AEDES DE VENUSTAS
Close your eyes, and imagine yourself entering a mysteriously beautiful world where the magic of
scent stirs the imagination and evokes wondrous dreams. The doors to the temple open, and the
intoxicating scent of ancient Japanese incense rushes to envelope you, intertwined with the softness
of leather. The sensuality of musk, the honeyed bitterness of strawflowers, and the voluptuous
sweetness of precious woods draw you further into the depths of the temple.
Aedes de Venustas, in collaboration with renowned French fragrance house L’Artisan Parfumeur,
presents Aedes de Venustas Eau de Parfum.
This exquisite journey began in 2005, with the groundbreaking partnership between Aedes de Venustas
and L’Artisan Parfumer. This was the first time that an upscale fragrance house like L’Artisan Parfumeur,
created and developed a product for an independent, free standing retailer, resulting in the exclusive
Aedes de Venustas candle and room spray. Created to commemorate the boutique’s 10th anniversary,
this tantalizing scent, nominated for a 2006 FiFi Award, is finding admirers the world over. Now, the
journey continues, with the introduction of Aedes de Venustas Eau de Parfum.
The spicy and vivacious fragrance, created through the vision and expertise of Bertrand Duchaufour for
L’Artisan Parfumeur, retains the woody, Oriental allure of the candle and the room scent, yet includes
new facets of spice for sparkle, chypre effect for sophistication, balsam for comfort and leather to
compliment and enhance the original fragrance.
Whereas the room spray is a more monolithic scent, meant to be enjoyed in a single harmonic rush of
fragrance, the Eau de Parfum evolves on the skin over time, leading the wearer to explore intriguing top
notes of bright orange oil, spicy pink pepper, aromatic cardamom and luxurious incense essential oil for
a lively, sparkling effect. This is followed by a rich heart of piquant black pepper, rose, iris, verdant cedarwood and incense resinoid, finishing with sophisticated base notes of patchouli, coffee, opoponax, benzoin and treemoss. Everlasting flower, white musk and a hint of vanilla provide a soft and comforting touch. The sophisticated scent vibrates with contrast and excitement, yet comes together in a hypnotic and luxurious harmony, luring you into the seductive landscape of fragrance. Welcome to the temple. Welcome to Aedes!
Aedes de Venustas co-owners, Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner, worked closely with Bertrand Duchaufour to perfect the elegant signature scent for their boutique. The result is a long-lasting and distinctive fragrance, with all the hallmarks of revered artisanal creation. Presented in a faceted burgundy glass bottle that is both beautiful and sensual to the touch, Aedes de Venustas Eau de Parfum is priced at $185 for a 3.4 oz bottle.
Available exclusively at Aedes de Venustas, 9 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014,
Release date is October 1, 2008
1-888-AEDES-15 and online at www.aedes.com.
Molinard Histoire de Chypre
By Kathy Patterson
Histoire de Chypre. The very name is perfumed by pedigree, mythos and enduring tradition. Close your eyes and imagine a perfume with a history so rich, so redolent of indescribable beauty that it instantly transports the wearer to a past infused with the collective passion of true artisan perfumers. Such a creation has emerged from Grasse, the result of an enchanting collaboration between Aedes de Venustas and Molinard’s Dominique Camilli.
Histoire de Chypre is an olfactive ode to chypre in all of her fascinating glory; her aromatic corset unlaced in refreshing notes of Bergamot, Mandarin, Neroli, Jasmine and Galbanum, the vulnerable secrets of her heart expressed in Jasmine, Bulgarian Rose, Osmanthus and precious Iris, the demure tendrils of her timeless spirit resonating in Patchouli, Oakmoss, Musk and Amber. No expense was spared in creating Histoire de Chypre, a fragrance which was fashioned from an original Molinard chypre formula dating back to the twenties. “We have kept the “heritage/spirit” of this fragrance using the finest raw materials and ingredients,” Camilli says, “A quality one does not encounter often in modern perfumery.”
- from Aedes.com
Molinard’s Histoire de Chypre, a collaboration with Aedes de Venustas, is a traditional chypre with a citrussy bergamot opening enriched with a large dose of green in the form of galbanum and the classic drydown of patchouli and oakmoss. In between, we have a lovely floral bouquet that is predominately rose to my nose, with a big hit of jasmine. There’s also a bit of spiciness in the heart, warm and cinnamony. The classical chypre combination has always struck me as smelling particularly…human…like skin and hair - a pleasantly dirty quality underneath the floral tones.
