Who could have predicted that one of the greatest perfumes of the 20th century would be a rejected green tea accord? Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert was originally created by Jean-Claude Ellena for Christian Dior, but at the last moment, the house decided on what is now Fahrenheit. A number of fragrance houses also shook their heads, until the Italian jeweler Bvlgari took a gamble on Ellena’s mod. The rest is history.
Today, despite its young age, a mere 23 years, Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert is in the pantheon of perfumery classics for its laconic composition and distinctive character. The theme invites plenty of variations and none have been more interesting than Bvlgari’s own. The green tea note can be embellished with orange blossom and bitter herbs (Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc), pepper and fig (Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge), or, as is the case with the latest sequel, Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu, iris and lavender.
This, my friends, is what infatuation smells like. Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu is exactly the variation on green tea I have been craving–plush but sparkling, understated but rich in nuance. It retains the radiance of the original while adding more verve with the bittersweet lavender. The use of this note, intuitive though it may be in terms of color association, is not without risks. For one thing, lavender is so firmly associated with cheap masculine colognes that to change its reputation in Anglo-Saxon countries would require mass hypnosis on the whole population. In France, lavender is often seen as classical, which is a polite way of saying dull.
The beauty of Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu is that it makes lavender luxurious and uses it in a novel manner. Lavender forms the tea and chypre (mossy woods) accords that fire up this fragrance. While Thé Bleu starts as bright and zesty, with a spicy green explosion of crushed black currant buds and cardamom pods, it slowly turns into a soft velvet of violet petals and mimosa. The illusion of tea is there–the similarity to Thé Vert is too–reminding you that some varieties of green tea have more in common with flowers than leaves and stems.
The cat’s cradle of notes eventually unravels to an elegant drydown of musk and iris, with tonka bean coloring the edges. Lavender and tonka bean share a common ingredient, almond smelling coumarin, so the effect is of seamless transition. The creator of Thé Bleu, Daniela Andrier, has a magic touch when it comes to iris, and once again she manages to hit the right notes, forgive the pun. Iris adds a smooth, powdery layer, without making the perfume heavy or retro. Thé Bleu is airy, but it lasts well and leaves a pronounced trail.
If you love Thé Vert and the idea of theme and variations, I have no qualms recommending Thé Bleu. Fellow cardamom lovers will also appreciate it for a generous dose of spice. Finally, if you think that colognes can’t be glamorous, Thé Bleu might change your mind. It feels versatile and easy to wear but unpredictable enough to keep me guessing. I predict that my infatuation is growing into a long-term love affair.
Bvlgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu Eau de Toilette includes notes of citrus, cardamom, oolong tea, lavender, and tonka bean. Available at major department stores and Bvlgari boutiques.
135 Comments
Austenfan: Oh dear; I will want several bottles of this. It sounds wonderful, absolutely wonderful. Has it hit the shops yet in Belgium? It seems to contain all of my favourite things at once. And lavender can be a very interesting addition to tea. (it’s often added in Earl Grey blends)
I actually finished my bottle of Bvlgari’s Thé Vert a couple of weeks ago. The more I wear that one, the more I love it. Fortunately I got a large backup bottle years ago, so still plenty of green tea ahead.
Most of the time I think that Thé Vert might be Ellena’s best composition. Have a great Monday! August 3, 2015 at 7:28am
Michaela: Me, too! Sounds gorgeous! August 3, 2015 at 7:44am
limegreen: Hi Austenfan! I love Osmanthus Yunnan as JCE’s best, but I’m biased because I love osmanthus. 🙂 August 3, 2015 at 9:55am
Austenfan: I haven’t yet tried OY, so I should have said, that EPaTV is probably the best of the ones I have tried. August 3, 2015 at 10:24am
Alicia: OY is delightful, and I love the scent, but on me is all too fleeting. It doesn’t last over an hour, if that. EPaTV is a different matter. I have bought bottle after bottle of it. It came with me to the Iguazu Jungle of South America, and perfumes my summers in Upstate NY. I can’t imagine a summer without it, as without its two companions O de Lancome, and Chanel Cristalle. August 3, 2015 at 11:09am
Victoria: That’s my problem with Osmanthe Yunnan. It doesn’t last for more than 15 minutes. So, I no longer even bother with it. But I do love the scent very much. August 3, 2015 at 2:57pm
limegreen: If you are a fan of tea scents, OY is lovely. (Of course it is in a different price tier than The Vert!) August 3, 2015 at 12:07pm
Victoria: I can imagine you liking Osmanthe Yunan if you enjoy The Vert this much. But the price and longevity are inversely related in this case. August 3, 2015 at 2:48pm
limegreen: Wishing The Vert worked on my skin 🙁 August 3, 2015 at 4:17pm
Victoria: Well, no matter. You found a green tea that does that and more! August 4, 2015 at 2:32pm
Gían: I love osmanthus too. OY is a beautiful ode to rich tiny little flowers but, my lord, is it expensive for such a simple haiku of a composition! August 4, 2015 at 4:33pm
Gían: And yes, way too short lived to justify its price. For my osmanthus fix I turn to Osmanthus Interdite by Parfums d’Empire. August 4, 2015 at 4:36pm
Victoria: Another excellent osmanthus! August 5, 2015 at 2:22pm
Victoria: I also think that The Vert is his best, and the more I smell it, the more I wear it, the more I love it. It’s such a staple that I rarely list it as my top favorite, but it always feel right–elegant but not in the predictable, overly polished way.
