Fragrance Reviews by MarksCarltonLane

What separates womanhood from girlhood? Opium extrait. For those unaware of what "extrait" means, it's parfum, or, the highest concentration of essences allowed in parfumerie. Opium parfum is the most magnificent antidote to the waves of pubescent pop princess, foody/deodorant-style, mass-made scents that rule young fragrance buyers as the 20th century closed and the 21st century begins. Jean-Louis Sieuzac created this stand-alone masterpiece for a particularly fussy Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent. Talk about a league of its own! Opium cannot be compared to any other fragrance ... ever. Monsieur Sieuzac is well-known, too, for his creations Grey Flannel, Bel Ami and Morabito's Or Black. Although a relatively young parfum created in 1977 before most of today's younger female fragrance consumers were born, the jolt Opium must surely be to young noses, I find amusing. An example of the repellant effect is the way most young ladies respond to the first sniff of the legendary parfums Chanel No. 5, Chanel No. 22, Gardenia and Cuir de Russie. In my time as a Chanel beaute anlyste (sales associate), young women thrust their hips and shoulders back in abject horror -- if not contempt -- at the brash, potent, aldehydic burst from the neck of the flacons. Many would not even consider a second sniff. As Chanel trained me to do, I would ask a young woman to close her eyes as I waved a scent-sprayed (or dabbed) tissue under her nose. My, how times have changed! I have rarely encountered a woman less than middle age who appreciates the unbridled breath of cinnamon, pepper, orange, pimento and carnation. To say the least, Opium's provocative power may easily overwhelm, assault or repulse a less experienced nose. At the time of its introduction, Opium seized a huge following, reportedly climbing to the Top Ten best-selling fragrances of its initial three years on the market. Opium's once lofty position helped to ensure its continued presence in the worldwide marketplace. However, as many reviewers have noted, the fragrance seems so "afterthought" today; so dated and obsolete. I recall Opium's 1976 introduction; what a rare sensation! If for no other reason, the eyebrow-raising name commanded huge curiosity and drew masses to fragrance retailers. I was one of Opium's first supporters but over the years, I lost touch with it. My sin was never having experienced the extrait. Finally, one arctic fall day in late 2004, under stormy skies and a near freezing rain, I lifted the stopper on a "Parfum de Luxe" -- a limited edition, deep amethyst pendant attached to a heavy, braided black necklace with a bejewled tassel -- and moved my nostrils closer. Bursting from the weighty pendant, an exceptionally smooth, commanding cloud of carnation, cinnamon, pepper and orange held me in cashmere-like comfort. Such warmth and transformation from a flacon, I've rarely known, remaining my tireless pursuit in fragrance collecting. This was one of the great moments in my 35 years of fragrance studies and experiences. My experience on that November day could never compare to the eau de toilette of 1977 that I'd long forgotten. The parfum transcends all other versions for its far greater depth and durability. Heart notes of rose, jasmine and ylang-ylang quickly round out the composition as tail notes of vanilla, patchouli, benzoin and opoponax give Opium its truly magnificent dimension. I'm still bowled flat by this parfum in all its hypnotizing Oriental splendor and that feeling, I hope, will live for as long as I breathe. In my infinite search for the best fragrances of the ages, I don't accept critics' praises easily. How often have we all sprayed or sniffed a scent directly from the bottle and judged it too quickly! As I've long said, the "truth" of a scent is its drydown which may take hours; not seconds. Opium's place in fragrance history is earned partially because it expanded the vision of universal parfumerie, moving into entirely different directions than its marketplace peers in 1976. Another reason, perhaps, for Opium's significance is its staggering longevity given today's competition. Quickly, now; can you name another truly groundbreaking, memorable Oriental in recent years? If Opium debuted in 2005, it would still be seen as a rebellion or revolution in parfumerie but given the competition in today's youth-obsessed market, would it last? I think not. The "industry," as it were, is increasingly made up of numbers-crunchers wearing suits; not noses committed to purity, innovation and luxury. The drive behind the multinational, corporate approach is how to use cheaper, synthetic ingredients to lower costs and maximize profits. And isn't that sad speculation on today's marketplace? For my money and unqualified opinion, Opium parfum is one of the last truly visionary, marketplace-defiant, historically significant gifts from parfumeurs to the world. What a welcome revolution Opium was in 1976, yet, a discovery that brings me uncommon joy in 2005!

