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Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle ~ fragrance review

Posted by Kevin on 20 August 2014 23 Comments

Helichrysum prostratum

The East Coast has remained relatively (and uncharacteristically) cool and fresh this summer; out west, we've simmered and sweated (even in Seattle). Though I've done plenty of complaining about the heat, it's been fun to experience a real summer for the first time in a ... decade? I've been dousing myself with sunscreens, Eaux de Cologne, and perfumes with lots of jasmine, coconut and tropical flowers in them (beach-y things). Into this hot-weather perfume extravaganza, came a sample of Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle1 — an autumn scent.

Blanche Immortelle is part of Atelier Cologne's Collection Métal which also includes Gold Leather, Silver Iris and Santal Carmin. When I first received my sample and dabbed an arm with Blanche Immortelle, I was not impressed; and I even told Robin here at NST that it was a nonentity and I would not be reviewing it. Weeeeeeell, I realized yesterday I got my samples mixed up; the nonentity is By Kilian Vodka on the Rocks. When I put a real application of Blanche Immortelle on my skin, I was much happier.

Blanche Immortelle's immortelle absolute smells heavenly and it is STRONG, without being obnoxious. When first applied, the immortelle has a faint mintiness (unusual, but pleasing) that leads to a tempered-spice accord that reminds me of Indian food (I detect a 'background' note that smells of heated cumin seeds — food-y in character, not "sweaty"). In mid-development, there is a hint of flowers: mimosa, dried roses dampened with a drop of jasmine oil. In its base, Blanche Immortelle presents "culinary" immortelle (scenting a spice cake? flecking a loaf of rustic bread?) And the bitter end? Not bitter at all! Blanche Immortelle's extreme dry-down smells like butterscotch.

Blanche Immortelle is more brune than blanche to my nose; its notes are warm, toasted, caramelized (and comforting). With Blanche Immortelle, Atelier Cologne has created a great cool-weather cologne...balmy, but with substance and excellent lasting power.

Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle

Blanche Immortelle joins my other favorite immortelle perfumes: Annick Goutal Sables, L'Occitane Immortelle de Corse, Etat Libre d'Orange The Afternoon of a Faun and Arquiste Anima Dulcis.

Atelier Cologne Blanche Immortelle is available in 100 ml ($215) and 200 ml ($285) Cologne Absolue (18% concentration). For buying information, see the listing for Atelier Cologne under Perfume Houses.

1. Perfumer Jérôme Epinette; listed notes of bergamot, mandarin, mimosa, immortelle absolute, jasmine sambac, Turkish rose absolute, vetiver, patchouli, Australian sandalwood.

Note: top image is Helichrysum prostratum [cropped] via Wikimedia Commons.

Possibly of interest

Atelier Cologne Mandarine Fauve ~ new fragrance
Atelier Cologne Eclat de Tubereuse ~ new fragrance
Atelier Cologne Encens Celeste ~ new fragrance

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: atelier cologne, immortelle, jerome epinette

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23 Comments

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  1. melissa says:
    20 August 2014 at 2:38 pm

    I got the chance to try this in the Manhattan AC boutique last week. It was nuanced and interesting, but also if you poured a lot of it over waffles I would probably try to eat them. Definitely brune. I have to say, by the end it wore me out — the tenacity and power are really amazing, and just felt like too much tramping around the city on an August night.

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Melissa: I wore it on a steamy day too…and it WAS too much. A cool-weather perfume for sure.

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  2. Filomena says:
    20 August 2014 at 3:45 pm

    I have tried a few other Atelier Colognes but not this one (although I have the soap). I wish they would come in a 50 ml size too but I guess that won’t happen as they are marketed as “cologne” and not eau de parfum–even though they are more like perfume than cologne to me.

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 3:48 pm

      Filomena: lots of them do come in 30 ml sprays…this probably will too at some point.

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      • Filomena says:
        20 August 2014 at 4:56 pm

        Thanks Kevin. You are right I forgot that the others have the small size.

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  3. Jonas says:
    20 August 2014 at 3:58 pm

    With this particular collection it seems that the 30 ml size only comes bundled with the gigantic 200 ml bottle. I really liked Gold Leather but even 100 ml would be way too much.