I got mine in Paris, but I imagine that it’s already available in other parts of Europe now. The launch was in July. August 3, 2015 at 12:28pm
Austenfan: One of the reasons I chose Thé Vert as his best is that while I admire VCA’s First it doesn’t feel like a typical Ellena and the Bvlgari does.
Meanwhile I’m going to look out for Bleu. There also seems to be a black tea version as well. August 3, 2015 at 12:48pm
Victoria: I also understand Ellena doesn’t feel that First is his style anymore.
I didn’t see The Noir yet, but it also sounds interesting. August 3, 2015 at 3:01pm
Sandra: I will try! I really adore The Vert as well as Omnia crystalline – I have been wearing that on and off for years! August 3, 2015 at 7:56am
Victoria: If you like The Vert and Omnia Crystalline, then chances are you will like The Bleu as well. It has a similar bright, comfortable but elegant character. August 3, 2015 at 1:23pm
Girasole: I saw this in an airport a week ago but didn’t have time to try it. Now I’m wishing I had taken a second since it sounds delightful!
Unfortunately, I have a complicated relationship with its older sibling, Thé Vert. I love it on the smelling strip or on fabric but it goes horribly sour on my skin, almost immediately (the only perfume I’ve had that experience with!). I wonder if this one would have the same effect… August 3, 2015 at 8:11am
spe: Girasole,
Vert has a similar effect with my chemistry. I can easily imagine it being rejected by fragrance houses. It’s feels unfinished.
As a fan of powdery iris and as someone who enjoys lavender (but who hasn’t found a lavender perfume I enjoy) I’m definitely going to seek this out.
Thank you for the delightful review! August 3, 2015 at 9:31am
Victoria: It was rejected because they found it too avant-garde. Your comment makes sense to me, though. The Vert has a specific aesthetic that is very different from the polished, every note in place perfection of something like Ellena’s First. The Bleu is more rounded, more complex, but I’d also be careful with it if you didn’t like The Vert. They aren’t far removed from each other. August 3, 2015 at 1:35pm
Merlin: Same! On me it also has this plastic quality. This one sounds wonderful… August 3, 2015 at 10:07am
Victoria: If you had that effect with The Vert, then you may still get a sour note with The Bleu. The Bleu has a sharper top (because of lavender and black currant), but it also adds softness with iris and tonka, a hay like note. It’s still a citrus-tea cologne, although the accents are different. August 3, 2015 at 1:24pm
Merlin: It will probably be ages before it reaches South Africa, but I really hope this one doesn’t. I LOVE lavender, iris and tonka… Perhaps the tester of Verte that I tried was off? It’s a scent I might expect from a scent that had turned, but I’v tried at about 3 different stores so that’s unlikely right?
Tommy Girl does the same on my skin – a strange sour plastic smell. But Crabtree & Evelyn’s Verte works well, as does Cristalle au Verte – so I don’t think its the citrus-tea accord.
Guess there is no way to know until I try it! August 3, 2015 at 5:10pm
Merlin: I really like the bottles of these, and so many have a better experience than me…perhaps I should consider a skin transplant :p August 3, 2015 at 5:14pm
limegreen: There are at least 2 of us in the comments section whose skin chemistry did not work with The Vert, so you are not alone! I was pleasantly surprised that The Bleu was so nice on my skin right away. 🙂
And Tommy Girl did not work for me either.
L’Occitane Green Tea on the other hand is very nice (for me). August 3, 2015 at 6:23pm
Merlin: So interesting! Well now I’m definitely looking forward to The Bleu – not least because I love the bottles of these 🙂 August 3, 2015 at 8:41pm
girasole: Hi limegreen, Merlin and Victoria (and others!),
I just wanted to come back to this comment thread to say that I think I’ve ‘solved’ my Thé Vert sour skin problem! I spotted a bottle of (bear with me) Lady Gaga’s Eau de Gaga for a very low price in Marshalls this week and after reading Victoria’s review that mentioned a tea note, I bought it on a whim. The opening to the two fragrances is quite different but after 20 or 30 minutes, what’s left on my skin smells almost exactly how I wished Thé Vert would smell. It doesn’t sour but stays bright, lightly citrusy and tea-like all the way through (I don’t get much of the leather listed in the notes, which is probably just as well for this comparison). I’m not sure if it will work just as well for others but I thought I’d report back just in case (and at discount prices, it’s a real bargain!) September 24, 2015 at 3:29pm
Victoria: Thank you for reporting back! I’ve been enjoying it too, and yes, it’s a very good green tea scent, no doubt, inspired by Bulgari. September 25, 2015 at 12:12pm
Victoria: No! I’m sure you have perfume loving skin, just not when it comes to this pesky The Vert. A better fragrance will come along, that’s without any doubt. August 4, 2015 at 2:39pm
Victoria: I don’t think that anything was wrong with the bottle, then. Have you tried Arden’s Green Tea? I’d be curious if that one worked better. August 4, 2015 at 2:36pm
Merlin: I’ll try the Arden next time I see it! (Sorry I’v been away a few days and didn’t see these replies!) August 11, 2015 at 8:59am
Caroline: LOL upon requiring mass hypnosis of the whole population…so true! Nonetheless, am intrigued by your description and will give it a shot. August 3, 2015 at 8:21am
Victoria: Lavender is one of the least expensive naturals, and it’s prone to be used in a variety of products, including laundry and cleaning solutions. And then you have the colognes dosed with it, in addition to all of these ubiquitous sharp citrusy-herbal notes without which sports colognes and blue tinted perfumes can’t exist. So, it’s a good lesson to smell it in a different context. August 3, 2015 at 1:26pm
Michaela: I’m so happy with this review. Excellent written! I was very curious about this blue tea, now I’m decided to try it.
