As I said in my 2010 retrospective,
Exploring fragrances as they launch is exciting, but no more so than exploring the glorious back-log of wonderful scents still available from years past.
Here are some members of that back-log that I plan to explore in the new year:
Jacomo Silences, recommended by Tarleisio, reviewed by Victoria.
Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé
L’Artisan Parfumeur L’Eau d’Ambre, recommended and reviewed by Birgit.
Malle´s Musc Ravageur
Tauer’s Rose Vermeille (and the rest of the Tauer line)
Rochas Tocade
Also by L’Artisan, which I didn’t get to in 2010, Cœur de Vétiver Sacré
Genre: Green! My signature scent during my late-teens and early twenties was Gap Grass. Unsophisticated, but got the job done. I haven’t properly explored the Green fragrance category yet, but I will this year.
In 2011, I plan to better familiarize myself with the independent and natural perfumers.
At the top of my list:
Rose en Bos, a new kid on the block from of South Africa;
Olympic Orchids Artisan Perfumes, In my own Pacific Northwest backyard;
Latherati, at home in Rome, New York;
Ava Luxe, who got her start in my old stomping ground, Providence Rhode Island;
DSH Perfumes, in beautiful Boulder, Colorado;
Aftelier Perfumes, the brand of world-renown natural perfumer and author Mandy Aftel;
Ayala Moriel Parfums, another PNW perfumer!
Above image, mine. Bottom image borrowed from Rose en Bos.
beauty on the outside 
I love lists!
Many lovely scents here, I am sure you will love Musc Ravageur, since you recommended L’Ombre Fauve to me once. I am with you on exploring the green facet, starting next week on OT (sorry that was not meant as advertising ;))
There’s another poll for us: “How many perfumista’s are compulsive list-makers?” LOL.
I don’t care for musk in the broad sense, but I think that this will be one of the one’s that will work for me… can’t wait to find out!
Advertise away— I look forward to reading the upcoming series!
To everyone else, get yourselves over to Olfactoria’s Travels for a good read! 😉
Green, green, the wonderful green! Once upon a time my all-time favorite category – and it’s still in my top three! (It’s also my favorite color!) I think you might like Silences. I know I love it!
Hermèssence Ambre Narguilé gives me pause for thought. Did I or did I not once see it referred by March of Perfume Posse as ‘The Nazgul’??? I used to hate, detest and loathe amber. Then I said hello to Ambre Sultan. It’s been a downhill, slippery slide ever since.
Some day, some way, I might grow sophisticated enough to appreciate musk as the focus of a perfume, as opposed to an instrument in the orchestra. I. Just. Ain’t. There. Yet. Muscs Kublai Khan was so frightening, I still haven’t recovered. But if I could grow to love amber…
Like you, I have plans to explore the world of natural perfumes – starting with Olympic Orchids (of course!), but also Via del Profumo, where there are far too many choices – and far too little cash! 😉
The story of our lives, right? 😉
Having loved a grassy-soliflore, it feels a little weird not being better-versed in this category as a card-carrying ‘fumie. Green is my favorite color too! My wedding colors were tiger-lily orange and grass-green, to the dismay of many. 🙂
The Nazgul! Yes! That’s actually what pushed me over the edge wanting to try it! Ha. Amber was one of those things that I had formerly associated with the “hippie” scent (along with patchouli and some of the resins), but I’m long past that and well into, “must smell everything with amber because I’m an amber fiend” territory. Downhill rides are the best, no?
Musk. ***heebie jeebies*** I’m not a fan of musk in general, but this one has really caught my attention. In some incarnations I love the note, in most, it’s nothing but hate. As Birgit said earlier, Hope springs eternal!
Imagine my surprise when I realized that the lemming YOU induced was for a perfume practically in my own back-yard. From Washington, to Denmark, to Oregon. LOL!
I’ve only smelled, and acquired, Balsamo della Mecca, but it’s become a love. Carol’s reviews of the line over at WAFT have definitely piqued my interest for more…
🙂
Ah. Balsamo della Mecca. My gateway drug. I only own a tinny, tiny sample (although that won’t last past my birthday!), but I was sold! And Carol’s fascinating discussion with Abdes Salaam was riveting stuff. The things I never knew! For instance, that my love of galbanum could indicate a need for grounding and balance – or that my current infatuation with orange blossom is an anti-depressant in action. It’s January. Ya think? 😉
Whatever the case – or the extent of my own obsession – this will be the year I shall be a double threat – in terms of sillage and verbiage! Watch out, world!
Yay for verbiage! “Quantum Demonolgy” has earned a coveted “tab that never gets closed” spot on my desk-top; I can’t tell you how much pleasure it’s giving me.
The discussion with Abdes Salaam was wonderful! It was so exciting to have a “conversation” with a perfumer I respect. I hope to see more of that type of dialogue between perfumer and perfume-lover in the new year.
BdM really grew on me; the first time I tried it I thought, “ugh!” Now I’m down to about 2mL from a 10mL bottle split–which, as you know, when you have a sizable collection, that’s a lot of wear!
I think our bodies know what we need, even if we consciously don’t—like how we’ll crave certain foods when we have a nutritional deficiency, without ever thinking, “I need more niacin.” Olfaction seems to work in the same way—in my super-unqualified opinion :).
I love lists. I’d keep a list of lists, if I allowed myself. Rose Vermeille and DSH line as a whole are on my list for 2011 too.
Marina, I hear you. My book of “lists” is heavy cream stock, hand-sewn into finely tooled leather; the sort of thing *normal* people reserve for poetry and grander pursuits. 🙂