Histoire de Chypre is a familiar and old-fashioned scent yet something about it strikes me as modern. It smells of elegant women in hats and gloves, but also today’s woman in Jimmy Choo’s and Gucci bag. And like the modern woman, it’s multi-faceted, warm and cool at the same time.
Exclusive to Aedes, Histoire de Chypre comes in a classic Lalique-style bottle with bulb atomizer and retails for $225 for 100ml/3.3 oz.
Andy Tauer Vetiver Dance
Frgarance Review
A Review by Barbara M. W. vanBok
I recently had the opportunity to try out Andy Tauer’s new fragrance, Vetiver Dance. Whenever I try out a perfume, I first like to sample it on blotter paper and then will later try it on my skin. I enjoy seeing the differences in development as skin warms a fragrance and magnifies certain ingredients in a way that paper never does. While Vetiver Dance is being marketed as a Unisex fragrance, after trying it out several times, I feel it goes a bit toward the masculine end. To my nose there is an overtone of what I would consider “good masculine grooming;” shaving creams, tonics, and an earthy sensuality from the vetiver itself.
The scent opens on clear, clean and bright notes. Clary sage mingles with grapefruit giving way to a note reminiscent of green grass. Then brighter greens emerge with sharpness from the rind of citrus. Here the beginning of the fragrance is acidic, bracing, and sunny, with an undercurrent of soft, woody sweetness and earth.
Then, the brisk opening gives way quickly to a sharp rose and the greenness of spring time. On blotter paper the lily-of-the-valley note is strong, however, on my skin it takes on an initial quality of narcissus paper whites- pungently green, a little heady, but not overly sweet.
Into the heart, the lily-of-the-valley is the star of the show. This lily-of-the-valley is clean, not quite soapy, and not as sweet as some lily-of-the-valley blends can be.
As the heart notes mature and warm, the fragrance becomes more subtle and smooth. The earthiness of the vetiver begins to emerge and you can start to smell the cedar along with the rich, round notes of the tonka bean. Deep into the heart, the vetiver leads. The blend is now sweetly pungent, clean, a little green and with an overcast of astringent spiciness.
Initial dryout starts green; vetiver mixed with the sharper, clean qualities of cedar wood and supported by the mellow, almost gentle, and slightly powdery notes of ambergris and tonka bean.
Final dryout on blotter smells of sweet, deep ambergris and the intense, darker notes of cistus labdanum. On my skin, the notes of the cedar wood were amplified and therefore the drydown seemed much brighter than I had initially anticipated it would be.
If pressed to compare Vetiver Dance to another fragrance, I’d probably have to compare it to Etro’s Shaal Nur. It’s not so much that they are alike in actual odor, but there is that smooth, well-groomed, demurely Oriental quality to both.
I could see wearing this fragrance for work situations as well as more formal dress occasions. Vetiver Dance is not an over powering or overly dramatic fragrance. It is subtle enough to give an air of good taste, smooth enough to be considered sensual and I believe, would be at home in any situation calling for fragrance discretion.
Composition Notes:Grapefruit rind, black pepper, clary sage, Bulgarian rose, lily-of-the-valley, vetiver, Cedar wood, ambergris, cistus labdanum, tonka bean
Vetiver Dance by Andy Tauer
Shall We Dance?
By Victoria Austin
The restless anticipation for Andy Tauer’s latest creation is over, but the dance has just begun.
Vetiver Dance had me at hello with the first spritz. Why wait for the dry down when the first dip on the dance floor is so exquisitely dizzying? Nuzzling into my partner for more sends me floating across waves of rich, dark earthiness… almost dank. After a few exhilarating dips, my partner a turns into a bright, quick step of citrusy grapefruit peel oil and lily of the valley with quick steps of black pepper and green clary sage cutting into the dirty dancing, sexy bad boy vetiver oil. As my partner transitions me, we sway into a brilliant cedar wood forest, twirling and swirling and quickening my heartbeat.
