Mardi Gras by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2015

May 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 62 Comments

Post by Azar

In 2011 Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids sent me a very unusual gift, two 15 ml prototypes of one of her best selling fragrances. The bottles were labeled Version #1 and Version #3. For whatever reason these perfumes had not made the cut and had never been offered for sale.

Version #3 was a beautiful honeyed citrus with plenty of sandalwood and amber. #1 was also a honeyed fragrance but much louder and more angular, opening with a sharp, synthetic, edgy orange blossom, progressing to a heart of dark, earthy labdanum/cistus/honey and drying down over several hours to a musky, slightly cheesy, animalic civet and amber. I fell in love with Version #1 and so did my husband.

While very different from and not quite as skanky as that quintessential “parfum de puta” – Tabu, Version #1 was definitely in the same league. As far as I knew no one else was wearing this prototype dazzler and I began to consider #1 my personal, one of a kind fragrance.

Late last year Olympic Orchids (with a little prompting) reconsidered the possibilities of Version #1. Ellen toned down the slutty first impression with natural orange blossom and neroli, smoothed and reinforced the cistus with benzoin and tweaked the animalic dry down. The new fragrance, aptly named Mardi Gras, debuted in early 2015.

Mardi Gras by Ellen Covey for Olympic Orchids 2015

Photo Stolen Olympic Orchids

Olympic Orchids gives these featured accords in one line:
Orange blossom, neroli, cistus, benzoin, vanilla, civet and special musk blend.

Mardi Gras is a much more sophisticated, refined and wearable scent than Version #1. She is a southern belle who has managed to retain the dark magic of her native New Orleans. Of the two fragrances Mardi Gras is probably the better perfume, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for her brazen older sister.

Further reading: Ca Fleure Bon
Mardi Gras is available online at Olympic Orchids in 1ml or 30ml

Azar xx

Photo Stolen Kesha&Co

Mardi Gras GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x 2 ml decant of the new Mardi Gras
1 x 1 ml decant from my bottle of Version #1
1 x mystery sample of a dark and musky perfume oil
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Please tell us if you have tried Olympic Orchids new Mardi Gras fragrance or about your favorite “parfum de puta”!

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 28th May 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Sunday 31st May 2015 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Une Rose Chypree by Andy Tauer for Tauer Perfumes 2009

May 24, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Hey Frag Family,

My mate Natalie from the now sadly defunct Not Another Perfume Blog gave me a bunch of samples and decants when she quit blogging. It has been really interesting slowly going through her bag because some of the things lurking inside are brand new to me, others are fragrances I’ve tried earlier in my obsession and while I liked them well enough when I first tried them I may have been too green or have had a much more limited understanding of scent. It is really fabulous to come across a scent that became lost in the multitudes again and have a second chance with it.

Today I am going to look at exactly one such……

Une Rose Chypree by Andy Tauer for Tauer Perfumes 2009

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Cinnamon, bay, bergamot, lemon, Clementine orange
Heart: Bulgarian rose, rose absolue, Bourbon geranium Base: Labdanum, oakmoss, patchouli, vetiver, vanilla

Sizzling spices and citrus burst out of the nozzle immediately and my office is filled with the scent of sun, fun, joy and playfulness. An explosion, a riot, a zinging zesty carnival of scent. The citruses are marvellously shown off with the addition of spice and I feel a real hot chilli effect too. It’s like you’ve thrown the spices in the pan to cook together before you add your meat to a sweet curry. Yesterday I complained of A La Rose not living on my skin, well here is a fragrance that not only lives but makes a cacophony! Une Rose Chypree is F U N and fabulous.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

One of the things I usually love about Andy Tauer’s work is the slow progression of stages, I get to really live and smell each transformation and enjoy the pieces of his puzzle. Maybe I’m lucky because his work really seems to like my skin chemistry. In the heart of Une Rose Chypree I get this amazing caramel/toffee/rose melange, it is delicious, unusual and crunchy. Warm and cozy yet totally good for hot weather. Today is a very pleasant 21C (70F) and Une Rose Chypree is a perfect scent to take me through the day and into evening.

