Autoportrait by Nathalie Lorson for Olfactive Studio 2011

May 21, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 17 Comments

Post by Jordan River

Autoportrait by Olfactive Studio 2011

Photo Taken by Nathan Branch

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot and elemi
Heart: Benzoin, incense and musk
Base: Oak moss, cedar and vetiver.

Boys, here is one for the 21st century man, not a flower petal in sight. The brief to the perfumer was a photo – create a fragrance inspired by the picture below. I first encountered this scent in December at World Beauty. When I trial a new scent I make sure not to read reviews or the even the notes on the packaging. February came and Autoportrait was still wafting through the scentmills of my mind. Back to the shop for another spritz. Back to the shop twice in a day. On my fourth visit the SA read out the marketing notes before I could protest. When I heard the words Nathalie Lorson I swooned as the attraction made sudden sense.

Autoportrait LUC LAPÔTRE olfactive studio

The photo that inspired Autoportrait. Photographer: Luc Lapôrte

Natalie created one of my best-loved ‘fumes, the warm masculine vetiver that is Encre Noire from Lalique. Autoportrait is Encre Noire released from the woods and flying above the clouds. The vetiver smells like the roots have been washed by a waterfall leaving a clear hint of something that is usually more vegetal.

Let’s take a quick side trip to the Moonlight Waterfall in Issan. Will you stroll with me? There is a path behind the waterfall. The waterfall will be an olfactory reference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tzJx25falk

Sang Chan Waterfall, Issan, Thailand Photos: Jordan River

Back to Autoportrait: A tonal quality like a chime is what wafts from the bottle. Back in the office I sprayed this new delight. My Social Media Manager said “I’ve tasted that scent”. He was saying he had eaten elemi berries from the Phillipines. Resin from the elemi tree make up the top notes along with lemon and orange. We are seeing a lot of berry notes this season; the blackcurrant Co2 extract and absolutes hidden in The Enchanted Forest is another example of this direction.

After 30 minutes the scent becomes nice and dry. This is a skin scent meaning that you have to be reasonably but not intimately close to smell this. Your skin ++. Benzoin resin from Thailand, incense and oak moss or more likely a well composed synthetic substitute with a tiny drop of oak moss, are the other notes which all evaporate on me within 4 hours. No worries there, just top up.

Autoportrait is smooth with a clean feel but not in the laundry musk or American sense. Maybe clear is a better word. It’s not about the notes; this is a harmony of composition. A beautiful blend by a woman I admire.

Perfumer Nathalie Lorson

Love your work Nathalie. But this is not really work is it? This is an artistic expression which moves the vetiver story higher into the fragrant stratosphere. Next I am expecting vetiver in outer space.

Careful if you wear this: someone may want to eat you if they move close enough within the first 30 minutes. I know I like to taste everything.

Center shelf, a welcome addition to the fridge

Autoportrait from Olfactive Studio is an EDP available in 50ml and 100ml.

Founder and Creative Director of Olfactive Studio, Céline Verleure

The photo is included in the box. My solution to flatten the curl of the cheap paper stock is to frame the photo for my office. At this price point ~ $US145, €85 (50ml) a higher gsm would be appreciated to carry this beautiful piece of art.

Further Information
Elemi is a berry tree from the Philippines. You can taste a dried version of the fruit at most Asian food stores.
Luc Lapôrte photography
Olfactive Studio website
Picturing Perfume – The Olfactive Studio story by Denyse Beaulieu

Reviews
What Men Should Smell Like – Clayton Ilolahia

Olfactoria’s Travels – Olfactoria

The Non-Blonde – Gaia Fishler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tzJx25falk

Kampot Pepper from Cambodia Photo Essay

April 16, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 56 Comments

Kampot Pepper from Cambodia Photo Essay + GIVEAWAY!

In the 1920’s every French (restaurant) kitchen worth it’s salt and pepper used Kampot pepper from Cambodia, a former French colony. When Pol Pot became dictator of Kampuchea he declared Grow Rice, Not Spice, a rhyming but odd domestic policy as Cambodia suddenly had no exports. It used to export this to Europe by the tonne.

