NOONTIDE Petals – Tauer

Noontide Petals is the new release from Tauer Perfumes. I actually tried this back in December 2012 when visiting Andy Tauer’s, but I was off my tits on cherry schnapps so had practically no recollection of it. Very keen to get my nose on it again… here’s my sample! YAY.

First spray… Miriam is that you? The same blinding aldehyde bomb up top opens Noontide Petals, that tinge of bergamot (maybe a bit of lemon in here?), a gigantic Chanel-like soapiness with the heart thoroughly hidden below the thick, white layer. The citrus may be a little heavier, but when I sampled Noontide Petals again, I literally struggled to differentiate them – totally confused as to where to start reviewing this one. So I decided to spray Miriam on my other hand to compare…

Holy shit you guys are completely different what the hell?! No joke… I have loved Miriam since I first laid my nose on it, and wear it extremely regularly. I feel like I know that perfume back to front, but this little comparison has opened my eyes to new nuances of Miriam… which I will discuss later

BACK TO NOONTIDE… This soapy, lemon-y, aldehyde bomb gets gradually more floral – a rose being the lead, followed by a honeyed ylang ylang, bringing to mind the honeyed, white floral aldehyde bomb of Chanel No.22 (mmmm!). Obviously I friggin’ love it!  I get little hints of orchid? – which at times seems to dominate the florals. The rose isn’t at all a big, red, exotic-thing like in Incense Rose or Un Rose Chypree… it’s a fresh, yellow smelling blossom that you need sunglasses to see (aldehydes still sticking like glitter over this!). Gorgeous, summery and classy, with an underlying Tauer-touch ready to come out later.

The leading floral bouquet (like Miriam), smells alien, blended to an almost unidentifiable, lactonic consistency that smells  futurisitc (the genious being how perfect it is with a swarm of “old-fashioned” soapy aldehydes on top of it). The citrus manages to penetrate it, this lemon lasting much longer than expected… mixed with the lactonic notes of the white florals (a slightly oily tuberose accord? a-la Loretta?), it smells almost like a magnolia. Ok so I’m listing florals galore… I go back to my point about the alien aroma of it… these modern, Tauer aldehydic-florals are truly unlike any other – not at all as straightforward as what you’ve smelt before.
I get just a touch of the jasmine, squeaky-clean and traditional – bringing to mind the honeyed-aldehydic-jasmine of First by Van Cleef and Arpels… but still, this “orchid” vibe is what I can’t get out my head – tainted with the rose. I think Tauer has invented some hybrid floral…

Accompanying artwork for Noontide Petals by Andy Tauer.

The drydown gets sweeter as a slightly powdery vanilla leads into a subtle smoke of frankincense, and woods (very dry sandalwood and what smells like a similar rosewood note to Pentachord White). The frankincense turns just a touch metallic and keeps the glistening quality from the opening through to the very end of Noontide Petals. I also get a subtle medicinal note, it smells like a combination of geranium (although it’s a bit late for that?) and a kind of hyper-clean laundry musk, tainted with something resinous… yeh I really can’t get my head around dissecting this
So, how does it differ from Miriam? Well… spraying these side by side, I suddenly got a huge, almond-biscotti vibe from Miriam… can’t say I’ve ever smelt that in here before… Miriam suddenly has become even more alien to me: the citrus more muted than I thought, the greenery more herbal but spoiled (in a good way!) by this abstract gourmand accord. I get heliotrope and lilac… two things I have never smelt in Miriam before… and a much more resinous, heavy and dense drydown finishes Miriam – slathered with powder and a greater violet/iris dominating floral accord. Suddenly Miriam smells like I’ve never smelt it before, yet when I tried Noontide (before comparing), I would’ve sworn they were the same thing. I now love my Miriam even more <3 Tauer you cheeky minx! Getting me all confused.

SO: Noontide? Awesome. I gotta say, Miriam is the love of my life, but this is almost like Miriam in Spring (perfect timing for the release) – a much lighter (not a bad thing), easier to wear (not a bad thing) – aldehyde-heavy floral that smells fresh, modern, yet timeless. I’m thrilled Andy has put a fragrance like this in his line up (it must suck a little bit making something as glorious as Miriam and having it under a name not your own!). But yes… get your nose on this one <3 Another absolute beauty.