Dry down comes hours later and lasts into the next morning with Andy’s famous Tuer-ade lingering and getting sweeter and softer as it progresses. In the morning a whisper of sweet Une Rose Chypree resins lays over my skin making my early morning funk smell pleasant and still edible. MMMMMMM

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

One thing I will say is that if you have a zero fragrance policy at your work then this humdinger is probably not going to fit the bill, no matter how lightly you spray Une Rose Chypree is a big scent and an attention grabber for the first 3-4 hours. More often than not I will be complimented on my fragrance when wearing Une Rose Chypree, she is a showstopper.

Photo Stolen Tauer Perfumes

Further reading: Perfume Shrine and Perfume Shrine
IndieScents has $140/50ml
Tauer Perfumes has samples starting at $5.40

Have you ever revisited a fragrance that you liked to find that it was true love? Which one, or ones?
Portia xx

A La Rose by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2014

May 23, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Cooee APJers,

I ordered this decant a while ago and then must have put it in the samples box I just rediscovered. HOORAY that I found it. Does this ever happen to you? Decants lost among the most enormous number of other samples/decants? One day I will take the time to really organise my shit, till then surprise finds will be a part of my life…..

A La Rose by Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2014

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, orange, lemon
Heart: Turkish red rose, Damask rose, violets
Base: Cedar

Maison Francis Kurkdjian gives these featured accords in one line:
Damascena Rose from Bulgaria – Bergamot from Calabria – Orange from California – Violet – Magnolia blossom – Cedar wood – Musk – Centifolia Rose from Grasse

Before we talk fragrance can I just put it out there that I think Francis Kurkdjian looks like a very nice man. There is something engaging about him, every time I see a photo or video my mind thinks that he would be a lovely friend to have. Do any of you think the same?

So on to A La Rose. I like the sweet citrus, slightly pithy opening. There are no white flowers mentioned but I get a distinct hint, maybe the magnolia? Magnolia kind of fits, especially with the citrus; and musk, white musk, lashings in the opening or is it some resin that’s making my mouth go quietly fuzzy. A La Rose wears more as a wash than a fragrance on me. Subtle, airy, loads of space between the notes. Free and clean, it’s like Francis Kurkdjian has captured a spring breeze in a rose garden, or standing among the roses at the end of the row of a citrus orchard.

Photo P.D.I.

When we get to the roses they are sheer, luxe and sadly for me a bit boring. To be fair though I can see this being exactly how many people would want to smell. It’s a lovely soft focus rose with a lightly citrus fizz and a small crackle of green behind it all. It does smell expensive and gives a very rich feel but if this was the kind of scent I was hoping to wear I would probably choose the MUCH cheaper, louder and less nuanced brashness of 1977s Tea Rose by Perfumer`s Workshop.

A La Rose hums along nicely for a while and very slightly woodies up before fading from my skin completely. Really I think that my skin has not married well with this particular scent and I urge you to try it yourself, you wear will hopefully be completely different. What a shame.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Further reading: Now Smell This and Candy Perfume Boy
LuckyScent has $245/70ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $5.25/.5ml

Have you tried A La Rose? What are your impressions?
Portia xx

pc01 by Patricia Choux for biehl parfumkunstwerke 2007

May 22, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 11 Comments

Hi there Niche Nerds,

Here we have a crew from Hamburg who really want to give perfumers free reign. They make small batches of juice and use simple packaging, everything is about the fragrance. That’s a pretty cool way to work, “Quality NOT Quantity” but it does make me wonder how they make any money? To be honest I’ve not tried very much of the line before but when I did try them was in major sniff mode on holidays so my memories are hazy at best.