After dancing cheek to cheek for some time on the dance floor, my partner’s perspiration begins appearing in ambergris and cistus. A bit unsettling after our initial breathless excitement of raw earthy greenness, but to be expected I suppose. We’ve enjoyed a full dance card together, and are still clinging to each other at the end of the night.
Amouage LYRIC WOMAN
Amouage is proud to announce the launch of Lyric, a deliciously dramatic
fragrance for women, inspired by the poetic beauty of that most iconic of fragrance notes – the rose.
Creative Director Christopher Chong has carefully crafted Lyric Woman to continue the music‐inspired
narrative that started with the launch of Amouage’s Jubilation last year. He explains, “Beyond the
transient beauty and purity of Lyric lingers a poignant song without beginning or end.” During the
creative process, Chong found inspiration in the beauty and drama of lyric‐spinto voice. From this, the
story of Lyric Woman was born: a fragile beauty with a rare, other‐worldly talent and her quest for
perfection and immortality. Through this story, we are reminded that there is a subliminal beauty in
every imperfection.
The fragrance has a complex and sophisticated structure, in which deep, smoky rose takes center stage
in the heart, complimented by dry, floral notes of geranium, jasmine and orris. The spiciness of
cinnamon, cardamom and ginger in the top notes lifts the fragrance, while depth is provided by
frankincense and wood notes in the base.
In its structure, Lyric is a floral fragrance, but one that introduces a dark intensity and modernity not
normally associated with this genre a perfect illustration of femininity, strength and passion.
Amouage LYRIC MAN
Amouage is proud to announce the launch of Lyric, a deep, hypnotic scent for men that explores the
darker side of the rose. Lyric’s powerful elegance is achieved through the use of the traditionally
feminine ingredient of rose, artfully combined with the warm masculinity of woods, ginger and
frankincense.
Lyric Man continues the narrative that the house of Amouage began with last years’ launch of Jubilation.
Creative Director Christopher Chong has worked to develop a dark and musical fragrance that ‘evokes
the sombre sound of eternity’ and recounts the myth of a beautiful young woman and a powerful,
mysterious man who seeks to immortalise the beauty of her voice.
Lyric Man opens with the freshness of bergamot and lime, that quickly reveal complex middle notes of
saffron, angelica, orange blossom and nutmeg, governed by a heart of smoky unusual rose. Base notes
of pine, sandalwood and frankincense lend a depth and seriousness to the fragrance, combined with the
warmth and dryness of vanilla and musk.
Aedes de Venustas introduces "Les Orientalistes" by Annick Goutal, a collection of four opulent and rich Eau de Parfums (Musc Nomade, Encens Flamboyant, Ambre Fétiche and Myrrhe Ardente).
Like the artists of old, abandon yourself to a myriad of exotic dreams... Envisage paintings of oases, hunting scenes, harems and odalisques. Delight in their warm tones, shimmering colors, intense contrasts...and let yourself be carried away.
Go back to the very source of scents. At the time when incense was lit and burned to perfume clothes with its smoke. When the bark of desert trees was stripped to extract drops of resin. When scents were enigmatic, sensual and assertive.
These priceless treasures inspired Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen. They were bewitched by the splendor, light and atmosphere; captivated by the Orient and its mysteries. They have baptized their collection "Les Orientalistes".
Encens Flamboyant, a mystical, arousing and intense scent. An ode to frankincense, masterfully blended in three formats: Frankincense essence emerges first, a distillation of tears of frankincense, whose ethereal and mineral freshness evoke cold stone. Black pepper and rose berry bring a pungency and edginess. Then comes frankincense resinoid, a warm and balmy scent, steeped in precious spices, cardamom and nutmeg. Finally, "Vieille église" frankincense deliciously burnt and warmed by woody balsam fir, welcoming and sweet, and pure extract of lentisque. Drawn from arid vegetation, it is also used in Kiphi, the prized Pharaonic perfume.
Myrrhe Ardente
Myrrhe Ardente, a precious and lustful fragrance. Homage to myrrh, blending a surging and impertinent essence with a smoother incandescent resinoid. This combination is guided by an intoxicating scent which casts a voluptuous veil over skin. A heady emanation composed of benzoin, vanilla tonka pods, almost balmy and devilishly addictive; essence of gaiac wood, soft and voluptuous; and enveloping and honeyed pure beeswax extract.
