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Notes05/02/2017
10.0 8.0 9.0 9.0/10
Drseid
670 Reviews
Drseid
Ropion + Malle = Greatness
Superstitious opens with an airy rose, supported by soapy aldehydes. Moving to the early heart the soapy aldehydic-laden rose deepens, as it is joined by slightly bracing peach, smooth woody incense, and relatively sanitized jasmine, as hints of underlying woody vetiver peep through from the base. During the late dry-down the jasmine, incense and rose gradually vacate, first leaving the peach to couple with the sharp, woody vetiver and the remnants of the incense, before finally giving way to a vetiver and dry amber base tandem that finishes off the composition's relatively lengthy life-cycle. Projection is very good to excellent, and longevity is outstanding at over 15 hours on skin.
The past year or two have been tough for this reviewer. The perfume releases have not gotten any less numerous, but the quality and effort found in most of what was sniffed just wasn't there. As a result, there really hasn't been anything on the market that could inspire this writer to want to put any effort in posting a review. Enter Superstitious, composed by the great Dominique Ropion for the equally great Frederic Malle...
When I received early word of Superstitious' release I had to take note as most times Ropion and Malle come together for a release it is something special, and luckily, Superstitious does not disappoint.
Immediately when applied on skin the rose comes through, so light and airy. Some reviews I have read compare the rose to Portrait of a Lady, but I respectfully disagree. The rose in Portrait of a Lady is a lush, jammy rose that is the near polar opposite of the kind used here. This is a much more fluid rose that couples better in this implementation with the soapy aldehydes and the slightly bracing peach. Speaking of aldehydes and peach, I was a bit leery when I heard the composition might focus on them as neither have been favorites of mine in past compositions, but Ropion skillfully handles both by first presenting the soapy side of the aldehydes that is very different from their presentation in key legendary compositions like Chanel No. 5, while balancing the peach with fine, sanitized jasmine and clean woody incense. By the time the composition morphs into its sharp, woody vetiver-centric late dry-down it is hard not to be hooked. The end result is a modern perfume that reaches back to the past greats and feels right at home beside them.
The bottom line is the $370 per 100ml bottle Superstitious is living proof that Dominique Ropion is at his best when directed by Frederic Malle, and that neither has lost their magic touch, earning an outstanding 4 to 4.5 stars out of 5 rating and an easy recommendation from this writer who has had his interest in perfume renewed.
The past year or two have been tough for this reviewer. The perfume releases have not gotten any less numerous, but the quality and effort found in most of what was sniffed just wasn't there. As a result, there really hasn't been anything on the market that could inspire this writer to want to put any effort in posting a review. Enter Superstitious, composed by the great Dominique Ropion for the equally great Frederic Malle...
When I received early word of Superstitious' release I had to take note as most times Ropion and Malle come together for a release it is something special, and luckily, Superstitious does not disappoint.
Immediately when applied on skin the rose comes through, so light and airy. Some reviews I have read compare the rose to Portrait of a Lady, but I respectfully disagree. The rose in Portrait of a Lady is a lush, jammy rose that is the near polar opposite of the kind used here. This is a much more fluid rose that couples better in this implementation with the soapy aldehydes and the slightly bracing peach. Speaking of aldehydes and peach, I was a bit leery when I heard the composition might focus on them as neither have been favorites of mine in past compositions, but Ropion skillfully handles both by first presenting the soapy side of the aldehydes that is very different from their presentation in key legendary compositions like Chanel No. 5, while balancing the peach with fine, sanitized jasmine and clean woody incense. By the time the composition morphs into its sharp, woody vetiver-centric late dry-down it is hard not to be hooked. The end result is a modern perfume that reaches back to the past greats and feels right at home beside them.
The bottom line is the $370 per 100ml bottle Superstitious is living proof that Dominique Ropion is at his best when directed by Frederic Malle, and that neither has lost their magic touch, earning an outstanding 4 to 4.5 stars out of 5 rating and an easy recommendation from this writer who has had his interest in perfume renewed.
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