Perfumes for an Indian Summer

Summer is over, or it should be. But here in North Texas we are still reaching temperatures of the mid-90's every day. It sounds like autumn....I live by a college football stadium and I can hear the band practicing in the afternoons, and the announcer's voice is crystal clear during the Saturday games, "And it's touchdown, T--C--U--!". But instead of bundling up in sweaters and taking a blanket to wrap around me while I watch the game, I'm spending the Saturday afternoons laying by my pool, trying to cool off in the sweltering heat, and pitying those poor band members in their heavy uniforms.

I'm sick of beach scents or tropical florals, but what to wear, fragrantly? It is far too hot to wear heavy Orientals or the favored aldehyde perfumes I drag out in winter. I search for perfumes that speak of the cooler temperatures to come and that give a hint of the autumn season, but do so with a featherlight touch, so as not to knock myself out. Here are a few perfumes I've been wearing lately.

Jo Malone Black Cedarwood & Juniper

This was introduced in 2014 as part of the annual Jo Malone limited edition and that year the theme was London Rain. Black Cedarwood & Juniper was meant to represent midnight rain and was the darkest of the four in the series. It was also the only one that was revived after the limited edition ended.

I am walking through a forest. It has rained recently, and the smell of the foliage is amplified, as it is wont to do when damp. The needles from the juniper bush and the cedar trees have made a thick, soft carpet underfoot and their sharp, fragrant smell is stirred up as my steps crush the foliage. Cedarwood has a distinctive smell I've known all my life. I think every Texas rest stop has a bush or two, and childrens summer camps, usually on the banks of a river, are dotted with old cedar trees. This smell is probably embedded into the olfactory memories of thousands of campers--a magical space free of parents, full of adventure, and in a bubble of this extraordinarily scented air. The cedarwood in the perfume has a bit of the pencil shaving smell, but is also camphorous, and at its best moments, slightly balsamic and sweet.

The juniper can smells a little like cedarwood but it also offers gentle wisps of incense from time to time. Although a fairly simple and linear scent, it does waft and wane with these different notes, just like what would occur in a real walk through the forest. There is a feeling of humidity and moisture in the air, a part of the original theme of this perfume which was meant to reflect a rainy day. Along with the heat Texas is experiencing a drought, so the aura of rain is a welcome one.

 Byredo Gypsy Water

Kate Moss in a fashion shoot for V Magazine.

I tried to resist Gypsy Water for so long. It has a reputation for being light wearing and short lived, but here's the thing. It is that very characteristic that is part of its charm and makes it so realistic of a commune with nature, or more poetically, a day in the life of a gypsy traveler.

The fragrance opens with notes of juniper and pine, reminiscent of a morning stroll through a forest. Lemon and bergamot give it a brightness and pepper adds slight sharpness to this fragrant air. There is vanilla in the mix but this doesn't present as a vanilla fragrance in any way; rather the note just adds a tiny touch of sweetness. Orris root, sandalwood, and amber round out the notes, but that doesn't explain how this smells.  When I apply Gypsy Water it takes me back to the long ago days when I used to go camping (when sleeping on the ground still seemed like a good idea). There is really nothing like waking up in the forest, smelling the air fragrant with the language of the trees. This is where the current idea of forest bathing came from, after all. The one note I didn't mention above is incense and it is this that elevates the perfume to perfection. It is not overly smokey but is quietly pervasive throughout the life of the scent. It is the scent of a campfire burning in the distance, maybe fueled by fragrant pine branches. Wearing Gypsy Water always puts a smile on my face and imparts a feeling of well being. I don't live near any forests and I'm not lucky enough to be able to take a hike through the woods, but with Gypsy Water, I can somewhat replicate that feeling. It feels like hope in a bottle.

Bond No 9 andy Warhol Lexington Avenue

Hello Autumn! This fragrance immediately takes me to a happy place where the weather is cool and crisp and the leaves have turned a kaleidoscope of fiery colors. It is a beautiful combination of warm and cool on my skin. Blue cypress gives a fragrant woody whoosh effect, like walking outside into the cold and the first air you inhale seems to clear the lungs and nasal passages. Spices of cardamom, star anise, and fennel pull back by adding spicy warmth to the fragrance. The spices remind me a little of the ones in my beloved Bond No 9 Chinatown, but there are no white flowers here, it's all about woods and spices. 

As the fragrance develops a subtle gourmand aspect appears, with notes of creme brulee and pimento berry. It is nicely managed and doesn't tip over the top to sugary sweetness, it just combines with the spices to give a yumminess to the scent. Base notes of sandalwood and patchouli round it ou. The perfumer for this 2008 release is Claude Dir of Givaudan, who I notice also was responsible for Banana Republic 17 Oud Mosaic, the only scent from that line that really captured my attention and where the wood notes are also handled with a master touch.

