L'Artisan Parfumeur Séville à l'Aube (2012) {New Perfume}
L'Artisan Parfumeur will launch a new perfume from July 2012 called Séville à l'Aube (Seville at Dawn). The fragrance is a limited-edition. The brand describes the juice as a "soliflore" focusing on orange blossom.
In the past, the house released a series of harvest inspired orange blossom fragrances (see Fleur d'Oranger 2005; Fleur d'Oranger 2007) . This time however, the accent is put less on the material and more on a story calling for the use of the material...
The setting is the Semana Santa in Seville; in a recall somewhat of Jean-Paul Guerlain's long discontinued Flora Nerolia - code name "Fêtes Sévillanes" - which was inspired by this very thematic of love during Holy Week in Seville, Séville à l'Aube is also about orange blossom and incense with here the scent of eau de cologne emanating from the crowd as Spaniards are known for their predilection for this invigorative scent which helps them beat the heat (lavender).
In his book Parfums d'Amour, Jean-Paul Guerlain noted how unforgettable it was for him to compose Flora Nerolia, drawing a bridge with his amorous relationship with Decia and the testament to love that is L'Heure Bleue. Coincidentally or not, the latest L'Artisan mixes similar local olfactory inspiration with the story of a love encounter taking place the span of one magical Holy Week night, a one-night stand to cherish and remember for the rest of your life.
The composition is said to open on top notes of spicy green, zesty and sparkling nuances like the prelude to a coup de coeur. The orange blossom within the heart is captured with sappy, green nuances together with a sparkling aldehydic note which "creates an intensity of emotion". Lavender is inserted. Then "passion overwhelms" with a jasminey accord and beeswax. Orange blossom absolute is "opulent and terribly carnal". The indolic accord underlines the white floral bouquet and "becomes erotic", all wrapped in soft Siam benzoin. The base is "tinted with melancholia" with a note of Luiseri lavender from Seville with cistus-like, ambery and resinous nuances. Incense from Somalia is said to confer a spiritual dimension to the scent.
We smelled it for you (Not yet a full review): While the description might lead you to expect quite carnal a perfume, it is surprisingly on the side of medicinal, dry and understated. Bertrand Duchaufour seems to have continued his train of thought on Orange Blossom which he started at Penhaligon's. Creating then a particularly cooling eau de cologne, he now seems to have been inspired by the idea of both roborative vinegar salts and soft herbaly infusions.
(This initial impression is based on the 100 ml flacon available from the press launch in April 2012 - noting this as there's a rumour that there might be several versions floating around). Added: the press office just confirmed that it is the very version that will launch in July of 2012.
Via press release; 2nd pic: ©TheScentedSalamander
