Aldebaran

I am not a professional perfume critic, and this is my first review ever. I am an ordinary woman, enchanted by “Ganymede” and “Tilia”. I bought “Aldebaran” on a whim, without trying, curious because of its shockingly negative reviews online. After wearing “Aldebaran” for a while, two things became clear: First, if you appreciate “Ganymede” and “Tilia”, it is impossible not to love “Aldebaran”. It does not in any way repeat them, but Quentin Bisch's signature style is very recognizable. Second, I am now convinced that negative reviews must be an organized campaign against this brand, which consistently delivers masterpiece after masterpiece, each new one better than the one before. While personal connection to a scent can vary, it's undeniable that “Aldebaran” is the work of a genius. Much like Beethoven's music, it may not be for everyone, but its significance is indisputable. Lacking professional knowledge, it's hard for me to describe what “Aldebaran” smells like. I'll just say—it's not just a fragrance. It's an entire journey, an enriching experience. Other perfumes usually work like this: first, you notice the scent, then start to detect individual notes. “Aldebaran” is the only fragrance that, in my perception, works the other way around. Initially, it opens like a night sky, with an overwhelming multitude of different hues—both cool and warm, near and distant—that in a split second arrange themselves into a completely unique, new picture. Yes, something resembling minty “Listerine” mouthwash (which is the main argument of “Aldebaran” haters) is one of the bright initial sparks in this aroma, but only for a fraction of a second. It makes you smile with its brilliance. It's a small yet pivotal step that magically transports the entire fragrance to another dimension—and it's executed with absolute genius. I once said about “Ganymede”: “I love it to the moon and back”. Similarly, wearing “Aldebaran”launches you into the cosmos, transforming you from an earthling to an interstellar dweller. Earthly charms fade as “Aldebaran” propels you toward the brightest part of the universe, where you wish to remain indefinitely. My love for “Aldebaran” goes far beyond the moon. It reaches as far as Aldebaran itself, with no desire to be back.

People who vote saying this fragrance has moderate or less than moderate longevity/sillage are insane! I got a sample of it from aromadeus.com because I’ve heard it wasn’t a safe “blind-buy”. Immediately, upon the very first spray it smelled very lactonic to me, and not in a bad way. Then both, my mom and I, agreed that it smelled like the most realistic lily of the valley scent. Contrary to popular belief, lily of the valley doesn’t actually smell fresh, green or aquatic (trust someone who grew up in Estern Europe and spent their entire childhood sniffing freshly cut lily of the valley) the flowers actually smell earthy, with slight nutty undertone and the scent is every unique. No other flower smell like that, similar case with sunflowers. Anyways, oddly the combination of tuberose and paprika recreates the most realistic lily of the valley scent it’s mind-blowing! Instantly transported me and my mom back to our childhood. I also noticed that the lactonic note was only there the very first time I sniffed it, couldn’t detect it any longer with every next spray (my guess is that your nose goes blind to it really quickly). I don’t detect any minty/ointment-like smell from it, not even slightly. It smells very floral and earthy, creamy, not too sweet and surprisingly pleasant if you think of the real floral aroma, not the chemically recreated sweet screechy accords that most of the conventionally-produced perfumes share. Paprika and mate really add a touch of uniqueness to it. Unbelievably strong longevity and projection-wise, so use with caution. I find it suitable for any season, day or night except maybe extremely humid rainy days. You’ll definitely get noticed as it’s capable of filling up an entire hotel lobby. I had people asking hotel managers what air freshener was used to make hotels smell so good and luxurious only to find out it was me wearing Aldebaran 😄 With that being said despite it all I still recommend sampling this fragrance first as it’s certainly for a trained nose with broader scent palette. Don’t blindly purchase a full bottle of it. You might not even like it right away, but give it some time because it has the potential of becoming your new favourite scent!