In 1926, Ernest Beaux, a Russian parfumeur, created Bois des Iles for Mademoiselle Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. As if this true masterpiece of parfumerie were not enough, he had previously created the coveted, greatest-selling scent of all time, Chanel No. 5. He described Bois des Iles as " ... a whisper of sandalwood, tonka bean and vetiver somewhere between bitter almonds and gingerbread." Monsieur Beaux led a revolution in fragrance when he introduced aldehydes in perfume. Aldehydes are organic chemicals that have a powerful diffusive effect. In effect, aldehydes intensify and magnify the essences into which they are blended. The result is an opulent head note of jasmine, rose and ylang-ylang previously and perfectly exhibited in Beaux's prolific, enduring masterpieces such as Chanel No. 5. I am a 45-year-old man who, as a consumer, both relishes and studies fragrances. In 2003, untested, I ordered a new flacon of Bois des Iles after researching and reading all that I could find about the fragrance. To say that I found my signature parfum would be understatement. Bois des Iles is perfection from first sniff to drydown. As much as I revere Chanel No. 5, Bois des Iles is a softer floral with, perhaps, softer wood and that magical, ever-so-slight note of gingerbread that keeps one's nose magnetized as the scent envelopes the most fortunate wearer. Opulent head notes of rose, iris and coriander burst silently from the precious flacon like the pressurized gases in a great champagne. Within the first hour of wearing Bois des Iles, top notes descrescendo like darkness over the earth, from east to west, and the most magical, powdery, floral personality rises like the sun the next morning. A bitter almond and gingerbread note blend so utterly perfectly into tail notes of sandalwood, vetiver and tonka bean. With the perfume, as opposed to the eau de toilette, the richness of the powdery floral notes endures ... and endures. There is something so timeless, arresting and perfect about Monsieur Beaux's creations of the 1920s including Chanel No. 22 and the skyscraping white floral, Gardenia. Today, Jacques Polge continues the work Beaux and Mademoiselle Chanel began. Monsieur Polge's creations such as Coco and Coco Mademoiselle are more great testaments to fragrance as art and fashion. We can only hope that he will build further on such perfection.

Have I become so magnetized to ocean floor and core-of-the-earth scents that I've forgotten the elements of air, sunlight and flora? I credit Guerlain with sign posts and profound destinations along the endless journey to the perfect scent. I was initiated into the world of perfume when I purchased the Baccarat crystal flacon containing one ounce of Shalimar in 1978. So began my immense respect for Guerlain's matchless collection reaching back to the 18th century. As with most noses, my collection will always have requisite parfums of legendary Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue and soon-to-be-added Vol de Nuit ... and, even Jicky ... each title-winning, heavyweight championship scents. Along came 2003 and With Love. What a delicious departure from the heavyweight, knock-'em-dead, iris-jasmine-and-roses-in-thick-syrup classics! With Love is a carefree laugh of fresh cut wild roses, sparkling quince, effervescent freesia and lighthearted lily held comfortably in an ambery base with warm whispers of cedar and sandalwood. This is a spring afternoon spread on a picnic pallet listening to symphonic music such as Handel's Water Music, indulging in a pear-flavored Chardonnay and offering some delectable cheese on crackers to your lover or significant other. And lots of non-verbal language. Because With Love speaks for you.

PREFACE: First, beware fraudulent Creed. My experience with Parfum1.com raised my brow as high as the price for this Private Collection jewel finally made available in the United States this year. The most astute fragrance friend and fragrance purveyor I've found, especially for Creed, is Pam Atchison at Hampton Court Essential Luxuries in Santa Rosa, California. No other purveyor with whom I've done business has gone to the lengths to please "Mr. Impossible" as I sometimes am described. REVIEW: Sparkling droplets of melting ice infused with a melange of luscious lime, peppermint aplenty and pink peppercorns soar and slowly soften into the herbal, sunny accord of summery lemon, mandarin and bergamot. This is a minty, peppery wind belonging to that solstice when daylight cheats night; Creed's delectably limey, minty dew sustains its savory refreshment hour upon hour. NOTES: Made for Napoleon III and a signature scent of Sigmund Freud, the portly, deepest cedar green bottle, containing 8.4 ozs., is crowned with a fat stopper perfect for a once-in-the-morning indulgence. At $280, the list price, most of us only covet such a rarefied scent. There are those expert consumers of fragrance who will scoff at Selection Verte because they may assert that it is little more than the typical Creed accord containing variations of bergamot, lemon and mandarin. And there are those who insist that Creed's scents are eau de toilette or cologne. Not so by any measure! The majority of Creed's historic line of scents are what this fabled parfumerie calls "millesimes" containing 18-20% extraits and oils, a euphemism for eau de parfum. Like all of Creed's millesimes, Selection Verte is a completely handmade fragrance that you will never find on the shelves at T.J. Maxx, Marshall's, Stein Mart or other discount department stores. For almost 250 years, Creed has painstakingly customized millesimes for European royalty, heads of state and celebrities worldwide. I'm simply a commoner who saved for a year to acquire my first Private Collection Creed millesime. For my money and unqualified opinion, Selection Verte rises above the oceans of mediocre or even above average summer scents that are mass-produced and, often, largely synthetic. Selection Verte is one of those perfect experiences in which craftsmanship, originality and historic significance distinguish a timeless scent from those made for the masses that become rightfully forgotten.

