff.

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  20. I love Isabey’s bottles! I didn’t know a new fragrance was released; I’ve added Tendre Nuit to my sampling wish list. The only Isabey I own is Fleure Nocturne, gorgeous stuff!

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  21. I haven’t tried any of these. I guess the Byredo would not be difficult to find, the brand is in many shops here in Scandinavia. I have so far not found anything I must have from Byredo, but then I have to admit I have mostly sniffed on card in stores, not tried samples at home.

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    • Hey Ingeborg,
      Byredo seems to be a very polarising house. Some people whose noses I trust completely are on each side of the fence. Personally, about 60% of the range works for me. Currently there are only three bottles of their frags in my collection; Oud Accord, Black Saffron and M/Mink. Black Saffron getting by far the most wear, especially in the warmer months.
      Portia xx

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