Pipette

The Parfumo Community has given "Tonka Imperiale" very good ratings, which was one incentive for me to try it. After sniffing it at Bergdorf's, NYC, I was smitten. That was not the only time that I had examined it, over the years I often tested it. So, okay, break the bank and splurge, go ahead and enjoy. Said, done.

After that I read Kafka's blog article where she described it as sort of bland. (You can google the article.) Ah ha, bland you say. That is fine and good with me because sometimes I am just looking to spray something on that is pleasant and not attention-seeking or loud. Something like skin, but better. Something for every day.

But wait. Although "Tonka Imperiale" can easily be worn from morning to night every day, it is not limited to that - for an evening out, one could just spray more.

It is a fine and cultivated scent. Well blended from beginning to end. "The End" is after a long lasting period of easily 8 hours. The scent lingers softly and does not change in the base notes.

Mainly tonka bean, I am sure, but there is also a certain sleekness that continues throughout. Otherwise no edges, no roughness, and above all, no cheap notes. (Cheap notes I would describe as shrill or changing in the dry down to something offensively ugly; cheap perfumes often do that.)

It probably does not deserve as high a price tag as it has. But now that I have it, I will spray liberally and enjoy it. Leaving less good-smelling perfumes by the way side.

For the ones who have tasted Turkish Delight or have been in Istanbul with the local atmosphere smells, this perfume is probably just the answer. I will content myself of liking it to vanilla Christmas cookies, with a few extra colorful sugar sprinkles thrown on top. Yum! This perfume smells good enough to eat, and the girl who is wearing it is probably just as appetizing.

I love subtle scents and this one is light, fluffy, gentle, feather light and simply nice. Nice to spray on liberally because, I regret to say, the lasting power is not that tremendous. It settles quickly into a skin scent. That skin scent remains very close to the skin. Or is it just me?

I can then smell a subtle leather, a good leather.

The final dry down smells slightly musky.

Everything about this perfume is subtle, slight, light. A pleasure to wear and I doubt that I would get tired of it ...

I am trying to like this scent, but I can't. It reminds me of a leather tannery where the leather sits in vats and is treated.

The top notes assault the nose with a potent leathery smell and although over time the scent gets softer, it just cannot win me over. It is quite an experience.

The scent is reminiscent more of a time and a place than something that one would want to spray on.

Too bad ... because that is the second scent of Paul Kiler's samples and the first one, "Ere", is quite nice.

I don't remember how long I have already this innocent little oil of the Alkemia collection. Somehow it got lost in the drawer with other samples. It is a 5 ml bottle, however.

So not having anything better to do, I dug around and put some on. Wow, this incense/vanilla mix really smells good. It has that typical oil smell which is more clinging than the alcohol based spray perfumes. Thus it warms up, especially at the pulse points.

Right now I am wearing this pleasant composition alone ... but I have plans to use it as a layering base for I don't know how many vanilla scents in my collection. It is like getting dressed, first the basics and then the accessories.

While typing. little clouds of incense are wafting up ... and when I press my nose closer to the inner elbow, this tincture is not disagreeable like some perfumes are, Shem-el-Nessim for example, which smells fine in a sillage radius but not so when up close directly on the skin.

The vanilla note in this oil is slightly sweet but not overdone. I am surprised that such a rather inexpensive oil can perform so nicely, at least to my nose. And that nose has sniffed plenty.

So, let's see whether any compliments follow, and that will be the ultimate proof.

Designed for the men, maybe. But what makes this scent so wearable for the ladies is the creamy floriental vibe. Green and mossy - certainly, it starts like that. Close to the skin, the nose perceives strong notes, but the projection is soft and mild. And so clean at the same time. Clean as in "modern". I was never sorry that certain vintages were discontinued, they were not for me anyhow as I don't really like oakmoss. Too stuffy, too harsh. Well, if in the course of reformulation rules a replacement oakmoss ingredient was used here, that is just fine with me, because this is what makes the scent wearable for me.

There is another Chypre which I have been testing, "Chypre Mousse" by Oriza L. Legrand. There are miles of difference between those two Chypres. The latter is more an experience of hefty green notes in nature (forest thicket) whereas "Chypre Palatin" is elegant, modern, demanding attention with the subtle sillage, and rewarding for the wearer herself.

Price is a factor, but the sample of 12 ml is big, so there is time to envison a precious full bottle later on. I love perfumes that are unique and costly. They are then reserved for special occasions. I could see myself wearing "Chypre Palatin" sitting in a concert and while being attentive to the musical accords, be surrounded by long lasting smooth green scent accords, a total immersion in beauty.