Il Mondo di Odore

Hazelnut, Honey, Sandalwood, Myrrh, Cedar, Licorice. The "Angry Wolf" opens with a pretty interesting licorice note on my skin. It only takes about 2 minutes before evolving beyond that, but since I like licorice, I admit to enjoying it quite a bit. The note has that expected transparency quite common in L'Artisan creations. There was a time I eschewed  sheer fragrances, but I suppose my tastes have transitioned like accord movements. What hasn't changed is my amazement pertaining to naming any particular scent. I'm clueless what this perfume has to do with an angry wolf since this is anything but feral, angry or lonesome. That aside, Mechant Loup is rather tame and refined to my nose. Honey can sometimes change the direction of a scent, but in Mechant Loup, I can't say it's a game changer. I realize more of a combination of Licorice, Myrrh and sweet resin than anything animalic. This never takes that path in my wearings, although I wonder if oth...

Poppy Seed, Bergamot, White Musk. Pink Pepper, Cinnamon. Amber, Cocoa, Vanilla. This particular scent quite possibly has the largest amount of differing perceptions than any fragrance I've recently sampled. That, in itself, is very interesting and I'm more than happy to throw my 2 cents into the ring. During the opening of Piment Brulant, I experience a quiet, watery aspect underneath a gourmand like spice. The spice is very even keeled, but does possess a food quality that's difficult for me to pinpoint. I work with food for a living, so it has a familiar ring to it, but nothing definitive. Within minutes, a soft pepper note integrates, but it's on the tame side and it's as if I'm waiting for something else to evolve during this top accord. As it happens, it doesn't go any farther, but it's still a rather pleasant opening. Now, as cliched as it may sound, a note resembling the skin of a bell pepper does emerge in the heart accord. I can'...

Bergamot, Black Tea, Dried Fruits. Saffron, Ginger, Pink Berries. Vanilla, Incense, Musk. I keep all my samples in storage after wearing them. I do this with the intent that the ones I gave bad reviews to or was seriously underwhelmed by may be tried again at a later date. Most seem to have the exact same effect on me as before, but there are exceptions. It's only fair that I get back to all of them. A few years ago, I wore Coeur de Vetiver Sacre multiple times like I do with all the others. I didn't care for it and was more unimpressed than anything. I'm always glad to have my mind changed and it seems that my former, inflexible attitude toward L'Artisan in general is waning. I've become more receptive to the subtler interpretations and not just from this house. Coeur de Vetiver Sacre opens with a well done accord of tea, saffron and berries on my skin. From the very beginning, the incense is churning underneath and propelling the fragrance onward. Th...

Saffron, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Red Rose. I have grown to thoroughly enjoy saffron. I'm glad I remembered to include this one in my last sample order. I had a hunch that Safran Troublant would be on the subdued side. It is a bit shy, but most L'Artisan's have a difficult time radiating off my skin just as a matter of course. Not all mind you, but most.............. While Safran Troublant may not have very noticeable presence, it still possesses a full bodied quality and smells extremely good. It seems to keep a close radius on my skin, but as the wearer, I am aware of the scent the entire time. I guess one can say it's tuned for politeness. As the listed notes suggest, Safran Troublant is uncomplicated and sans any real transitions. Any evolution that I do get is extremely subtle and since the fragrance smells good from the onset, it really doesn't matter. The opening is the expected saffron with understated rose hovering in the background. It takes at lea...

Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Coconut Milk. This 1978 release was an extra sample that was recently included in one of my orders. It stated on the sample that it was a "retired" fragrance and collectible. For quite some time, I was having a very difficult time in sampling L'Artisans that were pleasant wears for me. Lately however, I have sampled a few that are very good, so my luck seems to be changing for the better with this house. Having never smelled this particular fragrance, I had no expectations. Tuberose, while not my favorite, is a terrific note for me when not dominant and parlayed with others. This scent is all about tuberose, so I hoped for the best. Well, this is tuberose all right. It's front, center and even behind you. As a male, I cannot pull this off nor would I want to. The question is if it smells good. I have to say it smells excellent. For an L'Artisan, I find the volume louder than most others from this house and wonder if it has to d...

