floral | The Scented Hound

February 16, 2015
by The Scented Hound 17 Comments

Frederic Malle Une Fleur de Cassie

WHAT I SMELL: Une Fleur de Cassie opens with bright aldehydes which move quickly into a mimosa note that is soft, airy, slightly fuzzy and which feels like it’s lightly infused with cotton. The fragrance is rather dreamy and ethereal, but as soon as I say that, I can feel the perfume begin to grow and expand. A hay like quality becomes the dominant presence, but the straw manages to remain light even though it’s saturated with modest florals which soften the perfume. After and hour or so, the fragrance moves its attention to deeper consistency with a bit of leather and earthy rootiness making the fragrance move from the feminine to the masculine, but as soon as I say that, the tender flowers seem to dominate again. Une Fleur de Cassie is interesting in that it’s pretty, but not in a traditional sense. Instead it is a captivating beauty made from the divinity of the earth through subtle and natural components, most prominent being the mimosa. In the end, the fragrance doesn’t morph and transform all that much, but that’s perfect as Une Fleur de Cassie is simple beauty at its best.

From the Frederic Malle website:

The rare and exotic cassie flower is not easily tamed. Intoxicating and coarse, its fragrance is from another era. But the modern and infinitely precise writing of Dominique Ropion makes of Une Fleur de Cassie a very modern composition. This perfume is composed by rare ingredients such as mimosa absolute, jasmine absolute, cassia absolute and rose absolute, with carnation as a counterpoint, set upon a vanilla and sandalwood base. Rich, intricate, complex – like an haute couture gown.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Emanuelle Beart as Manon in the 1986 film “Manon of the Spring”

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE UNE FLEUR DE CASSIE: untamed, earthen, subtle

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT UNE FLEUR DE CASSIE: Perfume Posse, Smellythoughts, Grain de Musc

BOTTOM LINE: In reading the reviews cited above, I seem to have a much simpler ride with Une Fleur de Cassie than others. To me, the beauty in the fragrance is the simplicity in which it unfolds. It does seem to change and morph a bit with your body chemistry and I am wondering if this would bloom much more significantly on me when the temperatures are warm. As it stands now, it’s only 10 degrees outside leaving nothing to bloom at present! I have the feeling my sample of Une Fleur de Cassie is going to be drained within the next few weeks. Simply lovely.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Dominique Ropion
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $200 for 50ml Eau de Parfum

December 29, 2014
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

Bottega Veneta Knot

WHAT I SMELL: Knot is immediately cool to the skin and the opening is this refreshing mix of citrus and lavender. It’s clean, fresh and light and irresistibly pretty. After 10 minutes or so the musk and Tonka joins the mix to provide a bit of sour which soon dissipates to create more of a clean haze. The fragrance which started off light and pretty has moved slightly warmer to reveal a more sensual side with the lovely comforting florals sitting front and center. As it further develops, the fragrance becomes a lightly powdery, musky and pretty comfort scent.

From the Bottega Veneta website:

Exotic and refreshing notes of clementine intertwine with a delicate heart of soothing lavender, the rich floral accord of rose and the lingering sensuality of peony essence, evoking the unforgettable breeze of the Italian Riviera on a sultry summer evening. An enigmatic base note of uplifting musk and Tonka absolute adds a passionate and lingering texture.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Dining alfresco under the stars and pretty lights on a warm summer’s eve.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE KNOT: pretty, dreamy, breezy

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT KNOT: Bois de Jasmin, Thirteen Thoughts, The Smelly Vagabond

BOTTOM LINE: Knot is a nice, easy to wear perfume that can easily take your mind off the doldrums of winter. I normally don’t care of clean musk fragrances, but the musk is carefully controlled and doesn’t completely dominate the perfume. Oh, and I love the bottle too; a great design.

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Daniela (Roche) Andrier
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $125 for 1.7 oz. Eau de Parfum

November 24, 2014
by The Scented Hound 9 Comments

A Bergdorf Goodman Exclusive from Roja Parfums: Bergdorf

Since 1901, Bergdorf Goodman has been providing the utmost in quality, service and luxury to New York City on the corner of 5th Avenue and 58th Street. To celebrate this New York landmark, Master Perfumer Roja Dove was asked to create two exclusive perfumes that embody this legendary institution. Back in September, I reviewed Goodman’s, Roja Dove’s creation named for the Bergdorf Goodman men’s store. And now, Roja Dove has launched Goodman’s female counterpart, Bergdorf. Together, they were both created to personify Bergdorf Goodman, the pinnacle of style, service and inspiration for over a century.

WHAT I SMELL: Bergdorf’s opening is comprised of airy florals which dance around a bright bergamot. The florals are lightly sugared and candied making the opening so incredibly bright and cheerful that it feels like you’re running through a summer field of delicate wild flowers in a warm and sunny afternoon. The florals are hard to distinguish as they’re flawlessly blended, but the violet pops out as a cheery leader of the bunch. The fragrance is grounded by a hazy base of sandalwood which warms the fragrance as it moves from the shiny and carefree opening, to more of a refined, graceful and full-bodied floral that is wrapped around the edges with pink pepper. After around 15 minutes, Bergdorf turns into a ball gown. The fragrance dances, moves and twirls under a shimmering light. It’s pretty, lush and full of gaiety. As more time passes, the fragrance quiets as if the dancing slows and the party retreats to quieter and contained refinement. The florals then become deeper and they’re met with this lush and comforting warmth that is very secure in its majestic self. As beauty is not always what it seems, there is just a bit of dirty (I think it’s the castoreum) that brings a bit of realness to the florals as if to say, “all that glitters is not gold.” My favorite part of the fragrance arrives after around an hour when Bergdorf’s becomes smooth as golden silk covering the windows to the garden outside, which at this point, the now lightly creamy florals are hauntingly and beautifully restrained.

Bergdorf Notes:

Top – Bergamot

Heart – May Flower, Orange Blossom, Heliotrope, Rose, Jasmine, Gardenia, Tuberose, Violet, Pink Pepper

Base – Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Storax, Oakmoss, Vanilla, Benzoin, Musk, Frankincense, Castoreum

“Bergdorf Goodman, in my mind, has always embodied the refinement, glamour, and polish that is the very best of Manhattan.

With Bergdorf, I wanted to create an incredibly feminine scent that was unapologetically refined, elegant and sensual. A rich bouquet, with notes of Gardenia and May Flower, nestling on a base of Oakmoss and Vanilla”.

Roja Dove, Master Perfumer

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The life of Marie Antoinette, starting with her carefree youth as an Archduchess of Austria through her infamous and larger than life reign as Queen of France. It’s charming innocence in the beginning and grand, refined and strikingly beautiful throughout the end even when her world became oh so real.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE BERGDORF: refined, graceful, stately

BOTTOM LINE: The problem with reviewing a Roja Parfum creation is that the development is so seamless and pulling apart notes is next to impossible. But what a great problem to have. It’s just testament to the talent of Roja Dove. I have to admit that at first, I was going to give Bergdorf’s a rating of 4 bones, but each time I wear this, my love grows stronger. So in the end, I have to up the ante. Bergdorf is a legendary perfume for a legendary store.

For those of you lucky to in be in NYC on Thursday December 4th, Roja Dove will be appearing at Bergdorf Goodman’s from 5 to 6pm. This is your opportunity to have Roja Dove himself, sign your exclusive bottles of Bergdorf and Goodman’s!

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Roja Dove
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $545 for 50ml parfum, exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman via Roja Parfums’ Bergdorf Goodman Representative, Tom Crutchfield, 212-872-2768.

Sample courtesy of Bergdorf Goodman.