Mona di Orio | The Scented Hound

WHAT I SMELL: Violette Fumee opens with the most beautiful lavender and bergamot combination; it’s herbal and refreshing in a creamy comforting way. After a few minutes, the fragrance starts to warm and become deeper as a beefy oakmoss emerges from the bottom that envelopes and seems to fold over the lavender. After about 10 minutes or so, the violet seems to make an appearance from the edge of the fragrance. I know this is going to sound strange, but it’s appearance is like prairie dogs popping their head out of the ground. What I mean is that the violet doesn’t come out at once, but seems to pop in and out until eventually you feel like you are surrounded by violets tinged with rose. Violette Fumee at this point still retains its creaminess but it becomes slightly brighter without becoming sheer. What I love about this is that the herbal aspects of the fragrance keep this from becoming too floral and pretty which allow Violette Fumee to retain a substantive elegance. After some time, the myrrh and opoponax emerge from below and a slight suede provides for a beautiful finish to this multi-faceted fragrance.

Violette Fumee Notes:

Top notes: Mediterranean Lavender, Bergamot from Calabria, Oakmoss from the Balkans

Heart notes: Violet flowers and leaves from Egypt, Turkish Rose, Veitver from Haiti, Clary Sage

Base notes; Opoponax and Myrrh from Somalis, Cashmeran

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A page from a 19th century botanical illustrative leather bound book.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE VIOLETTE FUMEE: transformative, calming, elegant

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT VIOLETTE FUMEE: Cafleurebon

BOTTOM LINE: Violet fragrances have not been my friend in the past as I find that they are typically too feminine for my taste. Violette Fumee breaks that mold. The violet doesn’t completely dominate and take over in a sweet and simplistic fashion. The first time I wore this, I really liked it, but the 2nd time I have to say that I loved it. Voilette Fumee is an elegant and substantial fragrance, that holds layers upon layers of wonderful surprises.

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Fougere
Classification: Unisex
Expense: EdP Intense to be launched in September 2013

Promotional sample provided by Mona Di Orio Parfums.

Les Nombres d’Or Cuir was my first foray into the perfumes created by Mona di Orio who tragically passed away at the end of this last year. And what an interesting introduction into this line of fragrances. Les Nombres d’Or Cuir has an incredibly strong opening. And it’s an opening of smoke, cigarettes and burnt paper. This is considered a leather scent, but the leather is so hidden and disguised behind this screen of smoke. After about an hour the scent evened out to a sharp, almost green scent but with the smoke ever-present. This is an intriguing scent, but I am not sure when and where I would want to wear it. In the end though, if the other Mona di Orio creations are this daring, I am looking forward to sampling some more.

From the Mona di Orio website:

Opening with a whiff of Gauloise-like smoke it quickly becomes toasted spices and sweet absinthe before the appearance of the leather. Neatly straddling the line between biker and Birkin bag, the leather is almost carnal in its depth. In these days of anodyne scents and trans-fat free lives this is a welcome walk on the wild side that would be wonderful on a man. On a woman? Only one way to put it: Cuir is ruthlessly chic.

Cuir Notes:
Cardamom, Absinth, Leather, Cade, Resinoid Opoponax, Castoreum