Les Tourterelles de Zelmis

I had ordered a sample kit from Oriza L Legrand cause I really wanted to smell their cult fragrances: Chypre Mousse and Relique D'amour. Although I adore Relique, Zelmis is by far my favorite among the samples I tried out. I'm the greatest fan of old school geranium-rose scents, so of course this one was going to be my jam. It's a waxy, thick, deep geranium rose that makes me think of an early 20th century woman. Quite an anachronistic rose scent: not powdery or sweet or "coquette". She's a deep, thick, jammy, green, geranium rose. I just found out that it is actually a remake of an early 1900s scent, and it absolutely smells like it. It has an aura of "old femininity" which I adore. It's something my great-grandmother would have worn when she was a young, beautiful, yet simple woman. It's not a really complex scent, but it grew on me much more than other frags. It basically comes out as a solinote rose scent, but those few notes are so well blended and so evocative. Its "deep velvety rose" nature is addicting. I can't stop sniffing my wrists. If you like roses and antiques, you really should get a sample of this! It doesn't last too long, but it's perhaps because I've used very little of it in order not to run out of my sample and keep smelling it all day 🙃. I might consider getting a full bottle someday. I've seen comparisons with Tea Rose, which I just ordered for my rose collection. I hope they actually share that same "velvety, red, geranium rose" vibe.

Probably the most feminine fragrance I've tried that i actually liked and would consider getting a full bottle of. Somewhere between a cacophony and an orchestra of rose and other red flowers but the peppercorn holds it in check, just masculine enough to keep me around. Almost one note, not the sense that there is only one note, but that instead it is mostly a number of variations upon that one note of ROSE. At the heart of it these various roses and germaniums come together into something less light sweet girly rose or jammy candy gourmand rose but more like an almost too ripened a rose. A rose that could wilt tomorrow and is throwing out everything it's got in the darkest corner of the garden. Wringing every last bit of it's glorious ROSE-ness out of it's own existence while it still can, right on the razor's edge before that saturated sweetness turns to rot ... but not quite. An almost animalic rose? Vegetalic? Less reminding you of something that is alive but more of something at the zenith of the fullness of it's life that is about to expire. .... and then! right there at the end underneath it all, beeswax and honey, a single ray of sunshine and life and renewal pierces the foliage to find the ROSE. The cycle begins again. I can't stop smelling it.

This is a deep, blood red, velvet rose with dark green nuances. And it is gorgeous! It has a spicy, herbal quality - that to my nose reminds me of bay leaf (maybe it's the combination of pepper and ivy?). The beeswax deepens and thickens the scent and gives it a soft and a barely there stickyness without ever going too sweet. This is not a gourmand rose, it's a deep, voluptuous, dark green, herbal rose - with warmth and depth. Les Tourtorelles de Zelmis (the doves of Zelmis) has a yin yang quality as well. Sometimes it feels very feminine, and smells mostly of rose and honey - and other times it is a vibrant herbal (bay leaf-esque) rose, that feels a tad more masculine. It gives the scent a beautiful poetic heart, it evokes the feeling of two lovers in a constant flux. The changes in the scent comes with temperature fluctuations. The warmer it is, the more herbal it seems to be. At least that is how it behaves on my skin. I really like this rose, and that says a lot because rose is not my favourite floral note. I may even adore this scent! And I definitely want a bottle. :) Longevity is above 6-7 hours on my skin, and sillage is a steady medium (until the last couple of hours when it becomes more of a skin scent).

Deep blood red rose on climbing vines, intertwined with unruly ivy and ascending above a bed of tart, garden-green pelargonium: this concisely summarizes my experience with Les Tourterelles de Zelmis. Expect no rose water levity, no sweet, jelly-like rose confit: these blooms come with a peppery, lemony start, a deep, yet fresh, leafy voluptuous heart and a dark beeswax finish. It evokes the darkest corner of a courtyard garden at that moment of the day where the sun just reaches through to quench its thirst, heating up the waxy foliage and throwing the scent of these garnet roses, flushing the velvet of their petals. The turtle doves (les tourterelles) coo from the ledge of the stone wall and the thickness of this shaded nook contrasts with the expansive blue sky.

If a deep red, velvety rose from a pristine garden was captured and put into a bottle. Although it is not the most complex fragrance out there, it is perfectly executed and is a must for every rose lover. The geranium is also very much present and reminds me of my grandmother's garden. I do agree with a previous comment; it can be compared to a waxy lipstick scent but without the excessive powder and sugar you usually get in such fragrances. It is beautiful and feels vintage. I love to combine it with Muguet Fleuri from Oriza, it's such a beautifully pristine combo that I plan to wear if I ever get married. Longevity is good on me, it easily lasts all day. Sillage and projection are moderate, but certainly not weak.

