Perhaps I'll post it on Sunday, and then look for a review of Lolita Lempicka Fleur Défendue / Forbidden Flower on Monday.
For anyone who has some extra time to kill (and I assume you do, or why would you be here?), here is a very quick poll: what do you think is the best fragrance, mainstream or niche, released so far this year?
I will have to tout Hermes Un Jardin Apres la Moussan! I know that some have found it to be a watermelon/canteloupe cocktail, but I LOVE it. I find that the melonessence fades down nicely and becomes much more subdued (on me), and then I get a lot of the ginger and coriander (and other spices my nose has not learned to identify!)
A great summer scent and a beautiful bottle! MMMMMmmmmmelon!
Apres La Mousson seems to work for lots of people, and that makes me happy since I am such a JCE fan!
For me, its EL Bronze Goddess–although I have a few “new to my area” scents that I adore, too–Nina by Nina Ricci, for one. I'm looking forward to Maurice Roucel's Coral Flower flanker to L de Lolita Lempicka, and SJP's Covet Pure Bloom, to arrive later this summer.
So many great launches this year! Here's a few stand-outs for me,& I apologize if some were released in late 2007… it's hard to remember exactly when something debuted.
Tom of Finland, Isabela Capeto 1, 5 O'clock Au Gingembre, Encre Noir, AndyTauer Incense Rose, Escentric 2, Perles de Lalique, DKNY Be Delicious Night, iPdF Muschio Bella, EDI Magnolia Romana, SMN Tabacco Toscano, Chanel Sycomore
I enjoy Nina, too! And I love just about anything Monsieur Roucel does, so I'm looking forward to Coral Flower as well!
Coral Flower should be interesting — I didn't love L, but thinking Coral Flower might be more to my liking! And of course Bronze Goddess is great stuff
You're liking this year better than I am…
I'm glad to see someone else likes Un Jardin apres la Mousson apart from me! I'm taken aback by the non-love this one's received; it's easily the nicest of the three Jardin scents as far as my nose is concerned. I also feel I'm bucking the perfumista trend by liking Chanel Sycomore – it's similar to a lot of other vetivers, but it's far more coherent in the long drydown and very, very classy.
I've also adored Stephanie de St. Aignan Berberiades, although I think that counts technically as a 2007 release. And I still lust for AG Ambre Fetiche, although I suspect that's a last-year release also.
I like the Jo Malone Kohdo Dark Amber – certainly in my top five for the year. And the new Odori line – I've fallen heavily for Iris and Spigo.
And I mustn't forget CdG Monocle Hinoki, and Prada Opoponax.
Which of these is my favourite? I think perhaps Berberiades. Maybe…
I would love Mousson if I did not dislike aquatic/melon notes so much, so for me it is a matter of personal taste & not that I think it is a bad scent per se. But I do see it getting some love on MUA, so I don't think you're alone! And I still have not tried Sycomore. I think Kevin liked it.
The Kohdo Dark Amber is in my top 5 at the moment too, and the Hinoki is up there too…
I love SL 5 O'clock au gingembre & I also loved the Un jardin apres la mousson. I need to try Sycamore…it sounds wonderful.
Andy Tauer's Incense Extreme, Lalique Encre Noir, Andy Warhol Silver Factory, Montale Red Oud, AG Ambre Fetiche and Encens Flamboyant – I've been loving all these! Hated the Mousson.
Costume National 21 (was that THIS year?…..) is definitely my favorite so far. I may be the only person who hasn't experienced the new Hermes so I can't comment, but I'm a big JCE fan, so I'm sure I'll get it at some point.
Was Silver Factory this year? Okay, then…I love that new release.
Also like the Jo Malone Khodo Wood Evening thingy. The daytime, not so much.
It's Friday, it's not raining. Happy Weekend!
Sycomore does sound great. I'm very bummed that some Nordstrom stores got the Les Exclusifs, but not MY Nordstrom store.
