Parfum d'Empire Azemour

Yesterday I wore Parfum d'Empire's Azemour again. My initial impressions of it, back in February can be found here. 

I still think Azemour is a very decent perfume, but find that my skin seems to eat it up very quickly. The initial half an hour is wonderful, with the oily, fragrant orange oil full of zing and zest. However, after that it dies down to a very muted, lightly spiced skin scent, at least on me. I've recently read reviews commenting on the cumin facet of this perfume and while I do detect some spice, including a touch of cumin, it is by no means a cumin-fest on me. Having said that, I have a high tolerance for cumin and love cumin-heavy perfumes such as Declaration and Kingdom, so perhaps it is just me.

What I need is an Azemour Intense, me thinks...

Scent of the day - Parfum d'Empire Azemour

I am fairly late coming to the latest from Parfum d'Empire. However, courtesy of Cymbaline, I have been trying a sample of this on and off for a few weeks. The reviews have been very positive in general and I must say, it is a very nice fragrance. I especially like the top and middle notes, when the orange is oily, fragrant and suffused with a salty spiciness that is quite beautiful. 

As it dries down, it becomes fairly sedate, but is still a lovely light woody-citrus. 

Azemour has been described as a Chypre. I can sort of see that, but to me it smells more citrus-woody, but I'm no expert. 

It's quite difficult to compare it to anything else, but if I were to try (which I am) it strikes me as being rather in the spirit of Annick Goutal's Eau de Sud, without aping it by any means. I can see myself reaching for this sample later in spring and summer, when I think it will really hit the sweet spot, but it still smells great in cooler weather.

Another visit to Liberty

I have been away for a few days again seeing a client down in Bournemouth. For those of you not familiar with the UK, Bournemouth is a previously genteel seaside resort in Dorset, which is a county sandwiched between Hampshire to the east and Devon to the west. Probably not the information you were anxious to read, but there you have it. I usually travel there by train, which necessitates a change in London. It's a long journey from where I live, but it does mean I can, if I wish, stop in London on the return trip and visit some perfume haunts. You may recall a post last month where I visited Liberty, the department store just off Oxford Circus, and pictured above left. It's a lovely building, but don't be fooled: as quaint as it looks, it isn't a period Tudor building at all, but was actually built in 1924 using the timber of ships. Nevertheless, it is a quirky store full of little rooms and antiquated chambers, a gorgeous wooden staircase and a lovely gallery at the top. It's worth a visit just for the architecture and curiously old-fashioned feel of it. One thing that is certain is that its merchandise is not out of date or old-fashioned; and the perfume selection is excellent. What I also like about Liberty is that its sales staff do not hassle you. They are quite content to leave you to browse, but if you require assistance they are more than willing to help. I can't say that it is very easy to come by samples though; I've only ever had success at the Diptyque counter. 

I tried quite a few perfumes this past Friday, almost all on paper, so any opinion I've formed is very much a first impression. I'll list them briefly.

Diptyque Vetyverio - this is ok, but has that typically light and understated feel that I find very common in the line. There is vetiver in this, but it is quite subdued and a little nutty/sweet. If you are looking for hard-core vetiver I would suggest moving on to the Frederic Malle counter to try Vetiver Extraordinaire.

L'Artisan Dzhongha - I tried this one on skin. Many of the line have less-than-impressive longevity, but Dzhongha lasted through two showers on my skin and was rather tenacious. It is an incense and tea fragrance, a little smoky and even floral. I was surprised by how sweet it wore on my skin too. In a way I kind of prefer it to Timbuktu but that sweetness does leave me feeling a little unsure.

Escentric 01 by Escentric Molecules - I'm sorry, I can't believe this is actually a perfume. Are they really selling water instead? I don't often say this, but this is a waste of shelf space. I think I have a relatively decent nose but I could not smell this one at all. It was literally fresh air on my skin. Honestly. If any of you have tried this, I'd love to get your take on it. Astounding, not in a good way.

Etro Shaal Nur - I quite liked this. A fairly approachable incense fragrance, perhaps a little sweeter than I would have liked but much easy to cope with than the gothic rising-damp monster that is Messe de Minuit, by the same line.

Comme de Garcon Ouarzazate - another incense, which I'm sure is no stranger to some of you, being one of the five in the incense series. It's not as severe and churchy as Avignon, and again, I quite liked this. It wasn't too sweet, and had a bit of a spice and tea accord which with the incense is contemplative and calming.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Pour le Soir - I haven't been a huge fan of Kurkdjian in the past, even though I do acknowledge his brilliance, but this is the second in this line that I've tried and it is good. It's a sort of rose-and-light-spice-with-amber/vanilla cologne, not too light but at the same time not at all heavy. It's been composed with a deft touch and is quite interesting for a cologne.

