Spoturno 1921

(recreation using Francois Coty's original formulation for Émeraude, the first spicy amber perfume ever made). This fragrance is truly extraordinary. You might know the Association François Coty from the prestigious François Coty Award for the work of perfumer creators. Together with Véronique Coty (great-granddaughter of François & President of AFC) and La Cité des Parfums, they have recreated one of the most historic and important scents in fragrance history, François Coty's last fragrance, Émeraude. We must be careful here because of copyright law: a fragrance called Émeraude is still being created today by the corporation Coty. Due to reformulations, it is normal that the 2022 scent is a far cry from the original 1921 (especially because the corporation Coty has not protected the fantastic history & heritage of this prestige scent the way Geurlain has for Shalimar). So, what is Spoturno 21? It was made using François Coty's original formula for 1921 Émeraude! With the Greatest care & best materials, this extrait was created with love & honour by the great-granddaughter of the original perfumer. Spoturno was François Coty's birth name, before he changed it to Coty later in life. Fun fact: the original Émeraude was Jacques Guerlain's wife's perfume, which inspired him to create Shalimar! What does it smell like? Top notes are a vibrant fresh bouquet of lemon, bergamot, lavender, and caraway. To my nose, the use of caraway here is especially masterful. An abstract floral heart follows the opening citrus burst that is seamlessly blended. I notice a plush jasmine that reminds me in the slightest way of A La Nuit with full and rich florals (perhaps ylang, rose, other white florals). A hint of cool violet settles into warm heliotope. The secondary and tertiary layers of connective tissue surprise & amaze me! There is this green/herbal presence that runs like fine threads through the scent. The almost-camphor of lavender in the top connects somehow to patchouli in the base. The genius who did the caraway note in the top has me tracing its ghost through to the shadow of licorice hiding in heliotrope. The tonka/vanilla base is kept so fresh with vetiver! This is a warm, rich, citrus-vanilla resinous fragrance whose depth and complexity are a gift to the world. I can see how J Guerlain felt compelled to compete!

Spoturno (Francois Coty's birth surname) 1921 uses the original formula for Emeraude in 1921, taking great care to use as many of the materials as possible given modern regulations and restrictions. This is a treasure in that it gives one an opportunity to experience Emeraude parfum as it was originally intended, long before the myriad formulations in the decades that would follow. An opening of sparkling citrus, lemon and bergamot, soon mellowed by a lavender absolute and a billowy heliotrope contrasting with a cool violet. The addition of caraway can be discerned in a notable, spicy, bittersweet caraway. The floral heart presents that compelling abstraction that would typify perfumes of the day, where all participants begin to harmonize as a whole, with an overall green aromatic quality that elevates the experience. This includes a woody, anisic quality (perhaps courtesy of the caraway) that reveals that this has a shape-shifting quality to it. The florals begin to feel more like velvet, as the tonka and musks wash over and seal the flowers in their creamy warmth. I want to thank rachelng (who wrote a wonderful review below) for introducing me to this precious gem. I am forever indebted to you, my friend!

Opens with a beautiful blast of bright, yellow citrus--some bergamot and what seems like a good deal of lemon. From there, it segues into a spicy floral heart that feels abstract, but in which a definite heliotrope and violet make themselves known. It segues into a more cuddly vanillin-coumarin-musk drydown, all the while some slightly green and pleasantly sharp aromatics (lavender? carraway?) sculpt the overall accord. This totally feels like an old Coty scent...perhaps the spicy-violet-powder of L'Origan melded to the citrus-contrasted-with-vanilla Emeraude. Lovely, and I hope that this brand continues to revive the old world aesthetic it conjures up with Spoturno!