Eau du Fier

To me, it smells more like magrut/kaffir lime on the top- rather than bergamot- just saying. I'm pretty familiar with the scent of the peels of both of these citruses. And then there's the birch tar... I am in love with this daring fragrance. It is like sipping lapsang souchong tea (though pine tar has its own character) while preparing paste for Thai green curry. It is like gazing at a Mark Rothko painting: two bold swaths of color, juxtaposed, edges blurred and bleeding into the next, yet, despite close proximity, still proclaiming their own independence and integrity. Sillage is about 6'/2m, longevity is enormous: over a week in my laundry-basket! This is a love or hate fragrance- no room for fence-sitters here... and one has to be confident in one's own sense of style in order to wear it easily, because, like I've said, some people will be pleased, some not-so-pleased... and you'd need to withstand the sad fact of life that you cannot make everyone around you happy. Water of Pride. Generally, I've found that people who understand and cherish what "an enjoyable fire" is (they are happy sitting near crackling logs- outdoors or in) like this scent very much... while, in contrast, those who've led a somewhat-removed life- never far from every mod-con- do not... for herein lies a certain rusticity, and primal wonder at the dancing flames, calling to the flame within... and this will not appeal to the "hi-tech-sterile living" sort who tend to fret whenever a storm knocks the power out- and it will challenge their idea of "perfume". Be forewarned.

Eloquaint: "Eau du Mechanic." Brilliant! That is exactly what this smells like to me. I had a bad car back in the late 80s. It was always needing repairs. I was at repair shops all the time. Hated the bills, loved the guys showing me what was wrong, why it was hard to fix, why my parents made a bad, bad choice when they bought an Oldmobile Firenza in 1980. I was advised time and time again to get rid of the car before it rotted out from under me. Those guys all used, maybe still do use, a heavy duty soap called Fast Orange. I'd go in the bathroom of those garages and be hit by the smell of orange mixed with motor oil, gasoline, burnt plastic and wires. If you don't like that smell, you won't like this perfume, but I happen to like it. Are all Annick Goutal perfumes this masterful? At first I was put off by the strong gasoline, burnt plastic, and campfire smell. But after about a minute, it became pleasantly weird. About an hour later, the orange and floral notes kicked in. Two hours out and I can detect the osmanthus, my absolute favorite floral scent, the scent that baths New Orleans Uptown, my hometown, certain times of year. If you get a sample of this, don't wash it off if you hate the first blast. Ride it out and see what develops on your skin.

I am writing this just as I am smelling Eau du Fier for the first time, having received a small sampler vial I purchased on eBay about ten minutes ago. The overall impression is "mechanical", as noted below, sort of like a cousin of Fahrenheit. I get the bitter orange in the top notes, but I am not sensing any mint at all. It's been on me for about five minutes... I am perceiving a slight sour salival action in the back of my mouth, kind of like you get with honey lemon drops or something. I wonder if the "back of the mouth" sensation is the salt that is listed as a middle note. Yeah, it's a little like the change you can note in boiling water after you add salt to it when you're cooking pasta. Ok, I smell a bit of something green now, but I still wouldn't think mint... well, MAYBE. If it is, it's a very dark mint, deprived of its nostril flaring traits... maybe like mint tea. I am tempted to try combining this with Fahrenheit, but I am thinking it may be overpowered by it. It does not seem particularly strong, but that's OK. Really liking this stuff. I may edit this later, but for now, I'd definitely seek out a larger portion. Man, why was THIS discontinued?

Eau du Fier was my signature scent in the 2000s, and its discontinuation was a real loss. This fragrance, dreamt up by Annick Goutal for her husband, is an evocation of the Island of Ré - and the Fier d'Ars bay - where they spent their holidays. It's all there : the salty smell of the ocean, the tar used to caulk the deck of old wooden ships, the Lapsang Souchong tea drunk in the cool of the evening, and the scents of imaginary journeys to the Far East. Challenging ? Obviously, but also absolutely elegant, like this woman who was the embodiment of french refinement and good taste. A perfume should not be made to "smell good", nor please the crowds, but to be the expression of our personality, and the social extension of our own smell. For me utter perfection here.

this criminally discontinued masterpiece must be regarded as the antecedent to the 'smoky aromatic' micro genre of which lonestar memories, norne, black tourmaline, bois d'ascese, black gemstone etc etc belong to. this stuff is so alluring in its schizoid fresh citrus/burned-down-house duality and has never failed to satisfy on all levels. complexity, balance, assertiveness and refinement are all here, not to mention nuclear longevity but surprisingly discreet throw. i treasure my bottle and while i don't condone ebay gouging, i strongly recommend that if the above frags appeal to you, get this if given the opportunity