I keep revisiting Bertrand Duchaufour's creation because, for whatever reason, the presence of the fragrance seems to change each time I wear it. On any given wearing, it seems stronger than the time before it and the reverse is also true. In spite of Timbuktu's chameleon-like strength, this is a very good scent. If it wasn't, I doubt I'd keep wearing it in order to understand it a bit better. It's extremely doubtful that the fragrance has an innate inconsistency with its strength and sillage, so the perception problem is surely on my end. I have been fortunate enough to review a few excellent incense fragrances as of late. It seems Timbuktu will have to added to that list. The soft touch of L'Artisan's releases works magically with Timbuktu. That approach has caused me problems due to my skin type, but it's perfect for this one. Most of Bertrand's creations are transparent to me and Timbuktu is sheer as well. It succeeds however in being able to...

I guess it was 3 to 4 years ago I reviewed Dzing! by L'Artisan. The only thing I can hazily recall is that I didn't care for it. I can't find the review, but I have noticed my tastes changing since then. I have a mind to re-review quite a few very soon in order to upgrade some of my more truncated critiques and also because my palette is ever evolving. To be honest, I still don't love Dzing! I may appreciate it more than I did in the past, but it still is a bit barnyard for my tastes during the opening and heart accord. I will say that it's done elegantly, however that may sound illogical. An elegant barnyard fragrance? To be precise, the barnyard element isn't completely distracting or over-the-top. It's "there" however and subtle as it may be, I can't say I care for it. Olivia Giacobetti has succeeded in turning an undesirable into something acceptable and all the while keeping an elegance connected to it. I truly tip my hat to her achiev...

Olivia Giacobetti is the nose behind this particular L'Artisan. I'm not sure what house gives me the blues more than L'Artisan or Lutens. Going into this wearing, I didn't expect a whole helluva lot. L'Artisan's don't seem to wear that well on my skin type. They are a bit delicate as a whole. I understand the concept and I also know that their fragrances work fabulously on others. My wife is one of them. Her skin is not very porous and maintains a slight sheen of natural skin oil at all times. Fragrances lay on her skin and radiate, never being fully absorbed. Mine however is like a sponge and scents that accentuate nuance are rarely realized on me. So, without expectations, I sample wore Navegar a few times. The volume is low as expected and the totality of the wearing was understated, but still positive. At first, I didn't try to analyze Navegar. I simply wanted to smell it and see if it was enjoyable and had any substance. It was and had more stay...

Olivia Giacobetti strikes again with this 1996 demure rendition of rose. I'm very happy smelling this because I continue sampling this house and have had a very difficult time finding L'Artisan's that work for me. Mind you, I couldn't pull this one off since it's extremely feminine, but it truly smells terrific. It's understated but satisfying. LS has the notes listed as : Rose, Aniseed, Orange Blossom, White Iris, Violet, Almond, Honey and Leather. On my skin, Drole de Rose is a semi sweet combination of rose and violet. A bit dusty at first, then transitioning into a powdery accord of rose, subtle violet and a lipstick like note. The Orange Blossom dissipates very quickly and is only tangible the first minute on me. The iris pairs well with the violet note and together they contribute a powder-like texture framing the star of the show. A very subtle honey slowly augments Drole de Rose with a perfect touch of sweetness. If the notes were not listed, I wo...

Ah yes.......L'Artisan Parfumeur, my favorite whipping post. Okay, that's harsh albeit very true in my case. I continue to be extremely underwhelmed by this house and its subtleties seem to be lost on me. It doesn't matter that Giacobetti is behind Fou d'Absinthe. There's nothing here that hasn't been done before and better. Clove, ginger, nutmeg and pepper are the stars in this one on my skin. There are other culprits, but these players get the limelight. The totality is an inconspicuous scent that won't raise any eyebrows. It's pleasant...almost generic in its spiciness with an underlying soapy note that eventually takes the reigns. In no stage of wearing Fou d'Absinthe did I find it loud. If anything, the wearing was like a murmur and I waited patiently for it to raise its voice a notch. I should have worn a hearing aid. Considering the price point of this house, I cannot recommend it as a whole or steer anyone to this particular fragrance. Th...

