Le Mat

I don't know, nor will I ever be able to likely understand, what the connection is between the tarot cards of The Fool and The Journeyman, and roses and dark baking spices. Leave it to Mendittorosa to try to connect those dots for me. They don't; their obsession with trying to connect abstract art forms and new-age mysticisms to materials you find lurking in the dirt of your garden or the plastic containers of your kitchen pantry is headache inducing, but I won't go into that again. Instead I'll simply say: man, I am really liking this perfume. This is the darkest, spiciest, pepperiest rose I've smelled in a long time. Although, actually, to my nose the rose is a bit of an aside. The perfume opens with a sharp blast of cloves, nutmeg, and enough black pepper to stock an Indian restaurant for weeks. Stand back, folks, and be ready for a blast in the face of very old self-defense mace. It is skin-scratchingly dry, hot, fiery, and humungous. All three of the spices are superbly photorealistic, as if they were just ground-to-powder in front of your nose in the field they were plucked from. All the while this is going on, you feel a big pink rose swelling upwards from the depths, unfolding itself into an infinite number of dense petal layers one layer after the other, and steadily getting bigger, stronger, and more vivid. Then it just stops... and, then, geranium. Umm, what? Le Mat shifts its personality at the drop of a dime from rose chypre to geranium chypre (though I'm not sure this really fits the chypre genre to be honest). Swelling into the remainder of the perfume's space, in place of the rose, is more readily apparent patchouli - equally as peppery, spicy, and earthy as the top notes - and massive dose of immortelle that delivers its unmistakable sun-scorched and resinous herbaceous notes. With a bit more time and bit more body heat, the geranium starts to give up, and rose starts to come through again. Powdery, pink, a touchy fruity and a touch sweet, it offsets the severe dehydration of the base notes of spicy patchouli and immortelle, and the spices that came before in the top. Significant credit for this needs to go to a well-judged dose of cashmeran, lending the powdery feel that, in conjunction with the earthiness, gives a sort of suede like effect. Then I start to question whether or not the rose is there at all, or was it ever? Was it just an illusion? Mendittorosa proudly proclaim the use of centifolia rose from Grasse in the composition, an expensive ingredient not used thoughtlessly, but perhaps because of its cost it was used sparingly; add in the effects of the cashmeran with some of the fruity and resinous aspects of the spices, and it's hard to tell where this centifolia rose material starts and ends with those massive spices, and/or vice-versa. Luca Turin says he smells chamomile. That did not enter my mind in the slightest, so I went to my bag of pure dried chamomile flowers that I use to make chamomile tea, flowers of the highest quality sourced by the indefatigable and dedicated folks at the Harney & Sons company, and confirmed that I don't smell chamomile in Le Mat at all. I guess this also confirms what we've known all along, that Mr. Turin doesn't smell things the same way the rest of us do. I get zero floral honeyed sweetness from Le Mat that are signature notes to chamomile. Perhaps if I did get these notes, I would definitely lean into accepting the centifolia rose material as being more present in Le Mat than my nose is detecting. With a lot more time, Le Mat settles down (and I do mean a lot of time, this is an extrait after all) and the cashmeran plays a bigger role, and the patchouli gets a bit sweet, so in the end - the very end, at the final skin scent - there is something vaguely rose like (or chamomile like) just barely clinging to your skin. I suppose I do have to accept this statement of rose (and/or chamomile), because, as the perfume begins its final illusory act of disappearance, the ghosts of honeyed florals seem to have touched my skin. Is this enough? Am I compelled? Will I refer to this as a rose chypre, or a chamomile chypre, or something like that? Do I get it? I honestly don't know. I can't stand it when it feels like I'm missing something big in a perfume that others seem to get, particularly the perfumer(s) themselves, and it usually leads me to knocking-off a few points in my final thoughts. But, Le Mat is very intellectually spurring, and at all points in its life it is beautiful, unique, and provoking. It's a mystery in a bottle that will require many if not hundreds of wears before it finally makes sense - but that might not end up being what your Tarot cards say will happen.

