In May, West Village niche perfume boutique Aedes de Venustas will launch Palissandre d’Or,1 a new unisex fragrance developed by perfumer Alberto Morillas.
For rosewood lovers like myself, it's good to know Palissandre d'Or does not aim for any realistic representation of rosewood, and there's no rosewood in the formula; banish that idea from your mind or you may create disappointment for yourself before giving the perfume a chance. Palissandre d'Or aims to create an "imaginary wood."
For once, press materials2 speak The Truth: "Abstract yet intensely evocative, Palissandre d’Or expresses the quintessence of Alberto Morillas’ style, defined by the master in three words: 'Fluidity, transparency and power.'”
Palissandre d'Or delivers a spicy pink pepper-and-cinnamon punch to start — I also notice a frankincense-like note with a sharp vanillic edge (there's a background smokiness present throughout this perfume, too). Quickly, Palissandre d'Or segues to a mellow, sweet wood fragrance: part creamy sandalwood, part damp/lush cedar. The woods present subtle, almost fruity, rose notes, and bolder leather and patchouli aromas. Palissandre d'Or ends with an amber-y accord: beautiful, smoke-hugged woods, patchouli and sheer leather: all on the sweet side.
Returning to Morillas' words regarding his style (fluidity, transparency, power), Palissandre d'Or is a smooth customer, moving seamlessly from one note or accord to the next. Though the fragrance feels substantial upon application, it's not heavy at all; it feels lightweight on skin, but billows around me. Palissandre d'Or has great sillage and impact. I think it could be worn in any season, but would be perfect for cooler weather.
The "mood" of Palissandre d'Or is not carefree or, for me, happy; it's thoughtful, wistful. As I wore it, I imagined a warm, dark room in winter, and a man, face calm, reading something serious, perhaps a book of poems by Marina Tsvetaeva, while listening to...Frederico Mompou. (Hey, your Palissandre d'Or mood may vary!)
Though in no sense a duplicate, Palissandre d'Or reminded me immediately of several perfumes: Eau d'Italie Baume du Doge, Tom Ford Private Blend Tuscan Leather and Acqua di Parma Colonia Leather; there's also a tantalizing moment or two of (discontinued) Tom Ford Private Blend Purple Patchouli in Palissandre d'Or (but Tom Ford...you still need to reissue Purple Patchouli).
Aedes de Venustas Palissandre d’Or will be available in 100 ml Eau de Parfum, $245, or in a purse spray with three 10 ml refills, $195 (purse spray refills are $110).
Disclaimer: Aedes is a long-time advertiser at Now Smell This. We don't take direct advertising from perfume brands because we'd rather not be in the position of reviewing products made by our advertisers. Since some retailers have started introducing their own branded perfumes, and since we also don't want to ignore great fragrances, which are after all few and far between — here we are! If we didn't think Iris Nazarena Oeillet Bengale Copal Azur Palissandre d'Or was wonderful, we probably wouldn't review it; in that sense, you can say this isn't a totally objective review (if such a thing exists).
1. Listed fragrance notes: ambrette, pink pepper, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, sandalwood, copahu balm, patchouli extract, Virginian cedar, Chinese cedar, Alaskan cedar, Ambrox.
2. More complete press quotes can be found in the fragrance announcement.
I’m excited about this one – I like all their scents and love Iris Nazarena (and Tuscan Leather, too). Thank you for the review and bonus points for Tsvetaeva.
Annikky: You’re welcome! Iris Nazarena is my favorite of the bunch…I still itch to buy a bottle.
I would love to try this but probably won’t get a chance any time soon. Will keep it in mind though.
Kevin, this is slightly off topic but I just wanted to say thanks for recommending that Kappus Pink Rose soap. I found it at London Drugs for $1.50. It has such a pleasant scent, cheap and cheerful, almost spritely. I also picked up their Blue Iris soap which isn’t quite as nice. Now I must find that sea aster soap. Apparently Anthropologie carries Swedish Dream so I’ll take a look there. Thanks again.
