Eau du Sud

Annick Goutal, as a house, has found a way to 'recreate' most typically categorical fragrances and deliver them to both men and women in a, somehow, new and stimulating way. Rarely does a Goutal creation lean heavily into the masculine or feminine realm - and, most importantly, there is always something remarkably beautiful in the composition that makes it unique and original from all interpretations of similar fragrances that have come before...and after. Mrs. Goutal was an olfactory artist who found the magical ability (like all true geniuses) to create a "canvas of notes" that we can relate to, but blend them and create a tonality and sentiment that evokes something very different from what expectations were set. Eau du Sud is a perfect example of this artist's work...and truly brilliant!! From the Annick Goutal site: "Eau du Sud awakens memories of Annick's travels in Provence and Tuscany. This fragrance conjures up carefree summers, the caressing warmth of the sun, and long evenings when daylight seems to last forever. A fragrance that makes you want to bite into a delectably juicy fruit and quench your thirst with cool water on a fresh sunny day under the shade of Roman arches. Olfactory family : Citrus, Chypre, Green (Bergamot, Persian lime, grapefruit, mandarine, verbena, peppermint, basil, hint of jasmine and vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss)" I have to say that what comes forth is deep yet fragrant, citric as well as herbal and with depth and richness that is rarely found in this realm. I have tried Eau d'Hadrien many times and as much as I want to compare this...I cannot. Each is unto itself. I recently found and added Hadrien Absolu to my collection, as it too, reflected an incredible richness that is beguiling in a citrus scent - yet incredibly wearable and, without hesitation...unisex. My appreciation for Goutal's work (and the house since she has passed - kudos to Camille and the Goutal folks for keeping her brilliance alive) is unrelenting. She is, in my mind, one of the finest non-traditional, artistically-mindful and sentimental perfumers whose work I am fascinated by, in every olfactory canvas she has shared with us...simply and truly, magnificent pieces. I liken her work to the Expressionist Art movement of the early 1900's - there is a timeless feel to everything she has created...and that is because it comes from "within". She created bottles that were from her life's olfactory memories. I am, forever, thankful. I do not rate any of her bottles - as I say in virtually all of my reviews of the house of Annick Goutal's work, one cannot quantify her artistic presentation with a fractional value. And, the torch has been passed to Camille - who has carried on the seminal work her late mother created wonderfully. Eau du Sud is, simply, gorgeous and breathtaking. The previous reviewers whom I admire the perspective of are JohnGreenInk, missk, sweetfumebopper, sablebombe Gabi310 & Fabio Conde. These reviews span over 3 years apart...and yet people still find the revelatory beauty in this scent, as do I. I have traveled to Provence and Tuscany and feel a distinct connection to both places in this bottle - memories of a lifetime are in this composition that I can relate to. The listed notes, as per the Goutal website, perhaps with a lighter amount of oakmoss in current formulation due to IFRA regulation, but there is a nice, warm moss and undertone here that all of us get, something slightly smoky, herbaceous and penetrating - the wonderful patchouli...creating a gorgeous base from which the quenching, fresh-squeezed citrus and bouquet of fresh-cut herbs radiate their natural sparkling and fragrant beauty. Bergamot, Verbena/Lemon Verbena, Grapefruit, Persian lime, Mandarin, Basil, Mint, a light touch of penetrating and fresh-blooming jasmine still on the vine...together, compose the melange of radiating and extremely natural aromatics on the top and in the heart. The aforementioned oakmoss offers its depth (in older formulation) and the vetiver, although clean, is an expression of light, fragrant woodiness that further sharpens the composition in the base (keeping it from getting too dark during the dry down). This is harmonious and beautiful - equally on a man or woman. The only requirement, like all Goutal's bottlings, is that one wear this with an understanding and sense of taste & refinement...as it is a gorgeous composition. It can be worn casually (please do not confuse my statement), but intelligence and having knowledge of Goutal's vision is a requirement to fully appreciate it. Undeniably, stunning and fantastic...an honest & beautiful expression from Annick Goutal that, like so many of her other creations, is transcendent. Ahhhh, the wonder and amazement only deepens...as does my undying admiration for her expressionistic works of art. Eau du Sud is a divine creation. Merci, Annick. Merci! Reposer en paix...for we are forever grateful that you shared your beautiful palate and vision with us.

