Fresh and classic are the two buzzwords for this pack, and Fougere L’Aube (Rogue Perfumery) fulfils both of these labels. Its glorious vintage feeling is undeniable, working with a comfortable, potent, and familiar accord of lavender-rose-sandalwood. The scent is crisp, herbal, and green, shifting from fern to aquatic in its development. It shines and radiates beautifully, and yet it is equally grounded and pure. O/E from Bogue dials everything up by a remarkable factor, offering a fresh woody fragrance of the highest energy. Sharp citrus fruits phase into spicy pepper and clove notes, which dance on the surface of woody notes turned into crystal. The combinations in O/E are exquisite and memorable, which buzzes and hums excitedly.
Cologne Officinale (Heeley) dreams of the azure blue Mediterranean, and employs emblematic notes of lavender and aromatic herbs to stir this fantasy. The completed work is clean, soapy, smooth and crunchy all at once – with a quiet opulence which results from its many layers, which endures with a long musky freshness. It is soft yet present, a veil of scent that coats and treats - its oakmoss heart warming the scent from the inside, pleasantly retro and green with a fine galbanum inflection. Every Storm a Serenade (Imaginary Authors) adds to this aromatic complex a solid heart of woody notes - from eucalyptus absolute, vetiver, and spruce - for a fortified and strong sensation. It is undoubtedly familiar, with the fun and interest drawn from its clear marine echoes thanks predominantly to an ambergris accord seasoned with the cool touch of fruity-salty Calone.
For something rounded and spicier, Cuir Ottoman by Parfum d’Empire hums with warming and generous resins and vanilla, landing on plush leather scented with the unmistakable aroma of iris. It’s a quiet decadence suitable for the working week, a close-wearing marvel that oozes quality and good taste. Cuir Ottoman is quiet intelligence, reserved but essential, and is an elegant medley of perfect proportions. Finally, Parle Moi de Parfum’s Woody Perfecto reminds us that elegance can take on darker tones, relying on wood and leather tones driven by vetiver, roasted coffee, and black pepper. Darkness is here rendered beautifully, with a certain happiness that is characteristic of the brand, made matte and approachable. The resulting scent exudes a confidence, a certain signature that can move seamlessly between the office and outside the 9-to-5.