Like Champagne, this pepper has geographical appellation status because of it’s unique taste… and scent.

Black Kampot Peppercorns

Smell
The Top notes have hints of mint and eucalyptus followed by a floral heart and a base note that can only be described as pepper ++. The smell is enchanting, it is appetite enchanting, this Bordeaux of peppercorns is absolutely aromatic and a taste sensation.

Red Kampot Peppercorns

Taste
Add to strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar to wow your next dinner guests. Rough pound with pestle for savory dishes or freshly grind to sprinkle just prior to serving. Oh, and throw away the MSG that you have hiding back left of your pantry.

Kampot Pepper is the first Cambodian product to benefit from the status of Protected Geographical Indication. The taste and smell is linked to the terroir, rainfall, the local water and traditional Khmer farming techniques.

It’s got a floral dimension that’s really something special.
Anthony Bourdain
Food and Travel Show Host

A certain sweetness to it rather than straightforward heat.
Michael Laiskonis
Le Bernardin
New York City

Perfect with Kep crab

It just so happens that I was in Kampot recently, eating crab cooked on the beach in nearby Krep, and pepper shopping.

We have 8 Kampot peppercorns to give away!

Let’s make that 8 bags of peppercorns to give away on Australian Perfume Junkies.

For you?

I use 2 parts red to 1 part black and words fail when trying to describe the X factor of the red peppercorns. There are also green and white Kampot peppercorns but these were not harvested when I motorcycled into town.

Gifts – one bag of black and one bag of red Kampot peppercorns from Cambodia

HOW DO YOU WIN

Leave a comment below telling us your favourite use of pepper in food, fashion or fragrance or Like The Fragrant Man on Facebook to be in the random draw.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

Lets make that 8 gifts consisting of one bag of red peppercorns and one bag of black peppercorns so that you can taste the difference.

Included is P&P to anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday April 19th 2013 10pm AEDST and winners will be announced in a separate post then.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and TSO Jin will pick them. He doesn’t even stop watching TV to do it usually.
The winners will have till Wednesaday 24th April 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or Portia will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Will you buy banana? Looking after in-law’s banana stall while they negotiated local prices for the pepper. Kampot Market, Cambodia.
Photo: Houv Tang

Step Back in Time: Jordan River Spikenard Foot Oil GIVEAWAY!!

March 22, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 35 Comments

Guest Post b y Jordan River The Fragrant Man

Are you spending too much on perfume? Here is a scented tale for you.

The Oil in the Alabaster Box
There are many faiths in this world. There are also many myths and legends. It’s up to you to find the truth on your fragrant journey. Let’s travel to the east this Easter to visit with a woman living on the boundaries of her culture. She has recently met a man. She believes him to be her spiritual guide. He is surrounded by men at a dinner party. She is uninvited and has to make her way past the guests to be able to offer her teacher a scented gift. The gift is spikenard oil, a costly perfume ingredient which at this volume, a Roman litra, costs the equivalent of spending a year’s salary on a scent; a scent so potent that the home where this story takes place becomes filled with fragrant air.

The room grew still
As she made her way to Jesus
She stumbles through the tears that made her blind

She felt such pain
Some spoke in anger
Heard folks whisper
There’s no place here for her kind

Still on she came
Through the shame that flushed her face
Until at last, she knelt before his feet
And though she spoke no words
Everything she said was heard
As she poured her love for the Master
From her box of alabaster

Don’t be angry if I wash his feet with my tears
And I dry them with my hair
You weren’t there the night He found me
You did not feel what I felt
When he wrapped his love all around me and
You don’t know the cost of the oil
In my alabaster box

– lyrics: Janice Sjostran
for chanteuse Cece Winans
– an interpretation of Mark 14:3-9

Judas the accountant thought this money would have been better spent feeding the poor. Nevertheless the teacher accepted this gift from a woman’s heart.

Jesus looked at her with a smile “your deed will never be forgotten. Your story will be told throughout all the lands and for all time and in ways you have never even dreamed of“.