Le Mat is beautiful. Smelling it, I am convinced it was created in the 20th century and not the 21st. Roses combined w/ haunting and strange Immortelle. Subtle spices dance w/ the florals and a slight woodiness that doesn't overwhelm the composition bring depth and interest. I find this quite feminine, but a man could wear this if he was so inclined. Le Mat reminds me of Normandie (which I own) by Jean Patou. Not a dupe but they are in the same class. I am glad my friend has sent me these samples that I have been reviewing. I was convinced that Niche perfumes didn't create vintage style perfumes. I've sampled so many Niche fragrances that have been nice and I have bought a few but they are very postmodern. Le Mat is a Niche perfume that smells like I bought at an estate sale that had been stored lovingly by a Grand Dame who knew and enjoyed the finer things in life and knew what a woman should smell like. If you miss vintage style amber perfumes like those that were made by the Former Great Houses of the 20th century, check out Le Mat. It is simply Grand. Bravo! Edit: 12/21/23 I have had a decant of this precious perfume for 2 years. My husband HATED it when I first got it so I did not wear it but I would get it out often to smell it, like aromatherapy. Then as I have been going a long in my perfume journey my husband's taste started to shift. He started to appreciate more complex, vintage and antique perfumes. I just picked up a bottle today and can't wait to get it. What makes this perfume so damn special is first how well blended it is. It is blended like the perfumes of yesteryear; you sense the notes, but they don't POP out at you like in modern perfumes today. It is a perfume that creates a mood, sets the scene and tells a story. It is vintage and smells antique, but it is new and fresh at the same time. Le Mat envelops you in earthy sensuality while it calms and grounds you with its spirituality. The only other perfume I say is in the same class as Le Mat that is produced today (and it is one of my most beloved perfumes as Le Mat is) and that perfume is Rose Boheme by Providence Perfume Company. Both are vintage and not vintage. They have a wild yet grounding quality. A quality that makes you feel connected to yourself, your life and to your surroundings. Both are made w/ the best materials and with loving care. You can tell that with every sniff. I always want both of these beauties in my collection. If you love Le Mat get your nose on Providence Perfume Company Rose Boheme as well. No other Rose/Patchouli combo is needed in any collection except these 2. They are the best and believe me I have smell sooooo many Rose/Patchouli combos it would blow your mind. These 2 are the best of the best in their class. Edit:12/21/23 I just read a professional perfume review of this stunning perfume. I should have remembered it to share but I forgot his name. Anyway, he described Le Mat as the sugared musk of a woman's skin. So many think this perfume is unisex and I suppose all perfumes really are, but I agree with him I have always found Le Mat to be very feminine. It captivates with a sensuality that is beyond words.

Oh Luca... why must you encourage me so? Is it not enough that I buy your books and read your musings? Do I really need to invest in every bottle you adorn with 5 stars? I guess I do. Now I’m not sure that I’m ready to review this. On the three occasions that I’ve worn it, it’s behaved differently each time. That said, the journey may have taken a different course, but it’s arrived at the same place in the end, with each wearing unveiling new facets along the way. I read another review from someone whose opinion I respect describe it as not being rose dominant. I had a completely different experience initially. Juicy, powdery and luscious rose right off the bat. From there it drifted in and out of its floral state, a constant dance between rose and geranium keeping me entertained for hours. But in a subsequent wear, almost no rose at all. Instead, a dusty, dry bouquet of summer herbs delivered over a faintly floral base. What the fck? Now today, an entirely new experience again. The opening is dry and crunchy, like the final remnants of fallen leaves, toasted by the sun and humified to dust where they lay. Rose is present, but it’s initially muted. There’s sweetness, but you have to search for it through what starts as a jarring, heavily peppered immortelle with lashings of earthy spice. Frankly, this sensation is not my favourite. I much preferred the jammyness of the rose from my first experience to this more savoury exhibition of spices. In any case, perseverance rewards patience. The rose unveils itself over time, displaying all the gorgeous pink and powdery facets, becoming increasingly dominant as it wears. The immortelle remains, but it’s subtle now and not challenging, adding a scratchy, textured and dry herbaceous earthiness to what is clearly a rose centred perfume. It’s tenacious. Incredibly tenacious. But in many respects, it feels like each stage is a new thing in and of itself. There’s just so much to like here. I can see entirely why it’s a 5-star perfume. It’s structured, interesting, and as I’ve already said, it changes constantly. It’s as though it’s always moving, and my contrasting wearing experiences can be explained by it being in a constant state of change. Your journey a unique reflection of its movement.

