Wednesday, December 21, 2011

O Tannenbaum! (part 2)

Welcome to my part of the O Tannebaum! blog project. :)
I'm running a bit late after my co-bloggers but that's because I tried to put my thoughts on my 3 choices in order, only to discover I can't.
I find all 3 beguiling, extremely interesting, strange and therefore meant for me. :)



In a random manner (not as to how much I like them) here they are.


Parfumerie Generale - Un Crime Exotique

My readers probably remember that I was on a hunt for a Christmas perfume. This one fits the bill only partly. The cinnamon and ginger are here, as is the black tea, but Christmas here doesn't smell like this perfume.
But I surely wouldn't mind spending it where it does smell like UCE. :)
With this perfume I keep going through what of the notes I can smell and then trying to guess how in the world do they combine into what I smell.

Notes: Chinese osmanthus, gingerbread, tea, cinnamon, star anise, mate absolute, vanilla sugar, South Sea Island sandalwood

It starts sweetly gingery-cinnamony (I don't know how gingerbread smells like so gingery it is) and now that I know what to look for, I can smell the tea underneath (of the black variety). My notes made me look for a bit of raspberry-ish fruit but I guess the osmanthus-anise-tea combination could make me feel the fruity aspect in this.
I keep having problems describing this but I blame it all on the anise. It gets more barky-cinnamon and there is the underlying smell I cannot describe that I'm guessing is made refreshing by mate, anise, vanilla and sandalwood.
The good thing about this perfume is that it doesn't lose the cinnamon tinge, even though it lessens, it is still there. And the wonder lasts.


La Via del Profumo - Oud Caravan no1.

I was lucky to win a sample of this from Suzanne and it came in time to be included in my O Tannenbaum choices.
If there are notes for this listed somewhere, someone please let me know as I had to smell this blindly (so all manner of strange associations might crop up). :)
First of all, I need to say it doesn't smell as oudy as I keep thinking oud perfumes should (having the previous Montale experience). Then again, it does smell oudy, in that good, smoky, serious, lightly leathery and incensey way. The way that makes you a bit scared of the aura it is projecting.
At the same time, it makes you come closer to try and define what is it that makes it enticing.
As I don't know the notes, it makes it easier for me to describe what I'm smelling without wondering why am I not smelling something (or smelling something that isn't there). :)
Sometimes I smell it and think there is a light herbal tinge to it - the kind that makes your nose clear but in this case it's not very apparent.
Anyway, a bit later, light balsamic feel emerges (as in the woody-resiny kind) giving this just a hint of sweetness so as to not make it too dry to smell. But it still smells dry with a light woody creaminess in the background. And all the time preciously oudy.



It seems Burren Perfumery is this very well hidden little perfumery in Ireland because so far I've never seen a single perfume review of any of their scents (including myself who is aware of their existence).

Winter Woods is their latest release and I was lucky to receive a sample when the release was announced (along with all other of their perfumes).

Notes: rosemary, bergamot, lemon, iris, lavender, cedar, pine and vetiver.

I see they are calling this a quietly masculine fragrance - I can't really judge, I like it and I have a tendeny to fall into the "masculine" part of the perfume world.

It starts with a refreshingly bitter - powdery feel. Considering the fact that both bergamot and lemon are listed, it is remarkably subdued in the citrusy department. I mean you can smell the light citrusness, combined with a bitterness and what I tend to call shampoo freshness (which always reminds me of nettle but that's not listed as a note).  Before I lose your interest, the clean freshness doesn't last that long. I'm pretty sure iris is exorting its effect on this whole composition, making it bitter and powdery.
At the same time, the idea of winter woods is becoming more and more true. But these winter woods are covered in snow (the wihiteness of the perfume comes very clearly out) and you can smell the crisp air, the wood bark and the powdery feel of the snow.
I'm not one to fall for powdery (at least I never did before) but the bitterness and powderiness of this are getting under my skin.
(actually they already got there)
I could go into details of the notes but unless you really pay attention to what you're smelling, they won't reveal themselves (they will if you really want to know them).
But I find that I don't want to deconstruct them - I want to walk in those woods.


Please visit other participating blogs for some more Tannenbaum perfumes. :)


Another Perfume Blog
Beauty, Bacon, Bunnies
Beauty on the Outside
EauMG
Eyeliner on a cat
Fragrant Reviews
Muse in Wooden Shoes
Olfactoria's Travels
Parfumieren
Redolent of Spices
Scent of the Day
Suzanne's Perfume Journal
The Candy Perfume Boy

28 comments:

  1. I really like the sound of Un Crime Exotique more and more, Ines. It has a lot of my favourite notes - mate, tea, osmanthus and ginger. Must try very soon!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well Ines, I haven't tried any of these! That's pretty unusual for me, so I must put them all on my list of perfumes to try. Un Crime Exotique sounds lovely - I love a tea note!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ines, Burren Perfumes- I never heard of them, and now WW sounds so beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ines, being a fan of tea and ginger notes, I've gotta try Un Crime Exotique, don'tcha think? ;)

