Olim

This turned out to be a pleasant surprise and much nicer than I expected. I originally wanted to try a different Maison Trudon perfume but I couldn't locate a sample, so I decided to try Olim. So, to my nose this is an extremely light, feminine and ethereal perfume with definite opening notes of lavender and bergamot and yes, ANISE. The opening is a bit powdery to my nose, something of which I'm not usually a fan. But with Olim, I find the powdery note welcoming as it mellows the anise & lavender, so I do not find the powdery appearance offensive in any way. And of course this rising, lovely and soothing note is benzoin beginning its approach. About 10 minutes in, I detect clean & cool notes of clove and pepper...a very nice addition & combination, IMHO. Again, peppery spicy scents are not usually my favorite but somehow, the spiciness is mellowed by this powdery cloak, which I imagine is vanilla and myrrh. And again there is the lovely rising benzoin, which mellows & balances any sharp notes making claim. Finally, slight patchouli and musk make an appearance, as they pleasantly level with all the prior notes. Yes, there is some vanilla and a bit of creaminess during the dry-down but everything melds together in an overall pleasant way. I also detect some balsamic or green notes during-dry down but none that overwhelm the overall sum of the other fragrant notes. I did not detect much amber, or extreme spiciness; therefore, I cannot imagine Olim being unisex because it smells tame, reserved and very feminine to me, it really does. As I applied Olim and let it wear, it reminded me of a cloud of smoke coming from a magic bottle that eventually turns into a genie...or something like that. Over time, Olim's development is smooth, level and integrated. There is something intriguing about this fragrance. Olim truly is the sum of all its individual parts. And some mentioned this as a "cold weather," or "winter" fragrance, which is not my take at all. The ethereal lightness of the notes makes this perfume suitable for summer, spring, warmer climates. To my nose, this fragrance is very airy & light. Sillage is low, projection is low...this one remains close to the body. Longevity is about 6 hours. Much more interesting than a mainstream, "mall" fragrance, I like Olim a lot but I'm not sure it's full-bottle worthy for me. Nonetheless, this is an easy fragrance to wear and pretty easy to like and enjoy. And as I just reapplied Olim, I cannot stop sniffing my wrist...may be whole bottle worthy after all! EDITED: Just has to purchase a full bottle of this lovely fragrance. Olim is truly beautiful.

The opening starts with an anise and lavender duo, probably inspired by other classical men's fougeres, but with a perfect execution, and utterly refined result. The cloves note is noticeable, and will give some strength, without never being invasive, while the clean patchouli will also play its discreet role. The base is all about an heavenly combo of cloves and benzoin note with a light animalic facet, supported by clean, soapy but light musk and myrrh, that give a smooth and original development to the beautiful opening without sweetening things. Masculine opening, reminding me of Azzaro pour Homme, YSL Rive Gauche and Boclet Geranium, and unisex drydown, vaguely reminding me of Guerlain Lui. Performance is soft to moderate, a regrettable facet given the price point that seems unfortunately a common trend of this house. All its facets have been already seen before, but this one is like the Thanksgiving turkey: you eat it every year, but realistically, over a whole life, how many times was it really good and cooked to perfection? Here it's the case: free range organic turkey bought directly in a small farm, greased with amish butter and handmade yogurt, and baked to perfection in a wood-fired oven. (for Italian people, just translate by replacing the turkey with the Easter milk lamb, and you'll get what I mean). And like for the performance, I just wish there was a bit of turkey/lamb left after the first serving. Nothing new, but executed to perfection with high quality ingredients. Is it a masterpiece? Probably, but if not, it's an inch away form being one. Is it worth $210? If performance was a bit more convincing, it would be a solid yes, but for now, the jury is still out on that one, and would suggest to get a decant to make your own decision. I wish it was better priced, as this is probably the magnum opus of this house, and a stunning creation from Lyn Harris. Fresh days, 25+

Hammered-gold medieval dark-wood panelling painted with mythical images of angels and saints sings you down the cathedral aisle, which you tread with a solemn, self-possessed, aloof kind of dignity. You're medieval French royalty in this, no doubt. Heavy overtones of religion and history in the myrrh and spices. Despite all the expense and the beauty, it's stern stuff: a deeply serious, weighty, stand-up-straight and almost holy feel. Certainly a pleasure and a privilege, rather than a duty, to wear this magnificent cloth-of-gold cape redolent of the Orient, but the overall mood is reflective, serene, (whisper it now) maybe even a little po-faced. Not hugely sweet, yet utterly unisex and intensely classy. Almost intimidatingly good. I guess for someone with less of my weak spot for resins might find it, from another angle, an unusually spicy-lavender-male-skewing thing, almost a classic barbershop scent, but to me it's so so much more evocative and almost-weird than that. The edge gives it an unusual herbal tang, the pepper and cloves are just right. Very respectable performance and longevity too. On this one, I say - vive le Roi! Trudon have conjured the smell of an absolutely beautiful, if imaginary, past. A deeply exotic vision which completely dodges the usual cliches of myrrh-and-spices Arabica; the whole aura is mysterious and other-worldly.

Golden, balsamic, grandiose – Olim manages to be both rich and soaring in its quality and character. Lifted by spicy clove and herbal anise, a burst of fresh lavender and powdery, creamy benzoin in the opening contrast bright bergamot in a manner quite Jicky-esque. As the opening devolves toward the middle, the bergamot fades to reveal an earthen patchouli. Simultaneously, the anise moves to the fore, more candied and liquorice now. Later, resinous myrrh and cinnamon form the rich balsamic accord that carries Olim into its dry down of powdery, caramelized-vanillic benzoin and musk. As others have mentioned, there is both a similarity to Jicky in the opening and a Shalimar feel in the base. Olim, however, is a more complexly nuanced and fascinating composition than the modern iterations of either Jicky and Shalimar in my opinion. Quite the compliment getter on its own, Olim is magical when layered with Mortel. Very unisex too. Sillage is moderate with good longevity at 8-9 hours on my skin. 8.5/10

This perfume makes me want to revisit Jicky, which I’ve never liked. The combination of lavender and vanilla makes me want to hurl, frankly. Initially, this reminded me much more of Shalimar, but now that I’ve retested it, I’m seeing the Jicky connection. The lavender in Olim is pronounced on me and lingers throughout the life of the fragrance. The pairing of lavender and bergamot gives this otherwise resinous and slightly powdery fragrance, a bright buoyancy. I’m finding this to actually be a cross between Jicky and Shalimar, though it’s sweetness comes more from benzoin than vanilla, though the far drydown has hints of vanilla to me. It’s soft, lightly sweet with a cloud of benzoin and musk deepened and warmed by a haze of soft spice and I also detect a pinch of cinnamon in the mix. As with the entire collection, it’s done in an understated and polished manner and I find it to be comforting and sophisticated. I really like it and it may be my favorite in the range.