PG 15 Ilang Ivohibé Parfumerie Generale

Source: Fragrantica.

I haven't been the biggest fan of Parfumerie Generale, not for the want of trying or any fault of the scents I've tried, but we don't seem to mesh well. As Fate would have it, I had a better run of luck with this house of late and Ilang Ivohibé is the landmark first bottle I own, quickly followed by a volley of its siblings lol.

The Parfumerie Generale website lists the ingredients as such: 

"Born of a fairy-tale union of Madagascan ylang-ylang, Californian orange and Egyptian jasmine,

 the poetic fragrance of an imaginary flower releases its perfume against the exquisite sweetness of a forest of vanilla plants. 

Lavander, Vanilla, Ylang-ylang, Orris, Patchouli."

Strangely enough none of the online stores that carry the scent have the same list of ingredients, with most listing a variable combination of: ylang-ylang, citrus, jasmine, vanilla, woods and musk.

Ilang Ivohibé is not just another ylang ylang scent. Trust Pierre Guillaume to always jazz things up, wearable on me or not. In this case, it's a delightful floral woody vanilla that simultaneously hints at dense gourmand roots and yet channels a sprightly green vibe. A real shape-shifter, one moment I think of vanilla cake and the next it's all woods and nature. Add a dash of citrus and generous sprinkle of powder on top. 

Ylang ylang usually goes narcotic and smouldering on me but Ilang Ivohibé remains a young and joyful spirit throughout. It has good longevity but from the start it remains close to the skin without a trail so I keep thinking it's disappeared but no it's still there, just really subtle. That's about my only grumble about the scent and with a 100 ml bottle, the solution is spray and spray again ad infinitum. 

P.S: Am I the only one who isn't certain how to pronounce the name? I've been cautiously muttering " ee-lang ee-vo-hibe" and well the sales assistant handed me the right bottle.

Trivia: A quick Google search tells me that Ivohibe is a hilly rural town in central Madagascar. In the municipality is a nature reserve called Pic d'Ivohibe, you can read more here.