Little could she have imagined that one day the story of her alabaster box would be told on the World Wide Web.

– a Roman litra ~ 327 grams

Album Version – Cece Winans – The Alabaster Box
A more melodic version.

Spikenard Foot Oil Giveaway

We also have a gift to give away. Brie in New York has made some spikenard foot oil especially for this post. If you would like to encounter this scent and look after your own or your loved one’s feet please leave a comment below, then go visit Jordan River at The Fragrant Man, like the site on Facebook or follow on Twitter @TheFragrantMan.

The gift recipient will be announced on Easter Sunday on The Fragrant Man and mailed to you on Tuesday.

Spikenard or nard originates in India and Nepal, high in the Himalayas. The root of the plant is the source for one of the rarest and most precious oils.

Brie would like to say that she is not a professional perfumer. This is an interest for her. She blends with the best of intentions, carefully choosing oils for their healing properties as well as for the enjoyment of smelling. Brie says that spikenard is quite tenacious and challenging to work with as in her experience it takes over the blend (similar to tea tree oil).

OTHER SITES DOING THE SPIKENARD GIVEAWAY! Yes, you can enter at ALL OF THEM!
AllIAmARedhead
CoolCookStyle
ScentsMemory
ThePerfumeDandy

A Perfumista Pilgrimage – Serge Lutens

March 19, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 73 Comments

Guest Post by Jordan River

Serge Lutens

sergelutens.com

Mr Lutens is the magician of the fragrant stratosphere. A self-described sorcerer. A virtual recluse who conjures mysterious and amazing perfumes. He puts the genie in the bottle and you get to take it out. He is A Spell Jar of Adventure. The gravitas of the critiques of his releases and by who makes for fascinating reading. Wax Samples are the entry point to this particular wormhole. You have been warned. The solid perfume is an almost exact scent rendering and an excellent method to choose what to explore further in these eau de parfums. After that you have three collection choices, La Fille de Berlin, Selective Distribution (formerly ‘export’) and Exclusives. And after that you have numbered limited edition flacons. The Exclusives come in bell jars that until very recently have only been available at the Paris store. Hence the need for a pilgrimage. All 36 bell jars will suffice you for 3 years at the rate of a bottle a month. Clever people place small glass marbles in their bell jar to raise the juice level after constant application.

What interests me is going further, not into the perfume, but deeper into myself, exploring my innermost depths to extract darkness from light, and make it just as visible – Serge Lutens

sergelutens.com

In 1992 Serge opened his house of perfumes called Les Salons du Palais Royal. His vision was for

a unique place in the world where one would come as an enlightened being to define oneself through one’s perfume, in order to stand out from the identity-free crowd which previous times had imposed upon us.

It is to this salon in Paris than many a perfumista has made a pilgrimage. The latest one to embark on a quest for a bell jar is our very own Portia. Which bell jar of Sergian notes is calling out to her as she leaves The Land Down Under for The Perfume Capital of the Universe? A dry dry desert wind, a night or tuberose, a cry from the depths, the sweat of Kublai Khan, blackened amber, or the atmosphere, if not the very voice of Billie Holiday? If you can guess (and if this offer is not edited out!) then a decant will be yours on her return (Ed: Better than a decant I have something VERY special for our winners Jordan. SEE BELOW). Careful here, Portia is unpredictable! I’m thinking Sarrasins. What do you think?

Jordan River

References and Further Information

Serge Lutens Bell Jars are now available in New York at Barneys.

La Fille de Berlin (Selective Distribution range) was launched at Les Salons du Palais Royal last month.

Serge Lutens Interview 1 – Denyse Beaulieu
Serge Lutens Interview 2 – Denyse Beaulieu
Serge Lutens
Serge Lutens US site
Serge Lutens – Information by Snap

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

As you know it’s our ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY WEEK. There are 3 prizes today for our lovely readers who leave a message in comments with a Serge Lutens fragrance I may have bought from the Palais Royal Store. Courtesy of the beautiful girls who work there I have 3 x Solid Sample Quartets to give away.