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 4:43 pm

      Jonas: let’s hope that “option” leads to the 30 ml as standalone; really, if someone buys 200 ml…they want 30 ml more? HA!

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      • Filomena says:
        20 August 2014 at 4:58 pm

        Yes, they have a newer one called Rendezvous that only comes in the gigantic 200 ml bottle, along with the 30 ml size and a small candle for a mere $350.00!

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        • Kevin says:
          20 August 2014 at 9:58 pm

          Filomena: for the person who only wears ONE fragrance perhaps!

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      • Jonas says:
        20 August 2014 at 5:02 pm

        It doesn’t make a lot of sense does it? With the regular lineup you can pick a different scent as the bonus which make a lot more sense. I have been tempted to take advantage of that offer but as much as I like this line I can’t justify owning a 200 ml bottle of any of them. What they really need to do is to halve all their bottle sizes.
        100 ml, 50 ml, 15 ml would be perfect.

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  4. nozknoz says:
    20 August 2014 at 3:59 pm

    It’s hard to imagine how a perfume called Vodka on the Rocks would smell like anything. I forget what it was that LT reviewed and said it was for people who wanted the pleasure of applying perfume without actually smelling anything.

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 4:44 pm

      Noz: that’s about it…not much there but generic/contemporary department store men’s cologne scent. And the PRICE!

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  5. Dzingnut says:
    20 August 2014 at 4:12 pm

    Is immortelle the one that can smell like maple syrup? Kevin, I was wondering how this compares to ELO Like This, if you have smelled that one?

    Noznoz, now I am going to go crazy trying to remember which fragrance LT was referring to, because I remember that quote also!

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 4:47 pm

      Dzing: ah…it’s been so long. I remember Like This as smelling brighter, less “foody”…I wasn’t a fan of that one, though.

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    • nozknoz says:
      20 August 2014 at 6:12 pm

      Dzingnut, apologies! I usually remember, but in this case I have no clue. Although it was probably something expensive, to be worthy of such an elegant barb. 🙂

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  6. floragal says:
    20 August 2014 at 4:46 pm

    Hard to believe this is a cologne. I tried it as well and wow! was it persistent. I liked it too even though immortelle is not a flower I enjoy. They’re cranking them out these days!

    My favorite is still Sous le toit de Paris 😉

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 10:01 pm

      Floragal: and that’s the only one I never smelled! Blanche Immortelle is powerful…on my desk where I rested my arms after putting on the fragrance…I can still smell it (two days later). It always makes me want to go eat a cookie.

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  7. sweetgrass says:
    20 August 2014 at 5:23 pm

    I’ve only smelled this one on a blotter so far. I remember thinking it reminded me of Sables, which I already have. I’d be curious to do a side-by-side comparison and see how different they actually are.

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 10:02 pm

      sweetgrass: yes, I’d need to do a side-by-side comparison, too. But I do think this is more food-y than Sables.

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  8. hajusuuri says:
    20 August 2014 at 7:57 pm

    I tried this for the first time in May at the Sniffapalooza event and loved it; however, the minimum 100mL packaging gave me pause and I bought the soap instead.

    Good news! I will be hosting a split of Blanche Immortelle during the NST Splitmeet sometime in September. I haven’t totally worked out the pricing yet but it will definitely be attractive since I actually got an extra 30 mLs of something else (i chose Gold Leather) with the 200 + 30 mL Ecru Absolu which I am including in the per mL pricing.

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    • Jonas says:
      20 August 2014 at 8:33 pm

      Cool. How did you manage to get Gold Leather as the bonus? Atelier’s website does not provide the option of any of the metal collection fragrances for the extra 30 ml.

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      • hajusuuri says:
        18 September 2014 at 10:13 pm

        Not sure if you are still getting the responses…the SA at Bergdorf had seen me hanging about every so often and I always stop by to find out if he had any deals…and I managed to convince him, very sweetly, that I have just about every single Atelier Cologne and I would just be tickled pink to get the Gold Leather…

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    • Kevin says:
      20 August 2014 at 10:03 pm

      hajusuuri: thanks! (and an excellent idea about the SOAP)

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