The Big Sniff Mk II

[UnnecessaryFennel]

After the success of the first Big Sniff earlier in the year, let's have another one!

This time around, we're going to try the Bloom Perfumery Greens in Perfume sample pack. Bloom is an independent perfumery in Covent Garden which is a treasure trove of unusual and 'niche' perfumes, so there's bound to be some interesting stuff to try.

This is what Bloom have to say about their Green edit:

'This edit and sample pack explore green nuances in perfume and materials that perfumers use to create it.

A perfume belongs to a green family if aromas such as green leaves, cut grass, cucumber, runner beans, green tea and so on dominate in the character. Green perfumes are much brighter, sharper and juicier than anything in the related aromatic (herbaceous) family and are not as woody as coniferous perfumes. However, some notes/materials such as basil, or pine span families revealing greener or woodier nuances depending on what else the perfumer chooses to put in the formula

The most straightforward green materials are: lentisque (mastic) and galbanum resins, green tea (real essence or an imaginary accord), green grass/ leaves accords (made with hexenal and other molecules which really relate to what grass/leaves emit when damaged or molecules that just smell similar), freesias, neroli, violet leaves and pine.'

The sample list is as follows:

1. The Soft Lawn (Imaginary Authors)

1. Aube Pashmina (Huitième Art)

1. Elephant (Zoologist)

1. Gardens of Temptation | Tenderness (Brocard)

1. Eau Simple de Concombre (Phaedon)

1. Panorama (Olfactive Studio)

1. PG24 Papyrus de Ciane (Parfumerie Générale)

1. Pure Azure (Phaedon)

1. Lentisque (Phaedon)

The cost is £15 plus £2.70 p&p in the UK (and they deliver within the rest of the EU as well). No discount on the pack this time around but if you're a new customer you'll get 5% off your next order.

Since it's a bank holiday week, it will probably be best to give people a bit more time to order and for packs to arrive, so let's start on Sunday 20th May.

So, order your pack, sign in here every Sunday and let's get sniffing!

Phaedon - Lentisque. On me this had a gentle green opening (loved the fresh peas description Fennel!), quickly joined by a fragrant incense. Some greenness remained throughout. It lasted three hours, not bad in the 30 degrees heat. I enjoyed it very much, but found the Papyrus de Ciane more interesting.

Last one! Aube Pashmina - Huitieme Art. First sniff I'm getting florists (guessing the current and tomato leaves) and geranium and an oiliness. Not at all sweet and not very floral at all despite the geranium. Will be interesting to see what dominates as it develops.

Aube Pashmina (Huitième Art) I enjoyed the greenness of this one (I do love tomato leaves!). There was also a distinct fruitiness and a bit of floral sweetness. It reminded me a bit of Miller Harris Cassis en Feuille so I compared them, a good spray on each arm. Alas, the Pashmina faded quickly and was gone in a couple of hours. Cassis en Feuille was more like 4-5 hrs and was stronger (and I preferred the smell anyway).

Of all the samples, excepting Elephant (I already have a full bottle), my favourites were Eau Simple de Concombre (Phaedon) and PG24 Papyrus de Ciane (Parfumerie Générale). I need to test them further, but may be full bottle-worthy for me.

PG24 Papyrus de Ciane was definitely a favourite here as well. And The Soft Lawn. Considering getting the Nose Subscription so I can get 10ml of some of my favourites.