Ambre Fetiche
Ambre Fetiche, a voluptuous scent, opulent and richly textured. A luxurious interpretation of amber, brought together with a subtle mix of frankincense, labdanum and styrax. The ambiance evoked is fresh yet sweet and sensual like warm skin. This gives way to the warm and sweet fragrance of benzoin, and then the delicately powdered pure iris extract, elegant and distinguished.
Montale Red Aoud
This gourmand aoud is dominanted by a warm red pepper accord and rests on a spicy base of saffron and cumin. The delicate woody base of iris root, vetiver from Haiti, Mysore sandalwood unfold in rich layers dusted with sweet spices.
Montale Red Vetyver
The woody depth of vetiver from Haiti, cedarwood from the Moroccan atlas mountains and patchouli leaves reveal the fresh notes of grapefruit, around an invigorating heart of elemi and black pepper from Madagascar.
Aedes de Venustas
Aedes de Venustas in New York City, is a place of breathtaking beauty.
Aedes de Venustas gracious proprietors, Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner have been garnering world-wide recognition; deservedly so, among perfumista's and fragrance aficionados alike. They are official outlets for the House of Creed as well as Diptyque and numerous other lines. We also offer two new reviews of the new Andy Tauer Vetiver Dance, reviews of the new Aedes fragrance and a review of the beautiful Molinard Histoire de Chypre.
We only offer a small sampling here...for those whom are not attending this Fall Ball event, you can visit them at their extensive web site at Aedes, they have a wonderful sample program.
Raphaella's Holy Grail Homage
Amouage Homage
Amouage Homage is one of the most stunning perfumes on earth. Really. A famous perfume critic gave this a five-star review.
Due to the price and the sacred ingredients that make up Homage, understandably; there are no samples available. Homage will be distributed in a limited amount of bottles world-wide. The official launch in the US and Canada will be prior to Christmas holidays.
Amouage Homage Attar is in a 12 ml bottle and is a is a heady floral, dominated by Rose Taifi, the finest quality oil extracted from the petals of a rose. Complementing this, the finest Silver Frankincense, Tayyiba, a beautiful blend of Jasmine and Sweet Amber, Silver Oud and Al Andalus, a subtle blend of Citrus and Sandalwood.
A small drop is applied to the pulse points, and the extraordinary, multi-faceted fragrance will develop over many hours.
Look for our interview next issue with Christopher Chong, Creative Director of Amouage.
In the meantime, we can wish-and possibly sniff this as well as the gorgeous Lyric Women and Lyric Men at Aedes.
Look for full reviews next issue!
Les Orientalistes
A limited edition white leather case, which can be used as a jewelry box. By raising the lid, discover the three inkwell bottles. Each decorated with its initial, in capitals, and the sides covered in gold and light.
Ambre Fetiche, a voluptuous scent, opulent and richly textured. A luxurious interpretation of amber, brought together with a subtle mix of frankincense, labdanum and styrax. The ambiance evoked is fresh yet sweet and sensual like warm skin. This gives way to the warm and sweet fragrance of benzoin, and then the delicately powdered pure iris extract, elegant and distinguished.
Myrrhe Ardente, A precious and lustful fragrance. Homage to myrrh, blending a surging and impertinent essence with a smoother incandescent resinoid. This combination is guided by an intoxicating scent which casts a voluptuous veil over skin. A heady emanation composed of benzoin, vanilla tonka pods, almost balmy and devilishly addictive; essence of gaiac wood, soft and voluptuous; and enveloping and honeyed pure beeswax extract.
Encens Flamboyant, a mystical, arousing and intense scent. An ode to frankincense, masterfully blended in three formats: Frankincense essence emerges first, a distillation of tears of frankincense, whose ethereal and mineral freshness evoke cold stone. Black pepper and rose berry bring a pungency and edginess. Then comes frankincense resinoid, a warm and balmy scent, steeped in precious spices, cardamom and nutmeg. Finally, "Vieille église" frankincense deliciously burnt and warmed by woody balsam fir, welcoming and sweet, and pure extract of lentisque. Drawn from arid vegetation, it is also used in Kiphi, the prized Pharaonic perfume.