Dame Perfumery Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli

I know, I've mentioned this one before. It is perfect in any season, but it's light bright opening really works in warm weather. The patchouli, however, makes it feel right for autumn weather. If you're afraid of patchouli this is a good place to start because the note is earthy, green, but fairly light. The mate tea note provides the light opening, without using citrus as so many perfumes do. Heliotrope works to balance the patchouli by providing a semi-sweet powder which is pretty much the opposite of the rustic patchouli. I really don't know why I like this so much. It's fairly simple but I find it to be just the perfect combination of notes; it feels chic, innovative, yet simple. On the website it is called a woman's perfume but I think this would be delicious on a man. This would be on a top ten perfume list if I ever made one. I don't know what the other nine would be but Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli would definitely have a place on that list.

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Parfums Berdoues Oud Al Sahraa

This is an Oriental Woody fragrance featuring oud and myrrh which sounds weighty but wears like a silk scarf of scent, a trademark of the Berdoues Grand Cru line. I have already written a longer review of this fragrance here but the highlight is this gives the fun of wearing an Oriental fragrance without the heaviness of that genre that would weigh you down in hot weather. The mandarin top note is rather generic to my nose but no worries, it lasts only seconds. The myrrh is woody and slightly balsamic and the oud (if it is real oud) offers a slight smokiness along with more woods. Oud Al Sahraa is not groundbreaking and doesn't have a strong presence, but that is the whole point here. It works well in warm weather and in cold weather it becomes an office-friendly Oriental fragrance.

Bonus! The bottle is super cool and the price point is pretty fantastic.

All of these perfumes are totally unisex. What perfumes are you wearing right now?

Top photo: www.Urbanizationonline.com. Other photos not identified are Google images. Perfumes are my own. Opinions are my own.

Oud Wa Ward by Parfums Berdoues

Oud Wa Ward by Parfums Berdoues is a scent of rose and oud, a combination about as unique as peanut butter and jelly, but let me tell you why I liked this scent enough to spring for a bottle when it came out about three years ago. Oud Wa Ward was one of a trio of oud scents put out by Parfums Berdoues, the others being Oud Wa Vanilla and Oud Wa Misk,neither of which worked for me. These three heavier scents came out a year after the one hundred year old company had reinvented itself with the introduction of six Eaux de Colognes, each scent referencing a country and emphasizing three notes of raw material which I wrote about here. These scents were light yet had more heft than the average cologne. In the same manner, Oud Wa Ward displays the richness inherent in the marriage of rose and oud but it wears somewhat softer than many similar scents in the market.

For me this is a good thing. There are occasions when I want a big fragrance, but much more often I need a scent I can smell but that will not permeate the radius of space around me. I like that Oud Wa Ward opens with a big opulent rose shrouded in a bright oud. At first it feels like a bit of an attention getter and a special occasion perfume. There is some fruitiness in the opening moments and a touch of smoke. Oud Wa Ward has that exotic Arabian souk feel but the oud has been tamed and for me the fact that it is not an oud beast is a good thing. I have to be careful when wearing perfumes with oud; I like mine somewhat sanitized and with a bright edge. I realize for others this will be the very thing they will not like about this perfume.

 
Rose and patchouli is a favorite combination of mine and Oud Wa Ward features a strong patchouli note. Patchouli can have a sweet and intoxicating scent and its overuse in some perfumes helped coin the term "fruitchouli". There is a rose-sugar-jam moment in the opening when the fragrance feels like it could turn into rose cotton candy, but the oud notes help balance this and the scent maintains a balance between rose--woody oud--patchouli. The rose note makes it lush and sexy, but after a while it becomes more faint and it is the patchouli and oud that will combine into a slightly sweet woody scent with occasional smoke which will simmer for hours. What started as a rich fragrance never  loses its lush aura but it goes from low boil to slow simmer.

There are many big, beautiful rose and oud scents out there by Maison Francis Kurkdijian, Kilian, Amouage, Lancome, Guerlain, Armani, and countless others. Oud Wa Ward may not be as lavish as these perfumes but it beats them in subtle wearability and price point, while still having rich presence and soft but continuous sillage. Try Oud Wa Ward if you like the idea of wearing a l rose and oud combination but some of the scents you've tried are just too much for you. This is a good scent to share as it would smell equally great on a man or woman. Lastly, the bottle is very attractive, much more so than it looks in the picture.

Top photo from Indian wedding shoot by Uma Studios. Photographer Uma Sanghvi, at www.studioumabloghome.com.

Foolproof Perfume Picks for Mother's Day

For those of us who love perfume the next best thing to buying perfumes for ourselves is buying it for someone else, so Mother's Day provides the perfect shopping opportunity. Yet all too often gifted bottles languish on the shelf unused. Some moms are easy. They have a signature scent you can replenish each year. But if you've no idea what your Mom might like but really want to share your love of scent with her, here is a semi-serious guide of what to buy your Mom depending on her likes and style. The secret in each case is to buy a fairly transparent scent that doesn't make too much of a statement, so that the odds of Mom liking it increase exponentially. 

The Classic Mom

Jackie Kennedy with her children.

The classic Mom is polished and cool. She probably set dinner tables with sterling silver cutlery and crystal dishes if she could afford it. Her manner of dress is polished, neatly styled and always totally appropriate. She made sure you visited the occasional museum in addition to Saturday matinees. Manners and respect were important in your household growing up. She gravitates toward old style classics so for her Chanel No 5 L'Eau is the perfect pick. The beautiful fizzy opening is still there but without the sharp astringency of the original. It's a lighter fresher take on the original but maintains the beautiful heart of rose and jasmine and still exudes that timeless elegance.

