maitre parfumeur et gantier: 6 posts

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Santal Noble is my “reference” sandalwood fragrance, my baseline for other fragrances featuring this note.  It is part of MPG’s “Parfums du Levant” collection for men, the “Levant” broadly referring to a geographic area that is here stretched to include India and therefore the famous and now endangered Mysore sandalwood.

Although marketed to men, Santal Noble is, in true niche fashion, genderless.  Sandalwood connoisseurs might find the sandalwood note somewhat too mild, but Santal Noble gives me a rush of pleasure each time I wear it.  It is creamy, smooth, and I would go as far as to say, bewitching.

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Note: I’ve been meaning to let you know that the Long Lost Favorite Perfume series has been forced on a vacation due to my move. Most of my vintage samples are still waiting their shipment to my new home, so once they arrive, I will resume the series.

Since I posted about Hermès L’Ambre des Merveilles yesterday, I realized that it’s going to join a lineup of several other new amber perfumes for fall. Below are a few fragrances that captured my attention.

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier will launch Ambre Doré in August 2012. Created by perfumer Frederic Stalin, it’s described as “classical and mysterious.” The notes will include geranium, clary sage, styrax, oud, ambergris, coriander, saffron, myrrh, sandalwood, and vetiver. “The choice of amber was not by accident, as in this olfactive mix the oud needs to perform as is hoped for; control its strength and respect its role to bring harmony to the formula.” Eau de Parfum will retail for $120. Continue reading →

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Whenever I wear Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Ambre Précieux and find myself charmed yet again by this sumptuous sweet amber, I wonder why this gem is so rarely mentioned on blogs. Fragrances from Maître Parfumeur et Gantier are well-made and distinctive, and compared to many other niche brands, the price point is very reasonable. Ambre Précieux can hold its own next to many other fancy and not so fancy ambers out there. All comparisons aside, it is a fantastic composition for those—men and women alike–who like their ambers dark, velvety and smoky.

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Created by Jean Laporte in 1988, Soie Rouge, “red silk,” is a powdery carnation with peppery bite supported by a base of moldy peaches oozing sweet juices. This would not have been that bad—or perhaps it would have been–but with the typical Maître Parfumeur et Gantier musk dominating, this is among my least favorite fragrances of the range. Notes: carnation, heliotrope, apricot, pineapple.

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Wearing tuberose soliflore is like eating a bar of dark chocolate in one go. In other words, it can be intoxicating to the point of decadence and overindulgence. Yet, sometimes it is exactly what one craves.

The aforementioned houses share the same perfumer, Jean Laporte, who after leaving L’Artisan Parfumeur founded Maître Parfumeur et Gantier. L’Artisan’s interpretation of tuberose (created in 1978) is pure butter, interspersed with honeyed petals. It opens up on a sharp and slightly abrasive note, however it mellows considerably as the drydown approaches. The result is a lush spicy tuberose scent, which is a bit closer to gardenia than a true tuberose.

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Tubereuse (1988) renders its tuberose as a thousand layer cake. The layers of creamy soft tuberose appear to unfold further and further, laced with minute spicy and distinctly green undertones that make this fragrance more complex than that of L’Artisan. The green note is very pronounced, and it may not appeal to someone seeking a perfectly creamy tuberose soliflore.

Update: L’Artisan Tubereuse has been discontinued.