Mon Parfum Gold

This is... surprising. I blind bought this because a certain site had it on sale for stupidly cheap (for it's retail price anyway). So I bought it with zero expectations. I have had problems in the past with M. Micallef scents being nearly scentless unless applied with a very heavy hand. My mini bottle of Ylang in Gold has no odor unless you bathe in the stuff for example. Perhaps these really must be sprayed. The bottle is far, far lighter than I expected. I assumed it would be heavy glass with very sparkling crystals. It's not. The bottle is light as a feather, the gold paint is very matte and the black crystals are also very matte, flat, not terribly sparkly. I sprayed once on my arm and was immediately enveloped in scent. Two sprays would be my max with this, anything more and I suspect it would make one nauseous and send those around you fleeing for the exits. The scent in the air is heady, and sweet. Like banana bread fresh from the oven. The yellow flowers are buttery and almost fruity in scent texture. The wood is the subconscious awareness of ancient wooden walls warmed by the sun. They don't' really smell of wood, just an ancient woody texture. If there is incense it is just the trail of scent left long after the incense has burned out and dried int the air. There is amber I think, at the very bottom, sweet and clear and yellow. This is far better than I expected. It is warm sunshine through the window on a winter day while you are baking or sitting in front of a fire. It is cozy and warm and slightly ancient, an edge of elegance and opulence but not enough that I couldn't wear this with jeans and a flannel shirt (what I'm wearing today) with comfort. I might want to put on some pearls though...

I absolutely LOVED this while I had it. I would wear it sometimes while writing creative stories, and dynamic characters and places would sometimes come to mind. I envisioned being in the Ancient woodlands whenever I wore this. So I guess I can say that this fragrance sometimes helped with my all too common-occurrences of writer’s block. The creamy white and yellow florals married with the ancient woods and incense somehow read as somewhat lifted and bright on my skin, it’s an overall intelligent fragrance, not too dreary and dark, but it has a penchant for playing into that noir mood if you let it: it’s in no way uplifting. It’s inspiring, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it evokes happiness. It’s pensive, aloof, almost regal, but not melancholy. It’s incredibly evocative of winter days in an oak paneled library with rare ancient tomes of hidden knowledge, with a hearth fire crackling in the background. This concoction that is M Micallef Mon Parfum Gold was heavenly, ancient in the best possible way and unique. I also pick up this herbal note in the background. It’s not a piercing or scratchy fragrance, it’s delightfully smooth, and is incredibly transportive. Mitsouko from Guerlain is the only other fragrance that had such a strong effect on me as this. I don’t usually gravitate for mature fragrances such as this, but this one had me pining for it. I LOVED the tuberose in here as well, but while comparing this to my Armani Rouge Malachite, that one won. So alas, this one went to my ex boyfriend’s mom as a gift.

The opening is fruity, like orange mixed with a hint of plum sweetness. Very quickly the fruit is wrapped by florals. Ylang-ylang adds a slightly oily texture, making the fruit feel softer and smoother. There is also a faint touch of pink pepper adding a subtle spice. In the heart it becomes a white-floral composition. Tuberose is the most noticeable element, but not in an overpowering way. It feels slightly toned down, creamy and soft, with a faint milky quality. Jasmine prevents the florals from becoming one-dimensional sweetness, while orange blossom adds a light bitterness. The impression is like a dense bouquet of white flowers, with the scent expanding outward and showing clear layers. As time passes the florals slowly fade and the base begins to appear. Woods emerge first, followed by a faint smoky nuance from incense. Amber and vanilla bring warmth to the base, and the fragrance gradually becomes softer and closer to the skin. The overall development is not dramatic. The transitions between fruit, white florals, and woods are smooth, without sudden shifts. The opening carries a slightly mature fruity-floral tone, the middle is a dense white-floral bouquet, and the drydown settles into warm woods and resins. The overall character leans warm, so it feels more comfortable in cooler weather.

Winter wear - I love this version of Mon Parfum. It's intense, dramatic even. Slightly smoky, as if burnt incense mixed with precious wood was the fuel to warm up the rest of the aromatic companions. High quality amber fell into one cauldron with plums, ylang-ylang and tuberose. To add structure, soft musk was added. It has sweet nuances, but I do not feel vanilla. The sweetness feels waxy - exotic flowers with their pollen rather than vanilla pod. Very balmy, warm, enveloping. A classic, timeless and beautiful creation. A drop of it, anywhere, and it explodes in scented miracle.

Gosh, I love this one. I think it’s severely underrated and hardly ever talked about. It’s a deep and mysterious scent, and it reminds me a lot of Replica Jazz Club, but more feminine-leaning. It’s moody, alluring, woodsy, bewitching and comforting. It somehow remains light and airy despite it having smoke, incense and fruits in the notes. Nothing about it compels me to scrub it off. It totally reminds me of a lounge bar or film noir. I am grateful to have a bottle and a back up of this discontinued treasure.