Kurai

Floral Veil may be a floral composition in the traditional sense but it still manages to surprise. This not so much a result of amazing quality materials, but due to the clever contrast between two main floral notes throughout the scent's evolution.

The fragrance opens with a well-behaved tuberose covered in citrus and greens. This green-fresh prelude made me expect a daytime scent, business-safe but uplifting, not all too serious. In a matter of minutes, however, the geranium takes over from the tuberose as primary floral note and the mood shifts from daytime to evening wear. The geranium's minty and spicy facets, the fuzzy amber-musky base and bits of that remaining tuberose combined give off a classic 90's dress-up vibe. I suspect a soft patchouli plays a role in this as well. It is not a full-on evening wear, though, as the sillage is medium-low from the start and stays well-restraint.

What I like about this perfume is how it is positioned between daytime and evening wear. Semi-formal with an uplifting spring-fresh side. Creativity in a setting of traditional perfumery is hard to find these days. Floral Veil shows it still exists.

Cio Cio San is a sunny intermezzo with a few influences from the Far East but without the stereotypes. This also shares a few notes with Guerlain's little black dress series. But the Guerlain is left far behind when it comes to quality and level of excitement.

The top notes in Cio Cio San lift the wearer's mood immediately. They open as a fizzy lemonade of cherry, lychee and tangy citrus. It does not take long before a zesty ginger note and some woody tea join in, countering all that fruity freshness. This balance between fruity, woody and fresh is brilliant. Sophisticated without being complicated. Just pure fun!

Grossmith calls this little gem "perfectly matched for a contemporary royal love story" and names it Betrothal, after the engagement to be married. So it is pretty obvious what mood they are aiming for. Quite successfully, in fact.

Betrothal is joyfully announced by some citrus top notes, immediately followed by an elegant bouquet of rose and ylang stuffed with aldehydes. There's neroli on top and vetiver beneath to add fresher, slightly green accents. The transition from the lush floral bouquet to the softer woody-vanilla base is gorgeous.

Structure-wise this shares a few traits with classical Guerlains, but Grossmith managed to create a totally unique character. Sophisticated, elegant and festive. Perfect wedding material.

Chypre Palatin starts off pretty heavy, with the ambers and resins kicking in the door before anything. The fierce musks vanish as rapidly as they appeared, only to return as a smooth leathery note in the drydown - still going strong, by the way. Fruits, greens and florals add to the complexity, while the resins dominate from beginning to end.

Like "Diaghilev (Parfum) | Roja Parfums", this feels like a proper revival attempt of the old chypre theme, staying true to the old ways rather than taking a modern spin. Where Diaghilev recalls nearly every great legend of the old days, Chypre Palatin stays in the Orrr..ambery realms. Outstanding in quality and complexity, lacking some traits of its own.

From a perfume so costly it can serve as mortgage collateral, one should expect some fireworks. In terms of craftsmanship it is fair to say that yes this is about as good as it gets. Bourgeois, decadent and pompous. Just as it should be in this genre.

Despite the bombastics, something is holding me back from fully indulging in this. This may be a full symphony orchestra but what they're playing is a medley of classics. The constant rotation of accords is impressive but they all remind one of what made other classic perfumes so great. A greatest hits album by the Royal Philharmonic.