Ararat by Parfumerie Naturelle

It's been awhile since I had time to review a backlog of samples. We have all been ( at one time or another) shorthanded at work and been elected to plug the hole until a new hire is brought in. All I have to say is "THANK GOD" !!! It's pretty bad when you don't even have energy for the wild thing with your better half.

Anyway......I finally have a few days off. After spending yesterday ( my first day off in 3 weeks) vegetating on the couch, drinking beer, eating way too much and watching my Phillies lose to San Francisco, I woke up today with an agenda. I have to package up samples I promised people and to at least review one fragrance. That scent happens to be Ararat by Parfumerie Naturelle.

I know nothing about this house or it's other release. I chose this while ordering samples for a friend a few weeks back. The notes looked intriguing and after wearing Ararat for a half hour, I have to say it's a pleasing scent that definitely falls into the shared category.

Ararat is an EDP strength formulation. I don't know what it has to do with Mount Ararat, but if the locale smells like this, folks would stick around just for the aroma. The composition ( overall) has a richness that usually eludes citric-fruit laden scents. I won't go as far as saying it's dense, but it has substance that is satisfying. There are dominant apple and pineapple notes in the opening and heart. Normally, I am ambivalent or sometimes hostile to these notes when implemented in an out-of-balance fashion, but in Ararat, I genuinely like it. It truly is well executed here.

Lemon, Apple and Cardamon in the top are immediately followed by Pineapple, Cedar and Geranium. I can't say I notice the cedar and only get a hint of geranium, but the accords are good as they are. A prominent wood note would have been nice, but being a background note isn't a terrible thing here. There are slews of newer releases with cedar front and center....and to be honest....I'm getting bored with that note. It's becoming overdone in general, so Ararat succeeds with its phantom, wispy wood-geranium duo.

The base is listed as Amber, Patchouli, Moss and Tonka. It's low key, subtle and ( on me) makes an entrance well into the drydown as a skin scent. Ararat succeeds at smelling fresh and substantial. No new ground is broken here, but I like it enough to really consider a 100ml EDP@ $65.00 US. I know I would enjoy this in the warmer months when I want to project, but politely. Thumbs up from Aromi for Ararat.