Lily of the Valley (1953) is a very simple / basic note in the direction of Muguet du Bonheur but not so sophisticated. It is very green apple and fruity pear on top, followed by an artificial rose (rhodinol) with sweet cinnamic accents, a small violet and a very delicate jasmine. Fresh but more like a base, not a perfume, still usable today.
Jasmin (1940) is an opulent flower with a big banana-benzyl acetate note like in the natural jasmine sambac over a very plastic base. It has a distinct jonquil note with its sweet honey undertone. The peach and the very light ambery drydown might be similar to a simplified Arpege variation. Another characteristic note is jasmone - a component found in the natural absolute but here used without restriction.
Rose is built around the Rose Wardia (Firmenich) idea, the image of may rose, with spicy notes of clove and cinnamon. Beautiful, simple, light and not very strong it has a woody drydown with a smoky guaiac accent + the light lily of the valley (hidroxicitronellal).
La Violette (1950) is a very very very sweet violet, well rounded, with a characteristic violet leaf note. There is nothing special about this, very well known song, but better done than in Violette de Toulouse (Berdoues).
Gardénia (1937) is a very strange interpretation of the flower because it smells very violet- iris. On top a very characteristic methyl octyne carbonate, violet leaf absolute and something green basil in the direction of reseda reconstitution. When the violet dies a soapy jasmine takes its place with few mushroom and earthy undertones that could belong to a gardenia. Then some nitromusks for the powder and fixation. A hybrid!
Tubéreuse (1937) is the most interesting perfume I smelled this year. Pure beauty with no wrinkle. Launched before Fracas it must have been a great success. I noticed its name in many ads of Le Galion perfumes in the 40's. And indeed this was a shock! It's not the creamy, sultry Fracas where the flower is more a pretext. It smells somewhere between Carnal Flower and Tubereuse Criminelle but it was created 70 years before! It has all the natural and rich aspect of Carnal flower and the deadly amazing start of Serge Lutens - methyl salicylate, eucalyptus with a green very natural hyacinth undertone. The most amazing about it is the combination of absolutes - tuberose from France (different from the Indian used today) and jonquil with its honey liquor and some French jasmine. Because it's a soliflore there is no other disturbing/contrasting note. The peach-coconut is very soft, the orange flower is light with a very spicy touch like in Origan. On the drydown there is a very thin ambery note (opoponax base + elemi resinoide) and something like celery (used in old tuberoses). It's incredible and a must smell for any tuberose lover. It's 100% modern and could be sold today with no trouble (only price).
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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art