Eau Parfumee au The Vert is a staple for me. August 3, 2015 at 8:57am
Victoria: I look forward to your thoughts on it, Michaela. August 3, 2015 at 1:27pm
limegreen: I, too, saw this at the airport and made a reckless buy based on 30 seconds on my skin! It was so refreshing a lavender as you say, different from anything I have, and I love love the notes that were listed off to me, though blue tea seemed more fanciful than real. It didn’t hurt that the bottle was seductively blue purple glass, and that the Bvlgari SA was VERY encouraging about good it smelled. 🙂
I figured the worse would be that it did not last long, but that has not been the case. (I smelled really nice on the plane!)
Victoria, thank you for this review. As usual, you put into words so eloquently and precisely what I haven’t been able to pin my finger or nose on. It’s all the pretty blues and purples I love plus tea! I experience a different drydown each time I wear it, sometimes the violets stand out, sometimes it’s the spicy cardamom and tea, wish the lavender or iris would last longer.
Occasionally there’s a sour note which I could not pinpoint, guess it’s the blackcurrant buds?
The original The Vert does not mesh with my skin chemistry but this bleu cousin happily does! Great story about Dior and other perfume houses turning down JCE’s original “draft” and eventual classic! (JK Rowling’s Harry Potter manuscript was rejected by a number of publishers, too!) August 3, 2015 at 9:46am
girasole: I’m glad to hear that this one works with your chemistry even though the others did not – it gives me hope for my skin also! Sadly no more airport visits in my immediate future so I’ll have to sniff it out elsewhere. August 3, 2015 at 11:15am
limegreen: If you live near a Nordstrom, they are just getting them in (I was sent a promo about it). August 3, 2015 at 12:10pm
girasole: Thanks for the info! We only have a Nordstrom Rack, but there are plenty of other places around that will probably pick it up eventually. I’ll just have to be patient… August 3, 2015 at 5:30pm
limegreen: After reading the comments, I retested my sample of The Vert just out of curiosity and it still does not mesh with my skin, and it is an unpleasant sourness that has nothing to do with citrus. (this sample was from a “fresh” store tester and always smelled this way, so I don’t think it’s gone off.)
Hope your skin will enjoy The Bleu. 🙂 August 3, 2015 at 6:16pm
Karen: It’s so fascinating to me how a fragrance can be perfect for one person and end up so wrong on someone else! Thank goodness we have lots to choose from, and somehow manage to find ones we love that also work beautifully on. August 4, 2015 at 6:36pm
limegreen: The mysteries of skin chemistry!
The thing is, The Vert smells wonderful on paper, very light and refreshing, and innocuously “safe.” Not an obvious candidate for such different skin chemistry reactions, such as those with patchouli or cumin! August 4, 2015 at 7:37pm
Karen: A trip to sample these is in my future – I’m so curious to see how I like this line and how it likes me. August 5, 2015 at 8:45pm
Victoria: Duty-free stores are dangerous, especially if you consider the discount they offer. Always very tempting. I’m glad to hear that the spontaneous purchase turned out to be a good discovery.
Isn’t the story of rejections great? But somehow I doubt it would have made a good Dior fragrance, because the style is off the mark.
Is the sour note in the top or later? It could just be a part of the bergamot-citrus body. The zesty notes vanish quicker, but the sour, juicy facet lingers slightly longer. Eventually it also disappears. August 3, 2015 at 2:46pm
limegreen: Sour note is later, but only occasionally. I love bergamot citrus (and so does my skin) and this does not feel like the same sour. It does not bother me so it’s probably the residual citrus you referenced. Thanks!
Dutyfree can be very dangerous and I rarely make any dutyfree purchases except for something I wanted anyway (travel spray of Osmanthe Yunnan!).
This one felt reckless (for me) but I knew the worse thing would be longevity and as it was a cologne, I didn’t have high expectations anyway. 🙂 (reckless in justifications, too!) August 3, 2015 at 4:27pm
Victoria: Or a combination of notes, something from the tea accord. Tommy Girl’s and Ck One’s green tea becomes too tart on my skin, and on some people, it can be downright sour.
