floral | The Scented Hound

August 21, 2014
by The Scented Hound 22 Comments

New Release: Sotto la Luna GARDENIA by Tauer Perfumes

WHAT I SMELL: Sotto la Luna GARDENIA’s opening is green and slightly sharp along with being big and bold with a semi-vintage vibe. The initial opening is met quickly with a gourmand sweetness like almond extrait that’s layered under a spiced rose. And soon enough a creaminess develops that helps to radiate this incredible floral warmth as the notes begin to bounce around like a symphony of full-bodied petals. How can you not love a big, bold floral like this? Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is sweet with its gourmand almond and vanilla, but there’s a depth that keeps it from becoming saccharine as the sandalwood and tonka keep it leveled. As Sotto la Luna GARDENIA continues to develop, it deepens and the florals project off the skin like they’re about to burst. The sweetness then begins to dissipate to be taken over by a more earthy component, like the heavy flowers are being plucked from the ground. At this point, the fragrance is heady, intoxicating and dreamy. After some more time, the florals retreat and the vanilla comes to the forefront and it’s creamy, lush and it swirls off the skin. After about an hour, Sotto la Luna GARDENIA begins to settle and calm. At this point the drydown is DIVINE, as it’s smooth, warm, lightly almond sugared and lightly powdered. In the end Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is incredibly comforting; so much so that it makes me want to purr like a kitten!

From the Tauer Perfumes website:

Sotto la Luna®, inspired by white flowers blooming under the moon.

Head Notes: The spicy freshness of gardenia budding under a bright moon.

Heart Notes: The green floral delicacy of gardenia in full bloom with a gentle rose.

Body Notes: The powdery mossiness of ripe gardenia with a hint of jasmine, in a bed of sandalwood, tonka and vanilla.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Riding a Crescent Moon

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE SOTTO LA LUNA GARDENIA: creamy, luscious, narcotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SOTTO LA LUNA GARDENIA: Is it possible that there aren’t any reviews of this yet?

BOTTOM LINE: If you are looking for a straight up Gardenia fragrance, Sotto la Luna GARDENIA is not for you. However, if you are looking for a deeply delicious rounded floral that makes your head dizzy with intoxication, this IS for you (and of course, for me!)

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Andy Tauer
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $145 for 50ml (Available via pre-order through Twisted Lily and Indigo Perfumery with shipping in early September)

July 28, 2014
by The Scented Hound 24 Comments

Hiram Green Moon Bloom

WHAT I SMELL: Moon Bloom opens with a lightly mentholated tuberose and heavenly sweet jasmine. And oh what a pretty opening it is! It’s lightly creamy and rather green as if the tuberose and jasmine are spilling over in streams of white surrounded by the lush greenery bouquet. Incredibly hypnotic, I can’t seem to stop sniffing my wrist as I never want this incredible white floral dream of an opening to end. After around 5 minutes a spice makes its way in as the mentholated aspect of the tuberose starts to disappear. There’s a hidden sweetness in the background like a light bubblegum which adds a small spark to this narcotic floral. As the fragrance continues to develop, it becomes spicier, yet cooler and more tropical as the ylang ylang becomes more prominent along with a hint of coconut giving the fragrance an exotic feel. Even with this dose of tropical, Moon Bloom never manages to go in the direction of a heavy state of pure tropics which it easily could have. Instead, the fragrance remains big, yet somehow restrained. In the end, Moon Bloom settles into a floral spiced gauze of a fragrance. You should note however that there is some powerful projection in play here, so a little goes a long way.

From the Hiram Green website:

Moon Bloom is a lush and elegant tuberose themed eau de parfum. Tuberose is a tropical night-blooming flower. Often referred to as ‘the mistress of the night’, tuberose is an admired theme in perfumery because of its soft and creamy but also powerful and narcotic aroma.

Moon Bloom includes generous amounts of tuberose absolute, jasmine absolute and ylang ylang. There are also notes of coconut, leafy greens and hints of tropical spices and resins.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Jean Harlow. Feminine, sexy and seductive from a bygone era.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE MOON BLOOM: intoxicating, rapturous, narcotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MOON BLOOM: NotableScents, CaFleureBon, The Silver Fox

BOTTOM LINE: I have struggled with tuberose for years, but I think I have finally found “the one” that has allowed me to love this elusive (at least to me) white flower. Moon Bloom is incredible. And even more incredible is that this is perfumer Hiram Green’s debut fragrance and an all natural perfume as well. Even the bottle if simple excellence at its best. This is talent personified. Mr. Green will have a hard time topping this beauty which is now going on my must have list! But there’s no hurry on the next release, as I’ll be swimming in Moon Bloom for a good long time.

Bone Rating: 5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Hiram Green
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $165 for 50ml EdP

Sample courtesy of Indigo Perfumery.

July 14, 2014
by The Scented Hound 10 Comments

New Release: Eau de Magnolia by Frederic Malle

WHAT I SMELL: Eau de Magnolia opens with a lightly fizzy warmed bergamot. It’s rather sour and green, but that sour aspect retreats after around 10 minutes when the magnolia makes an entrance. The fragrance at this point is very light and wispy and is sweetened with a breath of patchouli. All of this seems to be sitting upon a dry woody base that feels like it’s pulling the moisture from the fragrance. After around 20 minutes the magnolia begins to radiate, but it’s contained and never reveals too much of itself. It’s also cool and feels rather removed and distant. After another 20 minutes, the coolness is replaced by some warmth, as if the afternoon begins to filter through the curtains to help lighten and heat up a dark room. In the end you’re left with this light and delicate muted floral that is infused by a interesting citrus component.

Eau de Magonlia notes from the Frederic Malle website:

Top note is Calabrian bergamot; middle notes are magnolia, vetiver and patchouli; base notes are cedar, moss and amber.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A fading southern beauty.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE EAU DE MAGNOLIA: somber, muted, fragile

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT EAU DE MAGNOLIA: Olfactoria’s Travels, CaFleureBon, Kafkasesque

BOTTOM LINE: Magnolia can be tricky to recreate; the floral effect can leave a perfume loud, artificial and cloying. Eau de Magnolia manages to escape that trajectory and instead takes it in a direction that is soft, haunting and full of melancholy. It’s pretty, but it’s a perfume that leaves me feeling rather sober.

Bone Rating: 3 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral
Nose: Carlos Benaim
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 50ml