Orangers En Fleurs by Houbigant, 2012

This is indeed a cousin of Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger without the strong cumin. It is a lovely orange blossom with florals and greens. Nutmeg provides the subtle spice. If you love orange blossom, this is a must-try. Not as powerful in longevity and sillage as the SL, this is a bit more than moderate. Hopefully this means that Houbigant, a company with REAL historical roots dating back to the 18th century, will be coming back into the fragrance market with interesting scents. At $180 for 100ml, this is a luxury item. The bottle is made to look like antique crystal, yet sadly the cap over the spray nozzle is made of plastic. Not impressed. I would have thought it should be glass at this price. The foil label on the bottle makes references to the bottles from the 1920s and 1930s, and had hoped Houbigant would have at least a glass cap to take the luxe reference even further. Even the mainstream Chanels (in the iconic square bottles) have glass caps; the No. 19 Eau Poudree has a cap of frosted glass. All in all, the scent is elegant and even unisex for those who enjoy orange blossom.

Houbigant's vibrant, airy take on the orange blossom with green florals and clean musk doing the heavy lifting. The focus is very much on the lighter end of the spectrum with a smidgen of warmth in the base to round things out. ORANGERS EN FLEURS smells good and I do wish I smell this more often. It reminds me of a smoother MFK APOM Homme sans the cedar. If I were to nitpick it would be its apparent lack of depth which could have been sacrificed for the sake of levity.

Clear, radiant orange blossoms that speak of sunshine and happiness. No indoles, sultriness, heaviness, etc. I really couldn't detect any nutmeg, cedar or musk....must just be rounding it out a little.