The Sporty Mom

Candace Parker, basketball player, Olympian.

Maybe your Mom plays tennis or golf. Maybe she's a runner or surfer. Maybe yoga is her thing, but whatever sport it is, it's a huge part of who she is. For sporty Moms I'm going to suggest something I just reviewed, MFK Aqua Celesia. This scent won't distract them from their game; it's very quiet. It's almost a skin scent but it has some tart notes of lime, mint and blackcurrant to keep it fresh.  I have a totally unproven theory that musk scents, which Aqua Celesia is, smell better and more personal when mixed with a little of your sweat. If so, then it's perfect for the active mom who glows with exertion. Regardless, it's a beautiful scent to keep her feeling fresh no matter what.

The Do-Gooder Mom

Angelina Jolie , actor and humanitarian, with her brood.

Your Mom is the first one with her hand up. School PTA president, check. Girl Scout leader, check. Local women's shelter volunteer, check. She's a rebel with a cause and the only thing that makes her happier than working is working for change. So how perfect that by wearing a perfume she can contribute in a small way to the welfare of farmers in war torn countries or one's recovering from strife. Fair trade essential oils are sourced from places like Afghanistan and Rwanda. The company behind these good deeds? The 7 Virtues. You could pick the original scent, Afghanistan Orange Blossom with uplifting notes of orange blossom, jasmine, and freesia. Farmers who used to grow poppies for the drug industry now can make more by farming neroli oil. You can also pick from Noble Rose of  Afghanistan, Middle East Peace, Patchouli of Rwanda, Vetiver of Haiti, Middle East Peace, and the new Lisa Ray Jasmine of India. The florals are realistic and pretty but these wear close to the skin. The fragrances can be ordered from the website and are also available at Lord & Taylor in the USA.

The Hip Mom

Kate Hudson, actress, fitness clothing entrepreneur.

All your friends think your Mom is cool, whether she's 40 or 80. Her manner of dress is maybe more youthful or edgy than other Moms but she always looks fabulous. She keeps up with current trends but is not afraid to follow her own style. She's open minded, embraces life,  and loves to have fun, especially with you. This Mom is not afraid to try something a little different with a slight edge. The trick is to buy something with that unique feel, but not something too extreme or out there. I have the perfect answer. It's Dame Perfumery Mate, Heliotrope & Patchouli. This perfume opens with a light mate tea note. The heliotrope gives a slight sweet touch and the patchouli is green and clean. It's my favorite "your skin but better scent". Click on the link above to read my full review. This one's a beauty.

The Trendy Mom

Victoria Beckham and brood.

Your Mom is always on point with trends. She may think she's too old to wear some of the latest style interpretations but you can be sure she knows about them. She is au courant about the latest movies, politics of the day, and the Pantone color of the year. She loves the latest thing and that's why the newest Jo Malone perfume may be the perfect gift for her. Every season Jo Malone is coming out with limited editions and new scents. The most recent release is Jo Malone Star Magnolia. Like most of Jo Malone's recent introductions, on my skin it's pretty, light, and fairly fleeting. Star Magnolia opens with a lemon and ginger note, then rapidly transitions to the magnolia and neroli. Both notes are light and come across as a white clean fragrance. While I don't love it, it's hard to imagine anyone taking offense to it. Even more interesting are the seasonal limited edition sets. They are always an interesting concept: last year it was the Herb Garden collection and this spring it is the five scents in the Bloomsbury Set. I haven't smelled any of them but I have no doubt they are charming and will fade away within an hour. Nevertheless I still can't help but be intrigued and would love it if someone gave them to me.

The Foodie Mom

Giada De Laurentiis, celebrity chef

Everyone wanted to hang out at your house because they knew there would be great food. Whether it was nourishing dinners or homemade snacks, your Mom likes to show her love through food. Her favorite program may be The Great British Baking Show. She knows the newest restaurant in town getting rave reviews and would rather walk through Williams & Sonoma than Barneys. Here are a few light and intriguing flavorful scents. Berdoues Grand Cru Vanira Moorea is a cologne strength vanilla and orange creamsicle; droolingly yummy but not too sweet. By the same company but totally different is Berdoues Grand Cru Assam of India. Pungent black Assam tea, sharp lemon, and a to-die-for bottle with colorful mini elephants make this a distinctive winner. Prada Infusion d'Amande has a creamy but transparent almond note that will have Mom sniffing her wrist non-stop.

The Traditional Mom

Florence Henderson as Carol Brady in the iconic tv show, The Brady Bunch.

Your Mom considered her primary job to be raising you and your siblings, despite everything else she might have had going on. She wants nothing but the best for you; your achievements are her successes. She loves you to bits and nothing makes her day more than hearing from you. For your special mom, treat her to the newly reintroduced Prada Les Infusions Rose. Like all the scents in Prada's Les Infusions line, it has a watercolor transparency. It is a pale pink rose scent, sprinkled with notes of mandarin, neroli, and galbanum. Sparkling and translucent, it's the perfect rose for the rose in your life.

