The interesting thing about gold for this blog project was that I was completely sure out of the three gifts we were asked to find perfumes for, I would have most problems finding the one for gold. Turned out, it was the first I knew which one it would be and didn’t change it in the process (I deliberated on the other two).
My choice is Montale’s Pure Gold. Even the name fits – the blog project, still not that sure about the juice though.
Notes: neroli, Egyptian jasmine, Italian tangerine, apricot, white musk, vanilla and patchouli.
I get the whole neroli-tangerine opening although not quite in those words. More in the line, oh, what a lovely light green, citrusy floral opening full of sunshine.The fruity juiciness coming from tangerine (even though I said citrusy, it’s no lemon of any kind) and the rest coming from neroli which I noticed that whenever I come up with floral sunshine in my mind, it usually stands for neroli. Which is one way of learning how to distinguish notes.
As I’d like to think that my fruity-floral days are over, every once in a while, there comes one that changes that. I loved this one from the first sniff of my already half-empty sample.
While smelling this for reviewing purposes, I wrote down that it smelled happy and innocent. I’m still finding it happy, but I’m no longer sure about innocent. I know why I thought it, because it reminds me of spring meadows on sunny days and carefree times, but I no longer think it’s innocent like that, it’s more sexy-happy. You know, slightly intoxicating and happy, the best way to seduce someone. 🙂 My thoughts on why, neroli+jasmine+white musk (in an amount that I find not only tolerable but enjoyable and that’s rare).
My guess on why it was called Pure Gold (except for all the yellow, orange notes in it) is because as evocative as it is of happy, sunny spring, the gold in this is the sun for me.
I took a look around the forums while looking for the notes and noticed this didn’t get much love, and at some point, I even wondered if there are two of these perfumes out there smelling differently as one reviewer described it as woody-floral and another likened it to Coromandel. For the life of me, I can’t find any similarities with Coromandel, except the fact that both containing patchouli. I could have sworn though that in the drydown, someone put in just a drop of aoud to tease us but that could well be patchouli working another miracle (I find patchouli an extraordinary note in perfume – so many ways it can go and you never which way it took until you smell the perfume).
So, go take a look at my fellow bloggers and what Kings’ gift they are discussing today:
Three Kings Icon ©2010 Megan Ruisch
P.S. Commenting on any of my posts for We Three Kings, gets you a possibility to win a little Croatian Christmas gift. 🙂
Tagged: Montale, Pure Gold, We Three Kings, World of Perfume
All I am - a redhead 
Nice post. I agree that Gold does pose the most problems in terms of finding a great perfume. Unlike you, I didn't manage to find anything hugely successful. I'm going to continue my hunt and may find something by the end of this week though!
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How strange: the notes for Pure Gold by Montale seem delightful but it certainly does not get much love on the perfume review sites. If one sampled it without knowing its name or maker or cost, would a reviewer think of pure gold or luxury in association with the fragrance? You enjoyed the sunshine citrus because it evokes sunny days; other reviews seem to mislike the very opulent name being used for a simple sunny citrus which apparently can't of itself justify the high cost or fit the grand name. The pitfalls of naming scents!I meant to comment yesterday concerning myrrh. Recalling "We Three Kings of Orient Are", which was my only exposure to myrrh until I bought a bottle of the essential oil as an adult, it doesn't get a good press in the Christmas carol, does it?! "Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfumeBreathes a life of gathering gloom;Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dyingSeal'd in the stone-cold tomb."I don't know whether it was this pre-programming from carol-singing infancy, but myrrh does seem cool and bitter, like the "blues" to me.cheerio, and I'm getting my frankincense resin ready for the next post!Anna in Edinburgh
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Your evocative review has made me pine for golden "floral sunshine" again, instead of this icy vice we are gripped in at the moment. If Pure Gold is fairly light on the old Aoud it could be a contender for me.
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I have been seduced! Pure Gold sounds so sunny and happy, I wish I could spray myself with it right now. and during the holidays. and all winter. and when I'm crabby…I must give Pure Gold a try. It might be a great addition to my "Mood First-Aid Kit".