NOONTIDE Petals 50ml EDT Tauer – http://www.tauerperfumes.com (not yet released)

Video: The 3 Roses of Tauer Perfumes

Une Rose Vermeille – Tauer

Rose and raspberries! MMMMMM! A combination I fell head over heels for in Secret Garden (Aftelier). Une Rose Vermeille opens with a tart lemon aldehyde accord that smells like opening a box of cheescake, the plastic wrapping and all. This plastic accord dominates up top for a few, glorious minutes – sweetened with citrus fruits and the underlying raspberry, which from a distance is already filling the air.

Unexpectedly, I smell a slightly camphorous, medicinal accord of lavender and a hint of clove, maybe even a touch of bay. Once you pick these up, it’s easy to see how Une Rose Veremille fits in with the other two fragrances in the Homages trio – they all possess a bitter green edge referencing perfumes of the past. I always considered URV the more playful and modern of the bunch, but its herbal undercurrent and classic aldehyde opening douse it in a maturity that smells like the younger (although technically older) sister to the future Miriam (Tableau De Parfums).

The sweetness of Une Rose Vermeille resembles that of a sleek, shiny jam. It scents a cloud around you of absolute delicious, playful fruitiness – but fascinating up close when this almost seems to disappear with a slightly metallic, oily rose/jasmine/carnation? combo and a hint of a resinous base smothers the skin. The rose, whilst I say is oily and metallic – is undoubtably modern and fresh, with a bite of pepper and a texture that is both young and soft, but has sharp edges.
Some violet comes in, adding a hint of fragrant powder until it practically takes the lead with the rose. The violet never smells dated or old fashioned (it never does to me anyway!) due to the crisp, culinary herbal accord still going strong close to the skin.

At times, the sandalwood takes on a slightly gourmand edge, like a Lutens’ use where it subtly resembles bakery – although I’m thinking more almond biscotti than buttered croissants. But this is extremely quiet underneath a large dose of Tauer ambergris and vanilla – a beautiful combo that keeps the fun in Une Rose Vermeille and its subtly complicated construction upfront and long-lasting. It’s during this drydown (despite the vanilla), that Une Rose Vermeille matures even more, losing its jammy sweetness but staining the woods underneath with a sour red laquer. A hint of now almost bitter powder clings to the skin and Une Rose Vermeille ages before your eyes/nose. I can never tell which stage of the fragrance is more beautiful, but up until it vanishes, I am left choked at how perfect it is.

Une Rose Vermeille 30ml EDP Tauer – 95.60 Euros www.tauerperfumes.com

Video: SMELLYTHOUGHTS’ Best Fragrances of 2012

Pretty much the same as my Best of 2012 blog post but thought I’d post it here anyway
Oh and I forgot to mention M/Mink in the video Silly me!

x

SMELLYTHOUGHTS Back Home… What Did I Get? + A Giveaway!

The REVEAL!
So after my two-week fragrant tour around Europe (which went swimmingly!) – I managed to pick up some goodies on the way (of course).
Here are my somewhat unusual choices if I do say so myself…

Bosque by Humiecki & Graef

I love Bosque. I always have. I got thinking about how people say it is the easiest to wear and the most “generic” of the H&G line – I completely disagree, but maybe that’s my mindset. I’ve planned this big friggin’ essay on Bosque that I’ve been working on and am looking forward to posting, it might be a bit ridiculous for most people to read but it’ll be there anyway
Bosque is a dried grassy/floral with really bizarre floral notes I might add… it dries down to this bizarrely salty/milky/spermy? accord undercut with vetiver, it’s extremely unusual, absolutely beautiful and I’m thrilled to finally have it.

M/Mink by Byredo

I had tried this one before but only on paper. I thought it was absolutely disgusting. However, as soon as it hit my skin in the store in Germany, I got this blast of animalic musk and an intensely synthetic aldehyde combo that still, turned my stomach a bit. But as it dried down and the bitter, set honey, dark incense and unsettling inky notes came in, I found it completely captivating. I’m not sure whether I’ll wear M/Mink much, but I knew it had to be in my collection – it fits an empty spot. It’s both intimate and completely soul-less – brilliant!

Miriam by Tableau de Parfums

Miriam is an incredible fragrance, a modern vintage classic that carries a true Andy Tauer signature. It’s such an emotional fragrance, beautiful, elegant and timeless – full of interesting twists and turns that take it in unexpected directions. It evokes such strong memories and emotions with me and is a real “homely” fragrance – it is pure bliss. I have written my big review on this so I don’t need to write much more, but I feel like I can sigh relief with a smile now I have it.

Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens

I knew I was going to get this one – it’s the most perfect iris (soliflore?) fragrance I’ve smelt. Full of carrots, powder, clove, earth and blahhhhhh it’s just great. A cold, calming, haunting perfume that has been on “the list” for far too long now. I needed it!

Rahat Loukhoum by Serge Lutens

Now here’s a weird one ey? Well… after my deep exploration of the exclusives line both outside of the Palais Royal and during my visit, I decided to pick up this one again for a quick sniff – having reviewed it many months ago after I had a slight obsession with it before smelling it. I loved it all over again – cherry, marzipan cakey goodness. But before, I was disappointed with the drydown – it lost the cherries, it lost the sweetness – it became a subtle skin scent that just hovered on my skin in a light, slightly powdered layer of vanilla, rose, musk and almond. The thing is, right now – this part appeals to me just as much. It is the ultimate comfort scent and I’d love to fall asleep to it. But also, It is the perfect fragrance to wear when you don’t know what to wear – something that will just within an hour or two melt into your skin in a delicate sweet layer that smells like a part of you – just a little more yummy. Thoughtless, elegant, edible? but necessary! I had to buy it. It alters my mind completely on first sniff – a complete joy.

Rubj by Vero Profumo

Rubj is one of the greatest florals created… in my opinion of course. As Judas as it is to say, I love the EDP more than the extrait… now, I adore the extrait, it’s beautiful – but the crisp green quality and the tart passionfruit in the EDP just tips the scale for me and could literally make me faint in adoration of this fragrance. An overwhelmingly gorgeous perfume that I almost feel is too good for me to wear, but when I wear it I feel incredible – and that’s what a real perfume should do! A necessity.

Leva by O’Driu

I have always wanted an O’Driu - but thought I didn’t like any of them enough to own – and the price is indeed terrifying. Leva always gets put down a bit in the lineup as being too sweet, too light, and too unlike the other O’Driu’s - I can’t disagree with that enough. Leva is a powerhouse on me, holding a typical O’Driu signature up top with THE MOST intense lemongrass and green olive combo which smells like a dense, pungent almost vinegar-laden oil on the skin. But the thing that captivates me the most is its perfect development (using only naturals I believe). The olives burn off after half an hour or so, the pungent lemongrass undercut by the greatest vanilla I have smelt. I struggle with vanilla so this is a big deal for me. Difficult to wear, but a real piece of art work.

Fracas by Robert Piguet

Ok I’m lying a bit here, this was a gift from the Robert Piguet house, but I came back to it from my holiday so I’m including it After all, it is a new bottle. I do love Fracas – a playful ditsy tuberose that I can splash on in abandon and roll around smelling of candies and cream – all buttered up in creamy white florals! Of course, there’s more to it than that, but I’ll be sure to write something a little more mature about it soon

So yes! There you have it. What do you guys think? Did I do good?

THE GIVEAWAY – NOW CLOSED!!!
(the real reason you’re reading this)

So one lucky reader can win a 1ml sample of each of my new goodies!
All you have to do is subscribe/follow (if you haven’t already!), let me know which one takes your fancy the most, AND – LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THEM!!
I love feedback, negative and all, don’t be afraid to tell me you hate something that’s part of the fun But it sucks to send people stuff and never hear from them again – just saying
I’ll announce the winner next Sunday: 23/12/2012 so make sure you come back and check because people keep forgetting to collect their goodies

Winner announced here!

Thanks for the support everyone

Freddie <3

Lys Du Desert – Decennial

Decennial is a new line launched to celebrate the ten year anniversary of Luckyscent. Lys Du Desert was created by Andy Tauer of Tauer Perfumes for the line…

Lys Du Desert opens almost identical (but toned down) to both Tauer’s Orange Star and Eau D’Epices. A rich, aldehydic orange marmalade and cardamom spice. It feels like a perfect harmony between the two, where Orange Star quickly brought on a soapy orange blossom and Eau D’Epices’ spices were nose piercingly intense, this balance is what the opening to either should have been if they wanted to be more acceptable – and I find it easier to wear than either.

