Grisens by Phaedon

Pierre Guillaume is behind the Phaedon releases and he seems to be on a mission of sorts the past few years. Trust me when I tell you I'm not complaining because he puts out innovative fragrances. The ones I have sampled so far have been well made, but I wouldn't expect less.

Grisens is not one that falls into the innovative category, but it's one, excellent incense perfume. On me, it's dusty dry and isn't of the conventional, smoky variety. I can find only 2 listed notes that make up Grisens and they consist of Incense and Sandalwood.

Grisens is about a grey incense that, from what I've read, is indigenous to the island of Awaji. About a century and a half ago, this island became the hub for Japans incense needs. Apparently, the winds on the island of Awaji result in only seasonal work. This "disadvantage" resulted in the blossoming of what once was the cottage industry of incense. The winds are also reported to be advantageous in drying the incense, so it became a win-win situation for not only the island, but Japan as well. 'Funny how things work out sometimes.

In spite of only listing Incense and Sandalwood, I also detect an excellent, musky vibe going on underneath in addition to subtle spices. Grisens is slightly earthy, resiny and woody. It also reminds me of Incense that hasn't been lit.

Sillage is very nice and longevity is commensurate. Both of Pierre's recent endeavors ( Huitieme Art and Phaedon ) have left me feeling very good about the other releases under both banners. I will no doubt sample them very soon. An enthusiastic thumbs up from Aromi for Phaedon's Grisen.

Comments

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Chanel copying Guerlain. Why?

Last month, I had the pleasure of trying Comète by Chanel, the latest addition to their prestigious Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance follows the release of Le Lion in 2020, another standout in the same collection. Like Le Lion , Comète is a beautiful perfume that captures the essence of Chanel’s refined elegance. However, both fragrances bear a striking resemblance to classic creations by Guerlain, leading me to ponder the direction Chanel is taking. Chanel has a great fragrance history. Not as hallowed and old as Guerlain but for past three decades it has far outshone Guerlain. In my view, no other perfume house has come close to Chanel’s excellence in this century. This makes their recent approach of echoing Guerlain classics somewhat perplexing. Have they run out of fresh ideas? Is Roger Dove at the helm of their fragrance division, or have they perhaps...

La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan Parfumeur

I read many reviews before or after I do my own and I seem to be at complete odds with the house of L'Artisan. I have previously said on basenotes that for me, L'Artisan Parfumeur is the most over-rated house I have come across. La Chasse Aux Papillons Extreme does nothing to sway that opinion. Yet another linear, floral dominant scent that does nothing to stir me up or inspire me in any way. This house has "pleasant" nailed down to an art form......but damn...can't we go beyond that? The only attempt at polarization so far has been Dzongkha ....and I found it a jumbled mess. At these prices, move me, anger me, hate me.......but please don't bore me. Extreme in a nutshell is a toned down tuberose with assorted "blossom" thrown in the mix. Is it bad? No, it's an acceptable floral scent that's very timid and just lays on my skin smelling like....well....a toned down version of tuberose with blossom this or that added to it. I'm almost a...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog