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Post by Holly
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Situated in a picturesque cobblestoned mews in the heart of London is the Ross Nye Stables. As a young girl, I spent two glorious years there learning manners, comportment in every situation, sensitivity and of course, how to ride. I was hooked, and fifty years later I am still captivated by these noble animals. I love to watch the elegance and refinement of dressage, the thrilling speed of the Triple Crown. I can sense the rough-and-tumble of buzkashi, I sigh over images of kohl-eyed Arabs racing their thoroughbred stallions across the desert. When I want to experience all of that at once, there’s this:
Arabian Horse by Parfumerie Générale 2012
Arabian Horse by Pierre Guillaume
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Green notes, wildflowers, narcissus
Heart: Musk, cypriol oil (nagarmotha)
Base: Woody notes, amber
It’s a beautiful spring day, and we’re feeling frisky. Let’s go for a ride!
Arabian Horse opens with a high-spirited burst of slightly animalic leather. It’s raw, warm and unpolished, reminiscent of leather goods in a Middle Eastern bazaar. Within a minute or so of leaving the paddock, flashes of bright wildflowers appear in a meadow that is dotted with bales of green hay. Some of the blooms smell dazzlingly spicy and sweet, somewhat like carnations but denser, richer and almost syrupy like a fine attar. I’m not familiar with nagarmotha, but I suspect that is what this scent is. Vibrant yellow narcissus dot the landscape, and as we gather speed the scenery flashes past and each note is experienced briefly and separately in dazzling pops of exuberance, appearing and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Thrumming underneath is the low hum of leather warming, and faint wisps of musk and sweet honeyed amber radiate out from our now-sweating steed.
After a while, the landscape changes and the narcissus are more bountiful and the other wildflowers are mere specks dotting the fields. The narcissus beckons, glowing in the sunlight, and we slow down to enjoy the view and the damp greenish-gold honeyed scent. Dappled woods are seen on the horizon, and the scent of cedar is faintly detected when a breeze blows across the meadow. Our horse’s coat is gleaming underneath the leather saddle, and the musky note is a velvety vanilla balm.
Photo Stolen Wikipedia
Before turning for home, we approach the woods. The sun is starting to set, and we’re drawn to the calm shadows underneath the trees. After a full day soaring over the hills and meadows, we’re ready to bask in the calm that comes after an intense and exhilarating ride. The scent of cedar is astringent and restorative and in its presence we gather the strength to make our way back home. It’s been a glorious day.
Arabian Horse has excellent sillage and longevity, but is not overpowering. It is incredibly well-blended, and the progression of the notes is smooth and elegant, each phase lasting for hours on me. The name conveys everything you need to know about the spirit of this fragrance. It’s simultaneously unrestrained and yet firmly grounded. There’s an exquisite tension combined with a sense of expansion that is deeply sexy. I think that both men and women would be comfortable wearing Arabian Horse in any season, in any venue, from dawn ‘til dusk.
Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon and Now Smell This
Parfumerie Générale has €260/100ml
Surrender To Chance has $8.50/ml
Photo Stolen Ca Fleure Bon
If horses aren’t your thing, you can always be inspired by pics of the creator of Arabian Horse, Pierre Guillaume.
Photo Stolen BeauteTest
Have you found a fragrance that just makes you feel expansive, unrestrained and free?
Holly x
Australian Perfume Junkies 