The lily, is extremely subtle at first, gaining a little strength as time goes on – it’s presence only recognized by a subtle hint of floral clove and a crisp, green/white accord underneath – paired with a traditionally Tauer rose.  The lily’s bizarre metallic/sappy quality is identical to the lily in Tauer’s Carillon Pour Un Ange – a fragrance I really enjoy, but struggle with so much. The florals, as I said, are sublte - warmed and overwhelmed by an already pungent Tauer-ade underneath.

The Tauer-ade underneath is undoubtably familiar, a L’Air Du Desert Marocain (but slightly lighter) clone of warm amber, incense, dry cedar wood and ambergris – made a little more delicate by a slightly powdery scattering of iris. It’s very nice, but I have a little problem - it smells like a bit of a mashup of numerous scents in the Tauer Classics line that I can’t help but think that this fragrance is maybe a previous, alternative formula for an already completed fragrance in Tauer’s house, given new life by a brand willing to take it on?

Tauer is doing amazing new things at the moment – taking unexpected directions starting with Zeta, followed by the Pentachord trio and now the outstanding Miriam and the lovely oily floral that is Loretta… I’m not to sure why he’d produce something that smells so familiar with numerous other fragrances he has created? Is Lys Du Desert made from scratch? Now, I really like Lys Du Desert – it is completely harmonious, a glorious identifiable Tauer fragrance with the citrus marmalade of his that I absolutely adore, and that exotic drydown which us fans have grown to crave. In all honesty, without the knowledge that this is a lily, I may have only picked up on a hint of rose and iris. It’s all rich citrus spices and warm desert air – what has been done throughout his line from years ago.

Lys Du Desert gets lighter on the skin as it settles, gaining a translucency and ”air” along with a trail of sweetness from the amber. Whilst I love the smell of it – I feel like I have smelt it before, numerous times. Recommended for those who didn’t like the soapy orange blossom of Orange Star (although it is still slightly present here) – or the brilliantly dusty and bitter-sweet spice basket of Eau D’Epices. I’d love to hear a bit more about this fragrance from the man himself!

Update 08/12/12: Well… I did hear more about this fragrance from the man himself! http://smellythoughts.wordpress.com/2012/12/08/smellythoughts-in-zurich-day-7-dinner-at-andy-tauers-with-vero-kern/

Lys Du Desert 75ml Decennial – $150 Luckyscent.com

Loretta – Tableau De Parfums

The second fragrance in the Tableau De Parfums line – created by Andy Tauer of Tauer Perfumes…

Loretta opens with candied grape soda and a hit of heated spice – giving off a very subtle candied cinnamon dusting paired with some green herbs that brings to mind the merest smidge of Eau D’Epices hidden underneath the syrupy florals. The grape soda from the start is something I first came across when smelling Cuir Venenum by Parfumerie Generale – an overloaded, obscure treatment of orange blossom and it’s lovely!

A clear rose comes into Loretta as the spices slowly begin to vanish, leaving behind a green, herbal smidge underneath. The rose and orange blossom are the leads, with a subtly lactonic tuberose creeping up from below – the green accords snapping to the tuberose to make it smell like the stem has been removed with the flower. The combination of bitter greenery and the tang of grape juice from the orange blossom and jasmine, create a bizarre, metallic and oily quality – which gets stronger as a worn leather note comes in. I’m glad I’m not the only one who picks up on this oily metallic quality as The Candy Perfume Boy entitled this The Steampunk Tuberose – and that totally makes sense!

The culinary herbal notes and the bitter leather notes bring to mind dated classics such as Bandit – but where that fragrance is solely about these notes, Loretta overloads them with a more modern candied floral accord that releases something almost avant-garde – a dominating, modern-day fruity floral with greater maturity.
The grape soda image never disappears for me, morphing into stewed fruits at times (plum), and hard PEZ candy at others. The orange blossom for me is the lead, sweet and playful, lacking the deep resinous aspects I expected. The tuberose slumps on the bottom, a green, decaying floral releasing oil and metallic notes that remind me slightly of (the opening to) Bolt Of Lightning by JAR, only more in control.

