Fleur de Liane (2008)
by L'Artisan Parfumeur

Fleur de Liane by L'Artisan Parfumeur - One is initially treated to a invigorating gust of seashore air as well as a faint, watermelon rind. A lush and verdant, vegetal accord, almost fern-like, commingles with the magical calone, providing a fresh sensation. Transitioning to the waiting middle, an enchanting, white floral melange, composed of waxy and lemony magnolia, tuberose with its creamy sweetness and marigold with its tangy bitterness, wonderfully enhances the bracing opening. This misty blend partners with a grassy vetiver, with earth still clinging to its roots, and flows to the awaiting base. Green and foresty oakmoss as well as spicy and earthy patchouli gently rear their heads, and are joined by the woodiness of camphoraceous cedar and sweet guaiacwood. A refreshing drydown ensues. This appealing composition can easily be worn in spring, summer or fall; and has good projection and longevity.

30th January, 2012.

Take a rainy morning in an autumn day. You do feel like going outside and having a long walk in the park, enjoying the falling leaves whirling a while in the wind to end up floating in the rivulets of water that trickle down the path. What perfume would you wear? No doubt, for me. I’d wear Fleur de Liane. By the time I’d be outside, the fruity top notes (watery melon, not very interesting for me, by the way) would have already vanished and I would be envelopped in the deep, damp, strong, earthy vegetal scent (Vetiver? Patchouli? Drenched exotic woods?) that so perfectly matches the smell that the soaked ground exhales. In this cloud that surrounds me and make me feel so perfectly friendly to my environment, a whiff of white flowers (magnolia, lily of the valley…) would remind me of other times of the year, while the persistent, metallic ozone note (which I generally loathe and almost made me discard FdL at the first sniff!) would add a nostalgic marine hue to my walk. If I’d smell more closely my warmed skin, I’d recognize the sort of sweet-smoky- peppery signature of Bertrand Duchaufour, definitely one of my favourite noses.
FdL would stay with me for the whole day, even if my skin doesn’t generally support great longevity, and eventually mingle with what I will be wearing next - I loved its serendipitous encounter on my clothes with Histoires de Parfums Ambre 114.
In short, both thumbs up for a beautifully conceived and evocative fragrance.

1st November, 2010.

This has completely inspired me to write a review and judging by my number of reviews, that's saying a lot. This has risen to the top of my list of favorites of L'artisan (which is probably my favorite house currently). The magic in FdL lies in its ethereal nature. It is very quite with minimal sillage but above average longevity. I also find that it blooms with sweat and causes a carnal aura that is both addictive and seductive. It starts out pale and watery with wonderfully ripe fruity notes of guava, melon and what smells like avocado. However at the same time, I find to be very floral with white floral notes of magnolia and tuberose. But don't tuberose fool you here; it is extremely subdued and only has a line in the entire play. As the topnotes burn off, the florals are intensified along with soft green notes of what I can only describe as, a humid forest that is both damp but cool with its later spring air. The drydown reveals a somewhat mineral facet to the scent, but also reveals the murky, mossy (somewhat) forest floor. During the entire duration of Fleur de Liane, there is a watery, dewy composition that connects the fruity, floral and mossy aspects together. FdL does not have a rough edge at all; it is extremely smooth and well blended. I find Ophelia by Heeley to be in the same vein, but with more indolic white floral notes. Judging by my wardrobe, you will see I am not a fan of aquatic florals. Well this one has stolen my heart...

6th August, 2010.

Notes: Ozone, marine and green notes, marigold, tuberose, magnolia, guaiac and cedar wood, vetiver, patchouli and mossy notes.

A banal melon-aquatic top note had me fearing the worst, but Bertrand Duchaufour’s design for Fleur de Liane turns out to be much more interesting than its stale opening gambit would suggest. With a half hour’s wear the melon falls into place beside a curiously milky floral and wood accord that’s spiked with indole and a sharp nutmeg note familiar from Duchaufour’s earlier Magnolia Romana. The contrast between cool, damp fruit and warm, powdery florals exerts a weird fascination that keeps me coming back for more.

The soft musky-woody drydown includes a peculiar steamed milk note that Duchaufour has also used in his Amaranthine for Penhaligon’s. In both scents it adds an appetizing warmth to a tropical floral arrangement, but here it also serves to erase any lingering impression of aquatic ennui. This one ends up far better than I would have hoped.

27th May, 2010. (Last Edited: 18th March, 2011.)

I completely agree with Ubuandibeme on this one except I'm not getting as much patchouli for some reason. Her review was spot on otherwise as I experienced it. I do see how you could get an aloe vera hint, not cantaloupe maybe but the green melon, and some ferns and lily of the valley. I think it's like stepping into the rainforest after a cool, gentle rain. Right when the sun comes out and the freshness is peak because the sun has started to evaporate the rain drops off the flowers and surrounding undergrowth and the air is cool yet humid. Before the humidity turns sticky warm. I find this cool and fresh. It's lovely but not ground-breaking. It reminds me of a can of air freshener my Mother used to use in our house-no kidding. I have the memory of this type of scent locked away in my subconscious and it came to the surface immediately when I smelled this. I had forgotten it, but there it was back again. I doubt if I'll buy it but I can see how others would like it. It is perfectly enjoyable and lovely anyway.

9th April, 2009.

This is a lovely floral with green hints. The flowers remind me of lily of the valley and lilac, and give a creamy-dreamy note. The impression is of something sweet, charming and innocent. Some green galbanum notes frame this gorgeous floral heart. It develops a light mossy note, with a very faint hint of wood. I don’t get what I would call an aqueous or rain note, apart from a sort of fresh quality underneath the flowers. This is more floral and less green than is my usual style, but it is certainly beautiful.

30th March, 2009. (Last Edited: 8th June, 2009.)