Perfume: Bryophyta, Citrus sinensis, Anthemis nobilis, Commiphora myrrha, Balsamic vinegar, Extra virgin olive oil, Dipteryx odorata, Boswellia sacra, Vetiveria zizanioides, Laurus Nobilis, Artemisia absinthium, Mimosa casta, Castoreum, Elettaria cardamomum, Ferula galbaniflua, Origanum majorana, Mentha, Myrtus communis, Pinus sylvestris, Thymus vulgaris, Citrus limon, Lavandula stoechas, Pelargonium rosa, Juniperus communis, Boswellia carteri, Ulva rigida.
Vis et Honor's opening is like a 33rpm record played a 75rpm. A remarkable lavender note plays solo for a few seconds as a soprano voice to immediately introduce a full-size orchestra performing an hyper-virtuoso and majestic piece of symphonic music. All the elements are clear and perfectly orchestrated by Pregoni who's able to show in the first three minutes what his true potential is.
In the front we clearly hear the strings together with the woodwinds that go from astringent artemisia, laurel, mint, citruses and mimosa while on the right side of the stage the brass instruments start to play piney notes, spices, thyme, oreganum and chamomille contributing to a crescendo that is quite breathtaking. This is the topic moment of the opera, the tension is very high when the drums and all other percussion intruments such as castoreum, tonka beans, incense, mosses, other resins and vetiver start to beat time faster, louder and deeper to finally reach the gran finale which leaves the theatre with a warm, enveloping and endless echo...Epic. Standing ovation.
Smoky, spicy, emotional, animalic, rough, complex, visceral, balmy, exclusive, herbal, evocative, brutal, poisonous, ancestral, invigorating, natural, aromatic, edgy, elitary, full-bodied, powerful, solid...recommended.
Rating: 7.5/10
Balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, plus a few other ingredients listed in the notes above make this sound as though it could be a recipe for ... salad dressing!
ReplyDeleteDo you think that those ingredients add anything to the overall effect? Or are they just included in imperceptible nano-amounts to convey an impression of originality?
Honestly? I stopped giving much importance to note lists since I fell in love with Comme Des Garcons back in the 90s (do you remember Odeur 71 note lists? LOL). That being said I don't get any vinegar or olive oil here and the fragrance doesn't smell like a salad dressing, or even vaguely edible at all. It's more of a dark/strong herbal spicy woody with a subtle, old fashioned, fougere-y accord.
ReplyDeleteThe packaging comes with two different note lists: the first one is a more traditional head/middle/base type of pyramid that includes "smoky notes, roman chamomille, fox fur, chlorophyll, olive, mimosa, myrtle, juniper, galbanum, laurel, cardamom, bitter almond, wormwood, incence, lichens". From what I've heard this is a mix bewteen actual notes and what the fragrance should evoke. Suggestions, memories of something we directly or undirectly know. The other one (the latin) is more of a technical one.