Rima XI Carner Barcelona

Desirability: Decant

Source: pinterest

Rice pudding was my first thought on sniffing Rima XI applied to the crook of my elbow. Jeux de Peau was my second thought. It does have that salty sweetness that I love about the gourmand Lutens but where Jeux de Peau conjures up a reel of memories taken from a warm bakery on a cold day, Rima XI brings to mind the Asian dessert of silky rice pudding flavoured with vanilla and gently powdered with spices. 

It starts off rather dry, with the spices (cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg) dominating the scent at first but mellowing as time progresses, underneath is the creamy rice pudding that is a good balance of sweet and savoury. I like eating rice pudding but smelling like it for hours would not be as enjoyable, thankfully the spices break the mundaneness here in Rima XI. The scent gradually morphs from a gourmand into a soft woody amber base with a little musk. A comfort scent from start to finish. 

By the way this scent doesn't bloom as well on paper as it does on skin, so don't test it on paper. It also performs better in the heat, the scent projects much more than it does in my "colder" office where it creeps back to the skin. Overall I find it a rather light scent with average longevity of about 6 hours. 

Nice but not super interesting which is why I'm happy with my decant.  

Tango Masque

Desirability: Decant

Source: luckyscent

Phwoar...talk about heady and intoxicating, Tango just blazed its way onto my want list and I want this in a seriously bad way. Fragrantica lists this as an oriental floral but it wears like a spicy oriental on me, where have all the flowers gone? 

Cumin. Cumin. Cumin. Cloves. Cinnamon. Cardamom. Cumin. CUMIN. Cumin in all its wanton sweaty glory, attractive or repulsive depending on whether you like it. Boozy, bold, exotic and rich, Tango has me in a cinch, make that a steaming hot passionate cinch. It continues to smoulder all the way to its drydown, a warm, dense and sweet amber base with resins and dry wood heaped on the molten fire. Monstrous projection and longevity. Sexy beast. 

Bouquet Ideale Xerjoff

Source: www.coccio.de

Having more perfume than I could finish in several lifetimes, I try to purchase new scents in the smallest size bottles possible. Which is why I'm very pleased that Xerjoff has both the Oud Stars collection as well as the "female" Casamorati scents in discovery boxes at reasonable prices. 

I smell no flowers in Bouquet Ideale. No matter. It's very yummy from beginning to end, if you like all-fattening, no calories spared vanilla that is. The opening is dry, spicy and sweet but the aridness of the festive spices disappears quickly to be replaced by a thick, creamy almond and vanilla combination that cannot fail to conjure up images of sinful desserts. As if one is indulging more than the vice of gluttony, there is a rich and aromatic pipe tobacco scent in the background which adds to the decadence of the scent. There are soft woody notes and warm musky undertones in its drydown and overall it feels quite linear, a tobacco vanilla lightly laced with spices, woods and musk. Beautiful and alluring.

Average projection and good longevity, unless you are a man who adores his sweets and can wear them with aplomb, I find this more suited to women, there's something playful even flirty about Bouquet Ideale, irresistible feminine wiles for every woman's arsenal.

Lulu, Pandora's Box. Source: wn.com

Iris Silver Mist Serge Lutens

Source: flickr.com

I have adored Serge Lutens' fragrances since my first bottle of Ambre Sultan which remains the watermark of amber perfumes, the purchase marking my first foray into the world of serious perfume loving and my eternal fixation with this house and its stirring creations. 

Iris Silver Mist is an oddity even in a house full of the weird and wonderful and I empathise with the multiple polarising reviews scattered across the internet. This wasn't instant love and I'm not sure it is love yet, but after spending a bit of time with it I would say it's a definite like, it's wearable art that's subtle yet long lasting.

Carrots, earthy, mineral, rooty, vegetal, yup I am smelling all that from the word "go". It's unmistakeable and I can never forget it, pardon the pun but it's rooted in my head, the raw carrots that is. After smelling like I've been digging with bare hands in the soil for the better part of an hour, it changes as if I've uncovered something cold and metallic in the soil and it's just this weird earthy yet rusty or the smell of blood would be a better if not more peculiar match. Uncomfortable to say the least and I will admit I felt a little queasy in the stomach and I do not have blood phobia.