Duty free = new lipstick for me, except that I rarely buy something that actually works. Invariably, I’m too sleep deprived and end up with some overly bright pink shade. August 4, 2015 at 2:35pm
limegreen: 🙂 the dutyfree lighting never works! August 4, 2015 at 6:04pm
Victoria: And jet lag also never helps. 🙂 August 5, 2015 at 2:24pm
Cynthia L: A lavender tea? Must try for me. I’m one of those strange ones who love lavender, maybe partially for it’s calming zen-like effect on me. August 3, 2015 at 9:51am
Victoria: I’m now more and more convinced by the lavender tea idea. I used to dislike the camphorous aspect of lavender, but in some newer perfumes it seems to be toned down. August 3, 2015 at 2:47pm
Annikky: This sounds absolutely lovely, thank you for the review. I have totally changed my mind about lavender – I used to actively dislike it and now I cannot get enough, be it perfume, food or drink (which reminds me that I should make a new batch of Shalimar tea). And The Bleu has iris AND cardamom, too… August 3, 2015 at 10:58am
Victoria: It has lots of cardamom, so the cardamom fiends should sample it. Not as much as Lumiere Blanche, but I’ve discovered that I like cardamom better in the colognes or with herbs, citrus (and apparently, cucumbers and gin :). Anyway, this is a well-crafted, interesting perfume. August 3, 2015 at 2:50pm
Annikky: I’ll definitely try it. And your taste in gin flavourings is excellent 🙂 August 4, 2015 at 3:43am
Victoria: My rule of thumb is that you can’t spoil things with cardamom. 🙂 August 4, 2015 at 2:43pm
Karen: Cardamom added to iced latte along with cinnamon and vanilla = yummmmm. August 4, 2015 at 6:38pm
Victoria: Yum! This would make a perfect perfume, actually–cardamom for the top notes, cinnamon for the middle and vanilla as a base. You will get all three at the same time, but cardamom will vanish quickly, leaving the duo of cinnamon and vanilla in the limelight. August 5, 2015 at 2:26pm
Karen: Doesn’t it sound wonderful! Yes, when I make it (with alarming frequency in the summer!), I think it would make a wonderful perfume. Perhaps like your one student who wanted to make a fragrance that captured her mother having her morning coffee in the garden. August 5, 2015 at 4:34pm
Victoria: You remembered that story. Yes, it sounds like it. August 6, 2015 at 1:33pm
Merlin: I also did a severe u-turn on lavender! I started off thinking it was quite repellant – and now I’m quite dependent on it for its soothing and soporific effect, as well as the way it helps with hay fever… August 3, 2015 at 5:21pm
Annikky: I think it’s partly because the first encounters with lavender are not necessarily with the most sophisticated kind. The air fresheners do not really smell like Caron or Chanel’s Jersey. August 4, 2015 at 3:46am
Victoria: If it were just air fresheners, it would be ok for me. But the cheap grade of lavender can be found pretty much everywhere. In the US, it’s still seen as a primarily masculine notes, and the failure of such quirky things as Sarah Jessica Parker Covet only confirm the suspicions of fragrance houses. August 4, 2015 at 2:45pm
Victoria: Oh, and the flop that was Burberry Brit Rhythm for Her. A wonderful fragrance, a bad market track record. August 4, 2015 at 2:46pm
Victoria: For me, it smelled like the skincare aisles at the organic stores. Too wholesome. The change happened when I started discovering vintage fragrances, especially Pour Un Homme de Caron. August 4, 2015 at 2:41pm
Michaela: Me, too. I completely changed my mind with Pour un Homme de Caron. August 5, 2015 at 3:58am
Victoria: Isn’t it a stunning perfume? August 5, 2015 at 2:27pm
Michaela: Yes, stunning is the proper word for this one!
I loved your review but I easily resisted to blind buy it because I thought I didn’t like lavender and it was meant for men. Last year you wrote an article about lavender and lavender perfumes. Many mentions of Pour un Homme here could not but make me more curious. It was then when I decided to give it a try. It was shockingly good and perfectly unisex. I’ll always have a bottle. And, thanks to you, I started to appreciate lavender, be it in the form of buds, essential oils or perfumes. August 6, 2015 at 7:09am
Victoria: I bought a fresh bottle of lavender water today, and I was thinking of our discussion. I might wear Pour Un Homme today. It’s a hot evening, and that one is such a refreshing perfume. August 6, 2015 at 2:28pm
Michaela: Enjoy it! 🙂 August 7, 2015 at 4:38am
Lynley: Sounds wonderful! I’m so glad that it’s as good as the others-if not more so. You have an enviable talent Victoria, of being able to articulate perfectly, aroma into the written word. I always know what a perfume will smell like, with all it’s accents and nuances, based upon your descriptions.
