Andy Tauer has been making perfume for almost ten years. He is one of the independent perfumers who has developed a very distinct aesthetic. There is even a characteristic base of woody incense which has been dubbed Tauerade by other writers. I agree there is definitely a strong DNA running through many of Hr. Tauer’s fragrances and the Tauerade is part of it. There is also another accord he has revisited a number of times. I describe it as a Pixy-Stix accord after the flavored powdered sugar candy I ate as a child. It has also been compared to Pez candy as well. It adds a granulated kind of opaque sweetness to the perfumes Hr. Tauer employs it in. One’s tolerance for it is going to determine whether you like the latest release Sotto La Luna Gardenia.
Sotto La Luna Gardenia is the first in a series of Sotto La Luna perfumes Hr. Tauer intends on producing. For Sotto La Luna Gardenia he wanted to capture the titular bloom under the wash of a full moon as it scents the night air. Getting just the right balance with a gardenia fragrance is a tricky proposition. Too much and it is overpowering and cloying. Too little and it is wan and green. The difficulty with finding that balance is the gardenia never feels as if it is in full bloom; it can feel restrained. This is why Hr. Tauer adds in the sugar to amplify the sweet without turning it treacly.
Andy Tauer
As one who grew up with gardenia bushes around my house in South Florida I know the vibe Hr. Tauer is attempting to create. To start with he blows a gentle zephyr of spices across your conscience. This is the smell of the night of the full moon, full of portent. The gardenia first comes in as the restrained more green gardenia I mentioned above. The greener, woodier aspects are as prominent as the floral aspect. Over about an hour that changes as the flower expands and so does the fragrance. This is where Hr. Tauer dusts all of this with his “Pixy-Stix” dust. I like the crystalline sweet quality it adds as it makes the gardenia feel like a candied version of itself. Sotto La Luna holds this position for a few hours on my skin and this is why the sugar sweet accord will make or break one’s enjoyment of this perfume. I think Hr. Tauer has used it well and I enjoy it quite a bit. The base notes are sandalwood, vanilla and a bit of tonka; no sign of Tauerade this time.
Sotto La Luna Gardenia has 8-10 hour longevity and above average sillage.
I like when an indie perfumer starts to display some character with recognizable accords to define their aesthetic. In Sotto La Luna Gardenia Hr. Tauer shows how it can be used to create a special effect rendering the gardenia something supernatural in its power.
Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Twisted Lily.
–Mark Behnke
