Colognoisseur 2016 Year-End Review Part 3- The Top 25 New Perfumes of the Year

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This year I tried 680 new perfumes which wasn’t even half of all the new perfume that was released. The Top 25 below represent the top 3.7% of all that I tried.

Alessandro Brun, Me, and Riccardo Tedeschi (l. to r.) of Masque Milano

The Top 5 (Perfume of the Year Candidates)

5. Thierry Mugler Angel Muse– Two of the most iconic landmark fragrances ever took it upon themselves to re-invent themselves for a new generation. Perfumer Quentin Bisch didn’t just change the gourmand template begun with 1992’s Angel he sent it off in an entirely new direction with Angel Muse. It is easy to see Angel Muse as a softer unplugged version of Angel with its vetiver and hazelnut cream core. If you look at it that way you miss the complete transformation of the pyramid without ever being anything less than a relative of the original.

4. Faths Essentials Green Water– I love the original Jacques Fath Green Water it is one of my favorite perfumes no matter what year. I worked hard to find as pristine a vintage bottle as I could. Which was why when I sat down to try the Cecile Zarokian supervised re-formulation I expected a watered-down shadow. Instead I found probably the best re-formulation of a classic vintage perfume I can recall. It started with the simplest of choices not skimping on the concentration of neroli oil; matching the percentage in the original. This was not economical but Mme Zarokian convinced creative director Raina Naim it was necessary. In many ways, the fresh snappy quality of the 2016 version is more appealing than the well-aged and macerated vintage versions. There is a time and place for both but there is no embarrassment having them side-by-side on my shelf.

3. The Different Company Adjatay– Simple was the by-word with the 2016 release from The Different Company. Creative Director Luc Gabriel had gone on a trip and left some actual tuberose in his well-worn leather traveling case. When he took it out again he realized that smell he encountered needed to become a perfume. He asked Alexandra Monet to find the balance between tuberose and leather he had experienced. It is an ever-evolving battle through the early going with tuberose on top at first before the leather gains the upper hand finally achieving a balance between the two. If it wasn’t for Adjatay my luggage would all have tuberose inside.

2. Zoologist Perfumes Bat– Almost literally the first new perfume I tried in 2016. From that point every one of the successive perfumes I tried had a very difficult bar to hurdle. Owner/creative director Victor Wong continuing his efforts of working with the best artisanal perfumers collaborated with Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids. Dr. Covey had done some field studies of bats in the wild and had a good idea what should be in Bat. Mr. Wong creditably allowed Bat to evolve into a perfume which was true to both of their visions. I have had the most fun handing Bat to people throughout the year. Most gravitate to it immediately; but it is the ones who at first are unsure and over time keep returning to the strip before finally picking up the sample and spraying it on that make me smile widest. Bat is everything Independent Niche Perfumery should be about.

1. Masque Milano L’Attesa– For a more detailed description why see Part 2 of my year-end review. L’Attesa was another example of a creative team and a perfumer willing to risk pushing boundaries and succeeding wildly.

Here are the rest of the Top 25 in Alphabetical Order

Aeon 001– Another early year release all about a unique take on smoky vetiver. The name of the perfumer was held back until it sold out. When it turned out to be Bogue Profumo’s Antonio Gardoni it wasn’t a giant surprise.

Amouage Lilac Love– I have lauded creative director Christopher Chong for defining the boundaries of perfumery. Working with perfumers Nathalie Lorson and Elise Benat he turned Lilac Love into a gentle lilac tinted nudge towards the greater Amouage collection while maintaining that DNA.

Arquiste El & Ella– My only cheat this year but I couldn’t separate the two new releases from Arquiste. Creative director Carlos Huber and perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux take us back to 1970’s Jet Set Acapulco for a hot night contrasting chypre, Ella, and fougere El, all reflected through a mirror ball of cardamom and honey.

Atelier Cologne Citron D’Erable– Jerome Epinette’s twenty-third perfume for Atelier Cologne finds creative directors Sylvie Ganter-Cervasel and Christophe Cervasel saluting Canada with a mixture of maple syrup and citrus. It makes Citron D’Erable a citrus cologne for cold weather.  

