Immortelle is one of my favorite perfume ingredients. It doesn’t get used as much as I’d like because it is a tricky ingredient to use. It has a unique scent profile I compare to maple syrup. A perfumer must use care because it can become an overwhelming note. Which is why in many perfumes which feature immortelle there is a set of spices to act as a contrast. It was why Parle Moi de Parfum Mile High 38 interested me as it took an entirely different approach.
Michel Almairac
Parle Moi de Parfum is the brand owned by perfumer Michel Almairac. Ever since 2016 he has been producing perfumes which highlight a minimalist aesthetic. As part of the current transparency trend I have found the fragrances in this collection to hit the right balance of opacity and uniqueness. Mile High 38 continues that. It is especially impressive that it is achieved using a note like immortelle.
Another unique aspect to his perfume is the use of pineapple as the other keynote. When I saw that I was thinking this was going to go way too sweet. M. Almairac has proven over time that those concerns I have on paper evaporate once I have the finished product in hand.
That pineapple is what I first smell on application. This is not the kind of greener less restrained pineapple I was expecting. This was a big juicy wedge of pineapple with the liquid dripping off it. The immortelle starts combining with it rapidly. I expected this was going to spiral out of control into a sweet mess. The immortelle is held in abeyance by the pineapple. The fruitiness finds a harmony with the immortelle where they come together in a beautiful accord. The maple syrup nature goes so well I almost want to try pouring a little bit on a pineapple ring to see if it tastes as good as it smells. A dark patchouli adds in a faux-chocolate sweetness while tonka bean creates a toasty warmth in the final stages.
Mile High 38 has 12-14 hour longevity and average sillage.
I think I must quit being grumpy about pineapple as a perfume ingredient. What I need to do is enjoy what can be created in the hands of a perfumer looking to do something different with it. To that end M. Almairac showed me there is a new way for me to enjoy my immortelle; on a top of a juicy pineapple.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample I purchased.
–Mark Behnke
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