Fragrance Reviews by Carlos

I've described this as the scent of an (imagined) orange grove, heavy with ripe fruit; the damp breeze laden with sweet pollen, and the light scent of the living woods. This opens with a golden shimmer of citrus, becoming smooth, beautiful and full-bodied. It is sweet in the way a ripe but unpeeled orange smells sweet, not sugared or confection sweet. The spiciness is gentle, emerging late in the prolonged drydown. I find this lasts easily through the work day, 12 hours+, at least 3x longer than the Cologne - which I find this superior to in every way. I have disliked every JC Ellena fragrance until this one, which I find so enthralling that I wish I could afford the ancillary products. It is the apotheosis of citrus fragrances, and the artisanal redemption of 21st century fresh fragrance from aquatic barbarism. In real world terms it is something that can be worn everyday, in any climate, in nearly any social circumstance. Real world haute couture.

I braved the women's fragrance aisle in Sephora to sample this, and will have to go against the seeming consensus of this being unisex. I have to agree with Hermes designation of this as a feminine: from first whiff it is soft and sweetly floral, becoming gently spicy in the drydown. An absolutely beautiful fragrance, but for me, unambiguously feminine. If you are shopping for a wife/girlfriend, check this one out.

This thus far is the closest I have come to finding the fragrance of the Count of Montecristo in his decadence: The heady, sharp spiciness of clove pinks, is like gold spun from straw - it is bold and opulent despite the humble flower of its origin. Below this aura is a heartnote that evokes the resinous pungency of Rocabar, leading into a creamier, slightly soapy phase as the oakmoss emerges, and finally becoming smoky with patchouli. This fragrance while a floral is almost oriental in in notes and feel, though it is free of the heavy sweetness that is so common in orientals. It is rich and aromatic, and to wear it is to be perfumed in the grandest sense.