“Quietly and meticulously composing a symphony, a perfect balance between art and science. Our elegance is borne from experience not artifice. Made in Britain, using the finest essential oils and essences gathered from around the world. Discover the skill and artistry that goes into the creation of a Floris fragrance. It’s a skill that has been passed down for 9 generations.….”
HOUSE: Floris
ORIGIN: UK
FRAGRANCE: 1988, Chypress, Santal
SIZE/COST: 100ml / $135-190
SOURCE: Smallflower
1988 (EDP): Like one of the most elegant soaps on a rope you may ever encounter. The name of this fragrance has a ring to it for me, the year 1988, I was only 23 years old and in art school, living in Nova Scotia. But other than that it has nothing to do with this ethereal fragrance. It just smells so clean, from another time where things seemed easier. So, yes, I guess it does harken back even though it was only released five years ago it smells a bit timeless, or of all time. Is that the same thing? Probably. I get a green screen, a scrim, a plume – and that sort of coats the entire feel of the perfume. The flowers are a lovely armful, it’s a mixed bouquet with the bounty of citrus atop, and a most definitive amber warming all its edges. The sandalwood is so familiar, hence the earlier soap reference. I loved all things nautical growing up, so the invention of hanging this via rope fit in with my boyhood schema. So, yes, this reserves a special place in the way in which scent has shaped my consciousness. It will likely have other sensations for you, but overall what you have here is exceptional and classic (and much more lasting than the soapy residue you washed down the drain this morning). (2016, 86%)
Notes: Green Notes, Galbanum, Lemon, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Cassis, Jasmine, iris, Rosemary, Thyme, Rose, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Musk, Amber
Chypress (EDT): Another ‘classic’ compositional structure here. Does its name refer to a chore express, like a locomotive serving up a steamy perfume out of Cyprus? Well, of its most traditional potion this leaves out both oak moss and labdanum, only the bergamot remains – and to be honest it does not dominate over the floral accord which is most front-facing with ylang-ylang. There are mixed citrus in the mix but its not juicy or expected, for me this is a cascade of fully bloomed stems, it’s quite heady and potent for an EDT, quite impressive indeed. This has a female curvature, though is also quite suave in its figuration. There’s something a touch powdery for me, and if someone told me this was a vintage out of the 1940’s I’d likely believe them. The patchouli is perfectly mysterious. If you second guess floral fragrances this will honestly not be your taste, but if you do this will likely become a staple. It’s a venerable potion that exceeds all expectations in the heart and becomes a musk trail that extends for fields afar. (2017, 81%)
Notes: Neroli, Bergamot, Lemon, Sweet Orange, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Rose, Osmanthus, Vanilla, Musk, Patchouli, Amber
Santal (EDT): Next year this will celebrate its twentieth anniversary, and though this is the earliest perfume to be released in this spotlight, it is also its most ‘modern’. That does not mean, for even a quarter-breath that this too is not without its aura of the classic. However, it offers a more reserved and pensive styling. Thanks to the finest spices that you may find in a real chai like: pepper, clove, vanilla and cardamom the finish incorporates cedar which isa brilliantly paired note. Oh, though this does not read like a tea sachet, however – it’s far more elegant. Altogether this has an unsurpassed projection of warmth that beholds an elegant incense bathed in amber. What makes this stand out is the almost subliminal green notes that are embedded, not freshly cut or too verdant, but just gracefully wafting on the wind. This is built for for those who like to dress up formally, those of discriminating taste. Fancy is thee word. (2002, 84%)
Notes: Cardamom, Pepper, Bergamot, Grass, Amalfi Lemon, Lavender, Nutmeg, Clove, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Virginia Cedar, Olibanum, Amber, Musk, Vetiver
Recommended Soundtrack:
Bvdub, Epilogues for the End of the Sky (2017, Glacial Movements)
Daily Fragrance Reviews 
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