Carnal Flower is the latest fragrance release from Frederic Malle Editions de Parfums. Perfumer Dominique Ropion reportedly spent more than 2 years perfecting the formula, and it is said to have the highest concentration of tuberose of any perfume on the market. Other notes include bergamot, melon, eucalyptus, ylang-ylang, jasmine, white musk cocktail, coconut, and orange blossom absolute.
Carnal Flower opens on heavy green notes, evoking the fragrance of crushed stems and leaves over mild citrus. As the tuberose begins to peek though, the green notes fade into camphor, but it is very soft; it warms and dulls the heady floral notes without calling attention to itself. Likewise, the notes that sounded so worrisome to me in the advance notices — the coconut, the melon, the Juicy Fruit gum that Frederic Malle mentioned as an inspiration — all are mere whispers, hardly worth the mention…