I hope you've enjoyed my Mother's Day picks and found something worth considering.

Travels in India: Part Four

Reviewing: Parfums MDCI Rose de Siwa, DSH Perfumes La Reine des Fleurs and Oud Wa Ward by Berdoues

My husband and I had left a bit of wiggle room at the end of our India trip itinerary for spontaneity. When I was googling online for interesting places no more than a half days drive from Jaipur, the little town of Bundi kept popping up. Seemingly the destination for hippies, backpackers, or intrepid French travelers, Bundi was described as a sleepy little town with a magical forgotten fort castle. The castle had stunning murals that one can observe up close because the place is basically deserted. The town is unused to tourists so you walk down its narrow lanes totally free of the hassles that can besiege tourists in India. I recently saw the new Beauty and the Beast movie, and this little town with its hilltop fort reminded me a little of the Beast's castle; distant, sleepy and forgotten.

There is a fort at the top of the hill that looms over Bundi dating back to the 1300's. We made the rather arduous climb, accompanied by a troop of eager and curious macaques, to find that the fort lies in ruins although it is still an interesting place to explore. The palace is situated below the fort and building began in the early 1600's. The palace is not maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India so sadly it is gradually losing ground against the elements. However, this is also part of it's charm. It is as if you have stumbled upon a hidden place, perhaps the first one to view its beautifully painted walls for hundreds of years. We saw only one other person looking around as our guide led us through the palace.

The entrance to Garh Palace is through the Elephant Gate, two huge stone elephants meeting nose to nose. Like all the palaces we viewed, you enter via a steep climb but make a ninety degree turn to access the gate. This was to prevent enemy's elephants from gathering speed to crash through the heavy wooden doors. You enter into a grassy courtyard which would have been for the commoners, and the first floor above was where the royals lived and met with distinguished guests. It is full of beautiful carved elephants, fountains, tiled floors, and beautifully painted murals similar to the miniature style of Indian painting. One can imagine the opulence of life when the fountains provided soothing music, the tiled marble floors were spotlessly clean, and the Maharaja would have been sitting on his throne in all his finery. Musicians played from little balconies such as is pictured below.

Every inch of the bedrooms and gathering rooms were covered in exquisite mural paintings. Until recently one could wander into the castle and look at these rooms but due to some vandalism to the paintings you must now hire a guard who will unlock the rooms to view. The murals below are actually from another part of the castle, Chitrashala, which was built starting 1749 and features paintings illustrating the life of the Maharajas and Maharanis.

This palace, the last we saw on our tour of Rajasthan, was a little jewelbox of a place. I was carried away by imagining life within its walls. Roses were ever present when we were in Bundi, from huge stone bowls in our lodging to overflowing baskets of petals and bouquets from flower sellers on the streets. I picked three rose perfumes inspired by this magical place:  Parfums MDCI Rose de Siwa, DSH Perfumes La Reine des Fleurs, and Oud Wa Ward by Berdoues.

In Part Three I described how grass screens were used to cool and scent the Indian palaces. Water droplets wet the screens and scented waters added beautiful fragrance to waft through the palace as the breeze passed through the screens, or as they were fanned by an army of servants. Since Rajasthan roses are commonly distilled into oils, I imagine Garh Palace redolent with the scent of roses and I have picked three of my favorites to discuss and review.

Rose de Siwa by Parfums MDCI is the scent I imagine wafting through the palace as produced by the rosewater dampened screens. If I were rich this is the scent that would greet you as my doors opened, enveloping you in a cacoon of silky rose luxury. I don't mean to compare this to a room freshener; far from it! It is just that the scent is so beautiful I would love to be surrounded by its lilting tranquil notes. Rose de Siwa was created in 2006 by perfumer Francis Kurkdjian and is classified as a floral woody musk scent. It features top notes of litchi, peony and hawthorn; heart notes of rose and violet; and base notes of cedar, musk and vetiver. Notes aside, what I smell is the absolute freshest, most innocent and joyous rose scent ever created.

Sparkling notes of litchi and peony make the opening dance and soar. The perfume's name comes from the Siwa oasis in Egypt, which is surrounded by a dry and sandy terrain not unlike Rajasthan. The notes in the opening make me picture the palace's cool marble floors dotted with tiered stone fountains, the falling water providing tinkling background music to the court and the occasional errant splash providing cooling relief.

Photo www.lujoveiejeaindia.com. (Not Bundi)

The rose notes smell opulent and a touch fruity yet manage to maintain the feel of a freshly picked rose, innocent in its purity of scent. The rose has a cool note, as if plucked in early morning with droplets of dew lacing the petals. The scent of rose can have lend a sense of calm and serenity and this perfume very much affects my senses in this way. Violet can sometimes carry a perfume into powdery territory but this doesn't happen on my skin with this perfume. After a couple of hours the woody and musky notes began to mingle more strongly with the rose, slightly toning down its vibrancy. Another hour in and the perfume becomes more of a personal scent, but still maintains the beauty and freshness of the rose from the initial spray. 

The Maharaja spying in the women's palace. Details from one of the murals at Chitrashala.