Source:herbangardener.com

Thank heavens and everything else in between that the awkwardness passed and like a metamorphosis, Iris Silver Mist rises from its rocky beginnings and it's all smooth-sailing from now on. Roll the credits. Or rather roll out the red carpet for one of the most smooth, buttery suede irises I've smelt yet, delicately sweet like sugared flower petals, subtly spicy (I smell cinnamon) and living wood like a walk in a forest while the weather is cool enough for warm breath to come out as puffs.



I've read comments labelling this funereal, aloof, untouchable, melancholic and the like. I can't say I agree. Iris Silver Mist makes me think of Cabiria in Nights of Cabiria, a prostitute with a heart of gold, on a never ending search for love and redemption. Unfortunately she keeps getting her heart broken and slowly grows bitter and disillusioned about life and love, well until she falls for the next scoundrel. Right after the most recent of heartbreaks while she is still in tears, she comes across a group of young happy people and she begins to smile again.


Maria “Cabiria” Ceccarelli (Giulietta Masina): I guess there is some justice in the world. You suffer, you go through hell … but then happiness comes along for everyone.

1876 Histoires de Parfums

Source: Fragrantica

Spicy. Woody. Floral. Powdery. 

In 1876 the spices and powdery are the most prominent on me with the rose and woody notes playing supporting roles in this complex and interesting creation. 

In 1876 the spicy notes are contributed by caraway, cinnamon and carnation which also provides the powdery aspect of it.1876 gives off a vintage air as if stepping back into time or opening an antique chest that had not been opened for the past century and would be more fitting amongst rich brocades and plush velvets rather than the stark white modernity of my office. Once past the strong spicy opening, I pick out the sweet rose amongst other floral notes that I cannot tell apart but which lend some fresh air to the perfume. In the later stage the scent feels dry and dusty like being in the old and infrequently used section of an ancient library, with smoky and woody notes of sandalwood and vetiver adding to the air of mystery around 1876 like being in a hallowed place of worship filled with poor lighting, spirals of smoke and whispered prayer. Overall I find the effect similar to what opium smokers might have felt, a haziness creeps over and fogs out everything leaving behind a sense of serenity and security. 

Supposedly inspired by Mata Hari, 1876 is a unique and captivating scent that is worthy of its namesake. However I personally feel the scent is more snuggle-worthy than femme fatale but in any case I do like it and would probably enjoy it even more if the scent were on the "deeper" side instead of the current "lite" version. 

Mon Nom Est Rouge Majda Bekkali Sculptures Olfactives

Source: Fragrantica

Spiced rose contenders that I've had the good fortune to sample: Mon Nom Est Rouge, Epic Woman by Amouage, Noir Epices by Frederic Malle/ Michel Roudnitska, Paestum Rose by Eau D'Italie and Rose Poivree by The Different Company. 

The Different Company's Rose Poivree was too peppery for my liking with the barest hint of rose, I didn't get any delicious sweaty animal that some other perfume lovers did but there has been some muttering about batches smelling different so maybe I should revisit Rose Poivree. Eau D'Italie's Paestum Rose is a smoothly blended rose with a touch of incense and spices, feminine and beautiful but I'm looking for more than that. Noir Epices from Frederic Malle/Michel Roudnitska is big and dramatic, spiced roses and citruses as if it's always Christmas time and a finalist that made it to my want list when funds allow. Ditto Amouage's Epic Woman, a luxurious spiced rose and heavy incense affair. 

