L'Amandiere

I picked up L'Amandière a long time ago in my pursuit of a cosy almond-forward gourmand, and remember being disappointed with this floral with a side of bitter almond. The name can be translated as "almond tree", which is quite fitting on reflection, but felt misleading that day. I recently received a sample of this with a selection of other James Heeleys, and so got a chance to revisit it. I am glad I did - it is a beautiful, unusual floral scent that makes great use of its almond note. In keeping with the style of the house, it is made with high-quality, realistic-smelling ingredients. L'Amandière is a delicate floral scent that evokes hazy spring sunshine. Honeyed florals, dewy greenness and a soft, powdery texture achieve this springtime effect. The almond note that features alongside the florals is raw and nutty rather than the marzipan-esque quality I was seeking out before. It is slightly challenging initially, but is ultimately a deeply pleasant and satisfying scent. L'Amandière opens with a waxy hyacinth note, bold and heady - a flower I very much associate with childhood. The bitter almond follows, forming a slightly dissonant accord with the hyacinth. However, it is intriguing, and this scent becomes wonderfully harmonious as it develops. The sweet yellow florals follow, hazy and shimmering, forming the crux of this scent. The soft citrus nuances of the linden blossom - more sweet than fresh - becomes prominent as the hyacinth fades a little. I get powdery mimosa, but this could be due to the combination of linden blossom with the powdery texture of the subtle violet that follows. There is a dewy green undertone from initial spray, adding sap-like freshness to the florals. The almond appears creamy in the later stages, giving the effect of a fancy bar of soap. The florals linger, becoming increasingly powdery as it dries down, with the nectar-like sweetness lingering. The green undertone also remains throughout, adding a lush grassy quality in the later stages. Sillage and longevity are moderate. It is a feminine warm weather scent, best worn on spring days. Bright yet gentle, lightweight yet lush, this springtime bouquet is quite a unique composition. It is beautifully balanced, once the opening settles on my skin. An almond scent that is refreshing in every sense of the word. 4.5/5.

Mount Auburn Cemetery is one of my favorite places to visit. Not only is this burial site a National Historic Landmark where such luminary figures as Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Dorothea Dix were buried, but it's also a botanical garden, with its winding paths teeming with remarkable botanical specimens. I visited last weekend, perusing the many spring flora on the grounds, and I came across what seemed to be hybrids of the Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica). Indeed, it is not the fabled Common Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) that carpets the primeval forests of England, but these were scented, which leads me to believe they are hybridized, and their smell was quite similar. The opening of L'Amandiere immediately reminds me of them: a scent that, while milder than that of Hyacinthus orientalis, is similar. Yet it has its own complexity, leafy green yet with this nutty bitter almond facet. As it further develops, I recall all tree blossoms that grow from mid-spring through early summer: Silverbells (Halesia), Princess Trees (Royal paulownia), American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea), all of which give off heliotrope/mimosa like fragrances to my nose. There is also the linden blossom here, one of my all-time favorites, which could account for why some pick up a "soapiness" as many fine soaps are scented with linden. Likewise, textures appear that recall various, sticky pollens, milky exudates and bittersweet guttation from foliage: crushing leaves and stems, freshly pruned and mowed vegetation, a manicured garden. It feels almost like olfactory pointillism, beautifully punctuated with fine aromatic granularity, a Seurat spring landscape, the flickering detail of flowers and trees, daydream-like (I imagine a Seurat interpretation of my beloved Mount Auburn). It's worth noting that L'Amandiere smells splendid under the heat of the sun.

Second James Heeley perfume I try, second time I am transported to Cyprus, second time I fall head over heels in love. Oh you know now I am going to have to try more of this mans perfumes because the 2 I have tried (iris de nuit and this) are just beautiful. L'Amandiere transports me once again to the mountains of Cyprus, the lower Troodos/upper Lemesos area. Standing in the garden behind the house where an almond tree spills its bounty onto the dry grass, rich, fresh, creamy almonds, heady green and floral notes, oh, you know I don't even want to try and analyse it too much! I simply find this beautiful. So smooth, heady, lush, intoxicating... These are green almonds, not roasted or ground or sugared or baked or cooked or dried..no these are fresh from the tree, creamy and milky and good. The fragrance itself is very powerful I found, huge room filling stuff, but not in a bad way at all, but it moves and swirls around and slowly fills the space with this luscious aroma. It lasts well, which it should, as an extrait. I wonder if this would layer with iris de nuit to give me the ultimate Cyprus experience? Hell, I guess even buying both bottles is cheaper than the flights alone, right?! I love it.

L’Amandiere is a love/hate for me. I love the purple florals mixed with fresh green leaves on a bed of dry, bitter almonds. L’Amandiere doesn’t become soapy, it stays true to nature. It’s perfect for spring and early summer when lilacs bloom, days get longer and leafs are unfolding. It’s so natural, boheme. Projection and longevity is also great for the price. But.. ohh the but.. I’ve never had any succes with linden blossom, something about it smells way too natural. It has a dirty sweetness that reminds me pollen, hay and stables in the summer. It’s only noticeable when smelled up close, but in any fragrance with linden blossom I find this rancid sweetness. Somehow it suits the scent profile of L’Amandiere, adding some kind of down-to-earth type of charm. After a few hours the green notes subdue aswell as the linden blossom, the drydown is pure hyacinth and violets. This fragrance is unique and definitely worth a try. Not a safe blind buy though.

ALMOND SPRING DELIRIUM I LOVE IT. It caught me in surprise, I feared something in the direction of the almond fragrance of Aqua die Parma. Fortunately it is not. It is very well balanced, with a very definite almond note. On paper I can smell the other notes, an my skin it becomes a lovely mixture I can't distinguish anymore. Sweet in a very floral way. Reminds me of a Almondtree Field in Italy I have been to. It is extremely powerful, though. That's what makes me think of a delirium, it is the nicest possible suffocation. (And it already safed me in a situation where I had to sit some time next to someone not using deodorant. Some Amandiere and I couldn't smell anything else anymore). I like it a lot, but could easily be too much for many others.