A cunning and canny dialectic of reds and greens that adds a pleasing third dimension to the occasionally aggressive simplicity of L'Artisan Parfumeur's Voleur de Roses. The sweetness of the beeswax plays with the central rose scent in such a way that it comes as no surprise to see some reviews leaning on "powdery" descriptions, and others insisting upon its "jamminess." For someone with the capacity to enjoy both, it's likely to be whatever you want it to be.

a beautiful vintage geranium-rose combo

I bought a selection of samples from Oriza L Legrand, this one was definitely my favourite. On the first spray I get lemon and rose, a combination which instantly brings a Turkish Delight selection box to mind. As the fragrance develops I do pick up on the pepper and carnation, but not as much as I would like. I don't know if it's due to the imagery on the packaging, the copy from the brand, or my associations with Turkish Delight, but to me Zelmis absolutely screams, winter and Christmas time. Despite the fact I live in the southern hemisphere. I love a powdery rose scent, and while I liked this one it didn't offer anything unique enough to me personally to make me want to go purchase a whole bottle.

Though rococo in it's intent (inspired by orientalist love poems from the 1700s), it's chic, sexy and quite metropolitan. Suitable both for men and women, like most Oriza perfumes. I could see a charming gentleman wearing it on his scarf, or typically... Rachel Green. It's good in summer and winter, all year around. Most exquisite on a white coat carrying December's wind. Careful as it could come off a bit sour on skin for some people with the saffron present in the composition (potentially almost bug repellent). If so, I'd advise to wear on clothing - then rose, pepper and beeswax will bloom. See for yourself

This is a true soliflore rose, sweet and green, but unfortunately the drydown is a bit too bitter for me to buy a full bottle- but not as bad as in Tea Rose that others compare it to. If like me you're linto realistic rose fragrances you will also like this one, but it's not unique. I would have loved it a few years ago before I had anything better in my collection.

the smell of a red lipstick/vintage cosmetics. dare i say, a "photorealistic" red lipstick. i appreciate that cosmetic-y wax note. also something that reminds me of chinese medicine. beautiful green air.

lovely lovely scent but not strong enough with silliage or longevity to justify price unfortunately :(

Very nice powdery rose. Smells antique. It reminds of the vintage Habit Rouge Edt Guerlain.

A soft, vintage rose... I am not a rose-forward fragrance fan, but something about Les Tourterelles de Zelmis makes me believe that this is how all rose-forward fragrances should be done. It's endearing, gentle, and feminine- simple yet captivating, even for a non-rose fan.

A bit harsh and scratchy to my nose. No sweetness to be found for me. Rather a one-note wonder which reminds me of Perfumer’s Workshop Tea Rose, but a bit more unpleasant with something weird in it. I cannot wax euphoric about it as others have done. I blind bought and then resold the bottle. I don’t recommend as a safe blind buy. Check out my perfume shelf to see which roses I like and perhaps that will give you an idea about what I consider to be an antithesis of enjoyable. Paris by YSL or Tobacco Rose by Papillon Artisan Perfumes is about as harsh and butch as I like to go in a rose. I have to really be in the right mood and weather circumstances for those two. LTdeZ is a never.

I just ordered a sample box directly from Oriza L. Legrand, including a couple of other items. The tariffs/shipping costs imposed on me as a US citizen are incredibly high, but I am not going to let that stop me from buying beautiful items from our original friend, France. I am very much looking forward to this particular scent; I hadn't realized it was based on rose. I will do an update once I receive it. P.S. The Violettes du Czar is really not a violet scent; my favorite scent of all is always violet and I bought a full bottle of that, and it is a disappointment; my idea of violet would be mix of Vermeil by Bienaime mixed with Violettes de Toulouse by Berdoues....now that would be a scent! I've tried mixing the two together, but alas! The Vermeil definitely took over.

Le Tourterelles de Zelmis, a rose perfume formula from 1913, inspired by a French novella, first published in 1765. To translate: the turtle-doves of Zelmis, a fictional shepherdess. All this is to say, that Zelmis is a very, very old-fashioned rose indeed. The closest comparisons that comes to mind, besides pure rosewater, are Tea Rose by Perfumer's Workshop and Le Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens, ...but make no mistake, Le Tourterelles de Zelmis is distinctly more antiquated than either. This is may be an ideal scent for devotees of maudlin, romantic poetry (either medieval or XIX Century), ...and other rare stripes of gothically inclined creative anachronism. Olfactory cosplay be but a spray away, milady.

Trying out a sample today. And what a delight those Oriza L Legrand sampleboxes are these days, such a treat. A booklet, lovely postcards added in a beautiful box... Les Tourterelles de Zelmis is an excellent rose perfume. Edit: I just saw it is a remake of a Belle Epoque scent, this makes sense :0) In other words, very much a Victorian dream, high quality and longlasting. It has been going strong for almost 10 hours now. I'm certain it will be difficult to choose a perfume at the end of the ride. They're excellent, which is to be expected from a brand that has been around for 300 years. What's not to like?

A sharp and piercing geranium-lemony rose with a crisp biting green stem and lots of thorns. Not quite my thing. The silage is low and longevity is short on me. It warms up a bit after a few hours, becoming a little more jammy. I do not smell beeswax which I would love, though if you get the other notes--and honey/beeswax goes a tad pissy on you, then you'll want to avoid.