Atelier des Ors Iris Fauve– This probably should have been number 5A on this list; that’s how close it was to being in the Top 5. Creative director Jean-Philippe Clermont continues his collaboration with perfumer Marie Salamagne to create the best of this very good brand, to date, with this musky iris that warms the soul.

Byredo La Botte– The Night Veils Collection within Byredo was begun late in 2015. This year the three releases explored the different versions of leather. Creative director Ben Gorham and perfumer Jerome Epinette turned the one celebrating the leather boot into a real kick.

Cadavre Exquis– There were many interesting collaborations in the indie artisanal world this year. Antonio Gardoni and Bruno Fazzolari did a trans-Atlantic examination of the gourmand. It provocatively reminds you that camphor is a gourmand note. Everything I love about the artisanal mindset is on display here.

Chanel No. 5 L’Eau– Scariest press release line of the year “Chanel No. 5 re-interpreted for a younger generation”. Olivier Polge showed me my fear was misplaced with a fresh take on the grand parfum that lost nothing and maybe gained a generation of new admirers of the brand.

Dasein Winter Nights– Another artisanal collaboration between Josh Meyer of Imaginary Authors and Sam Rader of Dasein. Making an evolution of Ms. Rader’s first release Winter in to a Holiday bonfire at Big Sur was a triumph.

Diptyque Kimonanthe– 2016 was deep in great osmanthus perfumes. Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin took an opulent osmanthus and dusted it with the Japanese powdered incense, zukoh. Kimonanthe was the best osmanthus perfume of 2016.

DS & Durga Radio Bombay– Perfumer David Seth Moltz deconstructs sandalwood in a compelling way. As the entropy takes place on my skin I kept trying to tune the signal back in which is why this was one of my favorites.

DSH Perfumes La Belle Saison– Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s work with the Denver Art Museum on their Monet installation last year led to this. La Belle Saison is Ms. Hurwitz’s version of an impressionistic lilac perfume.

Eris Parfums Night Flower– Barbara Herman is another who has successfully made the leap from enthusiast to creative director. All three of her debut Eris Parfums with perfumer Antoine Lie were excellent but it was Night Flower which really reminded me of how they used to make ‘em.

Galop D’Hermes– Even though it was the second perfume Christine Nagel released in her new post as in-house perfumer at Hermes Galop D’Hermes was where she planted her flag in the ground. By retaining the lighter tone the brand has been known for while changing it to her style made Galop the place where generations changed at Hermes.

Hiram Green Arbole Arbole– One of the best all-natural perfumes I’ve encountered in a long time by one of the most talented young independent perfumers, Hiram Green. The smell of being high in an olive tree next to a fresh-faced girl wearing powder. I have spent hours enjoying the places in between in this perfume.

House of Matriarch Kazimi– Christi Meshell has made the courageous move with her independent brand House of Matriarch bringing it to Nordstrom’s all over the US. With Kazimi she is leading with some of her best work ever. Fingers crossed some of the mall shoppers agree with me.

Jul et Mad Secrets du Paradis Rouge– The continuing story of Jul et Mad co-founders Julien Blanchard and Madalina Stoica-Blanchard continues into their honeymoon with this perfume of travel and love composed by Luca Maffei.

Laboratorio Olfattivo MyLO– Creative director Roberto Drago working with perfumer Luca Maffei creates a carnal lily more in keeping with O’Keeffe than the funeral home.

Olfactive Studio Close-Up– I have long worn this brand’s Lumiere Blanche as my favorite. Close-Up has replaced it as creative director Celine Verleure and perfumer Annick Menardo combine cherry, tobacco, coffee, and patchouli into something I want to keep close-up all the time.

Puredistance Sheiduna– I appreciate brands which are willing to change a well-known architecture. Creative director Jan Ewoud Vos and perfumer Cecile Zarokian take the traditional Oriental and dry it out with abandon. Never has the Orient seemed so modern.

