Sienne L'Hiver (2006)
by Eau d'Italie

Unconventional and complex, constantly transforming scent that succeeds more to evoke than to charm in a game of senses and memories. Once you come across the odd but brief (10 min.maximum) opening which is a blend of earthy and edible notes (reminds me of a minestrone soup mix) you get a nice heart of iris and musk. However the best is yet to come. The base is paved with moist soil and wood notes brought directly from the rainy Italian countryside. Not for everyone but still very nice.

Dry, earthy booze. Way to hot in the spice department and smells like a Greek bazaar. I get a lot, and I mean a lot of the lovie scent from this. Olives and liquor. That's not something I enjoy smelling or wearing.

Reading its description, I held high hopes for Sienne d'Hiver. Smoke, liquor, leather - what's there not to like? The opening fed my optimism, since the smoke and leather were right up front, along with some mysterious green notes.

Then, about a half an hour into the development, I started catching a conspicuous sour note that I couldn't quite place. (Is this a house trademark? Bois d'Ombrie also exhibits a freakish sour note at its heart.) What could it be? I went back for a look at the note pyramid, and there it was: olives! Green olives, with pimientos in them. The effect was sharp and jarring, and soon began to remind me of Tabasco sauce - the way it smells when you stick your nose right up to the bottle. As for the truffle, if it's in there it gets steamrollered by the green olive/Tabasco accord. Too bad, because black truffle, used correctly, would be one heck of a fragrance note!

Sienne d'Hiver left me baffled and disappointed. I see no reflection of the beautiful old Tuscan city in this brew.

I tested it without knowing the notes as given by odysseum, and I got a somewhat different impression on my skin.

The top notes instantly reminded me of homemade fruit in rum, then a more distinct note of dried plum, but without beeing sweet. The plum note during the drydown. Finally, a leathery note takes over.

It is neither overly sweet nor opulent, but definately gourmand. I do not know what provides this, but there is also something in it that has a cooling effect like menthol (but there is no menthol smell in it).

Definately nothing I would like to wear very often, but maybe occasionally. The only dried fruit gourmand scent I like so far.

I'm reminded of my earthen walled basement on really muggy summer nights. A unique smell and one I'm sort of fond of but I do not enjoy smelling like this all day. Silage on this one is chill, non-aggressive, which is great because I can't image announcing to every passer-by that I smell like damp earth, stone, olives, pepper and celery. I may try wearing this again but it'll be a while... VERY glad I tried a small sample, I should have ordered one even smaller! I'll never use 5 ml of this stuff.

Sienne l'Hiver is the unlikeliest perfume I've ever tried: cool without being fresh, earthy without being heavy, and manages a light touch that lasts all day. A stunning fragrance -- cerebral and casual at the same time.