Absolument Absinthe Le Parfum D'Interdits (2006)
by Liquoriste de Provence

Nothing really special here... it boasts a nice, but not exciting, opening that is bright and clean. It eventually turns into a generic soap that is gone in a couple hours. Next.

Absolument Absinthe. This is a pleasant scent, but I have to deduct marks for a disconnect between image and reality. Absinthe conjures images of dissolute dandies at the Follies-Bergere sipping a disreputable and eventually forbidden (interdit) glowing green nectar. The aromas of artemsia (wormwood) are dark, bitter, herbal and distinctive. Add some cannabis into the mix and you should have something quite illicit. Instead, your muguet-loving granny would happily wear this! There is a green, opening that is a tiny bit resinous but is mostly floral. The lily of the valley and jasmine notes are beautiful. There is a charming mood of tristesse (melancholy sadness) in the beauty. At times I’m remined of Guerlain’s Sous le Vent. The jasmine and tea might seem to some to combine in a jasmine tea chord. The dry-down is that of light musk… I don’t get any sandalwood. In sum, a pretty scent, on the feminine side of unisex. For a bolder scent of absinthe, try the amazing Fou D’Absinthe… one of my favorites.

Extremely dull, despite the name and interesting list of ingredients. Smells like any old clean/fresh/green thing with that synthetic sweetness typical of the men's section of the department store...

The first 45 minutes of Aa is clean and soapy, like a high quality shampoo amd is my least favorite aspect of this perfume. The floral heart notes are quite nice, they blend well with the bitter resinous note (wormwood?) and the bergamot, and are where this fragrance shines. The dry down reminds me of a light woody vetiver tinged with musk. Aa has excellent longevity (I put it on at 7pm last night and I can still smell it very lightly as a skin scent at noon and I applied it sparingly). This would suit someone looking for a long lasting, clean fragrance for year round wear.

Wonderful opening …clean and green feeling with a hint of something resinous—could be the cannabis or the tea. There’s a bit of sweetness in the opening, too. I’m not sure where it comes from, possibly the cannabis? At any rate it’s an excellent light, delicate opening. The middle becomes more floral—muguet comes through most strongly at first, then the galbanum enters; I think it was the galbanum that I smelled in the opening that gave the green tint to the top notes. I get a bit of bitterness – probably the absinthe – along with the florals of the middle. No spice comes through, though. The muguet is the dominant element in the middle, according to my nose and the whole middle seems to be one of those neutrally textured accord is so popular now. I get the barest minimum of sandalwood and musk in the base – it really is too recessive for my tastes. Looking at the lineup of notes – absinthe, cannabis, lotus flower – one would think this is be an edgy, trendy exotic elixir, but that isn’t the case. Absolument Absinthe is a refreshing, light greenness. It reminds me of a high quality EDC splash, and if that’s the case, there are several superior EdC splashes that cost one-third the cost of this one.