The metamorphism behind olfaction and art: Collecting fragrances was never a thing considering the person I am. The curvature that loops down knowledge and passion is delved deeply into every singular material that I possess, perfumery being one. The fundamental constituents of perfumery and how this art radiates in making deep connections have driven me into this plutonic form of art. And these coherent fragrances are "on" what I invest my time and money on now. Upon shallow evaluation through rigorous study, my recent had to be Le Mat from the house of Mendittorosa. Spicy syrupy immortelle douched in dry rose petals giving off a Gulkand accord, of which most of us from the south Asian territory are familiar to. This particular fragrance, a recent one perhaps, was actually my first proper interaction with a well-done immortelle. It opens up with a mesmerizing boozy, toasty-maple-syrupy, spicy goodness, which to most would never give an impression of a plant, that too a flower. That big dose of immortelle(Helichyrusum Italicum abs) plays sensual harmony with a complex, honey-like rose(rose centifolia) they've implemented with a spicy touch from geranium, nutmeg and cloves right from the initial burst! The boozy facet of the flower slowly fades away, enveloping an earthy, damp, more like the smell we perceive from right before a storm, giving a petrichor esk thing alongside those beautiful sweeter elements. With time a soft, velvety musk starts to procure, giving off an overall representation of the perfect musk of women. An ending of sensuality with love, that makes life so much more special. This one is a masterpiece; if you're more into the indie to artisinal regime of fragrances, there's a big possibility you will fall in love with this. Surely not blind buy worthy, as understanding such divine materials require a broad spectrum of olfactory receptors in action. This gets a solid 10/10 from me and is one of the top 5 rose fragrances I've ever tried.

There are perfumes that have hidden in them the capacity to change the very perception of specific notes for you: Bracken Man has done it to the clove note, Fan Your Flames for coconut and so on, turning them from hate to love for you. While the rose hasn't really been something I hated, like many, I had my struggles with the flower. If not well done, it can be a deal-breaker. it's really a very tender note which is incredibly difficult to master! (Van Cleef and Arpels Moonlight Patchouli, Zegna Indonesian Oud, Declaration D'un Soir etc) What can I say about Mendittorosa Le Mat? Those who own it or have tested it know what I mean. Mendittorosa is one of the few independent houses I truly respect (contrary to popular belief "indie" is hardly synonymous with novelty these days which is really unfortunate. In perfumery, I truly love the idea of taking up a commonplace note or a concept (the rose-patch-spice here) and turning it into something wholly novel and magical. It undoes a lot of rose and patchouli scents for me... it annihilates a lot of ideas in my head regarding olfaction and implants new ones. Roses, patchouli, immortellle, chamomile? woody accords and spices... this could've easily been just an iteration... a cover song so to speak, but that is what artists do, take up an old plot and inject newness! unconstrained by the demands that the market makes on perfumes, Mendittorosa shows what the future has the possibility to hold for us! Le Mat is my new reference rose-patch! and I suspect it will be so for some time to come!

I was hoping for better and bigger things. Or to possibly have Agent Provocateur AP dethroned as my Queen Rose. None happened. I wish i was as impressed as others are, but even though Le Mat is nice, it is just that - nice. Le Mat is more likely to impress those with smaller but quality collections - as far as we nutcases with hundreds of bottles go, chances are small. I feel like i sniffed and wore this a thousand times before, the closest impression would be Miroir des Voluptes by Mugler, which i am not a fan of. Le Mat is a tad spicier and a bit tamer, but riding the same train. If i could not see the list of notes and if i was asked to describe Le Mat in two words, i would say Rose and Oud, even though there is no Oud here. I will treasure this for the rest of my life, it is quite possibly the last perfume i will ever receive or buy, since my boss already climbed on the Trump train and fired me (an immigrant and legal citizen) after 18 years with the company. The packaging and presentation are out of this world, it felt super special to cut the seal off and lift the wooden lid of the box, just to reveal the art inside. If your collection is smaller but quality focused, i'd say you need this. If you already have rose and oud combos in your wardrobe, Le Mat will fail to knock your socks off.

Spicy-sweet florals on a syrupy base. Something in this throws me off. If this fragrance appeals to you but you'd like something more refined and wearable, I'd recommend trying Oud in Acacia by Scents of Wood instead. I have to admit that the presentation here is exceptional. The bottle, packaging, and overall aesthetic are genuinely beautiful. Unfortunately, I can't justify purchasing a full bottle because the fragrance itself comes across as overly synthetic to my nose. By comparison, Oud in Acacia feels far more natural, balanced, and seamlessly blended, whereas this leans into a sweetness that I find cloying. That said, the performance is remarkable. A single spray on my arm survived an entire day and two showers, which is honestly impressive. Longevity is not a concern here... This fragrance simply refuses to disappear. Part of me wishes I loved the scent more, because the collector in me is captivated by the presentation. It's the kind of bottle that deserves a place on a display shelf. Ultimately, however, the fragrance is too similar to Oud in Acacia for me to justify the price. When the smoother, more polished option already exists, it's difficult to spend $300 on a scent that I enjoy considerably less.

