Annick Goutal L'Ile au Thé
Perfumer Isabelle Doyen; fragrance notes include mandarin, citrus, osmanthus, tea, white musk
Annick Goutal just released L'Ile au Thé, a new unisex fragrance inspired by the South Korean island of Jeju. It's true that Jeju Province produces teas and citrus, but there's nothing about L'Ile au Thé that couldn't be attributed to many locales. I could even "inspire" such a fragrance here in the Pacific Northwest, in Seattle, by wearing a classic Eau de Cologne while drinking a cup of fragrant green tea...or sipping my tea next to the blooming Buddha's hand citrus or kumquat trees in my bedroom. There's nothing "exotic" about L'Ile au Thé; it fits in perfectly with Annick Goutal's recent releases: nice fragrances that don't bare their teeth or muster much emotion beyond a wan smile. (I could almost have used Robin's review of Vent de Folie as the basis of this review.)
L'Ile au Thé goes on smelling of citrus rind and blossoms; it's a happy, if quiet, opening. I detect some fleeting osmanthus and as the fragrance develops I certainly smell the promised tea...a pleasant note that veers between the scent of a liquid cup of green tea and the aroma of dried tea leaves. White musk extends the life of the light citrus and tea notes, without adding any "laundry room" smell.
There's nothing to dislike about L'Ile au Thé; but there's nothing to get excited about either. I hope it's a great seller for the brand...and that Annick Goutal uses the success/proceeds to make something more interesting next time; at this point, I'd be happy with a challenging and quirky limited edition fragrance from Annick Goutal.
Annick Goutal L'Ile au Thé Eau de Toilette (average lasting power/white musk sillage) is available in 50 ml ($105) and 100 ml ($149).
Salvatore Ferragamo Vendemmia
Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin; fragrance notes include citron, grape, peach, fig, jasmine, sandalwood, tonka bean
So far, I've only tried one fragrance from the Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Soul Quintessential Collection — Vendemmia (inspired by Tuscan vineyards); it was love at first sniff. Vendemmia reminds me of the outdoors: an entire landscape/memory-scape of scent opened up to me as I sniffed it: I remembered my father's coastal Virginia garden in summer, its grape arbor drooping with ripe fruit, a circle of fig and peach trees, a vegetable plot near a wheat field that was bordered by pine woods. I was in charge of cutting the thick (weed-filled) grass, so I'll add the twangy aroma of cut grass to Vendemmia's mix; the grass smelled a bit like fuzzy tomato leaf, melon and bitter dandelion flowers.
Vendemmia tosses notes (and moods) right and left: there's bright, fun, creamy citron, warm, ripe grapes, lively greens (fig leaf, grass), mellow woods and pungent vetiver (or so I think) mixing with toasted tonka beans (this accord smells nutty and edible). Add to these a whiff of sandalwood, a blossoming jasmine vine. I could not keep my nose from my skin; let's say Vendemmia hit a personal "accord."
Do comment if you've tried other perfumes worth sniffing from this collection.
Salvatore Ferragamo Tuscan Soul Quintessential Collection Vendemmia is a rich, long-lasting fragrance with excellent sillage; it's available in 75 ml Eau de Toilette; $190.
Acqua di Parma Colonia Ambra
(centered around the aroma of ambergris)
Acqua di Parma Colonia Ambra (from the brand's Ingredient Collection) is a sorbet version of classic (ice cream) amber. Colonia Ambra is linear, but within its sleek formula are interesting twists: a drop of motor oil; sheer, almost talc-y, leather; and bracing ambergris (think rich amber diluted with equal parts sea water and vintage/barbershop after shave lotion). This is one amber that would be great to wear in summertime (more "formal" than your typical summer citrus). Only far into the dry down will you detect vanillic-patchouli-musky/woody amber (and it's subdued and sheer). Colonia Ambra is one "ambergris" perfume without annoying/typical "marine" notes; it would be a great substitute for your average sport fragrance (though a bit pricey, I admit).
Acqua di Parma Colonia Ambra Eau de Cologne Concentrée (good lasting power and sillage) is available in 100 ml ($220) or 180 ml ($276).
Note: middle image of an Italian vineyard [cropped] and bottom image of a whale via Wikimedia Commons.
I want to try all 3, will probably only encounter the AdP and AG if I am lucky. Great reviews! 🙂
girardEAU: Thanks…the Ferragamos seem in very limited distribution, which is too bad.
Kevin: thanks for the brief reviews. I’m sure I’ll want to try the Goutal, but I agree that I’d like something challenging too. What you said about tea and place reminds me specifically about when I briefly lived in Tigard OR and only a few blocks from the Stash production warehouse. When they blended the licorice tea you could smell it for blocks and even into my apartment! That was pretty cool. I always liked the way it smells rather than how it tastes.
The Ferragamo sounds gorgeous!
AnnS: ah…to smell tea on the air…great!
Ann – I just got a box from Stash today! 🙂
I have only sampled the AG and for my nose it was a mix of Hadrien and eau de Camille with very little lasting power. I wonder if this is why AG discontinued Camille? (which I much prefer over Lile du The)
chocomarzipan: It’s been so long since I smelled Camille I don’t know…but this new one did remind me of Duel, but much lighter in character.
Ooh, the Vendemmia sounds spectacular. As a teenager, I spent a few summers in a cabin on the Potomac with a wonderful garden, wheat fields, and pine woods. There was grass, but of a different sort. Fie on the very limited distribution.
Holly…I had to drive up to Canada to sniff it!
Kevin, get OUT!!! (Shove included)
Perfumistas are so territorial!
Holly: with that unmanageable Vancouver traffic, it’s HARD to leave once you get in!
I thought I was doing this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02qmZyY8bI8
but have found I was doing this instead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY_DF2Af3LM
Love these short reviews of perfumes worth trying – because I am GREEDY. 😀
The mention of a grape note worries me – please tell me it’s not that artificial concord grape note that has ruined many a perfume for me but rather something more like actual grapes or grape vines.
Noz…no Welch’s grape juice…more like wine.
Googling reveals that Saks Fifth Avenue has Vendemmia online – $190 for 2.5 oz. No way to know how widely distributed it may be in stores, aside from calling one’s local store.
Kevin, you would *never* inspire a bland, insipid perfume! 😉
Great reviews. You always make me laugh. You had me at “Virginia”. Lord, I still miss that place! But of the three, the Ambra sounds the most appealing to me.
I may be biased here in the Arlington urban heat island, but I imagine that Virginia summers are best appreciated in nostalgic memory. 😉
Noz: don’t know if I could ever bear that humidity again after living out west so many years….
Noz – yeah, but I lived just “over the mountain” in Clarke Co. – beautiful rolling Blue Ridge country. Central Ky. summers are actually way worse than what I experienced in Va.
Yes, it’s way cooler with some elevation, and the midwest is subject to such extremes.
Rappleyea: thank you! I appreciate that….
Kevin, I have another question about Vendemmia, please. It sounds like it’s more “natural” than most department store designer perfumes these days. I don’t mean like an all-natural perfume, but relatively speaking. Is that accurate?
(Of course, at that price, I guess it should be comparable to Guerlain Derby, etc.)
noz: I know what you mean, and, “YES!”
As ever, I’d be happy if AG just brought back Camille – as long as it was in its original form!
Carolyn…well then, let’s add Eau de Fier and Monsieur to the reissue list!