#1. De Profundis, Santal Blanc, Iris Silver Mist, Louve

#2. Chene, Un Bois Sepia, Borneo 1834, Vetiver Oriental

#3. Cuir Mauresque, Fumerie Turque, Boxeuses, Muscs Koublai Khan

Included is P&P to anywhere in the world

NO you don’t get to chose!!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Friday March 22nd 2013 10pm AEDST and winners will be announced in a separate post on Sunday 24th March.
Winners will be chosen by putting names on same sized papers, folded similarly, put on a tray and TSO Jin will pick them. He doesn’t even stop watching TV to do it usually.
The winners will have till Wednesaday 27th March 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or I will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Best Birthday Wishes to you all.

Portia xx

The Enchanted Forest by Bertrand Duchaufour for The Vagabond Prince 2013

January 15, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 20 Comments

Guest Post by Jordan River

The Enchanted Forest by The Vagabond Prince 2013

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pink pepper, aldehydes, sweet orange (traces), flower cassis, blackcurrant leaf, hawthorn, effects of rum and wine, rosemary, davana.
Heart: Blackcurrant buds absolute (by LMR from Grasse), CO2 blackcurrant (by Floral Concept from Grasse), Russian coriander seed, honeysuckle, rose, carnation, vetiver
Base: Opoponax resinoid, Siam benzoin, amber, oakmoss, fir balsam absolute, Patchouli Purecoeur®, castoreum absolute, cedar notes, vanilla, musk

Arvo 1.30pm I’m beaming as I stroll this enchanted forest. Straight off I hear John Muir say; “The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness.” Will you stroll with me? These trees are giant blackcurrent bushes with super fragrant leaves and juicy juicy buds. The light rain is made of pink peppercorns sparking with aldehydes and sweet orange. Once this settles on your skin you feel energized and cleansed. Across the valley is an alembic aroma of wine or perhaps something stronger. Deeper into the heart of this forest you are walking on rose petals, past wild carnations and banks of vetiver until you come to The Balsam Fir Tree and a carpet of pine needles. This spot is where I paused and lay down for a fragrant rest after removing a log from my eye. Which you may need to do too, to appreciate this scent. A dream fragment of been snared by a dictator is chased away by a forest floor of myrrh resinoid, Siam benzoin, amber, oakmoss, castoreum absolute, cedar notes, vanilla, musk and a pure hearted patchouli. The dry down is blended to perfection so I can’t differentiate these base notes; I just inhale. This forest dances in green dappled light – there are no scary places here.

An absolute of blackcurrent buds strengthened with a CO2 extract of blackcurrent as well as two blackcurrent bases give this eau de parfum it’s solifruit character. No it doesn’t smell like Ribena though this may be your only real life blackcurrent reference. Nor is it sweet. A man or a woman could wear this anywhere knowing that they are wafting a unique fragrance that is right here and right now.

Evening 5.30pm Susurrating nicely as a skin scent.

Those great lovers of perfume, the founders of fragrantica.com (2007), Elena Knezhevich and Zoran Knezevic commissioned this scent from Bertrand Duchaufour for the launch of their own perfume house called The Vagabond Prince. Perfumistas, this is an entire new Kingdom to explore. Flankers would be welcome so we can discover more in this Enchanted Forest. An Enchanted Vetiver would be nice. So would 50ml. The Vagabond Prince has promised us an encyclopedia of scent. Well, I’d go anywhere with a vagabond Prince, wouldn’t you? Predicting Awards, Accolades, and Acclamations for this original 2013 release. A great start to The Perfume Year.

For a more prismatic stroll you can walk this very same route with Kafkaesque or you could meander alongside Lanier.

Jovoy Paris has 100ml EdP for 140 Euros
Lucky Scent has $5 Samples

Enchanted Forest, Enchanté.
Jordan River

All product photos from The Vagabond Prince other photos authors own

What Would You Bring Baby Jesus?