For nearly 250 years, the House of Creed has furnished heads of state, monarchs and celebrities with original fragrances called "millesimes." A millesime is a fragrance made with a higher content of hand-pressed, essential oils than cologne or eau de toilette. In 2002, Creed launched its first original scent of the new millenium called Himalaya. In 2003, Himalaya became available through very limited distribution in the United States. First, I don't know of a more reputable or trustworthy purveyor of Creed Fragrances than Pam Atchison, proprietor, Hampton Court Essential Luxuries, Santa Rosa, California. Pam supplied me with Himalaya in May of 2003 and I chose not to share my assessment of it until July. Once out of its platinum colored bottle, top notes of icy, cool mandarin and grapefruit announce an almost arctic beginning that, as some have noted, is as refreshing as Tibetan mountain snow. Be foretold, though; you've only begun to appreciate Himalaya's surprises! Within a couple of hours of your first breath of Himalaya, you will begin to experience mid- and base notes of pepper, musk of Tonka, cedar and sandalwood. From these slowly evolving lower notes comes Himalaya's true character and astonishing power. The dry down sparkles throughout with its original iciness but, almost imperceptibly, a warmer depth evolves. My final, unqualified judgment is that Creed has given those fortunate enough to own and wear it, a new classic that is as much sensuous magic as it is a spiritual experience. I am wholeheartedly smitten!

A palpable burst of basil, thyme and jasmine announce this exceptional pairing with mid-notes of lavender, green leaf and exotic fruits. The base consists of sandalwood and vetiver. Such potent yet polite freshness made up of a rare synthesis of top note ingredients makes the vast wasteland of "fresh" fragrances seem so common. Two short sprays of Baime rode morning into evening with considerable power, evolution and class. I've rarely heard such praise for any fragrance. This, my friends, is exquisite!

The gentleman whose initials appear as "JW" following reviews of many of Creed's fragrances must remember that Creed's legendary scents are, predominately, millesimes. This means that they are derived from pure extracts of essential oils and are blended to be less potent than perfume. All fragrances, universally, are created as cologne or eau de toilette, which have less essential extracts; eau de parfum or millesime, which have a slightly higher amount of essential extract; and parfum, which is the highest amount of pure, essential extract. Naturally, Angelique Encens, personal favorite of the late, great Marlene Dietrich, is not parfum. So, one cannot expect it to last as long as perfume. I caution anyone who judges this fragrance to be less lasting to remember that its composition is not that of pure parfum. Nonetheless, Angelique Encens delivers uncompromised floral hypnosis that helped me into memorable, romantic escapades more than once as I'm sure it must have for Marlene Dietrich.

Creed's long history of supplying royalty, heads of state and celebrities with signature scents is legendary. Royal Water was intended to introduce an utterly unique scent in honor of one of the most celebrated women who ever lived, Diana, The Peoples' Princess, and it succeeds with unyielding freshness and just enough sweetness to justify its unisex allegiance. Blends of sparkling peppermint, verbena, Sicilian mandarine, Calabrian bergamot, basil, cumin, juniper berry and musk of tonka set this apart from any scent I've known. To say that a fragrance is unlike any other is, in fact, a great rarity. My first, precious ounce arrived in the summer of 2000 and I have indulged in several bottles since. Royal Water stands apart and above every other fragrance I've ever worn in my 44 years as does the memory of the "... complicated, unique, radiant, compassionate and beautiful" People's Princess, Diana. Wearing Royal Water feels like you're in the presence of this remarkable, gifted lady who left this world in her prime, much too soon.

My second untried and unkown Creed purchase was of Original Tabarome in the spring of 2002. A favorite of Sir Winston Churchill and Humphrey Bogart, it was trumpeted as the scent of choice for the "power elite." Indeed, few fragrances have heralded as much praise over the course of 100+ years since Creed introduced it as Tabarome ... and for fine reasons. Original Tabarome's top notes of musk and tobacco from Havana and Virginia weave into its underlying ginger, amber, santal and patchouli, creating a heavier scent than most of Creed's distinguished, historic cache of more than 200 original fragrances. It lasts; oh, how it lasts! Few scents make such a powerful impression or go the miles as Original Tabarome. And few are as strikingly, affectively masculine that you can almost smell the blend of sweat and leather in the curing tobacco leaves from Cuba and Virginia that empower its enduring, ultra original chemistry. For me, this is another essential in my collection of all-time favorite fragrances.

Completely untried and unknown, I ordered my first 4 ozs. of Neroli Sauvage from the ultimate Creed supplier -- Pam Atchison of Hampton Court Essential Luxuries in Santa Rosa, California -- in the spring of 2002. I pulled the Prince of Wales-crested cap from the flacon, moved the atomizer close to my nose and swooned at the joyous discovery of orange blossom arresting my senses. Combined with Sicilian lemon and Italian pamplemousse and a delicious drydown that's musky, Neroli Sauvage remains my second favorite Creed scent. I'm now using my second 4 ozs. flacon and the attention from complete strangers, friends, family and colleagues is mind-boggling. I've worn some of the world's greatest, most cherished and classic scents. None receive the accolades or start conversations like Neroli Sauvage. Pam Atchison at Hampton Court Essential Luxuries in Santa Rosa, California -- www.hamptonct.com, 707-578-9416 -- surpasses every fragrance purveyor I've known with benchmark customer care and listening skills that are beyond compare. I now understand why Cher and Donatella Versace have made Neroli Sauvage an essential staple in their personal care. I'm wholly seduced and taken with this bottle of fresh, musky joy!