2018 First-Half Recap

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Before I plunge into the fall releases starting to show up in my mailbox I want to recap the world of perfume for the first half of 2018. Especially here in the Poodlesville HQ of Colognoisseur.

For those who have followed my writing for the over ten years I’ve been doing reviews I am sure you’ve tired of my whining about too many spring roses. Guess what? This year I got my wish. I’m not sure what caused the change but even a perfume called Miu Miu L’eau Rosee was not a rose. That one was a very nice lily perfume. I got Bvlgari Magnolia Sensuel. I got Nest Wisteria Blue. I got the neroli of Commodity Nectar. I got the crazy blackberry of Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour Femme. I got Jo Malone Jasmine Sambac and Marigold. Yes, there were plenty of pretty roses, but the spring of 2018 found new perfumed ways of celebrating the season.

One of those ways was the return of the classic ambrette-iris-musk so embodied by Chanel No. 18. There were many of these, most of which I liked. There were two which stood out for taking this classic accord in a modern direction; Diptyque Fleur de Peau and A Lab on Fire Hallucinogenic Pearl. Perfumers Olivier Prescheux and Emilie Coppermann, respectively, found a way to freshen this triad up. In Mme Coppermann’s case it was by incorporating the De Laire base Iriseine; which made this one of my favorites of the first half of 2018.

Christine Nagel

Christine Nagel continued her strong showings for Hermes. If there was a last question left for her it was, “How would she make the Hermessences her own?” She released five in the spring. They were all good, but it was her move towards an “essence de parfums” oil-based formulation where she confirmed her stamp on this collection. Cardamusc is another favorite of 2018, so far.

The independents also thrilled me in the first six months of the year. Dawn Spencer Hurwitz finished her Haiku Series for DSH Perfumes with Tsukimi and Shimotsuki. Among the very best work of hers I have experienced.

Hiram Green Slowdive was a textural marvel as a tobacco accord traverses a viscous mixture of honey and others.

Sarah McCartney’s 4160 Tuesdays Freeway is So Cal car culture in search of an exotic sorbet. Sounds odd but it is fabulous.

Andy Tauer provided a contemporary version of the “golden age” in Tauer Les Annees 25.

There were three other perfumes which really caught my attention so far in 2018.

A Lab on Fire And the World is Yours by perfumer Dominique Ropion is perhaps my favorite from the brand ever. The opening bergamot, neroli, and cumin accord is spectacular.

Louis Vuitton Nouveau Monde is the leather perfume which should have Louis Vuitton on its label. I may be a bit let down by the others in this collection, but Nouveau Monde, and perfumer Jacques Cavallier, gives me the leather I wanted.

The leader at the midway point of 2018 is Neela Vermeire Creations Niral. The collaborative energy between creative director Neela Vermeire and perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour has always produced excellent perfume. Niral is better than that. The iris shimmers over a subtle leather accord. I still haven’t got enough.

This covers what I was able to write about in the first six months. Just in the next couple of weeks I have some reviews coming which are also among the best of 2018.

As always, thanks for reading.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Diptyque Fleur de Peau- Axis of the Spring

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There has been a refreshing new trend in spring florals this year; it has been more than rose. What has been amusing is several of this year’s seasonal releases have found a new choice, the classic ambrette-iris-musk axis upon which to have their perfume roll. The origins of this triad come from Chanel No. 18, for 2018 this has become the inspiration for many. One which takes it in a different direction is Diptyque Fleur de Peau.

It has been interesting to see new perfumes look for ways to make classic accords more transparent. I don’t think it works as much as it fails. What sometimes makes a classic accord has something to do with balance. If you’re going to re-interpret one you need to make sure you pay attention to that balance. Perfumer Olivier Pescheux takes this tack for Fleur de Peau.

Olivier Pescheux

One way to do that is to alter the botanical musk of ambrette with the synthetic musks in the base sandwiching the iris. M. Pescheux seemingly does this by reducing the concentration of the ambrette while adding in some fresher musks to the base. The iris in the heart is also a much opaquer version as well. Because M. Pescheux strikes the right proportions Fleur de Peau succeeds.

The opening reminds me of a fine milled soap as the ambrette is matched with baie rose. The baie rose picks up some of the slack for M. Pescheux backing off the concentration of the ambrette. The iris comes forward and it is a powdery version kept on the lighter side. It never intensifies to the Coty lipstick style of iris; it stays as a lighter dusting of floral. Some rose, again, picks up some of the heft for using a more expansive version of iris. It finally ends with the musks. There are some of the animalic musks but M. Pescheux also blend some of the linen musks in. It provides a cleaner accord without losing the growly musks entirely.

Fleur de Peau has 8-10 hour longevity with average sillage.

Fleur de Peau takes the axis of the past and transforms it into an axis of the spring. I’d much rather ride in this car than most of the other rose perfumes this year. If you’re looking for a fresh spring floral Fleur de Peau is worth a spin.

Disclosure: This review is based on a sample provided by Diptyque.

–Mark Behnke