Seattle Fragrance Salon - MIKMOI of San Francisco

The sun shone brightly on Seattle for the Fragrance Salon on Sunday , May 5th, with the snow capped mountains brightly illuminated in the background . The large windows in the conference room offered spectacular views all around the Sound . My husband and I arrived about noon , and were surprised how few people we saw . As I sniffed my way around the room ,  I became overwhelmed at the passion these scent artists put into their creations . 

Michael Coyle , parfumeur and creator of the MIKMOI collection , San Francisco , graciously offered me a sample set .( Thank you Michael ) 

Believe it or not , he was the only perfumer in the room to do that !

He has four distinctly different scents in his collection , beautifully presented under glass .

 

Aldwych - an homage to Oscar Wilde and his penchant for wearing a small carnation on his lapel .Aldwich features absinthe , lavender and a touch of patchouli for depth .

Vesper - dominated by an incensey base of Myrhh and Frankincense , Vesper has a wonderful fig leaf accord and an original opening accord inspired by the apertif Lillet .

Itoh - wonderfully woody, aromatic and fresh , Itoh is really all about  white cedar , and tells the story of a personal journey , a meditative walk through the redwood forest ! Fruity pink lotus and tobacco leaf add interesting texture to the mix .

AO - Tuberose flaunts her charms in this creation , ornamented with Thai ginger , fresh coconut and a hint of cade .

Me and MIKMOI BOYS

 

Alive and well...

As you might expect , during my blogging absence I have fallen quite behind on new releases . More often there is dirt under my fingernails than scent on my wrist . Seed orders , composting and garden planning have gained pride of place . Don't get me wrong - my perfume collection remains at my bedside - and I still wear fragrance every day ( almost ) .

We now have a new henhouse and I love my chicks , they are growing fast . So looking forward to fresh eggs ! Feathers are a minor miracle I often think as I watch those chickens as they grow ( and eat and eat and eat....)
Sniffapalooza is going on right NOW , and I imagine myself sitting in the cafe at Bergdorf's and reporting as the speakers present their new releases . But I'm not there this year .

However , I will be attending the Fragrance/Chocolate Salon event in Seattle tomorrow , and sharing some reviews and samples with you next week .
Participating perfumers :

Artemisia Natural Perfume

Blooming Dream Natural Fragrance

Coeur d'Esprit Natural Perfumes

House of Matriarch

Imaginary Authors

Jolie Laide Perfume

Gabriel's Aunt / Rebel & Mercury

Meshaz Natural Perfumes

MIKMOI

Olympic Orchids

Pirouette

Sweet Anthem Handmade Perfumes

Roxana Illuminated Perfume

PARTICIPAING CHOCOLATIERS:
Featuring a delicious selection chosen and curated by the Organizers, Seattle CHOCOLATE SALON participants in 2013 include chocolatiers, confectioners and other culinary artisans such as
Amano Artisan Chocolate
 Intrigue Chocolate Co.
 Forte Chocolates
 Gusto Chocolates
 Taza Chocolate
 CocoTutti
 Ykchaua Chocolates
 Emily's Chocolates
 WOW Chocolates,
Theo Chocolate
 The TeaRoom Chocolate Company
 Smitten Truffles
 Wine World & Spirits  Chocolate Shop Wine, Hot Chocolat
 Wild Sweets by Dominique & Cindy Duby
 Fiori Chocolate
 Kallari L3C Chocolate
 Restless Chocolates
 Maplecor
 Yelp
 Honest Tea
 TasteTV

 

So I ask you , what have I missed and what do I need to sniff this spring ??

Roja Dove Reckless

Floral ? Check . aldehydes ? Check . Moss ? Check . Orris ? Check .

Each and every trigger trips when I read the scent notes . Expectations were very high , as it is very hard to come by Reckless unless you frequent Harrod's in London .

 

So I was very excited to get my hands on a decant of Reckless by my favorite perfumer , Roja Dove . Shimmering and fizzy like expensive champagne on first sniff , aldehydes hasten the blossoming of the floral heart .The haughty florals look askance as they unfold - creamy , not quite warm . Dim the lights and bring on the warm ambery base , a hug and a kiss and the slim cigar . But somehow there is no passion here , even when the stage is perfectly set it is still only an act and I am not smitten !


Notes :
Top - bergamot, citruses and aldehydes;
Heart - amaryllis, jasmine, violet, geranium, ylang-ylang, rose and peach
Base - vetiver, musk, sandalwood, oak moss, clove, cinnamon, tonka bean, orris root, castoreum and leather.

Many thanks to Natalie for sending me a small decant of this wonderful , exclusive and pricey fragrance from my favorite perfumer in the world , Roja Dove .

YSL Opium vintage parfum

Why did I avoid YSL Opium when it was released ? I think it was one of the brief periods in my life I was scentless . I left conservative Minnesota and moved to Tucson to attend college . I was very broke , busy working in a greenhouse which I loved , and attending classes . If I wore perfume then I don't remember what it was . Now that I think about it I had a bottle of Estee Lauder Private Collection on the dresser .

