Rogue Perfumery Chypre Siam

Chypre Siam is a whimsical, creative, and original take on the classical chypre genre. Manuel Cross, a former chef of 25 years, whisks up Thai cuisine with the zingy, zesty, bitter freshness of South East Asia’s Kaffir lime, aromatic green basil, the heat of fiery red chili peppers, and a touch of delightful lemongrass in lieu of the traditional French top notes. Then, he deftly swerves back to the classics with lush, indolic florals in the middle and verdant oakmoss in the base along with a load of skanky civet, amber, dark nitro musk (musk ketone), and dark, occasionally medicinal, smoky leather.

I really enjoy the fun, original opening of Chypre Siam and its vibrant character that demands attention and respect. Yet, I find myself somewhat ambivalent when I consider the fragrance as a whole from start to finish.

Photo by Weerapong Chaipuck. Source: deMilked. (Direct website link to Mr. Chaipuck’s photos embedded within.)

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Rogue Perfumery Tuberose & Moss

Rogue Perfumery‘s Tuberose & Moss is intended to be a tuberose chypre inspired by vintage fragrances of the 1960s but with a modern character as well. My experiences with the scent were complicated, to say the least.

Rogue Tuberose & Moss, 30 ml bottle.

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Papillon Perfumery Hera

If you’re looking for a typical bridal scent, Hera from Papillon Perfumery is unlikely to be your girl. It is far from the sort of bouquet that is commonly sought for weddings in the modern era, and it is most certainly not a delicate, demure, almost virginal, fresh floral veil suited to a young blushing bride. However, if you’re looking for a sensuous, lush fusion of a semi-vintage-skewing chypre with a modern floral oriental, then you’ve come to the right place.

Lawrence Alma-Tadma, “The Roses of Heliogabalus,” 1888. Source: WikiArt.org

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Balmain Vintage Jolie Madame – Part I: The EDT & Parfum

Balmain‘s vintage Jolie Madame — an exquisite chypre that turns into a softly animalic floral leather then into a suede-like floral — was created by the legendary Germaine Cellier but it is not one of her creations that I hear people commonly talk about, unlike Bandit, Fracas or, to a comparatively lesser extent, Vent Vert. That’s a shame because I think that Jolie Madame has a heartbreaking tenderness and delicacy which I find largely missing in those bolder, more operatic masterpieces. In essence, Jolie Madame is like Chopin or Vivaldi, not Wagner or Beethoven.

Vintage Jolie Madame parfum and EDT. Photos, collage, and bottles: my own.

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