I live in the Washington DC metro area which means we take cherry blossoms seriously. There is a month-long festival. The local news keeps us updated on the state of the cherry trees around the Tidal Basin letting us know when peak bloom will arrive. It is the spring version of determining peak leaf color in the fall. Mrs. C and I visit every year but to avoid the crowds we go at night when there is moonlight to enjoy them by. I find this a magical moment stolen in the urban landscape. For me there is a delicacy to the cherry blossoms which is rarely captured in fragrance; L’Occitane Fleurs de Cerisier Eau Fraiche does a nice job of it.
The Fleurs de Cerisier collection began in 2007 and has been followed up with annual flankers. I have never warmed to any of the releases because I’ve always felt they miss the natural transparency of the cherry blossoms in real life. It was why I had to do a double take to make sure I had sprayed on a strip what I thought I did. I expected an intense fruity floral and instead found a feather light version.
I may like seeing the cherry blossoms by moonlight, but the unnamed perfumer was channeling a sunny spring day. The perfume opens with lemon and grassy notes providing sunlight on the sward. Then as if I am walking up to the grove; a breeze brings the cherry blossom scent from afar. Over time it grows in intensity but never crossing the line into too-sweet floral. A set of florals provide fresh support as peony, heliotrope, and jasmine keep the heart accord opaque. There is also a slight aquatic shimmer underneath it all; which fits my sense of taking a walk in the local grove. The freshness becomes expansive as a set of white musks provide that effect. Cedar keeps it slightly green as a spring scent should.
Fleurs de Cerisier Eau Fraiche has 8-10 hour longevity and average sillage.
It looks like I won’t have to rely on my local news to determine the peak cherry blossom days anymore. All I will have to do is spray some Fleurs de Cerisier Eau Fraiche.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample from L’Occitane.
–Mark Behnke
