Flanker Round-Up: Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue Forever and Light Blue Forever pour Homme- The Summer 2021 Remix

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One of the things I enjoy about music is when a song is remixed. That means the original version is newly produced by a different artist. What I have found throughout the years is my enjoyment of a musical remix is if something I like about the original is amplified and extended. Flankers are kind of the perfumery equivalent to a remix. The basic structure of the original is there as it is changed for the current year. For this summer Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever and Light Blue Forever pour Homme remix two of the classic mass-market perfumes of all-time.

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Forever

When Light Blue was released in 2001 it defined a summery Mediterranean scent marketed to women. Perfumer Olivier Cresp used sunny citrus and apple to a fresh floral heart of jasmine and rose down to a cedar focused woody base.

For this 2021 version M. Cresp moves the apple to a slightly more prominent position over the citrus. It creates a different Mediterranean feel. The floral heart is where the real change of rhythm occurs. He uses orange blossom to replace the original florals. By pushing the citrus back a little bit it gives this flower some room to expand. It ends on one of the dry synthetic woods.

I would suggest that if you liked the original and wanted a remix with a softer floral heart Light Blue Forever might be the right choice.

Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue pour Forever Homme

Perfumer Alberto Morillas created one of the best men’s aquatics in Light Blue pour Homme in 2007. It was the apotheosis of the fresh and clean masculine style. For the 2021 version a new perfumer, Shyamala Maisondieu was brought in. She completely changes the beat from fresh and clean to summery vetiver.

It begins with a fresh air suite of ozonic notes and citrus. In the fourteen years since the original this has probably become the more common representation of fresh. Instead of an herbal green as in the original Mme Maisondieu uses a sharper vegetal green in violet leaves. This leads right into the vetiver in the base. This is a woodier version over the greener facets. Some patchouli adds hints of earthiness.

This remix is a bit fresher and dirtier as the clean part of the original is roughened up by the back half of Light Blue Forever pour Homme. I enjoyed this change, especially in the warm weather.

Disclosure: This review is based on samples provided by Dolce & Gabbana.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Aerin Ambrette de Noir- Vanilla in a Blanket

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I spend a lot of time under a blanket at Colognoisseur HQ in the winter. It has always had an interesting effect on the perfume I am wearing. As my body heat gets trapped, I tend to add my own natural musk as a new base note. It is not always a good combo. When it does work it is with sweet or resinous notes. When I received my sample of Aerin Ambrette de Noir I was reminded of the nights I was wearing a vanilla-centric fragrance under my blanket.

Aerin Lauder

Ambrette de Noir is part of the Premier Collection where creative director Aerin Lauder features a special keynote. Working with perfumer Olivier Cresp she does use the botanical musk of ambrette seeds. But Ambrette de Noir is equally a warm vanilla to go along with that.

Olivier Cresp

Ambrette de Noir gets right down to business. There is a fleeting floral opening which lasts as long as it takes to read this. The ingredient list says it is orange blossom. It doesn’t make much of an impression. What does is the vanilla. This is that rich slightly boozy vanilla which is given some warmth through tonka bean. This is where the ambrette seeds impart their lovely muskiness. I really appreciate the way ambrette can stay on the less dirty side of animalic musk while still being there. M. Cresp uses it as a warm skin musk. I’ve mentioned a blanket it is also like the musk given off when you take your sweater off. Once they are together this is a classic comfort accord. My only quibble is that ambrox crashes the party later causing some of the delicacy of the vanilla-ambrette to get lost under its relentless woodiness.

Ambrette de Noir has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

I like that if I want to experience my scent of vanilla in a blanket. I don’t have to wait for a cold night and a vanilla perfume anymore.

Disclosure: This review is based on a sample provided by Neiman-Marcus.

–Mark Behnke

Discount Diamonds: Versace Man Eau Fraiche- A Rougher Freshie

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When it comes to this column there are a couple of brands which consistently land in my discount bins. One of them is Versace. What puzzles me a bit is what ends there is among the better offerings from the department store shelves where they once resided. While I am happy to get good perfume at a great price, I always wonder why it doesn’t sell. Versace doesn’t seem to be bothered by it as they keep producing new releases. On my last visit to the local discounter before quarantine happened, I picked up a bottle of Versace Man Eau Fraiche.