The rough leather stays tame, as some dry cedar becomes more potent – releasing a trail of smoke throughout Loretta that I initially mistook for incense. The burnt, charred aspect of the wood further splits Loretta into two halves – the fizzy candied florals and the smoky woods and leather (and a growing presence of green earth – vetiver? – that brings the return of the peppered spice from the opening), similarly to how Miriam split the bright aldehydic floral from the deep resinous base.

Whilst personally Miriam appeals more to me, Loretta is a fabulous fragrance. It does smell slightly familiar, I’m reminded of Cuir Venenum with its grape-y orange blossom and smoky leather, Love by By Kilian with its marshmallow like jasmine, orange blossom and candied white floral overload – only with a smear of Comme Des Garcons’ Garage muddled in the mix. I’m not saying the Loretta is un-original, it combines all these fragrances I really like and manages to elegantly smush them into something charming and ladylike. It has a dark heart, but puts on a beautiful smile – a complicated fragrance full of little nuances and unexpected textures that makes me discover something new each time I try it. As with all Tauer’s – recommended!

Loretta 50ml EDP Tableau De Parfums - $160 Luckyscent

Miriam – Tableau De Parfums

I had been wanting to try this for so, so long. Tableau De Parfums is a new line that encorporates film, and fragrance. A short film is created (surrounding a female character) – and the brilliant Andy Tauer creates a fragrance to match.

Miriam opens fizzy and aldehyde heavy. A beautiful candied citrus up top of bergamot, orange and lemon have a sherbert quality, sharp and tangy – almost mouth-watering. The first floral to hit me is a powdery violet, cut underneath by a bitter green bay leaf. At this point it reminds me of Une Rose Chypree - where the rose is replaced by violets and an aldehydic opening.

A rich ylang ylang comes in next, that slight banana hint made richer and more effervescent by the still fizzing aldehydes and the scattering of powder. The bay leaf still drifting along strong, with a clove note maybe from a mere hint of carnation – and a herbaceous lavender which adds a medicinal edge. That’s where Miriam becomes distinctive as a modern fragrance with a vintage feel, rather than just a vintage fragrance – the huge contrast of textures and unexpected additions. The lavender/clove camphorous quality undercuts the “pretty” floral notes to create something that almost feels like two separate fragrances, but it just about holds together – it’s a great play on the skin.

A rich rose and jasmine in the distance add to the bouquet and fill the spaces which I appreciate (them not being the leading role) – for me it’s the violet, carnation, ylang ylang, and maybe even a lily of the valley? It’s a complicated arrangement but similarly to the recently reviewed Ubar by Amouage – works harmoniously.

The vanilla from the base begins to creep in after about 20 minutes or so, the lavender and sweet vanilla remind me of a tamer Kiki by Vero Profumo, only heavily overlaid with a classic floral arrangement. The bitter greenery quietens quickly as the vanilla smooths out the sharper edges. Similarly, a sandalwood and amber adds a resinous, woody base – smooth and creamy paired with the vanilla, rounding out Miriam into a languid drydown. The powder from the heart turns into a more prominent orris note, dragging the almost lipstick like quality into the base. At this point the iris, violet and wood combo bring to mind Pentachord White by Tauer, only Miriam is softer, without the intensely sharp rosewood.

Tauer’s signature is subtle but recognizable for those familiar with his work – it results in Miriam having a really unexpected, sweet/woody/resinous almost oriental base that feels a touch out of place – but all the better for that. It turns slightly musky as it lives on the skin, and I think there’s a smidge of ambergris that keeps Miriam ethereal and bright – the density of the base never overwhelming the buzz of the fizzy florals.
Miriam is a truly lovely fragrance. It has the same feel to it as La Myrrhe by Serge Lutens - that contrast of textures paired with aldehydes – resins and florals given new life. I find it fascinating and beautiful, and without a doubt one of the best feminine fragrances I have smelt in ages – a modern classic.

Miriam 50ml EDP Tableau De Parfums - $160 Luckyscent

Pentachord Verdant – Tauer

Pentachord Verdant opens with a sweet snap of greenery – sweet like caramelized brown sugar that quickly brings forth a bitter, earthy vetiver. Relatively transparent almost instantly, Verdant glistens as though drenched in water – but not at all “thin”.
As the vetiver becomes more prominent and the “brown sugar” retreats, the sweetness is kept in the foreground by a candied mint note that gives the otherwise warm, rooty vetiver a cool feel – although I’d describe it as “refreshing” I don’t want that to be off-putting (as it would to me when I read that), but I can’t help it, it is a fresh, rejuvenating splash of fragrant juice.

