12 Eau D'Epices

One of the most-brilliant compositions I have ever smelt! Definitely orange-blossom dominates (with a hint of tuberose?), but it is bent and molded into something quite-different and unexpected with an overlay of spices (Ceylon cinnamon is, to my nose, strongest, followed by cloves, and then coriander seed), while the lower, "wood-like" facets of the flower's essential oil are entwined like loving roots into vetiver and frankincense- it is hard to find where orange-blossom begins and ends, it is that well-married... I also sense a hint of linden-blossom bonding quite well with the "green-grassiness" of vetiver, expanding, diluting the sweet nature of the white-floral heart. The effect is striking, with a definite character of its own. It reminds me a little of 'Poeme', but is not so "round and soft": there is a "masculine", assertive edge to Eau d'Epices- despite it's strong floral character- which makes it, in my opinion, fairly unisex... and, also, quite oriental. Anyone with a modest attar-collection would probably not be shocked so much by this fragrance, but I can see many women of mainstream-western taste being put off by the rich, resin-backed spiciness, and just as many men being put off by the bold use of a sweet white floral. It toys with gender. It is not a crowd-pleaser by any means; it retains its unapologetic integrity throughout its long evaporation, and could be a strong, unmistakeable signature for a self-assured person.

I think that this one is a slow burner - i.e. you need to give it a bit of time or a few tests. Of the 10 x Tauer samples I tested this would have been in my bottom 3 but as I think his perfumes are legendary I decided to give this another test last night. I sprayed this on the other half first and it smelt so delicious on him I couldn't believe it. It was rich, warm and spicy but in a softly sweet way. So I sprayed it on myself as well and it did smell different on me - the opening had a lot more citrus and smelt slightly sharp. However 5 minutes in and it had settled down to a fragrant dream and while watching Django I couldn't help but sniff my arm constantly. It's the following morning now and this scent is still on my arm and smells amazing. This is a powerhouse of longevity. Just goes to show that sometimes perfumes need to have a second or third try and / or maybe tastes change as well. Another Tauer great but maybe give it a bit of time. I tested LAADM on the other half but he much preferred this one.

I didn't think I liked this when I first tried it. I got such a blast of 'spice cabinet' that I couldn't smell anything else and while that's a fine scent while baking, it's a bit sharp for wearing. It settled down fairly quickly though and while it retained some spice, the underglow started to brighten. It's a warm and lovely scent, not too floral, not too citrus-y, not food-like, despite the spice/tonka, which is a plus for me. My only regret is that I found it in late February, so soon it will have to be put away until fall. I must say though, out of the six Tauers I have tried so far, (#'s 1, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12), the only one I wouldn't wear is #8 Rose Chypree (too sweet for me), so maybe I am Tauer-addicted. I was very surprised at the number of negative votes above.

I bought this one yesterday without knowing anything about it. On me it seems to smell like a linden tree in bloom. Imagine my surprise when I discovered there is no lindenblossom in it. At all 0_O Works for me though. Mr. Tauer must be some magician if so many people have such different experiences with this scent. I was really wondering why it was named "Eau d'Epices", I'm totally baffled. Maybe I ought to have my friends have a sniff and ask them what it reminds them of... I love it and will be sampling more Tauer scents. Such a nice touch that there is a little card inside the box saying "Enjoy!" signed by the man himself. I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet him during his visit at the perfumery. The salesgirl said he was a very pleasant man.

Still pondering Eau D'Epices... I don't care for it for the first 1/2 hour or so. But given a little time, this fragrance mellows out, and becomes an interesting spice market smell. It is a bit sour initially, but that aspect doesn't linger on me too long. I do enjoy the coriander (which seems to be the strongest note to me). EDE is a unique spicy... I might like it better on a man than on me. But still evaluating. I would at least like to have a large decant, as it is special and has that certain Taeur "power".