Le Mat opens with a boozy effect yet there is no alcohol notes in the composition. It’s due to the earthy/spicy combo brought by patchouli, geranium and wood mixed with cloves and nutmeg. Oscillation between medicinal and flowery effect where you expect to encounter leather notes but instead it remains rose/patchouli accord. Gradually, immortal takes place to play delicately his role surrounded and mastered by spicy notes, nutmeg first. Time to time, geranium/patchouli accord makes me think (by far) to “Corps et Âmes EdT Apaisante” from Parfumerie Générale (this is also a perfume I like). Where the floral note is brought by jasmine for “Corps et Âmes”, here it is brought by rose. And what a sublime rose! A rose that gives an opulence side but never overwhelming. A rose that disappears and appears again to allow others notes to play their own role. Finally, a rose in total harmony with the rest of the composition and overall with this wonderful immortal that ends to deliver all his warmness. Maybe not that complex (limited in material yet from high quality) but so well crafted and mastered that offers you a very nice experience. Very good perfume with a recognizable twist and very enjoyable. 8/10

A rose coming from the Library of Alexandria... This juice is almost magical... like smelling a rose preserved between hundred of pages in a very old book for centuries. It is dusty, dry but full of essence and body. Tutankhamun's tomb of roses. Rose is not alone, it's pair with a wonderful Immortel, one of my favorites notes in perfumery, and the combination is just perfect, taking the rose to an spicy territory that is to day for. Nutmeg is also there and compensates the mix providing a warm and slightly sweet feeling to the overall scent. This provides the wearer with the imaginary perception of a very interesting person, a mix of mystery and bohemian style. If I would think of myself as a member of the hipster movement, even knowing that the first rule of hipsters is not to consider yourself as one of them, I would definitively take this as my signature scent hands down. Uniqueness: medium-high Scent: 8.5/10 Performance: high Would I buy it: Yes (already part of my collection)

Le Mat is inspired by the tarot card. He is the madman, he is the man who walks into the future without looking back, leaning on a cane. He carries a bundle on his shoulder with everything he needs, he dresses as a jester and a wolf tries to bite him to stop him. It is the letter that has no number. It is the letter of the adventurer, the one who leaves everything to go to the unknown, who is taken for crazy because he leaves the conventions. Le Mat is the combination of several factors that make it one of my favorite fragrances. It is mysterious, it is vital and it is very versatile. This work by Anne-Sophie Behaghel has the combo of rose and patchouli, but in a way that you have never smelled before, together with the nuts, nutmeg and immortelle make it a composition of a spectacular smell. Uniqueness: high scent: 9/10 Sillage: medium-high Longevity: 8h You can follow me and see more reviews on Instagram at international_niche_community

A fresh, young rose with sugar substitute, with stevia)) And also rose jam with its strange texture, as if someone broke a jar of it in a non-ventilated pantry or basement))) A shelf with spices just a couple of meters from the event. The aroma is of fantastic beauty and depth. The components are played with in a very unusual way; I seem to immediately recognize the scent, it's rose and patchouli, but they are so strange. Then spices with immortelle are added, which also seem quite ordinary, yet it is very unusual. At first, it seems a bit vintage, but just a couple of minutes later, I realize it’s so innovative and, once again, strange))) Sooner or later, I will buy this bottle for myself, along with about a dozen bottles of Mendittorosa) There's also a bitter herb tincture here) One could sing an ode to this fragrance for a long time, but it needs to be experienced in person; I think it’s impossible to imagine such a scent

The first rose-based scent I've liked enough to buy (albeit a travel size, not a full bottle). It's pricey but so potent that one spray from a little sample vial on my arm is still projecting up to my nose after 12 hours - basically an extrait. Definitely a scent you want to go light with. The opening is nice, but the drydown is completely intoxicating to me - thick, spicy, decadent, just the right amount of sweetness for my tastes. The cashmeran is definitely very present if you know it's there, but I found it blended beautifully and didn't make the scent feel cheap or overly synthetic to me. Rose usually feels very feminine to me, even spicy ones, but I think this is truly unisex too. Obviously make sure you like spicy scents before trying this, but otherwise give it a go, even you think you don't like rose.