Can’t wait to find this to smell! 🙂 August 3, 2015 at 11:02am
Victoria: Thank you, Lynley. I don’t know if it’s any real talent or just the sheer number of hours devoted to smelling and describing scents. It’s one of those things at which you really improve with practice. I taught perfume classes for kids over the summer, and I was amazed how easy describing scents came to them. Probably because kids are very intuitive and aren’t afraid of making a mistake. One 8 year old girl wanted to make a perfume for her mom that evoked having coffee in the garden. She ended up combing all of the bright summery scents and added a bit of blackcurrant. She came up with something like Goutal’s Eau de Charlotte. August 3, 2015 at 2:56pm
Alicia: Victoria, what an inspiring review. I am absolutely seduced. EPaTV plus lavender and iris? I can’t resist. This will very likely be the third Bulgari tea I can’t live without: Thé vert and Black will find an unexpected companion. Thank you, Victoria. This is wonderful. August 3, 2015 at 11:18am
Victoria: The only complaint I imagine the lovers of The Vert putting to The Bleu is that it’s not different enough. If someone wanted a radical departure, The Bleu wouldn’t be it. But as a variation on the theme, it’s great. August 3, 2015 at 2:59pm
Alicia: I like variations on a theme. Great Medieval and Renaissance poetry, and certainly music has been created as variations. Victoria, because of you, this summer will be for me a blue season. I have bought Narcisse Bleu, which I wear very often, and now I will buy the Thé Bleu. Gershwin would have liked that. August 3, 2015 at 3:20pm
Victoria: I suspect then that The Bleu will also fit the theme. Narcisse Bleu is another one of my summer favorites this year. August 4, 2015 at 2:33pm
Carolyn Middleton: When Vert was launched, & not yet available in any ‘high street’ department stores, I went to the Bulgari shop in Sloane Street & asked about it. I was given a small paper/cardboard book with a space in the middle cut out in which sat a miniature bottle of the fragrance, accompanied by a booklet explaining all about the fragrance, ingredients, notes etc – it was absolutely gorgeous. August 3, 2015 at 1:34pm
Victoria: I noticed that since Jean-Claude Ellena has joined as a perfumer, Hermes also started launching their perfumes in such a format–a book, a sample, something scented, rather than a plain old leaflet or carded sample. It’s such a great way to experience fragrance, even if all you do is leaf through a beautiful booklet at the boutique. August 4, 2015 at 2:22pm
Joy: I love lavender from the plant to the fragrance. The combination with iris seems very enticing. I have not liked the few green tea fragrances that I have tested, but this is worth a try. Also, that I could pick up a sample at Nordstrom’s the next time I am close to one is an advantage, as I don’t have access to niche shops. I don’t live close to a Nordstrom’s, but am traveling to Seattle in a couple of weeks.
Thank you for the interesting review, Victoria. August 3, 2015 at 2:24pm
Victoria: It’s a revelation how nicely lavender works with violet/iris notes. I’m now going to experiment with it more, especially in desserts. A lavender-violet scented cake, perhaps.
One aspect is that iris definitely seems to tone down the astringency of tea (or rather, tea accord, since it’s not just one material). August 4, 2015 at 2:28pm
Karen: When I was in Austen, Texas a few years ago I purchased a lavender cookbook. Full of fun ideas. Years ago, my lavender jelly won best of show at our county fair – a prize I’m still proud of! It was good as a filling between thin butter cookies dusted with confectioners sugar. August 4, 2015 at 6:42pm
FearsMice: Oh, that cookie idea sounds marvelous! August 4, 2015 at 7:52pm
Karen: Years ago the jelly recipe was in the magazine, Victoria (hmmmmm) along with ways to use it. I’ve made the cookie sandwiches and it really is a fun treat, definitely a very “girly” or ladies lunch kind of thing. August 5, 2015 at 8:50pm
Michaela: Congratulations, Karen. Sounds fantastic! August 5, 2015 at 4:00am
Karen: Thanks! Each year I try to submit several things to our county fair. It’s fairly small, at least that part of it. I encourage my friends to participate just because it keeps it going. Especially for the kids it’s a huge deal, and seeing everyone’s entries is always fun. August 5, 2015 at 8:53pm
Victoria: Impressive! May I ask you for your recipe, because I simply can’t let such an opportunity pass. 🙂 August 5, 2015 at 2:26pm
Karen: I am embarrassed to say I don’t have it any longer!! And, I just looked through the Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley thinking there would be one there, but only using dried lavender – not fresh, which is what I used.
The process is the exact same as for rose jelly, though. Make an infusion with (I used fresh, but dried could also be used) lavender. Time to steep will depend on variety of lavender. Then make a syrup with infusion and sugar – one to one – then follow directions for the liquid pectin.
Although you can of course just make a syrup, but if you do want to make the jelly I believe you must (??) use the liquid pectin. When I make my flower jellies, that is what I use.
If you make your own crap apple or green apple jelly to use instead of pectin, then use that. I have no idea why the powered pectin isn’t used – could it make the transparent jellies cloudy??, but have had good success with the liquid pectin.
I will look for a recipe using fresh lavender. Interestingly enough, I stopped at a produce stand this morning that had cut your own lavender. Plan on going back, just could not do it today. August 5, 2015 at 4:33pm
Karen: OK – should have looked before posting! The only recipe I found using fresh lavender also used apple juice instead of water. I always used water, but guess you could also either use apple juice or a mix. Quantities listed were 5 1/2 cups juice, 1 1/2 cup lavender flowers, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 7 1/2 cups sugar (!!!). This recipe also used powered pectin, so guess that works, too.
What I will do is go and pick some lavender from the produce stand and try making some using my rose jelly method. Honestly, 1 1/2 cups of lavender sounds like a lot to me, unless you steep it for a very brief time.
