More Year of the Dragon: Passage d'Enfer Extrême Dragon from L'Artisan Parfumeur. "To mark the Lunar New Year 2024, the emblematic Passage d'Enfer Extrême is unveiled in a new collector's edition, under the sign of the Wood Dragon. L'Artisan Parfumeur pays him homage, adorning the mystical fragrance with gold. The Eau de Parfum reveals unsuspected warm and woody facets of incense blended with the whiteness of sandalwood and the languour of vanilla." $230 for 100 ml at L'Artisan Parfumeur USA.
A lemming for fans of Serge Lutens L’Orpheline: a new limited edition collector bottle. "An elegant puppeteer seems to be pulling the strings of a delicate and ethereal ballerina. The destiny of the graceful young girl – suspended precariously mid-air – lies between the spidery fingers of this tall, slender dandy, doomed as she is to her inevitable fate! And yet, is it so clear which one of the two is the executioner and which one the hapless victim? Looking closer, isn’t she also pulling the strings on her end, imperceptibly guiding the movements of the puppeteer’s emaciated fingers? L’orpheline, the fascinating incarnation of all our illusions! When reality surfaces from behind appearances, when all our certainties begin to come undone, she evaporates in a mysterious and perplexing cloud of incense." $185 for 50 ml at Serge Lutens.
Guerlain inaugurates a new series of annual numbered edition bottles dedicated to the Lunar New Year. We begin with the dragon for 2024, designed by Parisian jeweller Francesco Truscelli and decorating the bee bottle for Neroli Outrenoir. 1855 were made, in 125 ml with 30 ml travel spray. Contact Guerlain if you want one (I do not know the price or if they will be sold online, if you know, do comment).
The 2023 Harrods Bear from Estée Lauder: "Allow Harrods Bear to introduce you to a blend of rose, lily, tuberose, citrus and wood. Created exclusively for Harrods, Estée Lauder presents its Beautiful Eau de Parfum as a Harrods Bear solid compact, evoking a feeling of wonder. This limited edition collectable is the perfect gift; accompanied by a safekeeping velvet pouch, it brings the fragrance of a thousand flowers to life when delicately touched upon your pulse points." £270 for 5g at Harrods.
The perfect perfumista stocking stuffer: 7 ml miniatures from Maria Candida Gentile, €20 a pop. They've also got a gift set of four 15 ml (your choice!) Eau de Parfum travel sprays for €148, or a set of 16 for €592.