Absolu

In Absolu, Antoine Lie presents what I regard as an improvement to his Belle Âme for Les Abstraits, by taking his exquisite orris accord and placing it in a setting that illuminates rather than blurs its cohorts. Trading cacao for orange blossom for its adjunct (evidently a nod to Louis the XIVth), Lie massages his orris into the orange blossom absolute, and with the sensational addition of guaiac wood and cedar, manages to move forward into the mix the latter two. This surprising development results, where the warm and light smoky intrigue of the guaiac and the soft, citrus-accented dryness of cedar greet me sooner than expected. The cool pastel orris immediately in tow, with the orange blossom slinking its way through, revealing hints of indole and honeyed concord-grape sweetness. All is resolved with a tonka and the woods, rondo-like, return as the orange blossom recedes into an apparition of sorts, through incense smoke. The result is something akin to an olfactory tone poem, powerfully suggestive, yet also profoundly restrained. It seeks not to dazzle but to reflect, surprising me as the hours pass, with flickers of its refrain. It took a second full wear for me to fully appreciate it, as the first time around left me bewildered. I felt like it was escaping my grasp, but it turns out after the next visit, I was in fact escaping its grasp. I have a feeling this one deserves the dedicated attention of someone who just lives for, who lusts for, scent, in all its elusiveness. Someone with impact in mind will be let down—this is not about impact, it's far too calm. Perhaps this is too much work for the average fragrance enthusiast, but I do recommend it for someone who appreciates a perfume that churns slowly and quietly in the periphery, only for the wearer to realize over time that one is entirely inside of its world.

The opening is super fresh and woody, almost weirdly smelled fresh dewy rose alongside the woods. This pretty quickly dries down into a mainly woods, iris and orange medley. The orange is zingy and bright. Projection on this is a skin scent to me, but silage is larger and it leaves a scent trail. This kind of reminds me of a niche Valentino Uomo Intense that smells way more natural. It's really beautiful and pleasant, it's bright yet calming. It would make a fantastic signature fragrance! This makes me want to try more from this house ASAP.

✨ Absolu surprised me. I usually avoid orange blossom, but this one is dry, green, and contemplative. No syrup, no shine—just a sun-warmed bloom, surrounded by hay and guaiac wood. It feels like standing in a quiet field, the air thick with the aroma of herbs and the memory of the land. A grounding, elemental floral that sits close to the soul. Stunning. I carry samples at Nectar Atelier, thoughtfully wrapped in eco-conscious materials for an artful unboxing experience.

Candied mandarin, soft orange flower, sweet Tonka bean. Fantastic. I keep getting lovely wafts of this. Performance is awful. Even with 10 sprays it’ll only last 2 hours. 8.6/10

Although not unique or strong enough (for me) this is an absolutely captivating, high quality and signature worthy mix. The notes are blended perfectly and the outcome is very niche. I would imagine a snobby French man or woman wearing this to go with their perfectly imperfect outfit.