Further research is in order! August 5, 2015 at 4:41pm
Victoria: Thank you so much for posting this, Karen. Will research too. August 6, 2015 at 1:36pm
limegreen: Karen, Your jams and jelly concoctions are like perfume notes! I imagine your winning lavender jelly must have looked like amethyst quartz? August 5, 2015 at 5:08pm
Karen: The little jars were so so sweet! For the flower jellies I only use 4 ounce jars, a little goes a long way. Having the jars lined up on the table is like having little jars of jewels. August 5, 2015 at 8:56pm
Victoria: Thank you so much! I haven’t found a pectin brand I liked, so I will try it with apples. Most pectins give this overcooked, dry apple flavor that I can’t get past, but I’m sure there are many more choices today. August 6, 2015 at 1:32pm
Karen: The packaged pectin has worked for me, but I know others who just make green apple jelly and use that. The only pectin that I’ve had no luck with is the one that is sold at Whole Foods – I can’t remember the name. It just works way too quickly and seems pretty strong. August 6, 2015 at 7:32pm
Victoria: Here in Europe there is also special jelling sugar for jams, but I haven’t experimented with it yet. August 7, 2015 at 10:02am
Karen: Hmmmm, I wonder if it’s close to caster sugar? Finely ground so it dissolves easily? I do know you can make your own caster sugar by grinding it in a food processor – it’s good for desserts and also mixing up your own hummingbird food. August 7, 2015 at 10:50am
Victoria: I think it’s just fine sugar with pectin added in a specific amount. I will double check.
There are so many varieties of sugar and grain sizes available here. It’s really a sugar country. The first time I saw a sugar aisle at the supermarket I was in awe. Alas, too cold for hummingbirds. August 7, 2015 at 4:13pm
Aurora: You make it sound nothing short of entrancing Victoria and thank you for the interesting background story of The Vert.
What a welcome addition to the original trio (I haven’t tried The Blanc yet) and a truly exciting launch at last. Lavender and iris are among my favorite notes, you describe the progression so well with the twin coumarin accents, it seems a lot of thought was given to make this scent harmonious. I know I will love this, it’s going right on top of my to try list. August 3, 2015 at 2:42pm
Victoria: I’m really looking forward to your thoughts (and even if you hate it and think that it’s the worst thing on the planet, I’d love to know 🙂 I realize more and more how much I rely on such colognes with a twist. They feel comfortable but there is still an interesting facet that keeps my imagination active. August 4, 2015 at 2:31pm
Lynn Morgan: This sounds absolutely exquisite. I love The Vert for its freshness, androgyny and simplicity: it feels like a quick, cool shower! The Blanc is also uncomplicated and refreshing: an excellent summertime scent and a lovely antidote to heat humidity and exhaustion! I am looking forward to trying the Bleu version… I don’t find lavender a cheap or dull scent. I love it because it is so clean and calming. I enjoy it in soaps and shower gels and in body lotions, especially at night because it is so relaxing, almost soporific. Lavender potpourri is gorgeous in sweater and lingerie drawers and it’s a wonderful scent for bed linens. It’s so calming, it’s a aromatic form of psychotherapy! I think it is an under-appreciated fragrance note, and it has a very definite and measurable benefit. It’s the perfume version of Ambien! August 3, 2015 at 7:00pm
Victoria: I spray my sheets with lavender water whenever I remember, and nothing is nicer to fall asleep to. It’s like a whiff of Provence. August 4, 2015 at 2:42pm
Neyon: Thank you so much for sharing. Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu sounds as enchanting as a beautiful, lush forest. I can understand what you mean about lavender as an individual scent being ‘dull’. It actually has such a wonderful scent but growing up in England, I’d had more than enough of it throughout my childhood especially since my dad was always mad about it, growing it all over our garden and arranging it in various ways around our home. I’m really interested in any fragrance that can bring out a new and wonderful aspect of lavender, since I do associate my childhood with it and personally love ‘classic’ scents. So after reading your description of Eau Parfumée au Thé Bleu, I’m really interested to explore it.
From your descriptions I’m also interested in the other two fragrances mentioned. Eau Parfumée au Thé Blanc because I feel green tea becomes even more lovely and enchanting with orange blossom, and it’s like back-garden bliss; Eau Parfumée au Thé Rouge because I love all three of green tea, black pepper and fig and would be really interested to explore what that combination smells like. August 4, 2015 at 4:05am
Victoria: Real lavender is something else altogether. The scent is the condensation of summer, sun and hot stones. You must have such wonderful memories associated with it.
The other tea scented perfumes are very nice too, and I especially like The Rouge for the creamy fig note paired with walnut. It sounds rich, but the result is anything but. It’s still an airy, radiant scent. August 4, 2015 at 2:49pm
Alessandra: I’ve been waiting for you to review this 🙂 sounds as promising as I thought it would be, can’t wait to sniff it – even tho my summer is being marked by Goutal’s Mandragore and Malle’s Geranium pour Monsieur, both sublime.
