Brioni Les Extraits, Chanel Pour Monsieur, L’Entropiste Ensang Noir and other reviews

Foxes, wolves and serpents — just three of the creatures that came up in my recent set of Love At First Scent episodes, during which I covered new releases from L’Entropiste, Gucci and Nos Republic, amongst others. Here are links to all the videos, followed by further thoughts on some of the perfumes: Gucci Muschio Mineralis, L’Entropiste Ensang Noir, Puente Lilith, Francesca Bianchi Once Upon A Time, Nos Republic Cor Serpentis reviews — Brioni Les Extraits reviews — Homework showcase review — Chanel Pour Monsieur, Caron Le Troisieme Homme reviews.

Perfumes and timestamps for the video at the top of this post
Gucci Muschio Mineralis (Mathilde Bijaoui & Julie Masse) 2:58
Francesca Bianchi Once Upon A Time (Francesca Bianchi) 16:06
Puente Lilith (Eliam Puente) 27:21
L’Entropiste Ensang Noir (Bertrand Duchaufour) 35:49
Nos Republic Cor Serpentis (Stephanie Bakouche) 46:08

Labdanum Brut (Mylene Alran) 7:10
Encens Mineral (Nisrine Bouazzaoui Grillié) 13:17
Papyrus Eternel (Alexis Dadier) 21:55
Iris Exquis (Michel Almairac & Karine Vinchon) 24:26

Water 4:17
Wood 7:21
Metal 9:57
Earth 13:29

Caron Le Troisieme Homme (Francoise Caron) 1:45
Chanel Pour Monsieur edt (Henri Robert) 9:07

I do wish I could find out who composed the Homework scents, just so I could thank them for giving us such a clear-sighted, uncynical collection. I was taken with Fire when I reviewed it a few weeks ago, and I’m equally impressed with Earth. Like the former, it evokes its element partly in the expected, obvious ways — patchouli features heavily in its construction — but it also presents several surprises, chiefly a cardamom note that achieves an endearing sense of uplift and reminds the wearer that ‘earth’ is not merely what is beneath our feet. The world at and above eye level is just as important a part of the whole. Metal is praiseworthy too, for the ingenious way it lends bay and lime a gleaming, silvery sheen. Do try to get this brand’s discovery set if you can.

At first I thought the finest of the Brioni extraits would turn out to be Iris Exquis, but the prominent woody ambers in its base are a disappointment. Instead, the thumbs up goes to Papyrus Eternel. I’ve written and said several times in the past that ‘tea’ in perfumery tends not to bear much resemblance to the leaves and the beverage we encounter in real life. But every now and then, when a convincing tea note comes along, it’s a joy. Top marks to Alexis Dadier for achieving this feat here.

Puente Lilith sees Eliam Puente in characteristically retro-loving mode with a composition that keeps flitting back and forth between silence and assertiveness. I can’t say I’m as enamoured with it as I have been with some of his other works — is there something a touch shapeless about the spicy-woody rose heart? — but I’m sufficiently intrigued to want to keep returning to it. Bertrand Duchaufour’s Ensang Noir for his own L’Entropiste brand is equally fascinating. On one level, it’s the master’s take on Malle Portrait Of A Lady, but it’s certainly no mere clone, utilising chilly, inky, iced-incense facets to suggest that the subject of this particular portrait might be none other than the Snow Queen herself. Strange and aloof, but undeniably compelling.

Persolaise

[Review samples of the Gucci, Puente, Francesca Bianchi, Nos Republic and Brioni were provided by the brands; the remainder were obtained by me.]

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