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Pure Gold, what a great choice for the gold aspect. It sounds just wonderful.
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MPL, I saw your quest is over and interesting choices made your list.
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Anna, I don't think blind sniffing this would get you thinking of pure gold. It certainly doesn't make me think of it.I must say I'm glad I had no pre-conditioning with regard to myrrh and having no death associations, I can say that smelling it does not evoke such thoughts in me. I find it serious and somewhat somber but with warmth in its soul.Thanks for commenting!
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Vanessa, Pure Gold is actually not supposed to contain it at all. 🙂 The aoud I mean. So go ahead and try it, I think you might like this one.
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JoanElaine, I can see this working well as a mood-lifter. It certainly brings a smile to my face.Now you mention it, I realized I don't have a collection of happy scents and that is a serious lack in one's perfume collection… At least I know where to start from. 🙂
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Thanks Amelia. 🙂
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I can't remember if I've ever smelled this. In any case, you made me want to revisit it!
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I love the scent of tangerines, so giving this a try may be my destiny. (I've neglected Montale shamefully in my explorations, so 2011 may the year I address this oversight). Thank you, Ines! PS loved "my fruity-floral days are over"! I regard fruity-florals with extreme ambivalence myself– but somehow, I usually end up giving citrus an exemption.
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Light-green citrusy floral sounds lovely! I'd like to try this. I could use a little sunshine – where I am is so dark lately, I hardly ever see the sun. Great choice!
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Marina, I'm glad to hear it sounded worth of revisiting. 🙂 I'd like to hear from people who take time to smell perfumes what they think of this (I just can't put much faith into what is said on fora).
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Olenska I'd neglect Montale as well if swappers didn't keep sending me samples (the price alone makes me give it a wide berth). But their line also made me realize I like aoud before it became so popular.
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Krista, it's dark here as well (short days which are mostly cloudy) so this project was a good thing for me to take some sunshine out of my drawer. 🙂
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Sunshine, and lots of it, truly is my idea of "Pure Gold." I love the name, the notes, and since I'm also a fan of a number of the Montales, I've got to try this. So glad you reviewed this, Ines…I can't say I even remember having heard of it before!
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Sunshine and citrus sound lovely. Unfortunately, neroli always leaves me cold a few minutes into a perfume. But your review is making me want to try this anyway. 🙂
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the perfect choice! Happy Christmas x
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Suzanne, I'm glad you now have a new Montale to try. 🙂 Let me know once you do what you think of it.
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CF, how strange for you and neroli. 😦 I find it such a happy note, I wish it would work like that for everyone. Maybe this one will? 😉
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Thanks Rose! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
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I should clarify that I _do_ find neroli happy, but it's rather like, er… Well, imagine Shirley Temple laughing. It's lovely for a few seconds, but then imagine that she keeps on laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing… soon you get tired of it, and soon after that you can't bear it. So "leaves me cold" was probably the wrong phrase for me to use. I love it briefly and then I want to strangle it. 🙂
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If I had to choose a scent for Gold as a gift of the Magi , I think it would be amber/patchouli for their warmth and tactile sensation . But , I would bet the Holy Family would have enjoyed a happy citrus during their plight on that first Christmas Eve…I have not sniffed pure Gold , the Montale line is sooo huge . of course , I loved Patchouli leaves…Really enjoying this series you all are doing . Food for thought , a good thing to do this time of year !
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Oh. Ok then. 🙂 I feel lucky now. Although continuous Shirley Temple laugh would make me want to strangle someone as well. 😉
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I need to try this one!
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Carol, I was lucky that the instant I started thinking about a gold scent, I remembered this one. I agree with you that for gold, amber is really a good choice. And with patchouli, that sounds interesting, off the top of my head, I can't remember I've tried that combination and registered it as such.
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EauMG, I love it when people get interested enough to want to try something I reviewed. 🙂 Please let me know once you do, what you think of it.
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