This is such a masterfully blended and perhaps the most classy citrus I've ever come across. At first, I found this way too acidic, bright- and tart, and I still think the opening is a bit too sharp. At a later point in time, when you know what you are into, and ready for it, my appreciation for the super-bright opening is growing. It is very energizing, and refreshing. Perfect for the absolute hottest days of summer. I have also started to see the green undertones, and the earthiness. It definitely takes on a more herbal quality as it dries down. Such a beautiful narrative. The earthiness must be from the patchouli and the oak moss. I usually don't appreciate patchouli very much, but this patchouli doesn't overwhelm at all. It is doing its job as a supporting role perfectly. When it settles down, I find this a very nice balance between bitter-, energizing and uplifting. A very sophisticated citrus. I would say this is way more citrus-centric (rather than green). A yellowish-green. It's not a loud performer. It doesn't announce itself, but it stays politely close to the body. Longevity is acceptable. It is a citrus-centric after all. I would say you can expect a good four-hour wear, and then you might want to reapply. I'm imagining a sunny holiday somewhere along the riviera, driving a navy blue cabriolet with expensive leather seating, passing by a field of bergamot trees. It gives off a very luxurious impression, of a lifestyle that is very distant to mine. If I would put this on, I would feel like pretending I'm someone I'm not. However, still very nice.

Just got my bottle of Eau du Sud, and I'm very intrigued by the scent. It's a moody and somewhat serious perfume. The opening citrus, which is acidic like lime and grapefruit, lasts quite a while. The base notes appear within about half an hour; the sandalwood and pepper are noticeable. The perfume seems to operate on two levels - on the top, you can feel the aromatics, but when you inhale very deeply, there is a much darker and mysterious 'underbelly' which defies classification. It's interesting that there are no flowers here at all, not a single one! I think that makes Eau du Sud a more masculine scent - I'm not sure if this would smell as nice for a woman. Beautifully subtle and light, but lingering in a slightly dangerous way. Update 01/16/2012: I'd like to add a few words... I've been wearing Eau du Sud for some months now, and it's really grown on me a great deal. I think the complex woody-green quality to it takes some time to fully appreciate. It's very rich in its depth, and very mysterious in that it doesn't really reflect one mood or one state of being. It also has a very warming gourmand quality to it (I swear that there is a faint trace of oregano, or a bouquet garni) which adds comfort, or maybe recognizability. I can take off a shirt on a day that I'd been wearing Eau du Sud and the scent is still there, faintly, wrapping up the sensations of being home after a long day.

Eau du Sud. I broke the cardinal rule and bought unsniffed. I was prepared for sweat, for BO, for the worst, as I had read so many interesting but conflicting things about it. And what did I find? Love, love, love! The first time I wore it actually was after my last shower before a long (5 day) camping trip. I figured that it wouldn't be too strong in the car, and if some sort of sweaty note emerged, I figured it would go with my overall camping toilette:) So the scent: a less intense but longer lasting citrus, with basil and very fresh mint, bitter-edged mint. In a slightly powdery, slightly soapy backdrop. It gets sweeter as it goes into the drydown, which I haven't figured out yet, but the notes weave in and out for awhile. I guess this is unisex but it is hardly masculine. It just defies categorization because it would wear beautifully on anyone who appreciates a fresh and unique scent like this. This is often compared to Eau d'Hadrien but personally I don't find them much in common, besides being grouped in the same general category. Love.

My favorite pure citrus scent before this has always been azemour by Parfum d’empire and this is quite similar. But as the person below me said it even made azemour smell synthetic by comparison. I got a vintage bottle for super cheap so I can’t say what the newer ones smell like. But this is glorious. I will say tho the longevity and sillage do lack in comparison to something like azemour so I think that bit of synthetic quality in other scents is what helps them last longer. For someone who doesn’t own either I’d recommend azemour bc u wont have the materials in this to compare it to so u can enjoy it bc its as good as a scent needs to be and performs well. But now that I’ve smelt this I’ll just settle with having to spray myself a lot to get better performance. That feeling of showering and oiling urself down and spraying this on a hot summer day is just divine. Love you miss goutal your mind it amazes me sometimes. I love spraying this over sables too