So today i tried the sample of Le Mat by Talismans Collezione Preziosa and as i sprayed this first thing i observed was high quality of ingredients as nothing abot is synthetic and second thing I observed is this is a very complex and beautiful fragrance .I don't have any like to like perfume to compare however going by notes it has rose and spice with herbal backbone and it keeps giving you whiffs all day long and with a excellent silage as i kept asking my wife can you smell me from couple of feet away and she kept nodding in affirmation . Excellent smelling ,Lasting and silage so that means i have to get a decant of this perfume wish it was easier to get hold of and cheaper though good things dont come cheap ?:) . What a great start as i start to explore this house

First, you must enjoy the delicious spices and divine immortelle and patiently wait for the gorgeous rose ( somewhat powdery to my nose)to take her place on the scene. Yes, Mr. Turin you're right, Le Mat deserves your 5 stars because there is nothing like this on the market. It is full of surprises when the patchouli emerges in about 2 hours but the nutmeg is always there. Le Mat doesn't cling to you like most rose fragrances but rather moves around you with a moderate sillage and a long lasting presence. I would like to thank my generous swap partner for this extraordinary fragrance and congratulate Talismans Collezione Preziosa for a unique creation. This being my second one from the house after Nettuno which is equally beautiful.

A masterpiece! One of the best rose based perfumes with real niche quality. The rose here is dark, blackish, mysterious enveloped in an incense. The theme appears to be around the Tarot Card, The Fool or “Le Mat” which signifies new beginnings and a happy-go-lucky attitude. To me this is more related to the “The Death” card in Tarot, which signifies endings and hence new beginnings - it’s a dark card in Tarot, but actually signifies the end of current phase and start of something new. This fragrance signifies that. It reminds me of dark gothic dungeons while freshness and new beginnings at the same time. Well done!!! All season appropriate with above average sillage and longevity. Shukran Habibi!

very complex and unusual mish-mash of a perfume that ultimately succeeds. it starts quite spicy, like spiced rum, but considering there is a big slug of immortelle in there, not the usual suspect spices of curried lamb. as good ol'alfarom points out, the sweetness of both patchouli and helichrysum are dialed way down and allow the composition to breath. about 20 min in the 'aromatic florals' and herbs - maybe geranium, maybe clary sage, broom, marigold - start to unfold beautifully, turning the corner from oriental to floriental and ultimately to an ambered patchouli-immortelle. this is skillful work, unisex (while leaning a tad butch) and the complexity makes it quite seasonally versatile. 8/10

What an interesting rose-immortelle-geranium-patchouli perfume! It’s got a weirdness to it but I like it. I think it’s the combo of the 4. A luscious juicy rose with dry helichrysum-forever flowers, astringent geraniums, on a bed of earthy patchouli. It’s airy, not heavy, uplifting, makes me feel light and carefree. I am imagining a cottage that borders the edge of a cliff on the Mediterranean. It’s dry, hot and sunny out and inside are herbs and flowers hanging to dry. A lonely lady sweeps the hearth clean and then makes a cup of tea and goes out to the patio to gaze off into the sea while she drinks and catches whiffs of the drying roses and immortelle. She is content.

Super spicy opening. Dry and creamy all at once. Honestly the smell reminds me of visits to Mexico for some reason. Cinnamon and clove. Horchata - some dry Mexican pastries. The patchouli follows and almost overwhelms me. THEN it calms down and I get something really rich and beautiful. Gothic floral woody musky - dark and delicious - I want to wear velvet, light candles, drink warm brandy. I wasn't sure I liked this at first but something fascinates about it. And I'm glad I gave it a chance. It is potent with a lot of personality. I love when I get a fragrance I keep smelling throughout the day and each time I do - I think of something different. This is that.

What a fabulously scrumptious perfume!!! OMG! Fantastic. Beautiful rich rose. It's such a deep, potent perfume, so alive with energy and vitality, like the earth and all it's energy and beauty unfolding. Everything is natural and rich, warm and glorious! It's so delicious and rich and spicy and herby, and mysterious and opulent. Beautiful beautiful beautiful patchouli and rose, rose and patchouli - with all the other ingredients filling it out, to make it divine. So sensual and stunning. Glorious! I lasts and lasts, has gorgeous sillage - I receive compliments galore!!! - and the bottle is stunning!!!! I LOVE Le Mat!!!!

A great fragrance. Intense but not cloying. The immortelle offers its dry sweetness beside the rose and patch. Geranium opens out the scent so it's not heavy and bolsters the rose. The spices are more evident once it has settled but it is no spice bomb. Further along the timelite everything has softened a touch and now the wood dominates. If you think the show is all over then yiu would be mistaken. The rose and immortelle suddenly return with glorious rose sweetness. I didn't see that one coming! It has very good sillage and the longevity is very good. A lovely scent to wear on a sunny day in autumn.