When I made my first trip to Italy with Mrs. C we spent our time in Florence and Venice. When we got to Venice I knew what I wanted to have as a memory of the visit; a Venetian Mask. I had seen these masks in the movies. I had read about them in literature. I was fascinated with being in the city at Carnival and walking around in one of these elaborate masks. They hang on a wall in our living room and they make me smile whenever I look at them. It isn’t often a perfume reminds me of them but the new David Jourquin Cuir Venitien does.
David Jourquin
By the name itself you can tell M. Jourquin was also inspired by Venice. It is in the press release where Cuir Venitien carries the tag line; “An all-night party in a rose-colored palace”. Cuir Venitien tells that story through scent. The perfumer for it is Anne-Sophie Behaghel.
Anne-Sophie Behaghel
Cuir Venitien opens on the canals of Venice with a water accord which captures the smell of the water lapping the side of a gondola. As we ascend the steps the night blooming jasmine wafts through to us. The jasmine complements the humidity of the top accord nicely. Then the main floral note of Rose de Mai comes out. It is tilted to be a little powdery which is then used as contrast to Mme Behaghel’s use of the classic Prunol base to provide a fruity component which is deepened with plum to make the Prunol even more expansive. Prunol gets used a lot in small amounts but in the few fragrances which feature it I really would like to see it used more often where it stands out. It is the keynote within Cuir Venitien. With the Rose de Mai this is an effusive fruity floral combination. Next comes a sturdy leather accord framed in cedar all supported by a few white musks.
Cuir Venetien has 8-10 hour longevity and average sillage.
M. Jourquin is quietly assembling a pleasantly coherent collection of leather-based perfumes. Cuir Venetien is in the upper tier of that collection.
Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by David Jourquin.
–Mark Behnke