I especially loved Bulgari’s thé blanc variation – smth I still often wear. Eager to discover this new one, especially knowing it contains lavender! X August 4, 2015 at 10:13am
Victoria: They are! 🙂 Do you wear Mandragore Eau de Parfum or Eau de Toilette? August 4, 2015 at 2:51pm
Cath: I’m really looking forward to this one. I have been trying and buying more perfumes by Daniele LaRoche Andrier, it seems like they suit me very well. I hope it will be released in Japan soon. August 4, 2015 at 10:43am
Victoria: I already spotted it in one of my Japanese magazines, Maquia, I think, so I imagine it will come soon.
I’m curious, do you smell any perfume on people around you? August 4, 2015 at 2:52pm
Cath: I just heard today it will be released here on September 30th. As for perfume, that’s funny you ask that bc today as I was waiting to board the Shinkansen, I could smell Eternity. I doubt it was the old lady before me, so maybe the young girl ahead in line, not sure she was Japanese though. I sometimes smell perfume around me, more so in summer which is when they tend to wear perfume to counteract (camouflage) B.O. August 5, 2015 at 4:55am
Victoria: Thank you for responding. I smelled way more perfume on women in Korea, but when I was stuck on the Tokyo metro during the rush hour, I noticed different scents (pleasant ones). But of course, I was literally smooshed into my neighbors; not sure if I would have noticed anything under normal circumstances. August 5, 2015 at 2:30pm
Figuier: Wow this sounds spell-bindingly lovely! The cardamom has me sold – so many of my favourite scents include either saffron or cardamom – and since I enjoy original this is likely to suit also…must try *soon*!
Ellena is about the only perfumer who can truly reconcile me to flankers and series – i.e. his colognes and jardins for Hermes, and the teas for Bvlgari. So often with other houses/perfumers it feels like mere marketing strategy, but he convinces me that it’s a valid aesthetic strategy also. August 4, 2015 at 12:07pm
Victoria: There is much more cardamom in this version, so yes, those of us who can’t get enough of cardamom will be pleased. 🙂
The other flankers aren’t done by Ellena, but they are all in his style, which makes the line very coherent. I completely agree with you, though, careful sequels can make sense aesthetically and artistically, and not feel too much like “let’s sell them more perfume”. Which is how I see most of the “Summer Blast” and “Light for Him” versions. August 4, 2015 at 2:54pm
Austenfan: I wish someone would make a really powerhouse white floral and call it Summer Blast! August 4, 2015 at 2:57pm
Victoria: Or “Death by Jasmine.” I’d love something like this. As for a white floral Summer Blast, I need to think. I have a feeling that some Giorgio flanker might have gone that route. August 4, 2015 at 4:23pm
Dusan: Oh this is so good! Thank you for shattering what qualms I had about this new tea. I feel I could blind buy it without the buyer’s remorse. August 4, 2015 at 2:22pm
Victoria: I’m always wary of blind purchases, so I don’t recommend it, but I hope that you can try The Bleu soon. 🙂 August 4, 2015 at 4:22pm
Neva: This sounds amazing! I’m looking forward to trying it. Au The Vert was one of my all time favourites, only a bit too light so I preferred the Extreme version. The other perfumes from this line were also very enjoyable, so I’m curious about this one! August 4, 2015 at 3:50pm
Victoria: The Extreme version is very very good. I keep forgetting about it, since it’s not as easy to find. But it definitely lasts better. August 4, 2015 at 4:24pm
Andy: I recently sampled this (thanks, limegreen!) and agree with you on all counts. When I first encountered the launch information in the late spring, I saw the notes listing and thought, too good to be true? However, when I saw that Daniela Andrier was at the helm, I knew I’d probably like this (I’ve become very partial to so many of her fragrances that I’ve started to put faith in her work, I guess). You put it so well in making the comparison to Thé Vert, because for me, these two fragrances draw from the same place of inspiration without smelling at all alike. While light and refreshing, both of these tea fragrances feel uniquely luxurious and elegant. Down the road, I’ll definitely have to consider a bottle of Thé Bleu, it’s exactly what I’d been hoping for in some of the recent tea launches like Teazzura, and L’Ile au Thé. Luckily, this one was done just right! August 4, 2015 at 5:31pm
Victoria: And I was just thinking that I need to hear our tea expert’s opinion on this one. I was also curious if you got the promised note of oolong tea or not. Try as I might, I just smell a regular floral tea note. Oolong might be too subtle to be captured properly in perfume. Certainly, it would stand no chance against lavender. August 5, 2015 at 2:24pm
limegreen: 🙂 Glad you liked it, Andy, and wasn’t disappointed by your high expectations!
(The frosted glass bottle is really something to behold, glad for once the juice lives up to the packaging.)
So, what do you think of the “blue tea” that’s listed in some of the notes for The Bleu? After a cursory internet search, some seem to point to it as a oolong and some say herbal thingy tea.