The name tells you everything “fresh water”. It is a typical fresh fragrance. What I have admired about many of the Versace releases is they take something which is overexposed and give it a different texture. For Eau Fraiche perfumer Olivier Cresp chose to rough up things, just a bit. This “freshie” gets knocked around a bit.

Olivier Cresp

It opens with a very delineated lemon which if left by itself would be reminiscent of furniture polish. M. Cresp rescues this by adding the light effect of rosewood to it. It is further taken into a cleaner woodiness through cedar. Instead of allowing the cedar to impart its fresh profile clary sage and tarragon convert the cedar to a rawer type of wood. This is like a split piece of green cedar given a jagged edge through the herbs. The wood used in the base is oak which has its own rough edges. It is still fresh wood but one with some olfactory splinters. Some amber and musks come along to smooth those rough edges over the final hours.

Man Eau Fraiche has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

Man Eau Fraiche is that easy wearing summer tote bag kind of perfume. What gives it a tiny bit of difference is some of those recalcitrant pieces M. Cresp adds in. It makes it a rougher freshie.

Disclosure: This review is based on a bottle I purchased.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Aerin Rose Cocoa- A Lighter Shade of Gourmand

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The recent trend of transparent floral gourmands has had me wondering. Could a perfume which takes some of the traditionally less transparent ingredients find a way to offer a lighter fragrance experience. Secondarily would I miss the extra depth lost to the airiness. Turns out Aerin Rose Cocoa helps answer some of these thoughts.

Aerin Lauder

Rose Cocoa is the Holiday release for 2019. When it comes to seasonal releases gourmands have long been staples. They have been spice-laden sweet concoctions which tread the line of being almost too sweet. Transparent was not going to be an adjective for these types of fragrances. Which is a reason I was interested to see how Aerin Lauder navigated her first gourmand perfume for a brand which has become one of the best at getting the transparency right.

Olivier Cresp

Ms. Lauder chose to collaborate with perfumer Olivier Cresp. They wanted to have the heart of this perfume be what was in the name; rose and chocolate. There are a couple of paths that can be taken. You can coat the floral in a thick chocolate shell eventually overwhelming it. Or the path taken in Rose Cocoa which is to imagine a rose dusted with a healthy dose of powdered cocoa. This gives both ingredients some space to shine.

It opens on an airy spice accord of cinnamon and orange. This is a common Holiday perfume top accord. M. Cresp makes it much lighter than I usually experience. It has the effect of enhancing the citrus over the spice. The converse is usually the case. The title notes come forward quickly as a spicy rose finds itself coated in dry cocoa powder. This creates an arid floral gourmand heart accord. To keep it from being too dry M. Cresp rehydrates it with iris and vanilla. Judicious amounts of both to retain the opacity but to keep it from being sharply desiccated. It ends on a woody amber base of long-lasting synthetics.

Rose Cocoa has 14-16 hour longevity and average sillage.

One of the reasons I have been enjoying the transparent floral gourmands is I sometimes don’t want to be coated in a foodie accord. Every once in a while, I would like to have it be a lighter shade of gourmand. Rose Cocoa does that for me.

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

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Parfums de Marly Sedley- Longevity Uber Alles

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There is a feeling among a large segment of perfume buyers that longevity is equivalent with quality. I have never shared that perspective. I’ve come to think less of that the more that I learn. Nevertheless it persists within the buying public. Over the past few years a class of synthetic woody ingredients have come into use; all with ridiculous longevity. They stay on the skin long after everything else has disappeared. At this point any perfume which uses them is indistinguishable from any other. What is left is the same ingredient. Yet brands feel constrained into this box of having to create a long-lasting perfume to please their customers. Parfums de Marly Sedley is an extreme example of this concept.

Julien Sprecher

I have lauded creative director Julien Sprecher for creating a brand aesthetic which has created niche alternatives to what can be found on mainstream counters. It is a brand which I confidently point people towards who are looking for something a step up from their typical mass-market perfume. Sedley is their version of a fresh perfume; at least at the beginning. By the end it has given over to the desire for longevity.

Olivier Cresp

Perfumer Olivier Cresp is behind Sedley. It really is an experience in two distinct parts. The outstanding fresh opening and the overwhelming synthetic woody base. It is a difficult task for me because that opening is fantastic. It is everything I want from a fresh perfume. The problem is it gets drowned in the woody base.