Parfums D'Empire Iskander - it's been quite a while since I tried one from this line, having sampled Ambre Russe and Cuit Ottoman in the past. Iskander is pretty much a slightly aromatic fougere, with predominantly citrus and moss and musk. It's very much in the style of De Nicolai's New York, I think, without the lavender. 

Parfumes D'Empire Equistrius - this is apparently an iris-based fragrance, which it may well be, but iris wasn't particularly evident on a scent strip. The opening was very similar to Ambre Russe I thought, with an alcoholic vodka-like note. Later on it smelled quite ambery to me. It is different and I wouldn't mind trying this on skin next time.

Well, that's about it, I think. Not proper reviews I suppose, and like I said, most of these were only sprayed on paper, so perhaps development on skin would be quite different. I think one thing this blog post hopefully shows is how good a range of perfumes Liberty stocks. I have listed the main players in my previous Liberty post, which can be read here.

   

Spice and amber - Ambre Russe and Caravelle Epicee

I have had samples of Ambre Russe (Parfum D'Empire) and Caravelle Epicee (Frapin et Cie) for quite some time now. Both were purchased from Les Senteurs in London. Incidentally, I don't know if any of you know of Les Senteurs, but they are a small business in London's Belgravia, selling some wonderful niche fragrances. If you visit them personally, they will usually be more than happy to provide you with samples. If you aren't able to visit, they will mail you 6 samples (generous quantities I might add) for £18. 


When I first tried these, I think it was in winter, or possibly very early spring. All I know is that neither spoke to me and I felt that they were decent, but unremarkable. I put them to one side, but recently I dug them out of my mucky scent sin bag, looked at them and then thought: "what the hell, lets give these two another go...." I'm not quite sure what made me try one on each wrist; its something I do quite often actually. I think I'm just greedy for scent. Thinking about it now, I think it was the booze that did it. No, I wasn't inebriated, but both these fragrances have boozy notes and I felt like comparing them side by side. 


Both fragrances open in an alcoholic haze. Ambre Russe has a top note of Vodka, and it opens dry and slightly vegetal, like potato-distilled alcohol. It isn't overtly boozy, but within a minute or so it sweetens slightly, when I detect a touch of patchouli, amber and something herbal. I'm not sure about herbs, it could be lavender or perhaps cardamom? There is a leather note in there as well, but it veers towards the fruity side rather than the fetish/leather jacket club, with a hint of smoke. I felt that at this point it bore a resemblance to Caravelle Epicee, but less boozy and sweet. In the heart the amber really comes to the fore and what a great amber it is. The funny thing is, when I first tried this last year, I never really got a serious amber note, yet months on, it hits me right between the eyes. Is this just me having a better-trained nose and more perfume exposure, or is it a seasonal, skin chemistry thing? This fragrance is sweet, but like the best of Serge Lutens, for example, this is tempered by the balance of herbs and spices. The dry down is amber, lightly spiced, dryish, yet enough sweetness to please those who like that style of amber. If I were to classify or pigeon hole this, I would say it is a bit like a cross between Serge's Ambre Sultan and Montale's Blue Amber. It is a complex and rich fragrance and I definitely give it a strong thumbs up.


Caravelle Epicee opens with booze too, but its cognac this time, sweet, heady but again, cleverly tempered with herbs and spices, so it never becomes cloying. The sweetness is rounded with an oaky, caramelness not unlike what one would expect from an oak barrel in which the cognac was aged. Its a clever touch. I detect herbs and a slight floralness which might be lavender or sage, but honestly, I'm not sure. There is a smokiness in this fragrance too, more charred barrel than burning wood, that weaves in and out, almost incense-like, and as tobacco and cumin seep through in the heart, I'm swooning. I can't believe how much cumin I detect (having not noticed previously, until I read a review of Ines, of All I Am, A Redhead blog). Its wonderful, and with the nutmeg and pepper, forms a formidable spice combo. Although sweet, there is a slightly sour tang that balances things. In the dry down, I am reminded of sitting in a library, comfey in a leather armchair in front of the fire, glass of cognac in hand - perhaps I am just being fanciful!  Ironically, despite the winter comfort scene, I actually think Caravelle Epicee performs better on my skin in warmer weather. This is also a complex, lush and lovely perfume.


I think these are both beautiful fragrances. I think they bear similarities in that both have a booze top note, spices and smoke. Where they differ the most is that Ambre Russe is ultimately all about amber, while Caravelle Epicee is mostly about cognac and spices, yet both are sweet, but balanced, without ever becoming cloying. Both work better in warmer weather in my opinion, despite them being ironically comfort scents, at least to my nose. I recommend both wholeheartedly.