Andy Tauer just has this knack of making really unique scents. He's either a very gifted creative force or he has researched other fragrances massively because they seem to be very consciously different from anything out there...not an easy thing to do. His first two (Masculines) were great and could've been thought of as a one trick pony, not that Lonestar memories and L'air du desert Marocain smell alike but are certainly share the same signiture feeling. Having tried a few more of his fragrances now I see that he's very diverse and tackles lots of different accords in a unique way. This is not to say that they're always to my taste but I appreciate his innovative approach and commitment to the craft. So Eau D'Epices is a surprise package and strangely as complex and as many notes as it has, cinnamon is big player giving both sweetness and warmth. The opening is sweet swirling around with jasmine, orange and spices mainly of cinnamon/clove it's almost too much to bare. I think the orris root and ambergris are responsible for the sweetness too. I get labdanum and and overriding warm base of amber but here's the kicker...an orange blossom/tuberose white floral which develops and becomes the heart of Eau D'Epices. Just thought I'd mention I smell a definite tea in the drydown too...not sure what's giving that effect and it takes a while to come out but it's definitely there. That could've spelled disaster for this fragrance as I'm not a huge fan of them but it works really well with the spicing in this composition. I like this one but like many recent smaples I've tried...it's not for everyone. I'm gonna have to wear it again properly to see how it performs in a typical situation. Long lasting and good projection from what I can tell so far.

Orris root should be ranked higher in this list. The intense, starchy violet note hit me straight away, to the point that I thought I had sniffed the wrong sample. However, it did soon dissipate to reveal the charismatic array of spices listed here. At first everything was so loud and compacted together, it smelled rather like a freshly opened block of barber's soap -sharp, fizzy, nose-tingling powder- being thrust up my nose. As it calmed down, I found I was able to pick out the nuances of each ingredient; The bitterness of the clove and cardamom, the dry sweetness of the cinnamon and the airiness of the coriander. I also detected something earthy, like dry soil under the fingernails. Vetiver perhaps? After about 30 mins, a bunch of honey-tinged white florals developed, merging with a soft, vanillic amber to advance things in a more feminine direction. In the background, the faint tang of Tauer's signature labdanum-infused base, the starchy remnants of the orris and traces of tingly barbershop spice. Overall, "Eau d'Epices" didn't have the eastern vibe I was expecting. Rather, it has more in common with perfumes like "Caléche" and "Boucheron Homme". Clean spice, pretty florals and powder, but balanced in a way that resembles something my grandparents would have worn. Nice, but a bit old fashioned. I would feel smart and respectable wearing this, but not sexy, if you get me.

These are the oddest reviews and lead me to believe most of the reviewers have never tried a Tauer. This is typical Tauer without the heavy smoke or incense note, more in line with a Noontide Petals vibe. It goes on a spicy floriental with sweet spices, floral, powder and a little sour note. The sour fades in the dry down and I am left with lovely soft spicy floral. The coriander is prominent. The clove is NOT. This reminds me of Christmas flowers, not like, but reminiscent of Guerlain's Winter Delice. P.S. Oooh, three hours later in the dry down, the incense rises. Oh, Tauer, you master.

The emotions that I felt with Eau d'Epices was a great surprise. Although I had often heard of Eau d'Epices, I never imagined that it would change my route and my perception of what the Middle East is: Eau d 'Epices is a trip to the East that I had never seen before. It is a window to the blue sea in the middle of a desert. Two feelings merge, on one hand the feeling of permanence and on the other an open space to new sensations.

I was sent a sample of this through the post by a lovely fragrantician but I am sorry, this actually almost made me AND my entire family retch. Far too sickly for me. It is hanging in the air and making me feel a bit queasy. I like heavy scents but this one is a definite no no. My first little dip into Niche was not successful. I do not know if this makes me a bad fragrance lover but if all Niche is like this and one other I tried then I may not be a Niche girl... ... yet! I am on a journey of discovery so maybe I will find some yet. I consider this a bump on the road.

I really thought I would like this based on the notes but it's a dry dusty medicinal soapy smell to me. No sweetness which I am sad about. A little vintage, but mainly just really unusual. Must be the coriander seed - I don't get cardamon nor clove, just a whiff that I can only describe as a mix of indian spices that have been in your cupboard since the 80s and really have lost most of their sharpness. Also a distinct violet note, upon opening and strong on drydown. It actually gets sweeter and more incense so I am liking it a little more as it dries.