Mon Nom Est Rouge is regularly compared to Epic Woman and while I agree that there are similarities, I mean they are both spiced roses with the same nose behind them but I find Mon Nom Est Rouge to be lighter and highlighting the rose more than in Epic Woman where the rose shares the limelight and sometimes gets pushed back by the incense and spices. Mon Nom Est Rouge starts out very richly spiced( I smell cardamom and ginger very distinctly) and peppery but not as blindingly so as in Rose Poivree, it stays like this for about an hour or so before gradually fading into a smooth sweet rose and woods, the spices a shadow of their former selves ( I smell cinnamon towards the drydown) and the scent bears more resemblance in its drydown to Paestum Rose than Epic Woman. Mon Nom Est Rouge starts with a resounding opening and shows promise but loses its interesting nature to become a lovely but a been-there-done-that ending. I will stick with Epic Woman instead. 

Dolcelisir L`Erbolario

Source: www.lushome.com

A dry, spicy and boozy vanilla that would fit in well with Christmas just around the corner, Dolcelisir would sit between the spiced eggnog and dark rum-soaked fruit cake. Those who adore cinnamon would love Dolcelisir for this gourmand oriental scent is laden with cinnamon and other spices from the start till the end. 

Some fragrance lovers have found the dry spices to be too harsh for their liking but I find that this makes Dolcelisir unique amongst the many gourmand vanilla scents on the market. The only other drier vanilla I can think of is Mona di Orio's Vanille, a very intriguing dark and dry vanilla but with almost zero percent added sugar whilst Dolcelisir is unquestionably a gourmand vanilla. Other notes that make up this festive treat include smoky resins and woody notes, caramelized bitter citrus peel, maple syrup and a sugary rum. All the notes are well-blended and the result is a balmy and soothing gourmand lover's heaven. 

Dolcelisir is of comparable quality with more expensive niche perfumes, money for value and has decent sillage and longevity, what more could one ask for? If you have been searching for a liberally spiced and boozy vanilla to ring in the upcoming holidays, that is sweet without being cloying and enjoyable through all kinds of weather, I would recommend sampling Dolcelisir.

Tilda Swinton Like This Etat Libre d`Orange

Desirability: Decant

Source: Luckyscent.com

After citrus and ginger pay a fleeting visit, I smell a strange but yummy pie cooking. It smells like a spiced pumpkin pie ( I smell cinnamon but can't identify the others), something that I can't find in Singapore, that is to say I haven't found one that I like. I think the best bet would to make one using Libby's pumpkin pie mix. There's maple syrup in this too and weirdly enough, I smell something crisp and green like parsley? I do mean parsley and not cilantro which has a zesty citrus flavour, parsley is the green sprig they use to garnish dishes which tastes a bit peppery and bitter green. 

The various smells blend well so that after about twenty minutes I can't single them out anymore, however the peppery notes stick out on the paper strip while the maple syrup/pumpkin pie effect is more prominent on my skin. The smooth blend smells both spiced and sweet, a warm and inviting scent that reminds me of the festive season just around the corner and its associations, like twinkly lights, carols, gargantuan feasts and oddly enough reindeer jumpers ( I must be thinking of Mark Darcy in his reindeer jumper at the Jones' turkey curry buffet). On skin it evolves further into a smoky maple syrup with wood notes, remaining like this till the end. I think Like This should be tested on skin to reveal its beauty as the paper strip seems to emphasize the spices which drums out the other notes.  

Anima Dulcis Arquiste

I love a good chocolate as much as the next gourmand lover but these days it takes a little more than just chocolate to rock my world. Anima Dulcis does just that. 

The opening of Anima Dulcis is a peppery, dry dark chocolate that smells like it's 90% dark with that raw cocoa taste and low on sugar. The vanilla and cinnamon slowly make their way in and the chocolate turns to a more creamy milk chocolate, the spices keeping it from being overly sweet and giving it a more grown-up feel, away from chocolate scents like The Body Shop's Chocomania and Guerlain's Elixir Charnel Gourmand Coquin that smells like a rosy Lolita bingeing on rum and Godiva chocolate hearts, a delicious scent but that price-tag, really? 

