Frutti Paradisi
by AbdesSalaam Attar Profumo

Frutti Paradisi

This one is a little abstract. It is centred on Osmanthus flower with jasmine, vanilla, blackcurrant. Profumo writes that it can smell different every day and I can see what he means because this is an impressionistic perfume (unlike others of his where I can relate the ingredients very directly to the smell/intended effect). Green fresh aspects of citrus with some indolic qualities from the florals combine to create illusions of tropical fruits. I can get the sweet aspect of pineapple, the fresh/deep combination of mango, something of the floral quality of pawpaw. The vanilla provides softness, jasmine and blackcurrant the organic, vegetal, even almost-animalic quality and the osmanthus a general vegetal, fruity floral flavour tying it all together. It is not overly sweet, has a subdued freshness and a very unusual natural accord. There is a light feeling of resinous wood underneath and maybe a drop of cocoa too (or maybe that is part of the osmanthus?).

If this perfume starts with a little emulsion, it burns away into clarity. I prefer it when the osmanthus drops away leaving the blackcurrant more vivid. It is lucid and drinkable, quiet and yet present, slightly acidic in a very friendly way, a tiny touch warmly urinous. I could imagine this smelling very sexy on a woman in a warm climate....

Frutti Paradisi does not possess a big colourful fruitiness like the synthetic fruity perfumes but rather pastel shades, and because of the abstraction I lose these somewhat as I deconstruct.

Projection is low and longevity medium. I find the base quite interesting and beautiful though I need to sniff from very close to get the detail. It is not something I would feel moved to wear myself, but it may just hit the spot for some.

16th June, 2009.