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Sample of the Day: Fou d'Absinthe

post #1 of 7
9/25/09 at 7:49pm
Thread Starter 
Another decant in the group of eight...

Fou d'Absinthe - L'Artisan Parfumeur (2006)
So I'm getting all excited about a scent that's going to smell like Absinthe in all its licoricey, rooty, herbal glory. I'm even thinking if it'll have the milky moment of the louche in there as well... well knock me down if this isn't a strongly green/piney resinous scent that lasts about 10 minutes before becoming sharper with the addition of incense and smoke, then in 10 more minutes turns into aldehydic soapyness. All the phases here are quite nice, but I can't help but feel that this is like Passage d'Enfer, also from L'Artisan. I'm beginning to wonder if they hit their bar with Mechant Loup and Voleur de Rose and have lost their edgyness from there.

Thanks,

Zachary
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post #2 of 7
9/25/09 at 8:15pm
I like this one - enough that I got a bottle. But I think you have it pegged very nicely. It's not what I expected, either, but I still like it.

I don't think the house has lost anything - not after smelling Fleur de Liane. That is a heck of an innovative green scent, IMO. Possibly my next scent from them.
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post #3 of 7
9/25/09 at 11:29pm
I like it for what it is - a lot actually. But I was sort of hoping for more of an exotic absinthe touch when I first sought it out. It's a good one for Autumn, quite a work day friendly scent - a piney extension of the fougere style and it has quite a lot of body and seems to last for me.
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post #4 of 7
9/26/09 at 4:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. reasonable View Post

I like it for what it is - a lot actually. But I was sort of hoping for more of an exotic absinthe touch when I first sought it out. It's a good one for Autumn, quite a work day friendly scent - a piney extension of the fougere style and it has quite a lot of body and seems to last for me.

My feeling exactly. It's a very nice fragrance, well constructed and definitely unique, but absinthe it's not. My wife calls it my "ginger bread cookie" scent - a bit spicy. I love the pine, but the soapiness turns me away just enough to keep it from becoming my everyday HG.
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post #5 of 7
9/26/09 at 6:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zachary View Post


Fou d'Absinthe - L'Artisan Parfumeur (2006)
... a strongly green/piney resinous scent that lasts about 10 minutes before becoming sharper with the addition of incense and smoke, then in 10 more minutes turns into aldehydic soapyness. All the phases here are quite nice, but I can't help but feel that this is like Passage d'Enfer, also from L'Artisan.
Zachary

Hey Zachary,
It works somewhat like that for me. The pine-green phase last quite a long time and in fact dominates. Incense/smoke and soapyness add flourishes to the piney-green spine.

I agree that it is not very licorice-y or much like absinthe. HOWEVER, since I'm always on the look-out for great pine scents, this totally satisfies me. Many times I think Fou D'Absinthe is the closest to a holy grail pine scent that I'll ever see. I find it unique in the (a) the pine note is really good, (b) the other elements warm up the cool pine note and give it great depth. So actually Fou D'Absinthe is easily in my top 5 scents.

PS -- looking at my notes for Passage D'Enfer, I don't see a lot of similarity in my reaction to that scent. I found that to be a light, spring-like scent, a delicate incense/green combo.
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post #6 of 7
9/26/09 at 4:30pm
I think it's fabulous, but I can understand your confusion from the apparent weak link of the name to its contents. It definitely takes a different direction than what you'd think. I do wish it was slightly more tenacious, though its transparency and ease of wear seem to be part of its allure.
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post #7 of 7
9/26/09 at 5:06pm
I love it. I've never smelled absinthe, but I love this sweet piney concoction. Like all the L'Artisans, it lasts all day on me. I think I must be one of the few lucky ones who can say this, as so many people here complain about longevity issues with this house - not me, though!
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