The Final Cuts (The 20 perfumes which just missed the Top 25)

Aedes de Venustas Greandille D'Afrique– Fabulous woody fougere

Aftelier Memento Mori/ Amber Tapestry– The most dynamic yin and yang set of 2016

April Aromatics Agartha– Peace and harmony in a bottle

Aroma M Vanilla Hinoki– Geisha at rest

Comme des Garcons Blackpepper– Reminder of the old Series collection

Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon– Best Buy of 2016

Gabriela Chieffo Maisia– Chiaroscuro fig

Homoelegans Quality of Flesh– Francis Bacon lives!…in a perfume

Jo Malone Basil & Neroli– Amazing callback to the origins of the brand

L'Envol de Cartier– Honey coated soap bubble

Le Galion Cologne Nocturne– This is what modern men should smell like

Mona di Orio Bohea Boheme– Monaesque survives and thrives

Parfums de Marly Layton– Most approachable Parfums de Marly ever

Parfums MDCI Fetes Persanes– A Persian feast of the senses

Philippe Starck Peau de Pierre– The smell of wet stone done with panache

Providence Perfume Co. Love-in-a-Mist– Best from this brand since Moss Gown

Salvatore Ferragamo Uomo– Best mainstream masculine of 2016

SJP Stash– Sarah Jessica Parker returns with a bang.

Tauer Lonesome Rider– A perfume for the wide-open spaces found in the soul

Xyrena Dark Ride– The most unique perfume of 2016 capturing a day at the water park photorealistically

 

That is it for my look back at 2016.

If you missed them Part 1 was my broad overview of the year

Part 2 was where I revealed my Perfume, Perfumer, Creative Director, and Brand of the Year.

–Mark Behnke

New Perfume Review Chanel No. 5 L’Eau- Refreshing a Classic

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Once I received the press release back in May; my most anticipated release of this year was going to be Chanel No. 5 L’Eau. This is a perfume which came with so much anticipation for me. Chanel stated this was going to be their attempt to update their classic No, 5 for a new generation. For in-house perfumer Olivier Polge this was really going to be the first mass-market release under his tenure. M. Polge did release Chance Eau Vive last year but that was really just a riff on the grapefruit, jasmine, musk axis of the original Chance by his father. No. 5 L’Eau was going to represent his first opportunity to stamp his influence on this venerable brand. With my curiosity dialed up to maximum when I had the opportunity to purchase a preview bottle last week I hopped right on it. I have spent most of the last four days intensely examining No. 5 L’Eau. Much to my surprise it is a perfume worthy of the scrutiny.

When I received my bottle, despite being assured in the press release it wasn’t, I expected a watered-down limpid imitation of No. 5. Reading through that press release it felt like Chanel was all on board with the trend of making things ultra-transparent for the Millennials. As I read M. Polge’s words talking about replacing metallic aldehydes, removing the powder, lightening up the jasmine, and decreasing the vanilla I expected the worst. Instead M. Polge has made astute decisions throughout the construction of No. 5 L’Eau. What he seems to be saying to Millennials is if you’re interested in No.5 I’m willing to meet you…half-way.

olivier polge

Olivier Polge

Throughout No. 5 L’Eau M. Polge has cleverly found substitutes for the heavier aspects of No. 5 in an attempt to modernize. It starts right from the beginning as the famous aldehydes of the original are replaced by a different set of aldehydes in No. 5 L’Eau. The main aldehyde in No.5 was a 13-carbon aldehyde, 2-methylundecanal. It has a characteristic metallic scent profile. The beauty of aldehydes is there are a whole palette for the modern perfumer to use. For No. 5 L’Eau M. Polge chose the ones which have a citrus-like scent profile; the 8-carbon and 10-carbon ones seem like the culprits here. These are matched to the actual citrus notes of mandarin, lemon, and orange. Together this comes off as a vibrant blast of pure sunshine. These aldehydes provide lift to the citrus notes as if they were champagne bubbles bearing them upward. I love this opening for honoring the past while updating everything.

Rose, jasmine, and ylang-ylang are the floral DNA of No. 5; providing its heart. For No. 5 L’Eau M. Polge does lighten things up but not so much to turn this trio of notes insipid. It starts with retaining the iconic Rose de Mai. The change comes with using one of the synthetic jasmine notes which provide that same expansiveness that the citric aldehydes did for the top accord. It also elides the indoles out of the equation allowing the depth of the Rose de Mai to do most of the floral heavy lifting. Next M. Polge chooses a fractionated part of ylang-ylang which removes the fleshiness and promotes the greener nature. It is almost lily-like but it has that ylang-ylang floralcy without the stridency lily would have brought to this. Again M. Polge has worked with the historical and turned it as expansive as it could be.

