In the last eighteen months, I have received eight different collections from well-known brands focused on soliflores. I am not sure what set off this latest competition among brands but it has become a persistent force in fragrance. I can believe that it is thought among these brands that simple perfumes focused on high-quality single materials will have appeal to those wanting their perfume easy. For the most part this has been the case. There hasn’t been skimping on the focal point notes but no-frills perfumery can lack for the presence of those details. The latest version of this is the six-member collection called Boucheron La Collection.
The analogy I use when approaching these kind of fragrances is of a single note which acts as a diamond in the middle of a setting where a few tiny gems enhance the overall effect. Boucheron La Collection has done a good job of using ingredients which qualify as olfactory diamonds. The five perfumers who worked on the six perfumes have also crafted fine settings for these raw materials to shine within. Except the problem is the subtle grace notes don’t really change the equation that whatever is on the bottle is essentially what you will be smelling for the length of time these last on your skin. The orris in Iris de Syracuse is lovely. The oud in Oud de Carthage is darkly compelling. Amber D’Alexandrie is a golden amber. Vanille de Zanzibar captures the depth of vanilla. Tubereuse de Madras is a creamy version of that white flower. These are straightforward, nice, and no different from one or more from the previous seven collections. There was one which I enjoyed the most; Neroli D’Ispahan.
Fabrice Pellegrin
I have recently become much more interested in neroli focused perfumes. One reason is excellent neroli has a green counterbalance to the floral nature. For Neroli D’Ispahan perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin sourced a neroli which displays that. A dual-natured note like neroli is a good place to begin with a soliflore because one ingredient acts like two. This is what happens here. M. Pellegrin sets up the neroli front and center. To that a pinch of green cardamom, elemi, and ginger buck up the green. Baie rose, labdanum, and patchouli do the same to the floral side. None of the notes listed in the last two sentences persist for any appreciable time. They are there to add the sparkle to the gem that is the neroli in the heart, which they do.
Neroli D’Ispahan has 8-10 hour longevity and moderate sillage.
I have a hard time believing the marketplace can bear the amount of luxury soliflores that are now out there. Especially since they are sort of indistinguishable from each other. There is no brand identity at play in something as facile as a soliflore. Which makes for a problem when brands want to claim the space as the most luxurious soliflore. The consumer will show whether there is an appetite to keep this soliflore arms race on its current trajectory. Boucheron La Collection, especially Neroli D’Ispahan, is the latest launch; I sort of hope détente is not far off.
Disclosure: This review is based on samples provided by Boucheron.
–Mark Behnke