As it further evolves, Anima Dulcis loses some of the vanilla and gains back more dark cocoa with its bittersweet earthy flavour. The overall concoction smells realistic and organic, I can almost taste it. The edible version of Anima Dulcis would be Lindt's Chilli Dark Chocolate, as strange as it sounds it's pretty good stuff, semi sweet dark chocolate with a subtle spicy flavour to give it that extra kick in the taste buds. 

Lindt Chilli Dark Chocolate, image courtesy of Flickr.

Anima Dulcis dries to a dusty spiced chocolate, reminding me of making hot chocolate from chocolate powder, but this time with cinnamon and maybe some cardamom and chilli flakes? The scent has a moderate projection and very good longevity, my cardigan from last night still smells delicious after 24 hours. 

Spicy Hot Chocolate, recipe below, courtesy of www.shape.com

Since this is probably triggering cravings, I found an interesting recipe on shape.com for spicy hot chocolate and have included it here.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound butternut squash (about 2 cups cubed)

Cooking spray

7 cups nonfat milk

8 7/10 ounces Mexican or semisweet dark chocolate

30 1/2 ounce semisweet chocolate

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel squash and cut it into 1-inch cubes. Arrange squash on a baking sheet in a single layer and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender.

2. In a blender, puree squash with three cups of milk until smooth. Stir remaining ingredients in a large saucepan over low heat, until chocolate is melted.

3. Add pureed squash mixture to pan and continue stirring until it's heated (do not boil). Strain mixture through a coarse sieve and serve.

Five O'Clock Au Gingembre Serge Lutens

Source: Fragrantica

This takes me back to Sunday afternoons spent in my favorite out of many humid and noisy coffee-houses away from the outside cold, with faded peacock colored wallpaper that has seen legions of university students in its time, the massive palms busy exchanging carbon dioxide for oxygen, days when smoking indoors was not yet considered a crime to fellow humans. 

Masala Chai ingredients.

Us bright young things would exchange the previous night's gossip over endless cups of drinks ranging from actual coffee to a few tipples to help tide the hangover. It was here that I had my first Chai latte which became my pet drink for the longest time. I couldn't get enough of the spices-the pepper, cloves, nutmeg and green cardamom pods, the fiery fresh ginger and the decorative cinnamon stick, that reposes in the the piping hot milky Assam tea with a tinge of real vanilla beans. Unlike the coffee giants, this cafe made it all from scratch and the baristas would internally curse at the order of a Chai latte due to the extra preparation required. It's still the best Chai latte I've ever had.

When I met Five O'Clock Au Gingembre, the scent instantly took me back to that period of pure freedom, when the biggest responsibility was passing exams. Unlike a Chai latte, Five O'Clock Au Gingembre has a sheerness despite the bold and luxurious flavors it contains. The green cardamom is dominant among the spices, the others supplementing with some heat and herbal accords. The amber and patchouli add a dark, resinous texture and the honey instead of vanilla, adds some sweetness to the spiced concoction.

It does last for the better part of the day but due to its gossamer nature, you catch whiffs of it now and then, whiffs of nostalgic feelings and coziness like the laid back company of good friends.

In case this triggered a craving for Chai...

Spicy Chai Latte

Mon Parfum Cristal M. Micallef

With notes including toffee, vanilla and roses, I was looking forward to this being a feminine gourmand treat. I swapped one of my less-loved perfumes for Mon Parfum Cristal and waited with great anticipation as it has been receiving good reviews on the boards. 

It's nice. That isn't a very big compliment but I'm hard pressed to say anything nicer. The bottle is much more beautiful than the actual juice in my opinion. The scent is a lovely sweet rose with some pepper and cinnamon to spice it up, a nice none too sweet vanilla and clean musk in the background. I smell no toffee...alright who stole the toffee!!! So it's pleasant, inoffensive and will do for blushing brides all over the world or as a very impressive looking gift, but not for me. 

Like Bridget Jones said...I'm still looking for something more extraordinary than that.

Sillage is good, it casts a peachy glow about you (use your romantic sensibilities to imagine this) and it lasts a decent time, I get about six hours.