The original No. 5 ends with a beautiful woody duet of vetiver and sandalwood. Only here does M. Polge go for the obvious although it is in keeping with the expansiveness of the earlier development. Cedar replaces the sandalwood and it is joined by a suite of white linen musks. Vetiver is used more as a supporting player to those than a true equal. By going with the laundry clean musks they provide the final bit of lift which has been building from the beginning.

No. 5 L’Eau has 10-12 hour longevity and average sillage.

I don’t think I have ever been as impressed with M. Polge as I am after experiencing No. 5 L’Eau. He laid himself out there on a project where derisive laughter was the more likely outcome. Instead he took that famous society lady of No. 5 armed her granddaughter with an iPhone, a Chanel purse and sent her out into the world. I don’t know if Millennials are going to flock to this. I hope that they do. Of everything I have tried this year which has been aimed at them this is the first one which has challenged them to consider what it is that defines their personal style. My fingers are crossed that when the Holiday scoreboard is revealed at the end of the year No. 5 L’Eau is on top.

Disclosure: This review is based on a preview bottle I purchased.

–Mark Behnke

We Are the New Old Ladies

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Change is a universal constant. Resisting that change is also human nature but as futile as trying to stop the Earth rotating. Over the past few months it has become clear to me that the Baby Boomers have finally gone bust. The generation born after World War 2 was the foundation for much of the societal and cultural change from the 1960’s onward. They were so big they ruled everything. Their buying power was greater than anyone. Television ratings were tailored to 18-34 to capture their viewing habits. When it came to fragrance they were also the perfume buying generation. They changed the notion of men buying perfume for a woman as a gift to the working woman buying it for herself. For fifty years the world was theirs; and now it is not.

Over the last nine months I have been bombarded with fragrance press releases all touting their ability to cater to Millennials. This is the generation which spans the early 1980’s through the early 2000’s. This is a generation just coming into the height of their buying power. This is also the generation which will set the table for the next couple of decades at least. In 2015 they outspent Baby Boomers in the prestige beauty market according to The NPD Group. Furthermore, their spending in this sector is mostly on fragrance where the aging Baby Boomers have spent more money on skin products and makeup. The times they are a-changing.

If the brands who have been observing this same data for a lot longer have made one decision about the fragrance preference of the Millennials. They want something light and transparent. Not necessarily fresh and clean. The preponderance of these early targeted perfumes has tilted more towards sweet gourmand constructs. Which if this is what Millennials crave I can get behind. At least it isn’t an overplayed genre.

age-pyramid-boomer-millennial

Graphic via barnraisersllc.com

The most interesting press release I have received about a perfume aimed at this younger generation came from Chanel a couple weeks ago. It touted the Fall launch of a new version of No. 5 composed by in-house perfumer Olivier Polge called No. 5 L’Eau. In the press release the first paragraph speaks on how No. 5 is an “olfactory heritage” passed from “generation to generation”.

By the end of the first section it then makes the case that a new No. 5 is needed for this generation. Then it dives into what M. Polge is going to do. Change the metallic aldehydes out for citric ones. “Remove the powder from the base”. “Making the jasmine light as air.” In the next section No. 5 L’Eau is described as lighthearted and transparent. It was right then that it hit me. This generation sees No. 5 as an “old lady” perfume.

One of the most withering criticisms leveled at any fragrance is that it smells like an “old lady”. Which means outdated. Maybe too strong. Maybe also stinky and dense with extroverted components. Any fragrance given this sobriquet by a consumer is not going to be found on that person’s dressing table. Reading between the lines of the Chanel No. 5 L’Eau press release and all of the recent press releases from the brands catering to the Millennials I realized the Baby Boomer generation have become the new old ladies to them. The things we like are seen as outdated and quaint but not to be assimilated. No way.

It is paving the way for a very interesting next few years in the fragrance industry as the Millennials communicate what it is they do want through their buying power. For those of us being left behind we are going to have to turn to our independent perfume community to make some new “old lady” perfumes because while I might be one of the new “old ladies” I still want to smell like a Boomer.

–Mark Behnke