Perris Monte Carlo Extrait de Parfum

The Perris Monte Carlo extract collection has always had two drawbacks: the price and the inability to limit oneself to just one or two scents. You need them all. I rarely find myself mixing the extracts. I complement the earthy, dark patchouli with honeyed ylang-ylang, and the fecal, slightly medicinal oud with sweet strawberry rose. My favorite mix is: two drops of Rose de Taif on the back of my neck, a drop of Ylang Nosy Be on my left shoulder, and a drop of Santal du Pacifique on my right. However, they are also great as standalone compositions.

Patchouli Nosy Be – the trembling of the earth. A layer of grated dark chocolate with red hot pepper, a layer of raisins soaked in cognac, beneath that a layer of hard turf, and another meter of black soil, pierced with silver threads of mycelium, the tunnels of worms and moles. The kingdom of the invisible and unseeing.

Patchouli Nosy Be, Perris Monte Carlo,

Patchouli, pepper, cocoa, labdanum, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood.

Rose de Taif – the scent of roses, taken from roses and adapted by man for his own pleasure. Rose de Taif smells of strawberry and rose Turkish delight served with rose petal tea in a fragrant rose garden, where roses are everywhere and in every possible state of aggregation. One of my favorite roses. It travels with me on all my travels.

Rose de Taif, Perris Monte Carlo,

Lemon, nutmeg, geranium, Taif rose, Damask rose, musk.

Oud Imperial is an oud illusion, composed of sea mist, the vapors of tropical swamps, rotting leaves, and the shadow of an elephant's butt retreating into the jungle. The scent is salty and dirty, more like a dense blend of patchouli, amber, and Tonkinese musk than natural oud. It is especially piquant when mixed with Patchouli Nosy Be.

Oud Imperial, Perris Monte Carlo,

Jasmine, cumin, incense, patchouli, saffron, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, labdanum, oud.

Ylang Ylang Nosy Be is the star of the collection. Surprisingly soft and relaxed. You expect a bright white floral "ainane," but what you get is a sunny, amber-colored, fragrant oil for some kind of ritual Indian ointment. And it's hard to tell what's more in it: honeyed peaches, vanilla cream, or flowers.

Ylang Ylang Nosy be, Perris Monte Carlo,

Ylang, lemon, grapefruit, cardamom, jasmine, orange blossom, rose, amber, labdanum, vetiver, cedar, vanilla.

Santal du Pacifique is a rectangular/parallelepiped-shaped fragrance, smelling of iris root, a touch of pine needles, and pieces of light, fragrant wood, the kind used to make coasters or Pinocchios. I don't consider it a standalone fragrance. It's only used as a complement to the Perris Monte Carlo floral extracts.

Santal du Pacifique, Perris Monte Carlo,

Carrot, orchid, violet, sandalwood, wood, musk.

Absolue d'Osmanthe – a wild forest monster with shaggy fur and burdocks, asleep under an osmanthus bush. Lulled by the warmth of the earth and the light apricot-soap scent of delicate yellowish flowers. More leathery and animalic than floral. Very treacherous in warm weather and the only one in the collection that doesn't mix with anything else.

Absolue d'Osmanthe, Perris Monte Carlo,

Osmanthus, jasmine, sandalwood, rose, amber, wood, vanilla, labdanum, Tolu balsam.