How to scent a Maharani? I didn't have to look further than my own bottle of La Reine des Fleurs by

DSH Perfumes. Translating to The Queen of Flowers, what could be more perfect for an India queen in her palace? This is one of those perfumes that when you smell it you instantly know it's something special, and wearing it makes you feel dressed up and glamourous. It is truly befitting for a queen or a Maharani.

Maharani Gayatri Deva of Jaipur, the Jackie Kennedy of her era.

La Reine des Fleurs has the lush and grandiose feel of a vintage perfume, something I often find in perfumes created by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz. The perfume opens with a rush of bergamot, mandarin and peach and it is succulent! The juiciness of the peach note is accented by the brightness of the bergamot and mandarin and the overall result is reminiscent of a peach freshly picked off the tree, its fuzzy skinned warmed by the sun, and so juicy that at first bite the sweet yellow-pink juice streams down your arm. When I am in Singapore some of the year I sometimes shop at Isetan, a Japanese department store with a grocery below. They import in-season special fruits and I recall being stunned the first time I saw the Okayama white peach carefully packaged and selling for $18. That's one peach, folks. I was stunned and amused but I'm here to tell you, if I could find a peach smelling of this rosy ripeness I would probably pay $18 to try it. 

The opening is followed by notes of rose: a mixture of Bulgarian rose absolute, Moroccan Rose Absolute, Russian Rose Otto, and Egyptian Rose Geranium. A touch of jasmine is indiscernible but amps up the lushness. It is an extravagant, palatial display of roses; picture the patterned marble palace floor scattered with velvety petals crushed under bare feet. The perfume is a collage lavish with wine red roses and luscious juicy peach. Is it peach perfume with rose or a rose perfume with peach? It shifts on my skin, with first one note dominating, then the other. La Reine des Fleurs is a head turner and at the time of this writing, it appears to be on sale at the DSH Perfumes site linked above. This perfume lasts for hours on my skin, and is even softly present the next morning.

A gathering of Rajasthani Maharajas, including Raghubir Singh, king of Bundi.

The Maharajas of Rajasthan were a special breed. Notice their luxuriant mustaches and their turbans, each elaborately twisted and contoured into a unique design. Mustaches and turbans were both important to the Rajasthani ruler as well as the common man, and even today these traditions continue. In the earlier eras they had to be fierce warriors to hold on to their riches, but they also appreciated and cultivated the arts and knowledge in general. Like male peacocks, their daily wear was elaborate and splendid. Imagine the awe they inspired as they rode atop an elephant passing through the streets of their kingdom. Such men inspired me to pick a masculine leaning perfume, yet also richly beautiful and continuing the rose theme: Oud Wa Ward by Berdoues.

The list of notes for this perfume is succinct:  patchouli, Turkish red rose, oud. But that doesn't tell the whole story. Rose and oud isn't a new idea but it's a popular one for a reason, they're the perfect marriage. Oud deepens the richness of the rose note but gives it depth and mystery. The subtle sweetness of oud wood makes the sweetness of the rose less pretty and more sensuous. This isn't the fresh rose of an English garden, but a wander into the enchanted forest with dark tangled trees and red roses with sharp thorns. The patchouli adds an earthy grounding and at times overcomes the oud and makes the sweet note recede. I like the way that in the first couple of hours this perfume shape shifts, even with so few predominant notes. There is a moment when the perfume reminds me of Atelier Rose Anonyme, but the oud takes Oud Wa Ward in a different direction. The Berdoues is richer and reaches for oriental roots with its oud notes. And even though I mention it leaning masculine it is still a totally unisex perfume. To clarify how much I like this: Oud Wa Ward, along with DSH La Reine des Fleurs reviewed above, were two of my very few full bottle purchases in 2016.

Rudyard Kipling spent time near Bundi in the late 1800's and was inspired to write Kim, otherwise known as The Jungle Book for Disney fans. At that time tigers freely roamed the nearby hills and hunting was a kingly sport. Kipling had this to say about Bundi:

"Jeypore (Jaipur) Palace may be called the Versailles of India; .... but the Palace of Bundi, even in broad daylight, is such a palace as men build for themselves in uneasy dreams, the work of goblins rather than of men."

My traveling partner and I agreed with Kipling. Bundi was such a special place that we cut short our last day of sightseeing planned for Delhi and headed straight for the airport, flying standby back to Singapore. I felt that nothing could top the dreamy spell that this fragile, crumbling castle of dreams and imagination had spun, and that this was the perfect exclamation point ending to our India sojourn.

I hope you have enjoyed my perfume picks for this last installment of my India travels. For more perfume picks see Part One,  Part Two, and  Part Three.

Top photo Google image. Other images my own unless otherwise noted. Perfumes from my own collection.

Berdoues Collection Cologne Grand Cru, Part Five - Oud Al Sahraa

Berdoues Oud Al Sahraa -  This Beredoues Grand Cru cologne tranforms two traditionally heavy ingredients, myrrh and oud, into a sheer but opulent veil of scent. The cologne is classified as an Oriental woody fragrance consisting of these three notes: oud, myrrh, and mandarin.