    Great description of Oud Caravan. I was afraid you wouldn't like it, but like me, you enjoy a certain masculine edge to perfumes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Miss Ines... first of all, Un Crime Exotique has just gone STRAIGHT to my wishlist, thanks to you. Secondly, Burren Perfumery-- hooray! A really good, small, independent perfumer! My dear friend DC went to Ireland & brought me back the most sumptuous pine-rosemary-sage soap from Burren. So good, I cut it into little squares to portion it out!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I second Olenska. Crime Exotique is now on the wish list. Gingerbread is food of the Gods, and the scent of warm gingerbread is divine. Also, that fruity anise note you described rings all my bells.

    A friend of mine has a bottle of perfume from the Burren Perfumery. I think the word Autumn was in the name. I had never heard of them until then, and your review is the first I have ever seen for the house. Their Winter Woods sounds very refreshing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the way you describe Oud Caravan No. 1, even if it is "blindly." I often find oud's aura is a little bit scary. :) But you make this sound so interesting that I feel I must try it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so happy that you love Un Crime Exotique! It is such a little gem, and totally overlooked...

    The others sound intriguing, I have never heard of Burren, I must confess.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ines, I keep beating your "records" - I published my post the last (among those who did publish) :)

    Three more perfumes went on my "O Tannenbaum - to try" list (though I'm not sure how hard it'll be to find Oud Caravan no1 - we'll see).

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tara, I hope you'll like it. I find so strange. Unlike anything I smelled before but great. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Julie, it makes me happy to hear I got people interested in something new.
    I wonder what you will think of it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Asali, I kept thinking of you when smelling Winter Woods, I think you might like it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Suzanne, the more I smell Oud Caravane, the more I like it.
    First time I smelled it, I thought it could use more resins (making it more mellow and sweet) but now, I think it works great the way it is.
    I can't wait now to try other variations. :)

    Btw, I do think you should try UCE - you should find some coming your way after New Year's... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Olenska, I haven't tried Burren soaps but everything else I did, I really enjoyed.
    I love how they seem to be one with the nature and I sincerely hope I get to visit one day.

    UCE is a must try if for no other reason, then because it really is a strange take on spices. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. JoanElaine, they have a perfume called Autumn Harvest (and they have a spring and a summer one as well, and some others).

    Your comment on the gingerbread made me realize I want to try it (I need to find a recipe and make one, I can't wait now). :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. apb, so far I never thought of oud as scary but this time, it just spontaneously came to mind. Intriguing, but a bit scary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Olfactoria, I must say, I feel a bit proud I could point you in the direction of a company you never heard of before (it's usually you who points me to something new). :)

    I believe Burren is well worth sampling - I always think that when I use their products, a little bit of Ireland magic comes into my life. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Undina, well, thank you for "beating" me. :)

    My list of things to try expanded with this project too. So many intriguing gems appeared in these posts. :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Un Crime Exotique sounds FANTASTIC! I'm falling for lots of the PG's atm so this one is a must try for me :D

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ines, I thought I'd better comment again, as after reading what I last wrote, I might have given you the impression that I wanted you to send me some UGE (with my stupidly placed wink!). No, you hold onto UGE for yourself. I'll be ordering a sample of it along with some other ones from the PG line (I might even order a bottle of Aomassai while I'm at it, though I'm trying to resist). :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Ines,

    I have a little pot of six Burren perfumes on my desk, and keep meaning to review them, then keep going away and writing about that!

    I have not, however, smelt their latest release, so you have got me mighty curious about that one.

    And though you and I have little crossover in our tastes, I also like Un Crime Exotique, which is a lovely Christmassy choice!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Un Crime Exotique sounds divine! Ginger is one of my favourite things in perfume and I think PG is a high quality line. I also will keep an eye out For Burran now that I know about them. Thanks for joining us in O Tannenbaum!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Candyperfumeboy, once you start down the road of PG, you're lost. :) There are many from that line I'd like to own.
    Hope you'll like UCE!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Dear Suzanne, your comment didn't sound like that at all! :)
    I was already thinking of some stuff I wanted to send, so I'm glad to know this one interests you as well. :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. Vanessa, we might have just a little crossover in tastes, but it's there. :)
    I hope you get to review the Burrens soon and I think you might actually like Winter Woods.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Krista, thanks for inviting me! :)
    I love these kind of projects.

    I think you might love UCE - hope you get to smell it soon (while the time is right). :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. how lovely! my Christmas perfume is predictable but I love it- Caron Nuit De Noel- it's one of my all time favourites but I do try and save it for this time of year- or times when I need a bit of Christmas magic in my life

    ReplyDelete
  28. Rose, I believe I actually have some Nuit de Noel but it always gets neglected (I'm ashamed to say that I can't even remember the way it smells).

    ReplyDelete