4 bones | The Scented Hound

February 9, 2014
by The Scented Hound 12 Comments

A Valentine Rose: Une Rose Chypree by Tauer Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL: Une Rose Chypree opens with bergamot and lemon with a quick move to orange, then back to a “Lemon Pledge” smell. It’s rather cool, like a spring breeze going through an orange grove. After a couple of minutes, it warms and the fragrance begins to harmonize. What I mean by that is that the notes, rather than acting in a singular fashion, start blending together. After around 5 minutes, I begin to get hints of rose, but it’s so muted that it feels like it could be a combination of any floral. After around 10 minutes or so, the rose begins to bloom, and it’s mixed with a deep and almost caramel base. It actually feels a bit gourmand at this point, almost like it would be perfect to add as a mix to sweeten a cup of coffee. But as soon as I have those thoughts, it then turns slightly lighter and the fragrance becomes a bit dryer with a layer of oak moss and powder. It’s at this point that the fragrance reminds me a bit of Amouage’s Fate Woman, which is a good thing since I love Fate Woman so much. After a short while, Une Rose Chypree moves out of the Fate Woman stage and the fragrance moves from the light to a deeper and richer stage. I find the fragrance glorious at this point. It feels vintage and extremely well blended. This is a rose that doesn’t say rose as much as it says warm floral. Wait….here, I thought the progression of the fragrance was complete, instead it gets a little spicier but in the end, the spice is tamed by the vanilla for a nice creamy (but yet dusty with the oakmoss) finish.

From the Tauer Perfumes website:

Head Notes: Soft bay and hot cinnamon complemented by bergamot, lemon peel and clementine.

Heart Notes: A rich rose chord with Bulgarian rose oil and rose absolute, and Bourbon geranium.

Body Notes: Dark and resinous labdanum, oak moss, patchouli, vetiver and vanilla.

No, my mother was not Lady Bird Johnson…but you get the point.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: My mother all glammed out in 1965 to include the white gloves.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE UNE ROSE CHYPREE: substantial, beautiful, proper

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT UNE ROSE CHYPREE: Smellythoughts, Kafkasesque, Nathan Branch

BOTTOM LINE: I think of this as a rose for those who don’t want their rose scents to scream “ROSE.” It’s muted, contained, proper and pretty without being girly. This is my kind of Valentine rose!

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Chypre Floral
Nose: Andy Tauer
Classification: Feminine, but fine for a man.
Expense: $140 for 30ml EdP

January 21, 2014
by The Scented Hound 14 Comments

French Cancan by Caron

It’s cold and wintry outside and I just am wishing that I was back in Mexico basking in the sun. Well that may not be possible, but at least I can be inside basking in the glow of a beautiful fragrance. So in my 2 Year Anniversary Post, I mentioned that it seems that 2014 is going to be the “Year of the Woman” and that I have been leaning towards some lovely traditional floral scents. For some reason, the perfume gods were calling me towards a blind buy purchase of Caron’s French Cancan. I’m glad they came calling…

WHAT I SMELL: French Cancan goes on big and rich with an almost honeyed jasmine. It’s deep and warm like a heavy veil that’s made of fine spun silk. After just a short time, the slight powderiness of the fragrance adds a sophisticated gauze to the heady concentration. French Cancan doesn’t morph much and beside the jasmine, the notes are indistinguishable, and some might even say that the jasmine isn’t all that pronounced over the rose and other florals. Finally, towards the end, the warmth settles into the base and there is a bit of spice and dryish oakmoss that peppers up the fragrance to give it a bit of an edge so that’s it not just left as plain and pretty. The only downside to this lovely fragrance is the short life span. My body doesn’t usually eat up fragrances but for some reason this does. I do believe that it may something with Caron fragrances as the same thing happens to me with my beloved Nuit de Noel.

From Luckyscent:

This floral fragrance’s name alone fashioned a traditional image of Paris: Lighthearted and joyful. Created in 1936, this scent is a seducing burst of white flowers.

Notes: Jasmine, lilac, violet, lily of the valley, rose, orange blossom, patchouli, iris, sandalwood, amber and oakmoss

Dottie and Jim are out on the town with Midge and Bob. Dottie is wearing her new perfume, French Cancan. How suburbansophisticated of her!

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I know that French Cancan should induce images of what it’s named for. To me a fragrance that is titled French Cancan would be over the top and more out of control. This on the other hand reminds me of one of those fragrances that a woman in the 1950s or 1960s would buy because of what the name entails. French Cancan is something a bit bigger, bolder and naughtier for the general housewife, but is still safe enough to wear without causing too much of a ruckus.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE FRENCH CANCAN: pretty, happy, suburbansophisticated

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT FRENCH CANCAN: Bois de Jasmin, The Black Narcissus, Eiderdown Press

BOTTOM LINE: I love it. French Cancan is nothing remarkable or groundbreaking. What it is though is pretty, accessible and just plain fun to wear. Oh, and I love that little perfume bottle oh so much!!!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Ernest Daltroff
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $100 for 7.5ml Parfum

January 9, 2014
by The Scented Hound 15 Comments

Grand Cuir by Parfums Retro

WHAT I SMELL: Grand Cuir opens with a citrus like orange blossom twist. It’s not what I was expecting as it’s not to heavy and there’s something rather salty, and tangy about the finish. I’m not quite sure what it is, but there is something here that reminds me of 1968 and going to the barber shop where the combination of sweat, oil and Brylcreem and dirt seemed to permeate the shop. Soon enough a slight soap makes an appearance along with this dryish birch and light petroleum note. After around 20 minutes or so, the florals come to surface and help to warm the fragrance, helping to even out the sharper tones of the opening. Then after a little more time, a bit of spice comes to play, but it peeks in an out rather than comes to the forefront. What I like about this fragrance is that Grand Cuir’s note are completely harmonic and therefore, none of the notes tends to dominate although you are always acutely aware that this is a leather fragrance. In the end, you’re left with a long-lasting fragrance that rides evenly and comfortably on your skin. There is something very nostalgic about Grand Cuir that I find appealing where it feels a bit forbidden, but at the same time by today’s standards comes off as rather innocent.

From Parfums Retro:

A fragrant composition in four parts:

A leather soul from start to finish
Spicy and herbaceous accents
A multi-dimentional floral heart
A comfortabel, relaxed base.

Grand Cuir Notes:

Cistus-labdanum, birch tar, clary sage, orange flower, lavender, carnation, rose, violet leaf, geranium, cinnamon leaf oil, tarragon, pine moss, sandalwood, rosewood, patchouli, musk, rosewood

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I keep going back to the 1960s. It’s manly without being brutish and it’s comfortable without being sloppy.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE GRAND CUIR: nostalgic, easy, vintage

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT GRAND CUIR: Kafkaesque, Scents Memory, Perfume Project NW

BOTTOM LINE: As many of you know, leather is not one of my favorite notes. Grand Cuir is about as close to changing my mind that I have found. The leather isn’t hard, but instead is just slightly naughty…in a nostalgic way. I have noted that a couple of bloggers have named Grand Cuir on their “best of 2013” lists, including Kafkaesque and Eyeliner on a Cat, so I recommend that if you like leather fragrances (and even if you don’t), that you check Grand Cuir out!

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Leather
Nose: Hugh Spencer
Classification: Leans masculine
Expense: $155 for 100ml EdP

Disclosure: Product for review provided courtesy of Parfums Retro.