Les 4 Saisons: Yellow Sea

Take the perfect citrus to warm spice transition in Chanel Pour Monsieur and make it the centrepiece of an ultra high quality artisanal fragrance- that's only the poorest description of Yellow Sea. On application, a perfectly balanced soft citrus scent dominates- using tangerine and sweet lime to balance the bergamot. The opening is cradled and further softened by the dual animalic notes; castoreum in its most sweet, soft presentation supporting the base of the citrus and ambergris smoothing the top with its slightly salty and faintly metallic presence. The opening is, in fact, the Yellow Sea at dawn. A shallow, warm and still yellow sea of soft lemony citrus waters- you wade in and your toes sink slightly into the equally soft sand of the castoreum that lies under the waters and you breathe in deeply under a sky that is low and gray yet comforting- pregnant with the warmth and color of the impending dawn. The sun rises imperceptibly as the middle notes begin to arrive- the wood, the incense and the patchouli are perfectly blended and do not come through as their own notes but instead combine to create the impression of a warm spice that is not quite clove or nutmeg or cinnamon- a novel and yet perfectly nostalgic holographic spice paints the rosy hues of dawn across the gentle seascape. Finally the brightness of day arrives, the benzoin gives a gentle sunlight with its lemon aspect creating a soft sunshine dappled by its vanilla scented wisps of white cloud. Finally, at the close of day everything fades to the soft warm gray of the ambergris sky and the sea, absent any other light turns a warm brown of gentle amber. Such a wonderful scent, can be worn any time- work, date, day night. It is an amazing essay in citrus, spice and balm/animalic scents. Each of the three main themes is present in every stage of wear, but their roles and positions change while providing continuity, the feature of the notes taking over each others aspects is one of the most brilliant tricks I have experienced. Silage is reasonably good for four to six hours on me, and the scent stays with me for 8-12. It feels like it stays in fairly close, but others notice it (always positively) quite late in the day so I know it is there. I would be tempted to put on in the morning then reapply, but that would cheat me out of experiencing one of the most lovely narrative dry downs I have ever experienced. If you can find this one, try it :)

Yellow Sea is an interesting scent. It begins as a milky, citrus fragrance and develops into a warm, slightly spicy amber and incense accord that is sweet and comforting. It's easy to wear and pretty much appropriate for any type of situation, casual or formal. This is how I had hoped Allure Homme would develop, but where Allure becomes sickeningly sweet and more cloying with time, Yellow Sea mellows into a calm and inviting amber base, retaining just a touch of the bergamot and orange from its opening. The more I wear it, the more I like it. Projection is good, longevity moderate. Yellow Sea would work equally well in all but the hottest weather. If you're looking for a citrus-oriental, check this one out--and do it now--because from what I understand M.Micallef has discontinued the Sea line and Yellow Sea is no longer in production. That's a shame, because this is definitely a good one. I'm just glad I found a bottle while I could. Thumbs up.

My favorite so far of the Sea lines from Micallef. Starts off with a burst of freshness that reminded me of a male fragrance. The castoreum or a pleasant muskiness is there too. Not overly heavy or strong. Sexy without being in your face. This is a unisex fragrance that tends towards the masculine as the drydown continues. Unfortunately, sillage and longevity are seriously lacking and at $190 a bottle new, that's a deal breaker.

very nice creation, go easy on the trigger, the amber and patch are very strong in here.