Category Archives: Fragrances

Flora Salvaggia

Nose: Thierry Wasser and Delphine Jelk

Notes according to Fragrantica: “Top notes are Watery Notes, Violet, Melon and Wildflowers; middle notes are Solar Notes, Jasmine and Orange Blossom; base notes are Violet, Iris and White Musk.”

Year: 2021

When I first tried Flora Salvaggia I was unimpressed. I liked it…but I didn’t love it. But that was in May or so. Now, in the warmth of late June, I’m loving Flora Salvaggia. It’s not just nice anymore, it’s delightful. Why? Because it’s sweet but not too sweet, and the mix of the aquatic melon with violet, iris and wildflower with a white musk canopy is…cool…refreshing and very reminiscent of watermelon. It’s perfect for a warm day. Well…if you like the olfactory structure of classic Guerlain Aqua Allegoria scents like Pamplelune or Nerolia Bianca.

Flora Salvaggia is elegant, expected, and yet…why not? Why not do what’s expected and elegant from time to time? Being a rebel and having fun is worth it at times…but…on a tired, hot summer day…something mild and cheerful and crisp and refreshing is nice. Really nice.

Violets are one of my favorite notes. My signature fragrance is a violet soliflore. I love iris too. And this is a delightful concoction of iris and violet. The wildflower note is also quite lovely.

…It reminds me a bit of Quelques Fleurs actually.

Wear it in the summer. Spray liberally. And yes, the longevity and sillage are slightly weak to moderate (at least on my skin) so respray.

Upper Ten For Her

Nose: Delphine Thierry

Notes according to Fragrantica: “Top notes are Grapes, Elemi resin, Wormwood and Bergamot; middle notes are Raspberry, Sichuan Pepper and Bulgarian Rose; base notes are Incense, Precious Woods, Dark Chocolate and Amber.”

Year: 2016

I bought this after admiring it in sample form for over a year. It was a treat buying it more than most fragrances I purchase for some reason.

It’s arguably one of the most beautiful fragrances I think I’ve ever smelled. But that’s my opinion.

It’s this Art Nouveau, warm, spicy, extremely well composed resinous Amber Floral. A resinous Art Nouveau fragrance? Yes. I think it is.

It smells like Christmas tea time in a warmly lit old mansion. Wood. Tea. Spices? Spiced tea? Or something citrusy and spicy? A fireplace. Drinking. Mulled wine? Something dark and blue-lighted and cold outside. Fur? Wool? A cigar? What else? It’s extremely beautiful.

And a much as I feel it’s an excellent winter fragrance on a rainy June day in 2024 in Minnesota it’s exquisite too.

Projection and longevity are moderate, in my experience.