What you’ll get today is a stream of consciousness first impression, pretty sure I’ve never sniffed pc01 before and I haven’t looked up the notes yet, come on, it’ll be fun……

pc01 by Patricia Choux for biehl parfumkunstwerke 2007

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

BaseNotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Tangerine, neroli, davana, mango leaves
Heart: Peony, iris, mango
Base: Kashmir wood, vetiver, musk

So on opening I get a lovely aquatic fruity melange that is reminiscent of one of the Hermès Jardin range, a fruit salad with a lovely nearly ripe mango and some other fruits that is sheer and mildly salted. I think even in the opening I can smell the vetiver where the brackish water feature of its dry greenness is the focus they’ve chosen. There is something slightly wild and unfettered about pc01 even though I get no growl, it’s just a feeling.

MMMMMMMMMM yes, I smell summer, boating on a bay, everything I smell here is tinged with water and wind. A warm day but you’re sitting in the shade, maybe you’re drinking fruity cocktails. Maybe you’ve had lunch, some drinks and a fruits salad to finish. This then is the scent in your mouth and nose just before you dive into the bay to work off those calories.

Photo Stolen Flickr

The heart is slightly sweet peony that is still quite sheer and lightly fruity, a fresh (as in fresh flowers not super jock blue frags) fragrance that is cool and collected. I don’t get much wood at all but loads of white musk and a little dry vetiver in the base. Simple and it smells nice. An extremely expensive feeling department store fragrance that you could easily gift.

SURPRISE!!! I thought this was going to be way too challenging, arty farty, unwearable, head up their ass perfume that I would have to be totally objective about. Um, NO! It’s lovely, wearable and not challenging at all. Actually it’s so pretty I could imagine it becoming a go to, spritz & go fragrance.

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

Further reading: From Pyrgos and Now Smell This
First In Fragrance has €150/100ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

Have you tried any of these biehl parfumkunstwerke fragrances?
Portia xx

Ella perfume oil by Phoenix Botanicals

May 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Erica Golding

Warmly fragrant greetings to all of my scented loves out there, I hope these words find you well and swimming in a beloved gorgeous aroma today!

I don’t wish to sound conceited, but I must proclaim that I am appreciating this precise zone of scent euphoria on this fine morning. You know that magnetic pull, when you anoint your skin with a precious potion and you just can’t stop huffing your wrist constantly? That’s the pure pleasure of my choice today, the all-natural and extremely limited:

Ella perfume oil by Phoenix Botanicals

Photo Stolen Phoenix Botanicals @ Etsy

Phoenix Botanicals @ Etsy gives these featured accords in one line:
Galbanum, vintage Hyacinth, Tahitian Gardenia, Ylang Ylang, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Clove, Vanilla, Tobacco, Sweet Clover, vintage Vetiver, vintage Hay, sustainable Sandalwood, Moss.

Ella is a rare example of natural perfumery in its highest art form. I’m hardly able to withstand the intensity of my bliss with each inhale! This perfume was created using a treasure trove of vintage essences dating back as far as the 1920s. The effect is modern and timeless all at once, a young dewy maiden rocking her grandmother’s silk scarf and looking way too goddamn gorgeous!

And the fragrance – oh, it is just astonishing. The first impression wet on the skin is of richly bohemian, luxurious oakmoss. If you love resonant oakmoss at the base of your tender florals, Ella is seriously your holy grail! As the essences sink in and meld with the skin, the serene blossoms begin to unfurl and reveal their innocent brilliance. A lightly sweet bouquet releases fluttering petals into the warm late spring atmosphere, highlighted by darling hyacinth and accented with the nectar of white flowers. A hazy, languishing hum of sweet dried grasses softens and deepens the perfume. It is in this stage that I am transported to a windless hot summer noon, with bits of hay and clover tangled in a playfully tousled mane.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

The musky smoothness of genuine sandalwood unites the composition, helping to extend the pleasure of a divine beauty that would be ephemeral otherwise. The wearlength of this natural tranquility is impressive to say the least – the vintage, aged absolutes cast a lingering spell indeed.

I highly recommend experiencing this masterpiece while you still have the chance. Ella was composed as a one-time formulation, and once she sells out, she is gone forever. Some of my other favorites from Phoenix Botanicals include the charming jasmine of Night Bloom, the tropical moonlit breath of Ka Pueo (The Owl), and the simple ecstasy of Triple Vanilla.

