There are currently 7 numbered fragrances in the Parfumerie Generale line. L’Eau Rare Matale is no. 6, and features notes of sage, white fowers, bergamot, black Matale tea, Virginia cedar, Chinese cedar, vetiver, birch, burnt woods, pepper and musk. Matale, by the way, is one of the tea growing districts of Sri Lanka, and is also known for its spice gardens…
Osmanthe Yunnan is the fifth and most recent of the Hermessence series, which debuted in 2004 with four fragrances: Vetiver Tonka, Ambre Narguile, Rose Ikebana, and Poivre Samarcande. Like the others, it was created by Hermès house nose Jean Claude Ellena and is available exclusively in Hermès boutiques. The perfume notes are tea, orange, freesia, osmanthus and apricot.
Osmanthe Yunnan opens with sharp, dry citrus; as noted in the comments last week, it is somewhat reminiscent of another Jean Claude Ellena fragrance, Divine Bergamote by The Different Company. As it dries down, Osmanthe Yunnan veers off in another direction, starting with the lightly smoky scent of dried black tea leaves and gradually allowing more of the osmanthus to shine through…
L’Artisan released Thé Pour Un Été in 1996. The fragrance was created by Olivia Giacobetti, and has notes of peppermint, lemon, jasmine, and green tea. Like Ananas Fizz, this was originally released as a summer limited edition, but proved to be such a popular scent that it was added to the regular L’Artisan line.
Marlen, one of the moderators from the basenotes forum, is joining me, and for once, we agree!
He says: My first sniff of Bvlgari’s Thé Vert left me a little disappointed. I was hoping for dreamy, soft and green, and instead, I got herbal, sharp and “where the heck did it go?” My prayers were quickly answered, however, with L’Artisan’s Summer Tea, a melange of jasmine and green tea with a hint of mint and citrus…
Today I am trying two perfumes from the CB I Hate Perfume line. The fragrances are perfume absolutes in an oil base, and like most oil-based formulas, they stay relatively close to the skin. They are very long lasting, and evolve slowly.
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday: This fragrance was inspired by the movie of the same name (which I have never seen, but which is now waiting patiently in my Netflix queue). It is described as “the salty breath of the breeze off the sea, driftwood, rocks covered with seaweed and the smell of old leather suitcases”.
Mr. Hulot’s Holiday starts very bright, with the tangy-salty smell of sea air and water. It mellows and deepens over the next hour, adding woody undertones, and later still, a very subtle hint of leather — I’m not sure I would have noticed it if I wasn’t looking for that old leather suitcase…