Oud Al Sahraa translates to Oud of the Desert, and wearing this scent definitely put me in the mindset of tents under a midnight blue star-studded night sky, camel trains moving slowly across the wind swept sand dunes, and midnight at the oasis. Enjoy this blast from the past which sprang to my mind the minute I smelled this cologne!



I was so pleased to find this fragrance. I love orientals, but I spend more than half the year living in Singapore due to my husband's work arrangements. The reason that lightly scented perfumes are popular in Asia is not just a cultural preference. It is perpetual summer here, balancing atop the equator, and we never get the cold weather that helps muffle the power of a true oriental powerhouse perfume. I remember years ago being at a party here and I was determined to wear my old favorite, Aromatics Elixir. As my body heat started rising in the outdoor setting I radiated an atomic level of scent, and a (rude!) man in my vicinity kept repeating loudly, "Someone's wearing WAY to much perfume." If you've ever tried to wash Aromatics Elixir off your wrists, you know it's not happening. So now when I head east my orientals and chypres remain in the cupboard at home, patiently awaiting my return. While I love wearing florals and lighter scents here, I do sometimes long for the comfort that ancient resins  and balsams provide.

"Oud wood resin has become perfumers' holy grail." says Oud Al Sahraa perfumer Christian Vermorel. "It is an extremely rare material and we are privileged to be able to exalt it." Oud in its heaviest, darkest form is a note I struggle to appreciate on my skin, but as I noted in my recent review of Josh Lee Oud here, Malaysian oud is a lighter, brighter oud altogether, and it is Malaysian oud which is used in this cologne. Malaysian oud can have woody, leather, and animal aspects, and it is characterized by a thread of sweetness. The oud mixes with the resinous and balsamic notes of Namibian myrrh to give a sensual mood to the scent.

This sensuous aura has historical references.  The Old Testament of the Bible mentions myrrh several times, including this verse in Song of Solomen 1:13, "My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts." Myrrh was used by the Egyptians as an ingredient in the embalming process.  The burning of myrrh and frankincense tears in religious ceremonies has occurred for thousands of years, and the fragrance is supposed to help the mind go to a contemplative transcendent state. Smelling this cologne I do breathe in a calming essence and I'm curious if it could help ease anxiety issues.

I never get a distinct scent from the mandarin; it doesn't have a strong citrus presence. Mandarin has a sweetly fragrant flesh and low acidity so it mixes with the other notes but doesn't stand out. The combination of this note with the myrrh gives a luminous glow to the scent. Imagine that you have a small oriental carpet with a beautiful pattern. Now imagine someone copies it, but instead of heavy wool the colorful images are on whisper thin silk. That is what this cologne feels like to me. It is an oriental with all the depth and richness that entails, but at the same time is is floaty and radiant. I am happy that I have found an oriental perfume that I can comfortably wear in Asia.

Despite the lightness this is tenacious and I still have a trace of it on my skin ten hours later at the end of the day. I would classify this as more of an eau de toilet, even though it is a cologne.

If it is not obvious by now, this is my favorite from the Berdoues Collection Grand Cru Colognes. For reviews of the other colognes in the line see Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four.

Top photo is from www.Berdoues.fr website. Next photo from www.youtube.com. 

Berdoues Cologne Grand Cru, Part Four - Vanira Moorea, Selva Do Brazil, and Scorza Di Sicilia

Berdoues Vanira Moorea - This is the newest cologne in the Grand Cru collection, added this year. This perfume emphasizes a vanilla note, using vanilla harvested from Tahiti, and also features notes of orange and petit grain.  Moorea, the picturesque island for which this cologne is named, is only a short ferry ride from Tahiti. It's the place that has those beautiful over-the-water bungalows seen on travel posters, sandy beaches, and volcanic mountains. Berdoues says they have created  "a wild and sensuous vanilla with delicious addictive notes." I agree with the "delicious" notes comment. The vanilla is very smooth and a little sweet. The orange and petit grain combine to give it a very sniffable yummy creamsicle appeal. The orange and vanilla meld so well that it's hard to say one dominates the scent. I think the green and woody  properties of the petit grain help cut the sweetness. Years ago I used to enjoy wearing a perfume called Comptoir Sud Pacific Vanille Citrus and this has a similar vibe, except this is more transparent as it is a cologne. I really enjoyed wearing this.

The next two reviews are colognes which while very nice, didn't evoke a strong response in me. Scent appreciation is subjective as we all know so you may find these the best of the lot. In my case, I have other bottles in my collection that remind me of these, or they just weren't something I found unique.

Berdoues Selva Do Brazil - I approached this one with some preconceived notions of how Brazil-based scents should smell; like beaches with scantily clad bronzed bodies or tangy caprioscas and mojitos. But Berdoues chose the Amazonian rain forest as their fragrant cue, which makes perfect sense as it such an important geographical and historical part of Brazil.The perfumer Jennifer Riley said, "When I created Selva Do Brazil I had a vision of these moist, rich and deep notes that invite you to plunge ever deeper into the depths of the selva."