Pure fantasy, romantic marketing? August 4, 2015 at 7:45pm
Andy: I’ve always heard of “blue tea” as being another name for oolong. And if I think of oolongs, there is nothing in Thé Bleu that for me really evokes oolong in particular (and in oolong teas anyway, I tend to taste accents of notes like magnolia, gardenia, lilac, etc., not the cool lavender, violet, and iris of Thé Bleu). In thinking about this name though, I was reminded of a purple oxidized oolong from Art of Tea that is actually purple in color, it’s really incredible! Anyway, I assume the decision to make this perfume a “Thé Bleu” fit into Bulgari’s already color-coded tea perfume aesthetic very neatly, happened to make an obscure reference to oolong tea (which was as of then unrepresented by the white, green, and red/rooibos tea scents already in the collection), and so it was a logical next move. I think I saw that they also launched a Thé Noir, which seems less promising, in a black bottle, but if I get a chance to try it, I definitely will. August 5, 2015 at 9:34am
limegreen: I saw images of the oxidized tea! I thought my screen color was off because it looked unnaturally purple. 🙂 August 5, 2015 at 11:03am
Victoria: You’re right about the bottle, it’s lovely. August 5, 2015 at 2:27pm
Sofie: This sounds absolutely enticing! I’ve been wanting to try Thé Vert since the first time I heard about it. I’m still on the lookout for lavender in perfume. I’ve noticed I like iris as well, so I’m keen to try it out. Wouldn’t a Thé discovery set be nice?
On a different note: I have been a bit off commenting for the last couple of months and have a bit of a backlog of articles. I never got around to congratulate you with your blog anniversary I think. So, congratulations :-). Even amidst all the crazy I thoroughly enjoyed some stolen moments reading your blog here and there, it never fails to provide a moment of joy and serenity.
Thank you. August 5, 2015 at 9:35am
Victoria: Oh yes, Sofie! I love this idea, and I would get one in a heartbeat.
Thank you very much for your nice wishes and kind words. They mean a lot. August 5, 2015 at 2:47pm
Jai: I’m testing this one out today (thank you to Sharks!) and it is very sprightly. 🙂
I am a huge lavender fan, so, of course, I adore that stage of this perfume.
On me, eventually, a light citrus note emerges and the perfume morphs into more of a green tea. I couldn’t detect much of the iris/florals, so I’ll have to look for those later when I re-spritz.
So far, this is a LOVE for me. August 5, 2015 at 11:17am
Victoria: Iris and violet come a little bit later, so wait for an hour and then take a deep inhale. I’m sure you will notice them more at that stage. August 5, 2015 at 2:56pm
Jennifer C: I was never a huge fan of Thé Vert, but I have a bottle of Thé Rouge and like it a lot. I’m looking forward to trying this one. August 5, 2015 at 6:24pm
Victoria: It’s less sweet than The Rouge, but also less tart than The Vert, so it might be a good compromise. August 6, 2015 at 1:40pm
SilverMoon: Thank you for the review Victoria. The blue version sounds very enticing and I hope it lives up to its promise. I certainly intend to test it asap based on your review. I have a couple of tea note perfumes (Osmanthe Yunnan and L’AP Thé pour un Été) and although I find these two very nice, I don’t consider myself a big fan of tea notes. The Thé Vert did not impress me too much. It was too fleeting and watery. However, the combination of iris and cardamom in the new one could be just the perfume for a lovely summer’s day. August 6, 2015 at 3:35pm
Victoria: It’s still a green tea perfume closely related to The Vert, so if you didn’t care for The Vert at all, I’m not sure how you will like The Bleu. Limegreen had a positive experience, so perhaps, it’s really a better option. August 7, 2015 at 10:05am
Jackie: What a delight to read such a smitten review! Your “infatuation” is a strong inducement to go find a sample of this ASAP!
Thank you for a wonderful review. (Do you ever sleep?) August 7, 2015 at 2:10pm
Victoria: 🙂 I wake up at 6am.
Hope that you will enjoy The Bleu as well. Or at least, will have fun trying it. August 7, 2015 at 4:26pm
geranaujiena: Oh, this sounds so much like a blind buy awaiting 🙂 August 11, 2015 at 4:34am
Victoria: I still recommend getting a sample first. 🙂 August 11, 2015 at 2:33pm
Lynn Morgan: I love The Vert- it is like a cool, refreshing shower and a lovely “lift” in the middle of the day. Au The Blanc is also a light, lovely Summer scent- sheer, shimmery and weightless as a silk scarf. My favorite Bvlgari scent is Jasmin Noir though: rich, deep, warm with sexy vanilla. I will give The Bleu a try; I love the scent of lavender, and I don’t find it cheap, but rather clean, pure and calming.
I love to wear Bvlgari perfumes since I can’t afford their handbags or their emeralds! March 31, 2016 at 5:11pm
Fazal: I love the original. was quite disappointed by au the rouge (which I acquired not long after its introduction), did like au the blanc though it was not really very tea-like but I enjoy its transparent, ethereal composition, and was quite disappointed with au the noir. Disappointed so much with au the noir that I decided not to blind buy au the bleu since out of 3 flankers, only 1 had impressed me a little bit.
However, I recently came upon a good price of au the bleu. I am aware that au the noir has been probably discontinued and fearing that same might have happened or may happen soon to au the bleu, I decided to do some more research and came upon your glowing review which gave me the nudge I needed. It came yesterday and I must agree with you that it is the only one that seems connected to the first and has become my second-favorite in the line. I am already thinking of buying a back-up as the prices are still affordable. November 28, 2020 at 12:34am