Sedley opens with a citrus mix of grapefruit, lemon, and bergamot. M. Cresp uses an ideal amount of spearmint to buoy that citrus blend. It has a gorgeous expansiveness to it that drew me in. What I found there was rosemary tinting the mint-citrus accord. Lavender and geranium provided a subtle floral contrast. Right here this is the kind of perfume I enjoy wearing on a warm day. Then the synthetic woods crash the party. According to the ingredient list it is Ambrox but it also seems like there are others. The problem is it obliterates all the wonderful work done prior. Sedley becomes more and more intensely woody over the great majority of its time on my skin.

Sedley has 16-18 hour longevity and average sillage.

As I said at the outset this is a difficult perfume to assess. The opening is outstanding. The problem is you can’t get it back by adding another spray once the woods take over. I’m smelling a fresh sprayed strip as I write this enjoying the heck out of the opening. The tough part is those long-lasting woods just take over and don’t let go. They get the job done but they are a monolithic effect. If you are someone for whom longevity is an important part of making a decision on what perfume to buy, Sedley is a great choice. If you are not a part of the “longevity uber alles”  consumer Sedley might sacrifice quality for longevity.

Disclosure: This review is based on a sample supplied by Nordstrom.

–Mark Behnke

Flanker Round-Up: Boss Bottled Infinite and Givenchy Gentleman Cologne

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As much as I spend the first few months of the year complaining about the avalanche of new spring rose perfumes; I’ve been asked if there is a men’s corollary. The answer is, kind of. As Father’s Day in the US gets closer, I get a significant increase in colognes from the big perfume brands. The reason it doesn’t bother me as much is there are more variations within a cologne architecture. Most of them are flankers of established best sellers which try to freshen and lighten things up. Boss Bottled Infinite and Givenchy Gentleman Cologne are two recent examples.

Boss Bottled Infinite

Hugo Boss has surely milked the popularity of 1998’s Boss Bottled. Boss Bottled Infinite is the thirteenth flanker. I was not one of the fans of the original. I felt perfumer Annick Menardo overloaded things. I was in the minority as it has been a consistent best seller. Usually a flanker keeps much of the original formula while adding in a couple new ingredients. Which is a description of most of the Boss Bottled flankers. What made me give Boss Bottled Intense a second look was that it went in the opposite direction by stripping it down to the essential keynotes. Mme Menardo was again behind the wheel for the new flanker.

For this new version the top accord is simplified to mandarin and apple, with the citrus out front. Cinnamon and sage form the heart with some lavender as underpinning. This is more spicy than previous versions without becoming heavy. The significant change is olive wood for sandalwood. What that adds is less dry woodiness. It has a richer quality which complements the early accords nicely. If you’re a fan of the original I believe this will be a nice summer alternative.

Givenchy Gentleman Cologne

The Givenchy Gentleman released in 1974 is one of the masterpieces of that decade of perfume. When Givenchy decided to release a new perfume with that name in 2017, they did it in Eau de Toilette concentration. I was not happy it shared nothing of the sophistication of the original; it was a mess. A year later they released an Eau de Parfum version. This felt like the heir to the original I was looking for. When Givenchy Gentleman Cologne arrived it fell in the middle but closer to the Eau de Parfum side.

Perfumers Olivier Cresp and Nathalie Lorson continue to design the new Givenchy Gentleman collection. They keep it simple, too. In the Eau de Toilette there was a pear note on top that really turned me off. For Cologne the top note is a brilliant lemon in high concentration. It is a summery blast of sunlight. Some rosemary provides the herbal component of the cologne recipe. The perfumers substituted iris for the more typical lavender. It is a fantastic choice. The early moments are as good as it gets. My only drawback is a high concentration of synthetic woods. It lands like a sledgehammer. The lemon and iris nearly get obliterated holding on by a thread. If there was a bit better balance to the base, I would have liked this as much as the Eau de Parfum. Whether it is for you will come down to your tolerance for the synthetic woody in high concentration.