Selva translates to jungle, and the green leafy illustrated bottle indicates this is what to expect,  and herein lies my problem. Selva de Brazil starts out airy and green. The perfumes notes are Brazilian tonka bean, Paraguayan petit grain, and gaiac wood from Argentina. The perfumer was going for lush and moisture in the forest and has succeeded in giving that feel. I have a preconceived notion that it should smell more green, and I'm not really getting that note. The tonka bean is very mild and the wood never comes on strong on my skin. Petit grain is supposed to give a green floral note, but on my skin it is reacting more like neroli or orange blossom, and I think its that which is bothering me. On someone else's skin this may not happen. The floral smell is not necessarily a bad thing. It smell very good like a light and airy neroli scent. It's just that I was looking for a little more jungle. I would encourage you to judge for yourself, as it is a nice scent.

Berdoues Scorza Di Sicilia - This is a woody aromatic with a strong citrus opening. A Calabria lemon note is used to open this cologne and it is as aromatic as if you just zested a plump yellow lemon. The note is super bright and appealing. But citrus notes are hard to sustain, so the perfume moves on to the other two notes,  Virginian cedar and Indonesia vetiver. Perhaps it's my skin chemistry but these notes never develop much for me and within an hour I can hardly smell anything.

For more reviews of the Berdoues Grand Cru line see Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Five.

Photos from www.Berdoues.fr website. Samples my own.

Berdoues Collection Cologne Grand Cru, Part Three - Somei Yoshino

Berdoues Somei Yoshino is the brand's interpretation of the spectacular spring awakening of the cherry blossom trees in Japan. Somei Yoshino is the most prolific variety and the official tree of Tokyo, featuring a five-petaled flower with slightly-pink white blossoms. The perfumer Angelique Leporini said, "When I created Somei Yoshino, I wanted to express this unique annual spectacle orchestrated by Japan's cherry trees when they come out in blossom." I didn't have high expectations for this one, as my only familiarity with cherry blossom scents were versions from Jo Malone and L'Occitane, which while nice enough did not leave a lasting impression. Berdoues has used the shiso leaf to give a unique spin to their version of Japan's annual cherry tree show.

The cologne opens with a fresh, airy green scent but there is a fruitiness adding a touch of sweetness. The green is soft and reminds me of a candle I've purchased in "Bamboo" fragrance which had a calming, contemplative air. Shiso is a member of the mint family but mint's very distinctive smell is in no way present. Here shiso offers a green and woody note. The perfume initially stays green and slightly fruity. Jasmine is the second component of this scent but it is barely detectable. Normally jasmine likes to make her presence known and can take over a perfume but here the jasmine is as tightly restrained as an obi belt on a geisha's silk kimono. It is what is giving a slight, virginal floral note to temper the green note of the shiso. Jasmine can provide sugary, fruity, and opulent notes to perfumes in addition to its distinctive smell, and the perfumer has taken full advantage of this here. Indonesian patchouli provides the final of the three notes and provides a soft green musky basenote.

Out of all the Grand Crus colognes this was the one I was the least interested in trying, but now there is the very distinct possibility that I'll desire my own bottle of Somei Yoshino when winter has passed and spring is imminent. It is a really lovely cologne, and by using "lovely" I don't mean to brand it as feminine. All the Berdoues Grand Crus are totally unisex. 

Read more reviews on this collection at Part One, Part Two. Part Four, and Part Five.

Photo from www.Berdoues.fr website. Samples were my own purchase.

Berdoues Collection Cologne Grand Cru, Part Two: Arz El-Rab

Initially Berdoues Arz El-Rab did not excite my interest as much as the Assam of India reviewed here yesterday. The bottle, illustrated with the look of tree bark, was not nearly as appealing as cute baby elephants! And where or what exactly was Arz El-Rab? When I was on the Berdoues website page for Assam of India it had recommendations, one of those "if you like this than you'll probably like these too," and with what turned out to be great prescience it was suggested I might like Arz El-Rab and Oud Al Sahraa. How right they were.

But first, where or what is Arz El-Rab? Turns out it stands for Cedars of God, one of the last remaining stands of ancient cedars in Lebanon. So revered is the cedar tree as a historic symbol of Lebanon, it is featured prominently on the country's flag. Mount Lebanon once was covered with forests of  the grand trees but the deforestation started far back in ancient times.  There are numerous references to the cedar tree in the Bible: "The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted." Psalm 104:16 NKJV. Cedar was highly valued for its fragrance and durability and numerous uses were made from its harvest, such as shipbuilding  and supplying roofs or doors for ancient temples. The resin from the tree is also highly prized for its scent, and also served the purpose of repelling insects or worms, which contributed to the wood's great strength.

Cedar was considered by many ancient religions to be the first tree of creation and thus specially endowed with healing properties. Its branches have been burned in healing or holy rituals for many hundreds of years. Some ancient civilizations believe the tall trees reached to the heavens absorbing cosmic energy which carried through the strong straight trunk into the ground, imbibing the whole area with a healing spiritual aura. What I do know is being in the presence of nature offers a renewing energy, and I guess ancient trees would symbolize the epitome of this concept.