Phoenix Botanicals @ Etsy has Ella samples from US$10

Thank you for indulging me with your attention, much love to you all. Have a spectacular day, happy scenting!

Erica Golding XoX

Galerie de Parfum: Niche Winter Perfume and Cocktail Masterclass: Photo Essay

May 19, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

Galerie de Parfum in Myer Melbourne held Australia’s first niche Perfume and Cocktail Masterclass in May. The event paired niche winter fragrances with bespoke cocktails designed by passionate mixologist Justin Ryann Forsyth. I travelled to Melbourne especially as it sounded like far too much fun!

Guests experienced fragrances whilst tasting the partnering cocktails. Presenters Lucy Borland, Training Director and Ricky Katyal, Business Development Manager for Galerie De Parfum explained the fascinating history of niche, the fragrance wheel and seasonal fragrances in focus.

Galerie de Parfum

Niche Winter Perfume and Cocktail Masterclass

Cocktail/Fragrance Menu:

– L’Artisan- Batucada lime, Jamaican rum, fresh muddled barbequed pineapple with roasted coconut rim. The beaches of Brazil inspired the fragrance, like a holiday in a bottle.

– P. Frapin & Cie -1270 combined intoxicating Drambuie honey scotch, whisky, lillet rouge and orange. Frapin first planted vines for champagne and cognac making in 1270, making them the oldest family run business in the world. The gourmand and woody fragrance proved popular with guests.

– Keiko Mecheri – Loukhoulm contained chocolate and cherry liqueur, amaretto, almond syrup, Campari and orange. The fragrance itself is inspired by Turkish delight and has notes of almond -a flawless selection for dating.

– Juliette Has A Gun- Gentlewoman champagne based, with peach liqueur, aperol, lemon and orange blossom to capture the Eau De Cologne style perfume which has a surprise additional note of almond.

– Penhaligon- Empressa dry brut based with muddled strawberry, lemon and vanilla. Already a seasonal hit, Empressa has recently launched in Australia. Classed as a woody oriental – Chanel Mademoiselle fans will undeniably love.

Empressa Cocktail:

60ml Belvedere Vodka

30ml Lemon Juice

30ml Vanilla syrup

1/2 muddled strawberry

Place strawberry in bottom of cocktail shaker, add vanilla syrup and lemon juice. Muddle strawberry thoroughly until liquid becomes pink and small bits of strawberry are visible. Add vodka. Fill with ice, and shake hard for several seconds until ice softens. Single strain into crystal champagne flute filled with ice. Pour only half way up, and fill the rest with chilled sparkling wine. garnish with a strawberry slice and a red striped straw.

Alongside the theatrics of cocktail making, fashion blogger and illustrator Alexia Petsinis demonstrated her fascinating artistry skills, illustrating live, the exquisite bottle packaging of niche fragrances – with Loukhoum and Batacuda as her subjects. Absolutely amazing, I promise to write more on her soon!

Each guest left with a generous niche goody bag and cocktail menu booklets. The majority of guests made purchases from the hand picked niche selection – taking with them a special keepsake of the night.

As you can see from the pictures, it was well worth the trip! Stay tuned for some fragrant cocktail recipes you can make for yourself over the next few weeks on APJ

Ainslie

All photos Donated by Ainslie Walker

Arabian Horse by Pierre Guillaume for Parfumerie Générale 2012

May 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

Post by Holly

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

Fille d`Eve GIVEAWAY WINNERS

May 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Hi Gang,

Nice crew of you with some lovely fragrances mentioned and some great memories too. Thanks for getting involved.

Portia xx

Fille d`Eve GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Parfumo gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, Oakmoss, Jasmine, Patchouli, Rose

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 winners who will receive:
1 x Fille d`Eve by Nina Ricci decant from the bottle that Michael Edwards gave me
P&H Anywhere in the world