Disclosure: These reviews are based on samples from the manufacturers.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Eau D’Italie Fior Fiore- Summer at La Sireneuse

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Eau D’Italie was another of the early brands which helped define the broad outlines of niche perfumery. The brand is overseen by owners, co-creative directors, husband and wife; Marina Sersale and Sebastian Alvarez Murena. All of it inspired by their hotel La Sireneuse in Positano, Italy. Especially in the most recent releases there has been an attempt to capture the carefree style lakeside in Positano in the warmer months. The latest release Fior Fiore is that gentle companion for warm days at the shore.

Sebastian Alvarez Murena and Marina Sersale

The past twelve months has seen a revival of the use of ambrette. Many of them have gone for a classical vibe by using the botanical musk along with a floral or two to provide a soft effect overall. Working with perfumer Olivier Cresp the creative directors have made a kind of sequel to 2015’s Morn to Dusk. In that one it displayed lily-of-the-valley dew covered in the morning. M. Cresp captures the same floral but at twilight as the jasmine begins to unfurl under the moonlight. It is a soft gentle study of three ingredients.

Olivier Cresp

Fior Fiore opens with the lily-of-the valley front and center. M. Cresp uses the ambrette to blunt many of the sharper green aspects of the floral. For the first hour or so it is just these two notes like a gentle floral breeze. The jasmine languidly inserts itself in between. Using jasmine sambac, M. Cresp allows the indoles to take the ambrette into a deeper phase. The sweeter floral component raises up the lily-of-the-valley as the sun begins to set. Once all three notes are present Fior Fiore shimmers with facile beauty.

Fior Fiore has 10-12 hour longevity.

As I mentioned above over the last couple of years there has been a noticeable lightening of the Eau D’Italie aesthetic. Fior Fiore is the lightest perfume in the line. That is not a drawback by any means. I still find the same cheerful “lake life” smiling back at me. This is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a floral summer perfume which isn’t just stuffed with flowers and aquatic notes. Fior Fiore offers you a refreshing change of pace.

Disclosure: This review is based on a sample I purchased.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum- A Remembrance of Masculine Elegance

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Givenchy has been one of the most recognizable fashion brands in the world almost from their beginning in 1952. Much of that can be laid at the feet of the recently deceased Hubert de Givenchy who defined the sophisticated aesthetic that has lasted over sixty years. It was a frustration that it never fully translated over into the fragrance side of the brand. This is another case of masterpieces among mediocrity. It makes it difficult to generate brand loyalty.

Olivier Cresp

One of those I consider a masterpiece of the past was 1974’s Givenchy Gentleman. Composed by perfumer Paul Leger is one of the best examples of a masculine powerhouse of the 1970’s. I would have preferred the brand did not attempt to revisit it. They felt differently and last year released Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Toilette. I was not fond of it. It barely felt like it shared anything of the same brand genetics. When I received my sample of Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum I was expecting to feel similarly. I ended up feeling like this was the way a modern version of Givenchy Gentleman should be.

Nathalie Lorson

When the original was released Hubert de Givenchy wanted a perfume to define “masculine elegance” to go with his new men’s ready-to-wear boutique. At that time that meant woody, vetiver, leather hairy-chested perfume. This was the style that gave “men’s cologne” a bad name when men wore too many sprays. If you move to the current day one of the styles of fragrance that has risen to the level of “masculine elegance” has been an iris focused perfume. That is what perfumers Olivier Cresp and Nathalie Lorson deliver.

Gentleman Eau de Parfum opens with a nose-tickling black pepper. Used like this it also carries a bit of a woody character along with the spiciness. Then the perfumers use a full-blown iris concrete which means the powdery aspect of iris is almost completely deleted. A bit of lavender makes sure it has no chance to catch any traction. A warm balsamic patchouli leads to a gorgeous rich vanilla base.

Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum has 12-14 hour longevity and moderate sillage.

Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Parfum captures both the current trends of iris and vanilla at the men’s fragrance counter. The perfumers have done an excellent job at adding in the pepper and balsam to make them sufficiently different than their brethren on the department store counter. This feels like the closest rendition of “masculine elegance” from Givenchy in years. Hubert de Givenchy would have been proud.

Disclosure: this review is based on a sample I received from Bloomingdale’s.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Amouage Bracken Man- May I Have a Large Fougere?