Juliette Has a Gun perfumer Francis Kurkdjian's dramatically-named Rose bulgare, patchouli and vanilla scent. (I had originally attributed this scent to Romano Ricci but after some research realize it's the perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, who formulated Lady Vengeance and Miss Charming for JHAG). Yes, it has cousins in Montale Black Aoud and L'Artisan Parfumeur Voleur de Roses , with major differences. Lady Vengeance is smooth, elegant, sophisticated and a seamless blend of the rose, patchouli and vanilla. I don't find LV as dark as Black Aoud, and the rose is much more pronounced in LV than it is in VdR... (of course that could be my nose, but in LV the patchouli comes forward and the experience is quite like a good patchouli-musk oil I used to wear, rather than being a story about rose.) That is not to say that Lady Vengeance isn't a little dark... it's more the dark and mystery of a confident woman in slinky black haute couture and impeccable smoldering makeup ...

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...

I have never sampled the original Mure Et Musc, so I do not know how this Extreme version stacks up. I need to say that I wouldn't recommend men wearing this, but that's simply my opinion. This leans too far feminine for me to ever wear this fragrance. Musc Extreme is a gourmand for musc lovers. It lists blackberries as a dominant note and I must say, the berry rendition is on the mark. It is a candied berry that is of the edible variety and smells like you are wearing a pleasant pie filling layered over musc. There's a citrus in here as well, but it escapes me completely. That isn't surprising to me since I seem to be hyper sensitive to any kind of musc. This is blackberry musc from start to finish on me with good sillage and longevity. I'm willing to bet this would smell very good on the female persuasion and I wouldn't be disappointed being in close proximity to a woman wearing Extreme. Simple but very pleasant offering from L'Artisan.

Can niche be too niche for the sake of being niche? Anyone who is really in this hobby / lifestyle is aware that niche can be a two edged sword like its designer counterparts; albeit they cost a lot more. I have tried to like this house, but eclectisism for the sake of itself is simply unacceptable to me. Dzongkha is an amalgamation of aged fruit and dusty floral set atop a slightly spicy tea note. Is this supposed to be innovative? I think not....especially at these prices. Dzongkha is not horrid, but it isn't good either. It's simply a strange brew that falls short of the mark. Very short. I would love to see L'Artisan cease and desist trying to be so different ( just for a moment at least) and create something incendiary along the lines of a classic tried and true power scent using the quality ingredients that they have at their disposal. Tried and true ( with a twist) would not be such a bad thing...........

No matter how many times I try this or what mood I happen to be in, this smells like a combination of cookie dough and play dough. It's really disconcerting and makes me wonder what the hell J.C.Ellena was thinking when he gave the go-ahead on the final version. I've tried only a handful of L'Artisan fragrances because they seem to be overpriced and over-rated. When I sample one I've never smelled before, I always have expectations of it being a winner. I want more from a niche house with high-end price points than what I've been sampling from L'Artisan. I cannot even bother with the listed notes. This is vanilla cookie dough that's been stored in a play-dough container.

If L'Artisan would have stepped up the volume of anise in this release, it would have come off as a very toned down version of i Profumi di Firenze Dolce Patchouli. Upon application, Patchouli Patch is medium to low volume with the anise peeking its head out from under patchouli and mild florals. I perceive what I believe as a very subtle pepper note in the midst of this accord. After a few minutes, a musk slowly assimilates and the marriage of these notes is the essence of Patchouli Patch. On me, it remains as such until the longevity fades after a few hours. This is a subtle and soft rendition of musky patchouli with a tad of licorice. This scent would work well if you don't wish to garner attention to your fragrance but wish to smell good up close.