Diptyque was founded in 1961 by three friends, Desmond Knox-Leet, Christiane Gautrot and Yves Coueslant, all with an artistic and interior decoration background. The trio started out with a collection of printed textiles and popular English fragrance labels of the time.
In 1963, continuing an old English tradition, the company launched a line of scented candles which was the beginning of a long success story. Today Diptyque candles, as well as scented natural sprays and burning essences are available in forty-five different fragrances.
The subtle flowery, wooden and fruity notes are inspired by nature while scents such as Tuberose, Firewood, New Mown Hay, and Opopanax remain the most sought after in this delicate line of fragrances. In 1968, Diptyque expanded its product range and introduced a new line of fragrances for home and body. More than ten eau de toilettes and soaps find their origin in foreign countries like Greece, the Middle East or even simply from Provence. L'Eau is made from an ancient recipe based on orange, cinnamon and cloves. Olene combines the essence of wistaria and narcissus to lend a flowery spirit.
Two reviews...
DUCHAUFOUR TO-DIE-FOR
L’Artisan for Aedes de Venustas
Eau de Parfum
by James Dotson
Being the big incense freak that I am, I must bow down to Bertrand Duchaufour for his mastery of the smouldering resins, and here is another great one. So what’s the difference between the room spray and its new sibling, the L’Artisan for Aedes de Venustas Eau de Parfum? They both have that initial chime of silvery frankincense, that smells like a cascade of a hundred tiny bells ringing in a Himalayan monastery - a clear and sustained note that keeps on chiming for hours. And both have the distinct background immortelle, a scent that reminds me of Indian summer daisies, rattan chairs and ceylon tea. But the Eau de Parfum diverges from the start with an overlay of something darker, an accord reminiscent of Dzongkha - the inside of a hand-carved wooden box, soft and dry-spicy like a blend of cyperus root, vetiver and cedar, with splashes of warm coffee and cardamom. After awhile the divergent trails reconverge in a drydown of balsamic leather and musk.
For technical reasons, candles and room sprays must have a lot of “throw” or diffusion, so the volume on the Eau de Parfum may seem toned down in comparison to the ambient spray, which makes sense since it is meant to develop on the skin as opposed to being diffused through a large space.
L’Artisan Parfumeur Aedes de Venustas
By Kathy Patterson
Notes: orange oil, pink pepper, cardamom, incense essential oil, black pepper, rose, iris, cedarwood, incense resinoid, patchouli, coffee, opoponax, benzoin, treemoss, everlasting flower, white musk, vanilla
“The spicy and vivacious fragrance, created through the vision and expertise of Bertrand Duchaufour for L'Artisan Parfumeur, retains the woody, Oriental allure of the candle and the room scent, yet includes new facets of spice for sparkle, chypre effect for sophistication, balsam for comfort and leather to compliment and enhance the original fragrance.”
In other words – a whole lot of yum. The opening is all orange and spices, a perfume version of my favorite Constant Comment tea, but with a bit of effervescence and pepper. It also shares some qualities with the intensely-flavored cola syrup my mother used to give me to settle my stomach as a child, but is much better than the real thing.
The description on the Aedes site speaks of Japanese incense and temples, but to my nose, there is nothing contemplative or zen-like about their signature scent. It’s actually rather decadent with its deep and rich tones, beautifully and intensely spicy with an overlying honeyed sweetness and undertones of very expensive and buttery leather mingling with incense. It’s a winter scent for sure, fiery and passionate and a more than a bit opulent. And a perfect signature for the world of Aedes, a romantically dark and cozy place filled to bursting with amazing fragrances. Such as this one.
Bertrand Duchaufour
other lines at Aedes...
Interview with Jeanne Weber
Pavillon des Fleurs / Septimanie Perfumes
by Raphaella
Jeanne, can you tell us briefly about yourself? I grew up in Boston, have lived in
New York and Washington D.C., and now reside and work in the Philadelphia area
designing pleasure gardens.
Could you please tell us a bit about your background leading up to your career in perfumery?
After studying art history in college I found I could not make a living wage at either a gallery or a museum, and took a job at L’Oreal assisting the president’s assistant. I was moved upstairs to their Lancome division where I initially ordered components from vendors and later coordinated the approvals and signoffs for each element of product development, from inception to launch. It was an ideal education.
