Ylang D'Or

I was curious about the other works of Michele Marin, who already wowed me with his stupendous Else for Francesca dell'Oro, and noticed he composed Ylang D'Or. Il Profvmo is not currently distributing this release domestically, but I had this intuition that it was something that I must smell, and I trusted this intuition. My intuition often serves me well. Ylang D'Or far exceeded my expectations. Marin ennobles the flower with all of what I love about this sensuous yellow flower with its spindly petals. There is the monoi on sunbathed skin, the pungent and heady ripeness, the brown-speckled banana custard flavored with neroli oil. The spicy, carnal jasmine facets are here. The Juicy Fruit gum, jackfruit, carambola, stargazer lily and rubber back notes: all present. There are hints of violet ionones that make for a stimulating contrast. A distinct musky sweetness melts into sandalwood and cedar, drawing comparisons to Samsara, but, and this is a big BUT—the ylang ylang presides over all here, and it is a must smell for those who luxuriate in this fabled aphrodisiac. What vanillin or general sweetness is here does not mute the rawer, earthier qualities intrinsic to ylang-ylang, and this may be to the dismay of those who want their florals to be two-dimensional fairy tales. The humidity is expressed, the organic exhalation is heavy and delicious, but Ylang D'Or is never excessively muggy or burdensome as a wear. It is Cananga odorata honored to perfection.

I really love Michele Marin style. Devoted to the opulence of bygone perfumery of the past. He treats white/yellow flowers with mastery and devotion. Like with Florentine Gardenia that is another deluxe for the lovers of this fragrance family. Here ylang, one of my absolute favourite flowers, is unapologetically lush and full. Untamed. The indolic, sweet, creamy and animalic scent is enhanced to perfection. This is a musky portrait of a very multifaceted flower difficult to crystallised in a fragrance. Here you can contemplate a lot of the marvellous nuances: the green, the narcotic, the dirty, the sticky, the sweet and creamy. Wonderful. A very long lasting performance and sillage. Maybe not a love at first sniff but truly a work of art for who love the bold side of this flower. There’s nothing like it out there!