I tested this today and I'm afraid there is not much I can say. A dull, synthetic incense and clove. Nothing else made an appearance. I was sceptical about trying this but my suspicions were confirmed. Incense I seem to be able to handle but clove, no. Clove brings images of christmas and punch-bowls, holly and ivy. Perhaps I'm trying this at the wrong time of year? Luckily it wore off after an hour or so, so plenty of time to spray something else.

WTF??? This smells *nothing* like it sounds. Reminds me of the kind of toilet freshner Japanese people use, the kind you leave in the bowl. This is a powdery, sickly sweet floral. This is almost a scrubber - my first Tauer and I'm not happy with it. It becomes slightly more acceptable during the drydown; frankincense and cola in a new age bookstore. A little less unpleasant but I still never need to experience this again.

I'm not an expert, but the main note I got from this from the beginning to the end is leather. The spices are there somewhere and after some indecision they push forward their tiny heads. I smell above all rosemary. As for the clove, I know and love cloves, but I didn't notice any here. While it seems original and interesting, I don't know in what situation I would like to smell like a new leather briefcase.

I ran away from my sample...I ve tried to wash it off...it still lingers...sorry but that mixture of spices are a NO go for me..I guess it is the mustiness of clove and labdanum together..I ve hoped for another masterpiece as the great Desert Marocain, but that one really kills me..

Unfortunately, it starts out musty on me and does not improve with time. I believe it is the way the spices and incense are put together and then the iris makes it even more head ache inducing. It just smells like my sample just is terribly bad and old.

With so many positive reviews on this, I had high expectations of warm exotic spices. But all I ended up with was a nasty concoction that smelled a lot like Desitin daiper rash cream. Not a fan of this one.

This one is awful! I could only bare it for two minutes before I had to scrub it off. Buy some cheap disinfectant and douse yourself in that, same smell, much more affordable ;0)

I love this .... LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS !!!! Have I been given a different sample - it is certainly labelled correctly but from what everyone is saying I must be smelling something different! It is deeply oriental - slightly spicy slightly jasminey slightly mandariney - lots of irisy!!! The depth to this perfume is amazing on my skin I can smell flowers and slight spices an earthiness that is surreal - much like an impressionist painting and it puts me in mind of Monet, Manet, Pissaro, Degas! I find this perfume sublime - it is soft but highly projected - sweet but not cloying - spicy in a subdued way. I really think I have found my new signature - this makes me so happy all I have been doing for hours is sniffing my wrists - ohhhh and the longevity of this perfume .... hours later and it is still evolving and changing and making me want more! The silage is big but soft at the same time - and it lingers .... oh, how it lingers - I had an appointment and came back home a few hours later and all I could smell was this wonderful silage wafting my home! I guess if you want to compete in a 'I can out-smell you competition' this is most definitely the one to wear. It develops very much like those Arabian attars taking on character over time growing and changing! I can smell this surrounding me like a warm blanket bathing me in love and affection. In my opinion beautifully made and crafted - Andy is a genius ... a perfume genius! Expensive yes, but as with some of Andy's other creations - a little goes a long way! 10/10 for me!

Eau D'Epices is one of those fragrances that I can't quite wrap my head around. It sometimes leaves me lost for words and an apt description is hard to come by. This fragrance has so many different elements. It's floral, citrusy, musky, spicy and smoky all rolled into one. Not to mention it is one of the strongest perfumes I've smelt in a while. Soon after application Eau D'Epices hits you with a sweet and crisp blend of mandarin orange, neroli and cardamom. It starts off very feminine and pretty, but bit by bit this fragrance transforms into a richer, spicier scent. Towards the drydown I can see how Eau D'Epices can also be worn by men. Like most Tauer scents, you'll either love it or loathe it. It packs a fairly strong punch in regards to its projection and longevity. Some people may find this fragrance a little too indolic or a touch too weird for their tastes. I personally find it intriguing and oddly sensual. I have greatly enjoyed wearing Eau D'Epices as a bedtime scent over the last few weeks. Of all the Tauer fragrances I feel that Eau D'Epices doesn't get the reviews it deserves. It's one of those greatly misunderstood perfumes that people tend to dismiss far too early on. If you're anything like me and find yourself enjoying most fragrances featuring a heavy dose of orange blossom and/or neroli, please give Eau D'Epices a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.