What inspired you to create this fragrance? I was inspired by old-fashioned, classic French florals that disappeared from the market, evidently because they were too costly to produce, and was never completely happy with any modern fragrance for more than a year or two. I think your readers will identify with the often fruitless search for the perfect scent. The niche perfumers have revolutionized our options as there are now countless remarkable fragrances to choose from.
What differentiates your fragrance from other fragrance lines in the niche market and makes them special? It is probably the only one that has been macerated for fourteen weeks! Also, the jasmine and ylang notes are both uplifting and aphrodisiacal.
Tell us about the fragrance you’ve created. I was adamant that the scent be as genuine as possible with the scent of real flowers and insisted on using a great quantity of natural absolutes despite the formidable cost. I did not want a perfume that changed considerably over time or on the skin and I did not want a musky or woody finish. I wanted it to be mistaken for a scented garden, and in fact I have achieved that. My greatest achievement is hearing the number of women and men who tell me they absolutely love it.
What did you find was the hardest thing about the entire process in creating perfumery and dealing with the business aspect? The most difficult aspect was finding beautiful packaging components in manageable quantities.
How did you discover the world of fragrance? Through the women in my family: my mother has always worn Joy, her mother wore only Chanel No. 5, and my other grandmother wore Bal a Versailles.
There must have been a defining moment that led you to create this and go public with it, what was that? I still don’t know what possessed me to begin the creative process. I took all my design earnings and funneled them into the perfume, and when told my mother about it after I had taken the first steps, to my surprise she actually encouraged me. In fact, all my family and friends supported my somewhat impulsive endeavor.
Tell me what you love about fragrances. I think fragrance expresses a key part of one’s identity and in time becomes as recognizable as your features. I love the idea of a signature fragrance and the strong association it creates between you and that scent.
Septimanie Perfumes Pavillon des Fleurs
Review by Raphaella Barkley
Septimanie Perfumes/ Pavillon des Fleurs is a new independent luxury perfume house founded by Jeanne Weber. This past year she launched a sensuous white floral fragrance, Pavillon des Fleurs, inspired by the ethereal scent of a nocturnal garden. Underpinned with jasmine absolute and ylang, notes of orange blossom, Lily of the Valley, English leather and Iris, and a barely suppressed hint of cloves, it bears a striking resemblance to flowers in full bloom.
This new niche company captures the scent of a romantic garden in a luxurious white floral perfume. The company was named after Septimanie, the Comtesse d’Egmont Pignatelli, who was the daughter of the Duc de Richelieu and lived at Versailles during the reign of Louis XV. Despite being a ravishing beauty, she was celebrated more for her intellect and her support of key figures of the enlightenment, including Mozart and the philosopher Rousseau.
Jeanne Weber designs masterful pleasure gardens and she believes that “The fragrant garden is sublime, and particularly so in the evening. I sought to create an irresistible and intoxicating bouquet of floral notes which would perpetually lift my mood and that of others around me, much as a garden would”.
“Luminous and supremely sensual, Pavillon des Fleurs is a radiant bouquet of white flowers laden with aphrodisiacal notes. Designed to conjure the sublime experience of the fragrant garden and achieved with great quantities of natural absolutes, this sonata of white flowers pleases and delights with the aroma of living flowers.”
Pavillon des Fleurs is a stunning fragrance. There are so many white floral fragrances appearing on the market and as a collector of "white floral" fragrances, sometimes you pause. I myself have become quiet jaded with so many new releases on the market, the majority of them so incredibly uninspiring.
Pavillon des Fleurs is my new inspiration. It is a shimmering white floral and a beautiful fragrance that is truly unique in that it smells very fresh, expensive and rich, without appearing overly sophisticated and cloying. I have never smelled a fragrance that was so green, green as a fragrant garden after a rain and the white flowers shine forth; like a bright full moon or like a burst of intense spring, knowing it will heat up as hot as any southern summer ever could.
Jeanne Weber is to be congratulated in producing such a beautiful fragrance on her first venture, an enviable feat that many do not accomplish. It is simply scrumptious.
This fragrance is available at Aedes and Takashimaya in
New York City during Fall Ball.
