Olfactics

  • French Lover for Frederic Malle (Editions De Parfums)

    French Lover for Frederic Malle (Editions De Parfums)

    Sometimes I surprise myself. Often days (‘fragrant outings’ I call them) can be filled with myself walking around with a pocket-sized leather notebook in hand and a fountain pen filled my favourite blue-black ink going around and smelling fragrances and promptly taking notes. This occurred the other day when I…

  • Fahrenheit Absolute by Dior

    Let’s talk about movies. I tend to avoid horror movies, partially due to the fact that cheap scares and cheesy slashers do nothing for me. I like old movies, and especially Hitchcock films, with North by Northwest being an absolute favourite of mine. However, horror texts with allegorical messages, supernatural…

  • Timbuktu by L’Artisan Parfumeur

    In philosophy, there is a concept known as the “Theory of Forms”. It is a relatively ingenious notion, with an expected sense of enigma also. This theory was postulated by Plato – who believed that there are two worlds; one that exists on a sensuous and material level, and another on…

  • Eau De Cologne Imperial by Guerlain

    Eau De Cologne Imperial by Guerlain

    The paternal figure of  Guerlain, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain formed his namesake house in 1828. He began selling toiletries, and imports from Britain from his shop in the Hôtel Meurice. What distinguished Pierre from other shops and offerings was his service creating customised scents for clients; which was only made possible through…

  • J’adore (EdT) by Dior

    Yeah, I get it. Florals; flowers. It’s not that the advertisement for a fragrance should mean anything (well, maybe anything other than the Neroli Portofino advertisement for Tom Ford), but the golden coloured Charlize Theron, regardless of all that razzle dazzle attire and hair makes me instantly either scour other…

  • Bel Ami Vétiver by Hermès

    Bel Ami Vétiver by Hermès

    “Without disrupting the past order – the same balance, the same confident elegance, the same classic structure – Jean-Claude Ellena created his own interpretation of Bel Ami based on a new ingredient: vetiver. From chypre leather to woody leather: now the light of warm, woody, green vetiver, with a very…

  • Cuir d’Ange by Hermès

    Cuir d’Ange by Hermès

    The master of minimalism does it again, with a fragrance unlike much of his previous Hermessence works. Here we look at leather in a different light, diminishing the libidinous qualities and the sexual timbre of phenolic-driven leathers, often layered with hints of super sweet fruits and rectified birch tar smelling…

  • Sahara Noir by Tom Ford

    Sahara Noir by Tom Ford

    Sahara Noir is an immediately tart fragrance, with a syrupy smooth richness that never compromises its grown up character. Be warned however, you must really love the resinous and smokey smell of incense and all of its reverent qualities. Incense is an ancient fragrant material dating from long before biblical times –…

  • Opus VI by Amouage

    Opus VI by Amouage

    I thoroughly enjoy the idea behind the Opus series, as following the footsteps of an adventure is always fun. The Opus series, or ‘The Library Collection’ represents a tome of memories; and all importantly a headstrong intellectual exercise. I particularly love houses that do this. Frederic Malle’s ‘Editions de Parfums’…

  • Dans Tes Bras for Frederic Malle (Editions De Parfums)

    Dans Tes Bras for Frederic Malle (Editions De Parfums)

    Dans Tes Bras hit me like a train. The perfume is so intimate – so venerable and so sexy. Maurice Roucel, the perfumer responsible for this fragrance, reached staggering success with his prior perfume Musc Ravageur, a musky, yet-not-so musky fragrance that exudes sinful and carnal fragrant qualities without shame.…