A fragrantica friend here steered me onto this perfume to give it a try because I haven't been real crazy about many of the releases from this particular perfumer. I have to say that this is one of the most beautiful tuberose fragrances I have ever smelled and I've smelled quite a lot of them. In fact I would say it is the most unique one I have ever smelled. This tuberose is very milky. It feels like I'm smelling tuberose milk from the flower. But right before you think it's going to get to indolic there's a freshness although subtle that must come from the mate tea that keeps this from becoming sickly and death like, something sometimes indolic perfumes can do. If you want my honest opinion this smells like the most perfect skin on the most beautiful human being male or female. It's fleshy without being too carnal or sweaty. It's lactonic without being too milky. I have Never smelled anything like this. This is like the perfect your skin but better perfume in my opinion. It's floral without being too floral. It's skin like without being too salty or sweaty or dirty. It just smells like absolute perfection to my nose. It's very well blended and completely balanced. I could see myself wearing this all the time. Totally signature worthy especially for this day in age when you're not really allowed to smell like perfume but this is still a perfume. Literally can't stop smelling it it's going on my want list. I thought Hiram Green's moon bloom was the end all and be all of tuberose fragrances for me but this one beats that hands down for me. Why? Because of its skin like nature. When you wear this you will believe that your skin has become the petals of the tuberose flower. That's the best way I can describe how this fragrance makes me feel when I smell it. Absolutely stunning. A big love for me I will own a full bottle of this. Edit: the warm and fresh spicy combo is mild but noticeable. It feels like or should to say smells like the spice of desire. The skin of the most beautiful human in love.

If you are looking for a typical dewy, succulent, bubblegumy tuberose scent, this is nothing like it, you would be disappointed. You may have noticed that, based on the previous Marc-Antoine Barrois and Quintin Bisch’s creations, the intent has been trying to create non-representational, abstract, avant-garde fragrances that are still appealing and wearable. It is to create something timeless and unidentifiable out of the ingredients that we are familiar with. The tuberose here is going through some subtraction and multiplication, olfactorily. Certain aspect is suppressed, muted, distorted and other aspect is amplified. If I didn’t know the ingredients beforehand, my brain instantly would register it as a bitter almond fragrance. My brain and my nose just cannot help but to decipher what is happening here. This faux almond note, is just like the almond in Dior Hypnotic Poison, taken out and magnified, poured in a bottle. This faux almond note is from mate tea: camphorous, cooling, herbal bitterness, suppressing and neutralising the sweetness of tuberose, making it dry and paper-like. Paprika is barely detectable, it brings forth the spicy aspect of tuberose, creamy but restrained, as if saying this flower is alive but not in front of your eyes, look inward and you would find it. After almost 4-5 hours of application, all these fragments come together, a true tuberose emerges and blossoms on my skin, a true and realistic tuberose, not on steroid. It is still strong with volume, fleshy in an intimate way, even a bit erotic. Back in school, I used to ponder on questions like: Can conceptual art be done not just visually, but olfactorily and still be appreciated and enjoyed? Today, I can surely say: Yes!

It is official now. Aldebaran has dethroned my beloved Fracas. I never believed this day would come—but here it is. Aldebaran is the tuberose I have been searching for ever since Madonna’s Truth or Dare. What makes Aldebaran perfect to me is this: a dry, woody tuberose. Predatory. Dark. Hypnotic. And speaking of the hypnotic—this creation of Bisch’s feels like a gathering of pieces from other perfumes I have loved, other scents I have worn and weaves them into one. The spicy caraway and almond liqueur from Hypnotic Poison, for instance. Those notes I always wished would last longer, speak louder—here, they have the stage. The woody, camphorous opening of Carnal Flower, which in that perfume barely lasts five minutes, becomes the main voice in Aldebaran. And the tuberose here is masculine. No fruit. No sweetness. Compared to Bisch’s other creations, this one feels more grounded. More mature. Yes—I smell the dry mate. It gives the scent of asphalt after a summer rain, in the evening. And the paprika is used in the most perfect measure: not too much, but enough to be noticed. Enough to give the tuberose a spicy, dangerous edge. I smell the earth. The stem. The summer evening air. And finally the lactonic notes take over—melted vanilla ice-cream. I never want to be without Aldebaran. My fate was sealed after the first spritz from the discovery set. One week later, the hundred-milliliter bottle arrived.