Incense Extreme is a great scent, yes!
I think Silver Factory is actually 2007.
We are having perfect Friday weather too, yay! You have a lovely weekend also…
Yes, but any Nordstrom can order it for you and ship it to you. Of course, that means no sampling.
New favorite niche for me (and I'm new to niche, so I don't have much to fall on) is the SL 5 O'clock Au Gingembre – I'm lucky that I was able to score a sample of it! It completely changed my opinion of ginger in fragrance.
My new favorite mainstream… hmm… I don't know that I have one. Possibly the Varvatos for women or St John (but it's not 'new', only a re-release. Nothing has really captivated me.
I guess Annick Goutal's Les Orientalistes lines could count as they are released in the US this year? Of these Myrrhe Ardente has really struck a chord with me so far. And I so looked forward to smell Mousson, but was disappointed with it in the end….
I didn't get a chance to try any niche fragrances this year, but by far my fave dept store buy was Sarah Jessica Parker's Covet. It's an interesting mix of notes, and I wasn't sure about it at first. I'm now amazed at how much I enjoy it, and look forward to wearing it more in the fall, since the drydown is somewhat cozy.
My favorite release so far is Chanel's Sycomore.
If you consider Annick Goutal's Les Orientalists to be a 2008 release, I love Encense Flamboyant
Can't decide between Bronze Goddes and Escale a Portofino. I like them both best so far…
I need testers
I just saw the St John, have to go find out more about it. I had thought they were doing something new, not a re-release.
Myrrhe Ardente is my favorite of the Orientalistes too, although I haven't yet smelled the newer musk one.
Covet is really well done. Interested to know if we are really going to get SJP's “unisex” scent or not…
Has anyone mentioned Cannabis Rose? I don't think of myself as a “rose person” –but I love this one. Fresh & dirty at the same time! Most of my collection is in decants but I broke down & ordered a bottle of this one today….
How lucky you were able to try Escale a Portofino. Do tell please, where? I've been trying to find out where it can be found and the only palce so far is at Harrdos in London. I don't even think that the Dior boutiques in the US carry it yet.
I have a huge lemming over this one!
Sycomore is getting lots of votes! I need to get some…
Ooh, I am going to sound like the lone crab of the bunch, but I have been quite underwhelmed by several scents that I was really looking forward to, unless I was actively disappointed (looking at you, Sycomore, which just smelled like wet grass on me.) Now keep in mind, I get precious few chances to travel to a decent dept. store to try new scents, and have to purchas/swap for most niche, so I've most likely missed many new things. But on my few Nordstrom excursions, Prada Infusion d'Iris has smelled the best of new scents. I really like it and will most likely buy a bottle at some point (online for less, of course) but for now I have a decant and I'm fine with that. Hope springs eternal, though – really looking forward to EL Sensuous.
I just tried Bronze Goddess today and quite liked it – got a sample so I can be sure but I think I'll be buying some. I feel like I would be able to be fairly lavish with it without killing everyone in my path, and I'm in the market for a good beach scent.
I also got a sample of the Tuberose Gardenia which seems like it could be either incredible or give me a headache.
If any fall into my lap, I'd be happy to pass one on.
They insist it is a re-release of the original. We had a training on it last week. I rather like it; it's soft, has good lasting power, but no sillage. I don't know if I'll actually wear it, but I imagine it will do well. Oh, and I do like the Gucci by Gucci – EDP version, although the EDT bottle is prettier imo.
You will not be the lone crab…I think it has been a mostly dismal year so far. I am still holding out hope for Sycomore though!
It is a great beach scent — wears well in high heat. Hope you'll like the TG too, but that one is too much in very hot weather, IMHO…
I'm sure you're right. Weird — it has been off the market, so presumably it did not do well?
I like Gucci by Gucci EdP too. I only tried the EdT very quickly on a card…
Actually I think someone mentioned Etat Libre's Tom of Finland, and I have to say the more I wear it, the more I like it. Go figure but it works really well on me as a kind of everyday fragrance!