December 18, 2012 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Guest Post by Jordan River

Kia Ora AustralianPerfumeJunkies,

This is Jordan River from Way Down Under in New Zealand. I am the Fragrance Editor at Express Magazine and Portia writes our Fragrance column. I know you’ve discovered Portia. Here is how I found her. Earlier in the year I was reading graindemusc as you do, constantly, and noticed a comment from a Portia in Australia. Minutes later AustralianPerfumeJunkies was zoomin’ onto my screen at the very moment we were looking for a fragrance writer. 72 days later Portia was Published!
If you want more Portia in your life you can read her latest column here .

Noora, Nazareth and Gold

This season this magi is presenting Noora, Nazareth and Gold to the baby Jesus who is known as The Prophet Isa in the lands of frankincense and myrrh.

Noora is a mukhallat with rose, jasmine, marigold, mimosa, saffron, red berries, oud, sandalwood, musk and vanilla, none of which I can smell. Marketing Imagination. More like plum, orange, honey, ginger with a delightful zephyr of hyacinth. Very synthetic in the modern way but this Swish Arabian is also very enticing. So enticing that when I received a complimentary sample with another purchase from Saudi Arabia I ordered a full flacon the next day. And what a flacon! With a perfect applicator! Endure the shriek of an opening for a dazzling dry down which will have you camel riding, star following and hearing angels sing. Musette thought it was like an unidentifiable blossom dipped in wild honey but maybe she was describing herself? Noora means Divine Light.
You may also like Swiss Arabian’s Zahra. A Marigold Oriental. Sumukorento describes it thus; Like Egyptian musk oil + The Boucheron Trouble drydown. Love that. I thought Oils are all about constant reapplication, but no they are not.

Nazareth. This is a scent I discovered last year at a perfume masterclass in December. It stayed on my mind. Not realizing it was a seasonal release I couldn’t buy it in March when it was still blowing through the scentmills of my mind. Then just last week I was an hour early for a meeting and wandered into World where they were unpacking their annual supply of this scent. Nazareth is a candle by Cire Trudon, a Christmas candle which wafts a whisper of frankincense and billows of cinnamon, orange, and clove from a ruby red holder. Burn for a hour, an hour before you want a scented room. Trim that wick before reigniting. Bees and other pollinators receive protection from this candle as a percentage of sales goes to Terre d’Abeilles.

Gold – well I am going with the gold bukhoor burner to smeek some oud chips from Ensar.

If you prefer ‘through alcohol’ rather than through smoke then Amouage Gold Man has been described as Chanel No. 5 for Men. And it is. Not me but I know an Australian DJ who will be receiving my unattended bottle. Hi Calvin.

Perfumistas, what scented gifts would you bring to Bethlehem?
Wishing you, The APJ Family, Scent Serendipity this Season.

Waft on through the day , waft on through the night,
You’ll never waft alone on the world wide web.
Thank you for having me on and at APJ.

Jordan River x
All Photos supplied by author

Shopping:
Noora and Zahra can be found at http://perfume.zahras.com for $US15. This PDF based website is challenge to navigate!
The Nazareth candle is $NZ159 from World and World Beauty in New Zealand, $AUD105 from Peony in Melbourne who also deliver anywhere in Australia http://www.peonymelbourne.com.au/store-location or for international readers see http://www.ciretrudon.com/en/accueil.php
Oud Wood Chips for burning are periodically available at http://ensaroud.com/
Amouage Gold Man $342 from Libertine http://www.libertineparfumerie.com.au/amouage/gold-man/w1/i1013908_1001286/
Or sample from http://surrendertochance.com/amouage-gold-man/ for $3.99

Other reviews:
Noora and Zahra – already mentioned (Perfume Posse and Fragrantica)
Ensar Oud Wood Chips http://gaharu.com/showthread.php?50-What-s-on-your-burner-today/page2&highlight=Chips
Nazareth – http://notablescents.net/2012/01/28/cire-trudon-nazareth-candle-review/
Gold Man – http://www.basenotes.net/fragrancereviews/fragrance/26121740/p2