Iris Taïzo 14 (2002)
by Parfumerie Generale

Last winter I went through an iris jag and tried a couple dozen iris fragrances, so it takes something special to impress me in this category. Iris Taizo has done just that.

There are a variety of ways to interpret iris. I've seen it done wet, earthy, and rooty in Iris Silver Mist, soapy in Iris Bleu Gris, softly green in Bois d'Iris, tangy in Iris 39, and dry and powdery in Boid d'Argent. Iris Taizo belongs to the last category - and is, as a matter of fact, strikingly similar to Bois d'Argent, with a small touch of dry soapiness all its own. This is an interpretation that isn't powdery in the baby powder sense, but rather has dry, almost dusty feel. Anyone whose smelled orris powder knows the scent I'm speaking of.

Around this core is built a subtly nuanced blend of cedar, cardamon, honey and vanilla, the last two sweetening and otherwise very woody blend.

This is labeled feminine here, but is totally unisex to my nose. A little rough around the edges, but a quality fragrance with very good sillage and longevity.

With iris fragrances sprouting like toadstools these days, I’m happy to report that Iris Taizo is not your standard issue orris root concoction. Whereas the majority of recent iris compositions range from rooty and earthy to demurely powdery, Iris Taizo goes in an entirely different direction. In fact, I’m not sure if it qualifies as an “iris” scent at all. I detect plenty of iris root alright, but the iris isn’t really the featured attraction in this scent. Instead, Iris Taizo reads as a clean, fruity leather scent along the lines of Serge Lutens’s Daim Blond or Parfum d’Empire’s Cuir Ottoman.

While the iris root doesn’t dominate the composition, it does steer the leathery base toward suede gloves, rather than equestrian tack or bikers’ jackets. With an intense sweet-tart apricot and floral accord that’s reminiscent of osmanthus at its heart, and a warm labdanum in the base, Iris Taizo is a dignified, comfortable, and eminently civilized fragrance. In mood and general structure, it reminds me of it’s near-contemporary, Dior Homme. And while it will raise a few hackles if I say so, I see Iris Taizo as what the wildly overrated Dior Homme might have been were it a better scent; i.e. stripped of its ghastly, cheap Jolly Rancher candy note and given a more elegant and interesting drydown.

Sillage and projection are both moderate, so that Iris Taizo registers easily, but never becomes intrusive in enclosed spaces. Longevity is also more than adequate at six hours or more, during which the extended drydown is a treat. Though it’s a bit sweet, I consider Iris Taizo to be gender neutral, and any man who’s comfortable with Dior Homme should be able to wear this with ease.

A wonderful and completely different rendition of the Iris note. Even though there are some spices and sweetness poking through it's the Iris that always leads the way here. However, it does turn distinctly powdery on me and therein lies the problem. I can't wear, with any confidence, powdery florals -- so I put this in the feminine camp. I don't think it is strictly unisex, but good luck if you can pull it off and I envy all you women with this one.

The main notes that I get from Iris Taiso are cardamom, orris and honey. It is spicy and powdery, and there is some kind of fruit accord, also. It is a primarily floral and has just the right amount of sweetness.

I adore this -- this combination of cool iris, warm wood, spice and honey is incredibly sexy to my nose. It smells rather direct and richly natural without obvious. It's hard for me to distinguish the "jinkoh wood" from what I think of as sandalwood -- in any case, the wood scent is just about equally weighted to the iris. I'm sort of a urban boho type -- and I guess my favorite sorts of compositions are simultaneously sophisticated and relaxed. A lot of PG's scents fit this esthetic -- the kind of fragrance that to my nose recalls Maria Schneider's style in Tango, like yes she's a little disheveled, a hipster gamine, but also snottily chic. It's sort of stupefyingly nice -- I like to douse myself with it and radiate! Strong sillage and moderate duration on me.. My husband likes it too; that said, to me it isn't exactly unisex, which probably wouldn't stop me from being tempted to nuzzle a male friend who was secure enough to smell that good.

It's a cool scent...reminds me of the scent of Flex shampoo. On certain days, it's strong and can be a bit stinging. Still worth a try. Hard to get in the US; Canada, France and Germany seem to be the only places. Good luck!