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I received my latest package from Amouage courtesy of creative director Christopher Chong with delight. I have been a long-time admirer of the way Mr. Chong has transformed Amouage into a perfume brand which excels in doing the unconventional. When I receive a new sample I generally give it some time all on its own without anything else I received in the mail getting in the way. This was the process as I opened my sample of the latest release Bracken Man. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted by a ginormous fougere although I should have known; it was right there in the name.

CHRISTOPHER_CHONG_by-ben-rayner

Christopher Chong (Photo: Ben Rayner for Forbes)

Bracken is a huge ground covering fern, the basis of fougeres. Bracken Man is also a large ground covering fern as a perfume. Mr. Chong worked with perfumers Olivier Cresp and Fabrice Pellegrin. I am probably underselling this a bit because while it is a fougere through and through there are some recognizable Amouage aesthetics throughout.

olivier-cresp

Olivier Cresp

The most Amouage-y thing about Bracken Man comes right at the beginning as the perfumers create a wet earth accord out of primarily lavandin, nutmeg and clove. Before this accord really takes hold a ray of citrus sunshine courtesy of lemon and bergamot take you down in to the earth. The sparkliness of the citrus grounds itself into the earth and gets swallowed up. This is a challenging beginning which is not going to be loved by all. I am fascinated with the way these notes form the accord as I can pick them out individually but when I stop analyzing it snaps right back to wet soil. A marvelous olfactory parlor trick. From here on we are in traditional fougere territory writ a bit larger than most of the contemporary versions. The perfumers use cypress, cedar and sandalwood to form the woody nucleus. A smidge of cinnamon. Some geranium. All leading to a patchouli and musk base. The patchouli and musk bring Bracken Man back full circle to a more traditional earthy quality.

fabrice-pellegrin-firmenich

Fabrice Pellegrin

Bracken Man has 8-10 hour longevity and above average sillage.

Of the many things I could have requested from Mr. Chong a large fougeres was not one I would have thought of. Which shows why he is a creative director and I am a reviewer because despite a structure which is typical I still found enough Amouage in there to make Bracken Man fun to wear.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Amouage.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Penhaligon’s Equinox Bloom- Spring Gourmand

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I am used to getting a lot of new spring releases featuring rose. It is a difficult space to do something new within. It seems like a few brands decided to get away from rose for 2016. Now they aren’t eschewing florals entirely they’re just not relying on rose to be the flower which represents spring. As someone who has to sniff so many of these it has made many of the new releases more interesting. Another emerging theme from this trend away from pretty roses for spring is these other florals have been paired with sweet gourmand accords. Penhaligon’s Equinox Bloom is one of these.

Penhaligon’s has been one of the more successful brands at wearing its country of origin on its atomizer. There are many very British inspirations throughout the collection. For Equinox Bloom perfumer Olivier Cresp wanted to recapture his afternoon of tea and cakes surrounded by lush floral arrangements. One of the new technologies helping M. Cresp is Firmenich’s SmellTheTaste collection of proprietary food extracts. This new process is purported to capture food smells in a more accurate way than ever before. In Equinox Bloom M. Cresp uses Chantilly SmellTheTaste and Brown Sugar SmellTheTaste. I really feel the difference in these ingredients. Their use perhaps heralds a new creativity in gourmands.

olivier-cresp

Olivier Cresp

Equinox Bloom opens with the Chantilly SmellTheTaste providing a luscious Chantilly cake in scented form. By itself it would be too sweet so M. Cresp uses violet leaves to pull back on the sugary intensity. The heart is the floral bouquet. Neroli, jasmine, frangipani, and orange blossom. I think M. Cresp made a nice choice of florals to represent spring instead of falling back on rose. The neroli and frangipani bracket the Chantilly SmellTheTaste forming that tea cake accord M. Cresp wanted. If M. Cresp was trying to keep the sweetness at bay early on by the time we get to the base notes he has unleashed the Brown Sugar SmellTheTaste. It feels like the crystalline particles are present on my skin. This is going to break Equinox Bloom for people who are not fond of sweet perfumes. Benzoin and ambroxan finish out the construction of Equinox Bloom.

Equinox Bloom has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

Based on this first experience with the SmellTheTaste molecules I am looking forward to see which other food extracts Firmenich has to be used. The two used in Equinox Bloom make it worth thinking of as an alternative to all those other spring rose fragrances.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample provided by Twisted Lily.

–Mark Behnke