Amouage Homage Attar

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Kafkaesque

An homage to a rose, one portrayed first in shimmering light and with richness beyond imagination, then in smokiness with silver incense. A spicy, sweetly nectared, fresh rose that glows like a mix of yellow diamonds and pink rubies, before darkness sweeps over it and dries its petals. It’s a rose with a few thorny flaws as well, from sour lemon to a sharply pointed clean musk and a lathering of soap, but it is still one of the most famous, critically lauded, and beloved roses around. It is Homage from Amouage.

Source: wallshark.com

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L’Erbolario Meharees & Le Labo Labdanum 18

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Kafkaesque

People often search for affordable facsimiles or “dupes” of famous fragrances. In the case of Frederic Malle‘s Musc Ravageur, one name that comes up is Meharees from the Italian brand, L’Erbolario Lodi. It’s been called the “Musc Ravageur killer” for a fraction of the price, and it’s also mentioned in the context of Hermès‘ Ambre Narguilé as well. A more expensive niche name that comes up in relation to Musc Ravageur is Le Labo‘s Labdanum 18. I love both Musc Ravageur and a bargain, so I bought Meharees blindly, persuaded by the rave reviews and by the company’s description of camel rides through the Sahara and legendary oases filled with undulating date trees. I thought I’d review it in conjunction with Le Labo’s Labdanum 18 to show how they compare to the Malle.

Photo: George Steinmetz/Corbis. Source: spiegel.de

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Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Kafkaesque

Source: thisoldhouse.com

Musc Ravageur is my favorite fragrance from Frederic Malle, and also the only one which drew me in from the very first time I sniffed it, perhaps because it is the spiciest, most oriental scent in his line-up. Yet, I’m not sure Monsieur Malle would approve of my reasons for loving the fragrance because it has little to do with “ravaging” musk, and everything to do with gingerbread. To be precise, gingerbread flecked lightly with vanilla and a gentle, furry musk, then festively festooned in a haze of lightly ambered, golden sweetness. It’s delicious, cozy comfort, but far from a “ravaging” torrent of “turbulent” sensuality. I don’t mind one whit.

Musc Ravageur in the 50 ml bottle. Source: Liberty London.

Musc Ravageur is an eau de parfum created by Maurice Roucel and released in 2000. The Malle website describes it as:

A sensual perfume, powerful yet perfectly controlled, dramatic and mysterious. Composed by Maurice Roucel as an “act of seduction and generosity”, Musc Ravageur is an uncompromising Oriental, which trumps current fads. Its explosive departure of bergamot, tangerine and cinnamon is set against a backdrop of vanilla, musk and amber. A sexy, turbulent perfume, in one word: ravageur.

According to that description, the notes in Musc Ravageur are:

Bergamot, tangerine, cinnamon, vanilla, musk, and amber.

Source: freehdwall.com

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Von Eusersdorff: Classic Mimosa, Orange, Myrrh & Vetiver

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Kafkaesque

Camille Henfling of Von Eusersdorff.

Von Eusersdorff is a Dutch-based perfume house that is run by the descendents of German immigrants with roots dating back to the 15th century and who are now inspired by the vibrancy of New York City. According to the company’s website, the original Von Eusersdorffs ran an apothecary for three centuries, “dealing in rare perfume materials, spices and herbs.” The brand was reborn in 2010 as “Von Eusersdorff New York” under the direction of Camille Henfling-Von Eusersdorff, and its five eau de parfums finally became available in America a few months ago after being European exclusives.

I first tried a few of the fragrances last year at Jovoy, but didn’t have the time to give the full range a thorough assessment. Finding the scents in America turned out to be impossible, despite the “New York” part of their name. Then, several months ago, a very thoughtful, generous reader, “Petra,” kindly sent me samples of all the fragrances from German. About six weeks later, the perfumes became available in America, first at Twisted Lily and now at Indigo Perfumery. So, I thought it might be useful to briefly cover four of them — Classic Mimosa, Classic Orange, Classic Myrrh, and Classic Vetiver — leaving the fifth one, Classic Patchouli, for a comparative review with Lorenzo Villoresi‘s Patchouli.

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