Category Archives: Old Noses

L’Esprit Divin (Paul Emilien 2014) is beautiful… but topples just on that side after nearly missing being ever so slightly offensive. At the start the almost chemical aroma, akin to a cleaning solution, with a pungent mix of incense, cloves, woody ginger, citrus, spicy patchouli and resinous rose is…a little daring. Of course, L’Esprit DivinContinue reading “L’Esprit Divin (Repost)”

Tea meets rose. (Teo Cabanel 2005) Spicy, woody tea in a cup and delicately honeyed rose petals on a saucer are Oha. Good grief this is an eerie, slightly shocking and utterly beautiful fragrance though… As I smell an occasional waft I half expect a ghost to pop out of the closet of a VictorianContinue reading “Oha (Repost)”

This is a particularly spicy scent (Amouge 2017).  But it’s spicy in an amaretto, cherry blossom and vanilla sweetened manner. And there’s a dense and deep rose, suede and amber warming on the horizons. All the notes blend well and elegantly. It’s smoky, sensual and yet sleek. It’s also perfect for all genders.  Top notes:Continue reading “Love Blossom (Repost)”

Eau de Cologne Hermès (Hermès 1979) is bitter, fresh…and herbal. Perfectly blended. The orange is sublime and mixes with rosemary, basil, exquisite neroli and cedar to create an earthy and serene scent. I can’t imagine a better fragrance for a warm day to feel collected and at ease… It’s more uplifting and bright than manyContinue reading “Eau de Cologne Hermès (Repost)”

I’ve had this somewhat rare Caesar’s World Ferentina (Caesar’s World For Women 1994) for over a year without reviewing it until now. My husband casually bought it at an antique store last spring. And, while I smelled the bottle and sort of liked the fragrance a little I was too blinded by the stereotypes associatedContinue reading “Ferentina (Repost)”

Perhaps it’s the elegant use of rose and aldehydes but regardless, Ombré Rose (Jean-Charles Brosseau 1981) reminds me quite a lot of Chanel No. 22 at the start. Then a woody, vanillic, smoky warmth emerges that sizzles gorgeously without inhibition and yet with a lot of powdery whimsy too. This is a definite rose scentContinue reading “Ombré Rose (Repost)”

Spicy lily-of-the-valley and carnation are flanked by bright citrus notes (Alfred Sung 1986).  Into the drydown a musky amber and vanillic warmth become ever more opulent. Other florals are green, dense and yet watery… It’s a very 80’s scent and a pretty one.  My Grandma Adeline had a box of this and Giorgio Beverly HillsContinue reading “Sung (Repost)”

Bright, beautiful tea-like green notes and gorgeous florals are flanked by smoky aldehydes and spice at the beginning of Symbole (Dana 1946).  It’s a robust chypre with definite styrax, rose, musk, and vetiver. The unique thing about Symbole however, is that it’s not particularly weighed down despite its depth. It’s an almost fun scent inContinue reading “Symbole (Repost)”

Tyran (Dana possibly 1930’s – unknown) is spicy as fruity notes careen elegantly about eventually creating a powdery chypre. The few florals are lovely but dark and dense. This is a very intelligent and subversive scent (of course) perhaps best worn, as many of the scents in my vintage Dana sampler, at night… 

Bon Voyage (Dana 1960) is one of those rare vintages that catch you by surprise. It’s extremely spicy… If an actual hot pepper found its way into the bottle of a labdanum and oakmoss drenched green chypre it might resemble Bon Voyage. Although, it’s important to note that this scent, while very vibrant, is alsoContinue reading “Bon Voyage (Repost)”