floral leather | The Scented Hound

January 24, 2022
by The Scented Hound 4 Comments

Tom Ford Ombré Leather Parfum

WHAT I SMELL: Ombré Leather Parfum opens with a light suede and a dusting of violet leaf. It’s soft and a little creamy with a clean finish. From the beginning, the suede feels smooth and pliable like a set of very fine gloves or the softest of slippers. As the perfume develops, the suede moves to more of a hardened leather. But don’t get me wrong, there is nothing but elegance here as the leather retains its’ gentlemanly demeanor. After some time, the leather adds just a touch of woody tobacco. Here, the perfume moves from the closet to the men’s club. Again, the perfume remains refined while being incredibly approachable. And then some time later, a light floral glides in that feels a bit spongy and which seems to float above the leather and tobacco. In the end, the perfume quiets to a soft and comforting light leather perfume that is topped with the prettiest of violet florals.

From the Tom Ford website:

OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM INTENSIFIES THE ORIGINAL SCENT, FUSING HEATED LEATHER FLORALS WITH WOODS–CAPTURING THE UNBRIDLED SENSUALITY OF THE AMERICAN WEST.

ABOUT THE FRAGRANCE:
A DISTINCT FLORAL LEATHER, OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM MAGNIFIES THE ORIGINAL FRAGRANCE, MERGING BLACK LEATHER WITH POWERFUL VIOLET LEAF AND SENSUAL CEDARWOOD LACED WITH A HINT OF GREEN TOBACCO.

My Little Pony – Rainbow Dash

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: My Little Pony…lightly leathered, lightly sweet.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM: comfortable, smooth, approachable

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OMBRÉ LEATHER PARFUM: No written reviews found.

BOTTOM LINE: I really like this perfume from beginning to end. Being Tom Ford, I was thinking that this would be a powerful leather bomb. Instead, I was quite surprised to find a soft, comforting and quiet perfume. Ombré Leather Parfum is a perfect leather perfume for the office or for those evenings out on the town when you just want a whisper of leather to trail behind you.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral Leather
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $165 for 50ml parfum extrait. Also available in 10ml and 100ml sizes.

Review is based on the Ombré Leather parfum extrait version launched in 2021 and not the earlier release of Ombré Leather eau de parfum.

December 12, 2016
by The Scented Hound 12 Comments

New Release: Le Jardin Retrouvé Cuir de Russie

As you probably know, I love traditional french perfumery. I also love seeing former perfume houses being resurrected. Le Jardin Retrouvé fits both of those bills and I’m thrilled that they’re back. Le Jardin Retrouvé debuted in 1975 with master perfumer Yuri Gutsatz at the helm giving birth to the “niche” perfume market by selling and creating perfumes that were personal and which rejected mass marketing and retailing. The company flourished for years, but unfortunately, after Yuri’s death in 2005, the company faded away. But through his son Michel and his wife Ciara this “niche” brand is once again creating perfumes…the same perfumes that Yuri created back in the 1970s. A total of seven perfumes have recently re-debuted. Cuir de Russie is hands down my favorite in the line…and that’s quite something because the entire line is fantastic.

WHAT I SMELL: Cuir de Russie has a soft, warm, sparkling violet and peppery opening. It feels like it dances on the skin with its warmth, yet cool embrace. There’s so much movement to the perfume as it whirls and twirls to the delight of my nose. Not long after that initial rush and exhilaration, a cinnamon note becomes equal with that of the florals, along with the lightest of leather. The perfume falls in a netherworld between masculine and feminine and at times it feels as if it’s a demure beauty, only to feel strong, masculine and self-assured a minute later. As the perfume continues to develop, it warms and deepens as it produces a wonderfully radiating wood tinged with leather and incense. Cuir de Russie is a perfume that is full of positive energy and optimism and these days that’s a welcomed state of being. In the end, the dynamic whirl of the perfume settles into a softened powdery chypre that’s a little bit dirty, but which is incredibly easy to wear. Delightful.

From the Le Jardin Retrouvé website:

1920. The opera hall is packed. Diaghilev is presenting his Ballets Russes. You are seated with a group of flamboyant Parisians in the front row. Wide-eyed, you watch Nijinsky and his soft leather boots. He leaps, he spins, he fills the stage with the bewitching scent of ylang-ylang, violet, and cinnamon enveloping a harmony of cade wood and styrax. You wish that this moment could last forever.

Floral Leather: Ylang Ylang, French Violet, Indonesian Patchouli, Cinnamon, Spanish Cade Wood & Styrax

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: I can’t argue with the imagery of the Ballet Russe, it fits the perfume perfectly.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CUIR DE RUSSIE: positive, energizing, classical

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CUIR DE RUSSIE: EauMG, I Scent You a Day, Pierre de Nishapur

BOTTOM LINE: Cuir de Russie doesn’t try to be anything but an easy to wear, but beautifully engaging perfume. As such, I could see this as an anchor perfume in any collection. I also love Le Jardin Retrouvé’s La Nécessaire packaging where the perfume is housed in an aluminum bottle along with two empty glass bottles to transfer the perfume to, allowing you to choose how you want to use and store your perfume. Brilliant! Welcome back Le Jardin Retrouvé.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral Leather
Nose: Yuri Gutsatz
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $185 for 125 ml eau de parfum. Available exclusively from the Le Jardin Retrouvé website.

Perfume sample provided by Le Jardin Retrouvé. Opinion my own.

June 2, 2014
by The Scented Hound 8 Comments

Tabac Blond by Caron

WHAT I SMELL: Tabac Blond opens with this really pretty floral iris that quickly becomes ensconced in a light leather. Funny, the word “blond” really does feel appropriate as it conveys a woodyish, blond like aura. The fragrance is rather cool and aloof, yet approachable. Like many of the other Caron fragrances, there is “pretty” surrounded by an edge of something naughty. Here, the leather, albeit light, is rather tough and slightly aggressive. When initially applied the projection is incredible, but the fragrance begins to settle down as the spice of the carnation makes its appearance. After around ten minutes that carnation and spicy clove moves the lighter initial florals to the back. After some more time, the tobacco comes in full force, drying out the fragrance making it more woody and rather masculine. But just as soon as you believe this will go full on manly, Tabac Blond starts to become powdery and the spicy florals become center stage again. After around an hour, the patchouli comes into play bringing this very earthy and musty like aura to Tabac Blond. After a couple of hours, the fragrance reduces to an earthy patchouli skin scent that reminds me greatly of Dr. Vranjes Ambra e Iris.

From the Caron website:

In 1919, to mark the dawn of women’s liberation, Caron made the bold move of dedicating a deliberately provocative fragrance to the beautiful androgynous women, nonchalantly holding their long ivory and mother-of-pearl cigarette-holders.

Notes listed in Fragrantica: leather, carnation, lime blossom, iris, vetiver, ylang-ylang, cedar, patchouli, vanilla, ambergris, musk.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A dried flower arrangement with lingering floral hues and dusky earthiness.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE TABAC BLOND: self-assured, earthy, grounded

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TABAC BLOND: Kafkaseque, The Perfumed Dandy, The Scent Detective

BOTTOM LINE: The first few hours of Tabac Blond are wonderful. It’s complex and hard to pin down as it seems to change and morph continuously. The final drydown stays with you for a considerable time, but I find it just a bit too earthy for me. But no problem, I’ll spritz on some more!

Bone Rating: 4 for the first hours, 3 for the final drydown (out of 5 possible bones)
Scent: Floral Leather
Classification: Feminine, yet rather masculine
Expense: Review based on parfum extrait. $100 for 7.5ml.