By Dane
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to write about this one. I guess it's a bit of a sleeper...not overly complex or weird. A basic staple in my wardrobe though, like the perfect black tshirt.
If you've scoured the Internet for the best rendition of Osmanthus, you'll come across a few repeats - Ormonde Jayne's (more citrus to my nose); Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan (more tea); and some classics like Patou's 1000 (more LotV). TDC's is perfection for me - a lovely citrus topnote, followed by the star ingredient, drying down to more of that in a lower octave.
Lovely, simple stuff that avoids everything I dislike generally - overt soapiness, sweetness, and plastic-laden synthetics. A basic that's shouldn't be overlooked, and the best osmanthus money can buy.
Sidenote - Another repeated theme in the online reviews is the lack of longevity. "Gone in a flash"; "Can't smell anything!"...I was worried when I read these tidbits because it's not uncommon for companies to reformulate over the years, and I had an original bottle. When that ran out (yes, I actually finished something), I opted for a sample to confirm the stories. When it arrived*, I was shocked...it literally smelled of nothing! I quickly emailed TDC to see what the issue was. They responded promptly, offering to send me a fresh sample. Well, that never arrived, so I scoured my sources and ordered an old-stock bottle. I have enough to last me now, and I've yet to confirm what the issue was with that particular sample. Please comment if you have any insight.
Year: 2001
Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena
Notes:osmanthus fragrans (China), leaf green, bergamot, orange, tangerine, rose, rose bay, castoreum, hay, musk
*Sourced from Luckyscent
After trying this from a tester at Barney's, where it seemed nicely leathery, I ordered a small decant and now I find I dislike it -- it feels very thin and fleeting as well as soapy and synthetic. It hadn't occurred to me that they changed the formula; I thought I'd just gotten the wrong impression from my first sampling. But maybe the formula's been cheapened.
ReplyDeleteDon't know The Different Company's variation on the Osmanthus theme, but the Hermes was very nice indeed: a perfect milky tea. Except that drydown is not a concept, as is apparently the case regarding the reformulation of TDC's version. I don't understand the concept of fragrances opting out of anything reminiscent of longevity; what's the point? And the intention? If something is worth doing then it's worth smelling a half hour later. So many scents could take lessons from Duro or Antaeus or CdG2, all scents with 72-hour drydowns.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post,
Michael
Your depiction puzzles me a little. Because for me, Osmanthus smelled for a good part of soapy aldehyde (likely to no22 aldehyde overture).
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem as a daily manly perfume. Still nice, in the citrus squeaky clean range.
Maybe they did change the formula.
Do you really get no aldehyde?
Elisa - it could well be a reformulation, although I don't have a new sample to compare, so I can't be certain of anything. Several other possibilities could be likely.
ReplyDeleteMichael - TDC's rendition is similar to Hermes' topnote (same perfumer of course). I like Hermes', but I *love* TDC's. And I agree on the lack of longevity. Sometimes I worry that to make something last longer they'll only just lose the plot though, so I'm sure they have their reasons.
Hygiefollower - I don't catch any aldehydes in Osmanthus (which doesn't mean there isn't any), and I've definitely read others mention a soapiness. I catch a bit, but not enough to scare me off. I happen to like it as a daily-wearer, but I'm not necessarily the epitome of manliness either. ;)
Dane:
ReplyDeleteThis use to be a very good Osmanthus accord rendition.
And I have tried the current version in sample form from the company itself, two different boutiques and from a tester in a major store in last one year.
The results (for me) are disappointing.....
1. The perfume does begin by smelling what it use to be, provided you POUR it on yourself. It feels as if it has been watered down.
2. But, here is the drawback, *unlike my 2002 bottle*, overdosing this version has a definite drawback. It leaves an irritating synthetic (polycyclic musks) aftertaste.
3. And yes, this is true, the scent was gone within an hour, though mind you, I was thankful considering the odd dry-down.
However, my quibble with TDC is not just limited to this perfume. Un Parfum d'Ailleurs et Fleurs and Sublime Balkiss don't last either on skin or blotting paper.
I had tested Racine from Maitre Parfumier et Gantier the same day I tested the above three from TDC. Racine-blotter was still sitting at my desk, smelling even richer than before one week later.
Very interesting Ash! (and thanks for doing all the leg-work!)
ReplyDeleteThat's disappointing to hear. I sprayed Osmanthus on this morning, and it's still going strong. Mind you, you have to get very close to smell it, but it's definitely still there. I'm not well versed in all the musks out there, but I can't say I smell any at all in my bottle.
Oh well...I guess, like Rose Poivree, someone may have tampered with JCE's original beauty. I'm glad I have enough to last a lifetime.