Tag Archives: A Midsummer’s Day Dream

A walk through Arizona high-country and a possible mango grove

World of Perfume February 6, 2011 Comments: 15
I love it when perfumes manage to surprise me and one by Olympic Orchids did that splendidly. More on that one later, for now, I want to start with Arizona. And a huge thank you to Ellen who sent some of her creations for me to try. 🙂

Arizona

Notes: pine, juniper, sage, chaparral, high desert wildflowers

My geographical knowledge is well, limited to put it mildly, so when I first read the name of this, I imagined it was supposed to connote desert. Then I read the description on Olympic Orchids site and realized it was supposed to give you the following – “Experience a walk through the pine forests and clearings of the Arizona high country on a sun-warmed summer day.”

So, it’s not just desert but forests as well (and a quick google search helped clear all my misunderstandings).
Actually, it must be quite an interesting part of the US and it sure smells great when depicted by Ellen Covey.

To me, it starts dry and warm, like you’re smelling the dirt  on a path you’re walking along through shrubbery – wouldn’t really call it a forest at this point. Eventually the herbaceousness of the notes is more prominent and though it reminded me somewhat of lavender, I can imagine the trees giving off their scent lighty in the summer heat. The pine and juniper spiciness (for the lack of a better word), that at one point smell almost menthol-like (that’s quickly gone), are most of the time held in check by those wild flowers mentioned in the notes and even though I can’t really say I smell the flowers, I can smell those notes sort of floating on a cloud of something that makes them feel warm and subdued.
I thought I could smell both some cedarwood and sandalwood in the drydown as it starts to acquire a more creamy woody quality. It smells refreshing for the spirit as I’m sure a walk through a forest on a summer day must feel like.

And now onto my incredible discovery.

A Midsummer’s Day Dream

I cannot give you any notes as I couldn’t find any but what this smells on me is the most vivid mango you could imagine. I’m pretty sure that is not what this is supposed to smell like, I mean if you read Tarleisio’s review you’ll see what I mean, but I just can’t get past it. Not that I would want to, I love mango and I love the way it smells. I just wish I knew what notes are in there that conspired to make such a vivid mango picture for me.

It starts with that sweet juiciness typical of peaches and mangoes but never does it smell peachy to me, straight away there is this raspiness to it – if you ever tried mango, you’ll recognize the smell of it and the feel of it on your tongue. Ok, I understand that people might not want to smell like mango (but I sure do) – it is such a live image of it, cut for eating on a bright, warm, sunny day. The perfume is actually sparkling in its fruity exuberance.
Eventually, the juiciness subsides but the raspiness can still be felt and there is something else in there I can’t put my nose on but for me, the mango idea never goes away.

Pic of mango grove by: http://www.indianetzone.com/

Arizona pic and notes by: http://www.orchidscents.com/