Jonas…glad you liked it!
I look forward to trying this one–and glad to read that it’s somewhat sheer rather than very dark and heavy. Iris Nazarena is my favorite from Aedes so far, but I think all of them are very well done, even if not something I want to wear myself (the first one with the rhubarb note).
Janice…ah…the Signature one. I think that’s my second favorite from the line….
Iris Nazarena is my favorite from Aedes as well but I am looking forward to Palissandre d’Or!
Filomena…looks like Iris Nazarena is winning the race! Ha!
I’m wearing their Copal Azur today and really liking it. They sent a travel spray as a gift in my last order and I had a hard time deciding between Copal and the Iris. I love incense-y scents and even though Copal is sort of light I do like it. I need to try this new one as the notes are VERY appealing to me.
Kelly: I’m betting Palissandre d’Or will be very popular.
This sounds right up my alley. I love cedar and spice. I like Oeillet Bengale..though, I think Iris was more well done. One can never say too much, “Please bring back Purple Patchouli”. It’s sad such a great scent was ripped away from us for sure. I wish I owned a bottle or a decant.
Omega: kick myself all the time for not buying a bottle! I just never imagined it would disappear so quickly.
Looooove purple patchouli ! When I heard it was going to be discontinued I had a wild time on ebay and managed to snap up 8 bottles at very decent prices, which should hopefully last me a lifetime!
NT: HAHAHAHA! Now I know who to blame for the lack of supply!
This sounds gorgeous! I love the smell of rosewood, but I take to heart your comments about the formula. I would love to smell this!
AnnS: a sensational rosewood-centered perfume is NEEDED!
This sounds wonderful. I will have a sniff at Barneys, perhaps play hooky at Sniffapalooza.
hajusuuri: do it!
I, too, liked Iris Nazarena best so far (but have not tried Oeillet Bengale or Palissandre d’Or yet). I had intended to test Iris Nazarena further, but since I already have several really excellent iris perfumes, I haven’t been motivated. Now, if the bottle were a different shade of purple, I wouldn’t be so lackadaisical. The colors of these AdV bottles are sophisticated, but I find them dreary. LOL, yes, I know I can be superficial.
Actually, looking up Iris Nazarena, it looks like the bottle is not even purple at all but gray. I guess it was the earlier one that was sort of a plum color. Ack, gray is even worse. I guess these colors have the advantage of being more unisex, but I like COLOR.
This could be a sign of being jaded – someday I’ll be like, but the cap is one millimeter too thick.
Noz: I like the color of the Signature bottle best. But I humbly ask AdV to PLEASE release a lilac-hyacinth-incense perfume next…in a glorious cobalt blue bottle!
I hate the cheap-o plastic “jewel” bottle caps on Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier so much I simply get them out of sight. A horror!
Oh, true, the MPG bottles are too much! I think the bottles that bother me the most are the Eau d’Italie. I love Paestum Rose but just can’t put that thing in my cart.
Love your idea of a lilac-hyacinth-incense perfume in cobalt! <3 <3 <3
Really looking forward to trying PdO. Each of the 4 previous AdV scents has been well done.
Kevin, what are the reference rosewood fragrances?
Hi, James…you can read a bit about rosewood (and me) here: http://goo.gl/1YCr2R. Not many rosewood perfumes out there for “reference”…one of my all-time favorites from L.T. Piver disappeared (maybe due to the difficulty in getting real rosewood?) Lancome O pour homme…also gone! Here are a few others with rosewood: Davidoff Zino, Carthusia Uomo, Ayala Moriel Rainforest, Chanel Egoiste. You can buy real rosewood oil online (from environmentally conscious groups)…I used to buy it and add it to “ordinary” Eaux de Colognes. I think I’ll do that again for summer…but add just a bit at a time till you get the concentration the way you like it.
thanks very much!
I havent tried anything from this brand yet. Seems overpriced, but i love wood fragrances.