So far, for me the best of the year is Lancome Peut-Etre. And I'm really looking forward to your review of Lolita Lempicka Forbidden Flower, since I”m already insanely in love with it!
Patti
Jo Malone's Amber & Ginger Lilly
and
SL Five O'Clock Gingembre
I have not tried Syomore and now I want to.
Oops…I am not in love with it. You might want to skip my review
I like that one too! Not sure I need a bottle, but it's well done.
lol – I live in San Francisco, so my hopes are that it will get warm enough to enjoy the Bronze Goddess! I want to test it out on a hot day before I buy it. The TG will get a very tentative test at first for sure, and in cooler weather.
The commercial is nice!
Frag releases I love: No. 19 Louanges Profanes & Jo Malone Kohdo Dark Amber, Magnolia Romana EdT
The TG is not really heavy, but it's very diffusive. Was just talking about this on another thread, but I kind of like it better decanted & dabbed.
Glad the Magnolia Romana is finding fans, since I hated it but like the brand! I'm so forgetful that I can't remember if I tried #19 but don't think I did.
I am going to HAVE to try UJA la M–based on your recommendation, it sounds wonderful! MMMMMmmmmmelon!
My vote goes for Thierry Mugler Alien – eau Luminescente. The bottle is fabulous – electric orange- and the juice is positively addictive!
This was (is) in Finland, in Helsinki. Portofino is sold in a few department stores here. It is very nice, very “cologneish” in a good way. Lovely on a warm or hot day. I mostly get the citruses in it, I would like to smell more of the supposed almond and caraway.
Bronze Goddess is NOT a new release, it is Azuree Soleil autrement coiffee. That being said, I love it
Actually lots of the scents mentioned above aren't 2008 releases…perhaps they are just things people tried this year.
Just had the weirdest experience: a cup of green tea from Harney & Sons. It's called Bangkok and is a very posh mixture in a transparent bag – green tea, lemongrass, coconut and ginger it says on the wrapping.
Poured hot water, waited 5 minutes, and savoured a hot mouthful of … diluted Azuree Soleil, or Bronze Goddess if you like! How weird is that? I still have the empty bag, it still smells nice and strong. The aroma has earthy undertones of licorice and cardamom and the lemongrass is a bit like bergamot and I can't help thinking “Mmm, I'd wear that”. A TEA BAG???!!!???!!! Yikes!
In future I'll stick to my triple-cinnamon-orange-peel-and-clove, it's heavenly and I never wore a similar frag nor want to, except perhaps as an autumn-winter room fragrance.
Hey, I have that tea! I think I reviewed it in one of my tea posts. Very “thai food-ish” to me, and reminds me of one of the new Cinq Mondes scents.
Hello to a fellow Narcisse Noir refugee…!
I just discovered 5 o'clock au Gingembre too and was surprised how pleasant it was. There's a nice note of ginger in JCE's Bergamote for The Different Company if you are getting into niches and like orange.
Second the G by G EDP pick as well – I just ordered a big decant off Fishbone96!
It is being pushed very heavily in big dept stores in Paris – and a branch of Sephora there – such that I got hit on by a Dior demonstrator with it three times in one day! I liked it but found it a bit too piquant maybe, like Brin de Reglisse by Caron.
I have a small sample of Sycomore and found it lacked the wow factor of most of the other Exclusifs – thumbs down from me!
I think I've only tried two new launches this year: Apres la Mousson wins over Cdg Grapefruit. I think I also need to make a point of trying Sycomore.
Only 2, all year! You're wise, actually.
Brin de Reglisse is Hermes….Caron's is something else Reglisse, can't remember right now! But I like piquant, usually.
Eau, Eau – sorry!
No biggie, and didn't mean to be pedantic about it
I welcome corrections – precision is good!
Well, maybe, but I seem to have been spending up a storm buying plenty of pre-2008 scents!