Berdous Arz El-Rab perfumer Cyrill Roland describes the cologne: "It conjures up the sensation felt when you cross a cedar forest in Lebanon for the first time. It is a unique, almost magic sensory experience." Arz El-Rab is classified as a Woody Spicy scent and features notes of cedarwood, moroccan iris, and ginger.  Note that the cedarwood is Virginian, as the actual cedars of Lebanon are endangered and protected. The cedar is the centerpiece of the cologne and the other notes dance around it. The ginger gives a fresh, spicy, almost citrus zing to the opening of the cologne. On my skin the iris is fairly quiet, adding a dry austere elegance. The ginger continues to give a glow of energy to the more static cedar note. The scent imparts a grounded, comforting feeling, for me anyway. Perhaps this is the energy the perfumer was looking to provide with the inspiration of the Cedars of God.

I like Arz El-Rab very much. My only disappointment was the longevity was not as strong on my skin as it had been with Assam of India. However, the next morning there was still a very faint discernible trace.

For other reviews of the Berdous Grand Crus see Part One. Part Three, Part Four, and Part Five.

Top photo from www.Berdoues.fr. Cedar Photo from www.Lebanon-r-us.com. Sample purchased by me.

Berdoues Collection Cologne Grand Cru, Part One: Assam of India

When I first saw the new collection of colognes from the French House of Berdoues I will admit that it was the cleverly illustrated bottles that peaked my interest. Especially this one. How could you not covet a bottle with colorful little elephants lined up tail to trunk? And the name -- Assam of India -- conjures memories of the most exotic, exciting, and occasionally infuriating country in which I've ever had the privilege to live.

My only familiarity with the house of Berdoues was their perfume created in 1936, Violette de Toulouse, which is still a reference scent for violet perfumes today. Berdoues is a fourth generation family perfumery but it is incumbent for fragrance houses to keep reinventing themselves to remain relevant, so last year they introduced  a collection of Eaux de Colognes. Each of the six colognes reference a country and emphasize three materials or notes. The collection is titled Collection Grands Crus in a nod to the Grand Cru designation given to superior wines.

These elephants were calling my name so this was the first cologne I sampled from the collection. Berdoues Assam of India cologne is a citrus aromatic with notes of Menton Lemon, Assam Tea, and Mysore Sandalwood. The cologne imparts the idea of a bracing cup of Earl Grey tea, although in this instance it is lemon and not bergamot giving the citrus blast. Menton Lemon is a variety known for having a bitter and particularly strong essence which yields intense aroma. The lemon note is quite strong in Assam of India and it melds with the rich black tea note beautifully.

The discovery of a single native tea plant in 1823 in the wilds of Assam by Scottish explorer Robert Bruce led to the British developing a huge tea industry in the fertile soil of the country. Tea crops were sent back to England to meet the growing desire for this beverage. One hundred years later, after India gained independence, the tea industry met with even more success and today Assam contributes about 25% of the world's tea. Assam tea has been described as bold, malty, and intensely black. To get the full flavor it is worthwhile to avoid cheap mass produced tea bags and go for the quality larger gold tipped leaves.

I remember going as a young girl to visit my grandparents who farmed a small plot of land and always had a cow or two roaming about. On our arrival my grandmother would brew up a bowl of inky black tea and pour two heaping cups of sugar in it to dissolve and cool. My mother had raised us to drink non-sweet tea flavored with fresh mint, so my grandmother's ice tea always tasted so intensely sweet that it made my teeth ache. But I can still remember the pungency of the black tea leaves as they hit the steaming water, and how the sugar somehow only seemed to intensify the black tea aroma. This was the black tea fragrance from my memory that  Berdoues Assam of India conjured.

Assam tea is distinctive because it is grown at lower elevations than are many teas, and it often planted along floodplains, which consist of fertile and nutrient rich soil. Because of these conditions Assam black tea is renowned for its briskness, which holds up well when taken as the British do with milk, or as the Indians do with added milk and spices to make chai. The briskness of the tea note is a distinct component of the Assam of India cologne  and pairs well with the sharp pungency of the lemon note. Mysore sandalwood is used as a basenote but I find it to be very faint. The strength of the tea note throughout hours of wear and its longevity is pretty amazing compared to other tea perfumes I've tried which tend to be fairly fleeting. However to enjoy this cologne you must love tea because it is the main story here. I find that when wearing the tea note as a cologne it can have a similar effect to a bracing cup of tea, whether you take yours iced or hot. I enjoyed wearing this cologne and I consider it a pretty good value as it comes in a 100 ml bottle for a reasonable price.

I will be reviewing the rest of the Berdoues Grand Cru colognes this week.

Sidenote: The Indian state of Assam is on the far eastern border of India, connected to the country by a narrow band of land  bordered by Bangladesh and Bhutan, with China and Myanmar as nearby neighbors. Border disputes with other Indian states as well as immigration issues led to the banning of foreigners visiting the area for many years. For an interesting account of a tea aficionado determined to view the Assam tea plantations in the mid 1990's read here. The author does an excellent and amusing job of relaying the challenges travel in India can entail if you depart from the five star hotel circuit.

For other reviews of the Berdoues Cologne Grand Crus see Part Two. Part Three , Part Four,  and Part Five.

I purchased my samples from www..twistedlily.com. Top photo from Berdoues website. Assam tea photo from www.teatraders.in.