There are certain rules which are universally accepted. No wearing white after Labor Day. Red wine with meat; white wine with fish. Citrus perfumes are for warm weather. When you look at that list you realize that they are generally true but it is in the exceptions that you find creative thinking. Some of my favorite citrus fragrances come from Atelier Cologne but even those are usually worn when the temperature rises. Slowly but surely brands have been providing citrus perfumes which can break this adage. Atelier Cologne has turned this trick with the release of Citron D’Erable.
Citron D’Erable is part of the Collection Azur but it is currently only available in Canadian Sephora and at Atelier Cologne boutiques. One of the things I liked about the first four releases within Collection Azur was they felt like an evolution of the brand’s cologne absolue aesthetic. Citron D’Erable is very much part of that ongoing refinement. Citron D’Erable translates to “Maple Citrus”. As an homage to Canada that is an appropriate mixture of the trademark citrus of Atelier Cologne with one of the symbols of the country. Perfumer Jerome Epinette is back for his twenty-third composition for the brand.
Citron D'Erable postcard from Atelier Cologne
Maple Syrup is harvested in the spring as the temperature begins to fluctuate between below freezing nights and sunny warm days. The back and forth causes the sap to flow and be collected via a tap placed into the tree itself. M. Epinette combines that early spring sunshine, the wood of the maple tree, and the syrup flowing from the tap.
M. Epinette uses lemon to represent the lower hanging sun of the spring. He modulates it with Szechuan pepper. This has been an ingredient I have seen used a lot over the last year to modify some of the more incandescent notes. M. Epinette uses it in exactly this way here. Then we get to the tree itself where we see the cut in the wood with the maple syrup flowing in a steady stream. The syrup accord is given lift by a very intelligently chosen eucalyptus. If you’ve ever smelled fresh cut wood it has a mentholated undertone. The eucalyptus represents that as well as the chilly air you are breathing in. It is here as a grace note which feels perfect. To represent the tree M. Epinette takes maple wood oil and, as with the lemon on top, transforms it with cedar, sandalwood, and sequoia wood. This is done to make a more impressionistic maple tree accord instead of working towards something photorealistic.
Citron D’Erable has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.
Citron D’Erable is my favorite of the Atelier Cologne releases in 2016. It is going to get a lot of wear throughout the harvest season because it will shine there as much as when the spring thaw is happening. For at least the next few weeks I am going to be breaking my citrus perfume in warm weather rule with a snappy maple syrup salute to our neighbors to the north courtesy of Citron D’Erable.
Disclosure: This review was based on a press sample supplied by Atelier Cologne.
–Mark Behnke
