I didn't know I wanted a gin I could wear or drink (its 151 proof so it's really more of a cocktail flavoring agent), but turns out I do. Steven Grasse (really!) of Tamworth Distilling says his new Sylvan Mist tells "...the story of our local flora in the form of the most floral spirit possible: gin. Sylvan Mist sings the song of the flowers and the forest as both a gin mist and perfume. It’s an unfolding bouquet.” It will be $80 for 100 ml. Read more at VinePair or see The World’s First Wearable Gin Smells Like Honeydew, Forest, and Fresh-Cut Grass at Food & Wine. You can pre-order (it debuts next month) at Seelbach's.
Kelly & Jones Mezcal Blanca and Mezcal Negra ~ fragrance reviews
I had an opportunity to sample Kelly & Jones’ Notes of Wine Collection (now known as the Reserve Collection) when it was launched in 2012, and I’m not quite sure why I never got around to reviewing it. I liked the concept, which felt very fresh at that moment, and I particularly enjoyed the Riesling and Pinot Grigio blends. In any case, I’ve been following this indie brand’s gradual, well-paced evolution, which now includes a collection inspired by the agave-derived spirit called mezcal.
The Reserve Collection was originally sparked by visits to vineyards and wine-tasting sessions, and the Mezcal Collection explores “a new type of terroir” inspired by work and travel in Mexico. It’s comprised of two fragrances designed to “take you into the agave fields and palenques—local distilleries—of Oaxaca. Each essence captures the aromas of various types of mezcal, and its wide range of tasting notes.” Mezcal Blanca is “a blend of sheer citrus and solar resins,” with notes of peppercorn, palm, sea salt, juniper and star anise. Mezcal Negra is “a blend of smoked woods and mystical spice,” with notes of pine, black lime, guaiac wood, cajeta and clary sage. Both scents can be shared by women and men, and both are a little more abstract than the wine-inflected blends of the Reserve Collection…
Imaginary Authors Saint Julep ~ fragrance review
On the outskirts of Clarksdale, Mississippi, at the end of a secluded dirt road sat a small ramshackle church. It was not a place of worship but rather where many went to seek refuge during impoverished times. […] It was a distinctly secular place where locals who knew where to find it could share moonshine, socialize, and dance their troubles away. They called their ramshackle juke joint Saint Julep and the oral histories compiled within paint a picture of that magical place where “the smiles was always free and salvation had the distinct smell of sweet mint.”
That’s presumably the imaginary blurb from the imaginary back cover of the imaginary book that inspired Saint Julep, the latest fragrance from indie brand Imaginary Authors. The notes — sweet mint, tangerine, Southern magnolia, bourbon, grisalva (amber molecule), sugarcube and crushed ice — are an obvious nod to the mint julep, and it’s hard to believe, but I’ve never tasted one. Since I assumed it was something heavy and dark and sweet, I likewise expected Saint Julep to be heavy and dark and sweet.
Wrong again. Never judge a book by its cover…
Friday scent of the day 3/10
Happy Booze Cruise Friday! (Plus, National Mario Day, Harriet Tubman Day and International Bagpipe Day.) Our community project for today: wear a perfume with a booze note. Thanks to Koenigsberg for the suggestion!
What fragrance did you pick? As always, do chime in with your scent of the day even if you’re not participating in the community project.
My drink of choice today is rum, in the form of Serge Lutens Chêne. Perfect for what turned out to be a cold, snowy morning…
5 Perfumes that Smell Like Booze
In the United States, we’re at the gateway of the season of Way Too Much Food and Booze. I’m not going to suggest you lay off the pumpkin pie or look the other way when the office manager waves the company credit card and suggests you all go out for a holiday drink. That’s your business. But if you decide you need a break, yet still want to smell like a party, here are five boozy scents to consider, paired with the outings at which you might wear them…