Oh but I remember the lush ads for YSL Opium , that bottle , that languid ad ( was that Jerry Hall in the original ad ? ) , that NAME . So illicit , so untouchable . So NOT college girl . Oh drugs were rampant in Tucson at that time and I got educated quickly at some of the parties and bars I attended . Occasionally one saw mysterious lines of substance on tabletops like a Studio 54 remix . But I was a good midwestern girl after all .

I'm much older now . LOL . I still don't love orientals , nor clove . But somehow this warm dark elixir works . And many MANY newer frags have tried a variation on this theme , but none glow like this one does .
Washington Tremlett Clove Absolute comes close . I was not supposed to love that one either but I do .
YSL Opium perfume: “Opium, for women who give themselves to Yves Saint Laurent. …Opium was the only name it wanted. It’s a fragrance which evokes all the things I love—the refined Orient, Imperial China, exoticism. Nineteenth-century aesthetes, poets, and writers knew and understood the very release of imagination, dreams and mystery it evokes. Byron, Delacroix, Baudelaire, Rimbaud, they all understood the exotic beauty of the orient without having traveled there. If you don’t have the power of imagination, you don’t have anything.” — Yves Saint Laurent, 1978.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New posts coming soon on WAFT !

Book review of advance copy I recieved of  The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro , fragrance reviews of SoOud Ouris , some great give-aways of  Roxana Villa fragrance samples...stay tuned !!

By Kilian Amber Oud

Musings

* I wonder if Kilian Henessey has a signature scent....

* Pure Oud is really rich and gorgeous and when I first sniffed it I wanted a bottle so badly . My decant has lasted a long time , but it is getting low .

*Funny , I don't think I have sniffed Rose Oud - the combination of roses and oud often strikes me as too metallic .

*By Kilian's Facebook campaign was wonderful - I reallly enjoy having the full sample set as a reference .

* I recieved an e-mail from the company announcing the release of Amber Oud and of course accepted their offer of a sample .

* I have been in a perfume funk this year , and I haven't even opened the Amber Oud sample yet .

* Somebody slap me , because I adore smoky benzoin ( hello PRADA Benzoin parfum ! ) and I burn Papier d'Armenie whenever I can get my hands on it .

* Enter Amber Oud , with smoky benzoin slithering out  as sexy as a genie out of a bottle . Three wishes ? Why yes . Yes thank you . A bottle of Pure Oud , a lifetime supply of Papier d'Armenie and a beribboned case of Amber Oud bottles for me and all my friends .

* It is pouring rain today , the first time in months . Florida has had a warm , dry winter and we need this rain so badly . I am wearing snuggly Amber Oud , and I will let you kow how it goes....

By Kilian Amber Oud (Arabian Nights Collection) includes notes of cedarwood, vanilla, bay leaf, and benzoin.

image : Genie in a bottle by *SusanCoffey

Photography / People & Portraits / Miscellaneous

Robert Piguet introduces a new collection of fragrances !

The five fragrances are described  as follows:

Bois Noir
This avant-garde elixir combines warm woods with rich balsam. The blend opens with facets of gaiac and cedar wood. Heart notes include warm sandalwood and patchouli. The drydown features the richness of balsam and cistus absolute. Bois Noir is modern sophistication and the ultimate scent for baring bold style.

Casbah
This striking fragrance transports wearers to a mysterious realm. Top notes include the warmth of angelica root, black pepper and nutmeg. Mid notes feature smokey incense, orris and tobacco facets. Base notes include rich cedar wood and vetiver. Casbah is a spellbinding scent perfect for creating an impression of glamour and mystery.

Mademoiselle
A delicate and romantic addition to the Piguet family of feminine masterpieces. Composed of elegant orange flower complimented by almond and apricot tones, this alluring fragrance also features notes of bright bergamot and sensuous tonka bean. Mademoiselle Piguet is the perfect scent for the young and young at heart.

Notes
This fresh fragrance blends invigorating green notes with vibrant woody accords. This energizing elixir opens with a crisp top note of bergamot and clary sage. Mid notes include fresh herbaceous facets featuring geranium and orange flower. The drydown reveals the warmth of oakmoss, vetiver and tonka bean. Notes de Robert Piguet is the signature fragrance for creating an aura of magnetism and charm.

Oud
Oud is a resin released by trees and is sometimes believed to ward off evil spirits or even attract lovers. Wearers will be enveloped in this rich and elegant blend. The intensity of spices morphs darker as the fragrance evolves into its smokey undertones. Wearers will be reminded of rich woods and opulent incense as this sumptuous scent clings to skin like warm silk. Experience Oud de Robert Piguet, featuring notes of rich vetiver.

I am anxious to try all of them , they are scheduled for release in June , but I hear some are available already at Harrod's in London .