A leafiness I guess comes from the listed “tobacco” – although it is unlike any other tobacco scent I have tried. The sweet, slightly smoky aroma that intermingles with the vetiver seems to give it an almost mineralic support – an earthiness that is given lift by its clever lack of weight.
A resinous base provides most of its depth, whether it is a hint of sweet amber (sorry for the overuse of the word sweet) or a hint of cool, smoky incense – it supports the mint, vetiver and crushed leaf notes very delicately, never overwhelming the heart of Verdant.

There is little development in Pentachord Verdant, it’s relatively linear – similarly to Pentachord White, but lasts nicely on the skin whilst remaining quite close. It is a very unusual fresh/green scent, and a great take on a mint/vetiver fragrance in a similar distortion to Dirty by Lush – where Dirty adds a stale/herbal/mineralic accord that’s incredibly potent, Verdant sweetens it with a bundle of earthy notes so that the mint adjusts the temperature rather than being the overriding smell - which often happens with mint.

Eventually when the mint evaporates, the vetiver becomes even more prominent, bringing with it a subtle tomato leaf aroma, much more subdued and easy to wear than say – Memory Of Kindness by CB I Hate Perfume. What remains until the end is this green leaf notes, the beautifully clear vetiver, a sweet resinous, subtely smoky base with a dry hit of cedar wood. Beautiful transparent perfumery – Ellena should learn a lesson from Tauer, this is how it’s done well.

Tauer Pentachord Verdant 50ml – 103.80 Euros tauerperfumes.com

Incense Extreme – Tauer

Incense Extreme opens with loud, peppery frankincense, that somehow feels beautifully translucent. Whether it is just the frankincense alone, or a crack of black pepper – the initial spice is very prominent, paired with a wonderful green herbal note of coriander (which is indiscernible close up, but heavenly clear from a distance).

The scent of the air around you (and the sillage coming from your skin) after spraying Incense Extreme is wonderful. It is sweet and herbal, with the coriander leading above the sheer incense – it smells almost floral, with a potent hit of anise. Whether it is a true anise note, or maybe fennel?, there is a clear, green, slightly vegetal aroma which is really nice.

The frankincense is the leading player, soon to be joined by a raw, dry cedar wood. The whole composition whilst being loud and notably ”Tauer”, feels light and spacious on the skin, allowing each note to shine individually. This isn’t something that I’m used to as his creations tend to have a far greater density – but this more ethereal construction whilst retaining high volume is very impressive – and really lovely to wear.

A warm amber gets stronger and stronger as time goes on, up to a point where it joins hands with the incense and helps melt the fragrance into your skin. The fennel-type note that I got at the start is pulled throughout the entire fragrance for me, and the cedar wood’s sharp edges are completely smoothed out. With all these intense notes it sounds like Incense Extreme is a fragrance of jagged edges and intensity (similar to the opening of L’Air Du Desert Marocain with its infamous tar note), but it’s not at all, it’s extremely well-rounded and feels about as smooth as a frankincense (I’ll say it -) soliflore can be.

The drydown is relatively linear, getting lighter as time goes on but lives on the skin for hours as you’d expect. It’s a lovely fragrance that I don’t personally feel like I need to own (as I love this Tauer incense/amber blended with his gorgeous rose (Incense Rose) or that addictive campfire smoke (Lonestar Memories)) – but it is certainly a great introduction to the Tauer line – probably more so than L’Air Du Desert Marocain which everyone seems to discover first. I also prefer the density of the others in the Tauer line, having said that (and I had to make this cliche comparison), I’d prefer to wear this any day over the translucent incense that is Avignon. Whilst Incense Extreme and Avignon tell completely different stories and are pretty different presentations of incense, I find that IE holds it’s personality throughout it’s drydown, which is more than I can say for the short life of Avignon.

Anyway – all in all, a lovely fragrance, and something I’d recommend highly as a first step into the Tauer line.

Incense Extreme 50ml EDP Tauer - £92 Les Senteurs