28.12.13

An Excursion Into Sonoma Scent Studio - Part 2



Sienna Musk

Sienna Musk strikes as an extremely modern take on the woody-oriental theme. It opens with spices (mainly nutmeg and cloves) juxtaposed to something bright and fizzy, almost metallic that immediately made me think about a citrus-ginger combo. A sharp-ish woody musky base breaks in right away and drives the fragrance towards the modern and transparent spicy-oriental theme that Duchaufour played in several of his fragrances. Moderatley sweet, remarkably woody and unquestionably modern. It honestly would do great in any major niche range such as Eau D'Italie, Le Labo or, say, L'Artisan Parfumeur.

Tremendous lasting power. 

Solid and very nice.

Rating: 7/10

Fireside Intense

Campfire / fireside inspired fragrances are extremely risky because they often tend to bring tomind of barbecues or, more simply, of your house on fire. Fireside Intense, while definitely being smoky, avoids all these *unpleasant* associations and deliver a dark-woody aroma that will appeal to fans of thicker woody fragrances.

The opening is by all means smoky with a nice leathery vibe provided by birch-tar. The whole composition evolves around a guaiac-driven dry-sandalwoody bone structure to which Mrs.Erickson pairs a plethora of other woody-oudy notes. Fireside Intense feels very warm and while being definitely striking, it's not as scary as it might sounds. Powerful, dark and thick but somewhat weightless (as opposed to *heavy-handed*). Good for an evening spent reading a book in front of the fireplace but absolutely perfect for a walk outside during winter. This fragrance really shines outdoor.

A real gem and together with Incense Pure and Tabac Aurea, probably my favorite in the SSS range.

Rating: 8/10

Wood Violet

Violets and I generally don't get along very well and unfortunately Wood Violet makes no exception. With that said, I still appreciate how it skips the usual thick sweetness associated with this note. The fragrance opts for a tart and plush fruitiness and it's surrounded by an overall leafy green vibe that makes it more tolerable for me.  Problem comes with the unbearable powderyness that kicks in during the middle phase and lasts till the very final stages of the woody-musky drydown.

If you like the genre, you might want to give it a chance but for my personal tastes this is a no-go. Sorry.

Rating: 5/10

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