Annick Goutal’s Tubéreuse is a sleeper in the line, her thunder stolen by the more ample-bosomed Passion (now thoroughly de-oakmossed, courtesy of our friends in Brussels), or the classic-with-an-oddball-streak Gardénia Passion, which is actually a tuberose served up with a green tomato leaf that comes off as a celery note.
Delving into tuberose absolute while analyzing the composition of the upcoming Nuit de Tubéreuse (which has just gone into production… soon now!) has given me fresh appreciation for a scent I’d been overlooking for years. Annick Goutal’s Tubéreuse isn’t as complex a composition as Tubéreuse Criminelle or Carnal Flower. In fact, it is astoundingly, almost arrogantly simple and that very simplicity is what makes it so unexpected. Whether you’re used to the peach-orange blossom-musk setting of the flower whose template is Fracas or to the venomous bite of Tubéreuse Criminelle, you’re in for a shock: this is tuberose unplugged, barefaced and raw – like those stars recently photographed without a lick of make-up by the French Elle in an anti-makeover. Tuberose with snapped green bean, mushroom, freshly overturned earth, rubber and cardboard on top of the more readily recognizable wintergreen facet. In fact, it feels like it’s practically nothing but tuberose absolute from Grasse. And that’s when you see it doesn’t need a supporting cast, sets and costumes to be a star: it’s got the charisma and the bone structure.
All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.
Image: Charlotte Rampling photographed by Jurgen Teller
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Hello, sweet baby...come to mama.
RépondreSupprimerCarter: tuberose addicts, aren't we?
RépondreSupprimerI'm fascinated by those facets of tuberose absolute, so now I'll have to go search out the Annick Goutal...
RépondreSupprimerJarvis: it's often overlooked, but it's probably the most natural-smelling tuberose on the market.
RépondreSupprimerFloral Crack for the likes of yoos and mees. And that bloody Nuit de Tuberose is perfectly named because the wait is keeping me up at night...
RépondreSupprimerOh, Charlotte. Perfect in either guise (the English or the French post photo).
RépondreSupprimerThis, of course, means you drew my attention to something in plain sight. Thank you for that; I now need to make it right under my nose. As it were.
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RépondreSupprimerCarter, just a few more weeks...
RépondreSupprimerScentScelf: I thought of rawness, queenliness, and came up with Ms Rampling. Normal.
RépondreSupprimerThis one is kind of hard to find and a bit more expensive than the others. It was my first experience with all the puzzling tuberose associations I've read about: ham, mushroom, cheese, grass, rubber, etc. The other diva tuberose perfumes don't have quite the range of natural rawness this one has. I was overwhelmed by it, at first, and then fascinated.
RépondreSupprimerThanks for the lovely review and the perfect match for Charlotte.
Thanks for the great review, Denyse. This fragrance is masterful...and highly underrated, like most AG fragrances.
RépondreSupprimerMy sister shared her bottle with me a couple of weeks ago. I was so smitten, I ordered a bottle and am anxiously awaiting its arrival!
You have put me on a tubereuse kick, my friend! Next stop: NdT!
Hugs!
Dea, it's certainly disconcerting when you don't know tuberose absolute, but it *is* fascinating...
RépondreSupprimerVioletnoir, I'm on a tubey kick myself and plan to review another few as time and opportunity allow... Still waiting for Olivia Giacobetti's version for Honoré des Prés: very curious about it!
RépondreSupprimerTubey kick indeed -- but this has been a rather long affair, no?
RépondreSupprimerMarcus
Marcus, it waxes and wanes... But, yes, going on for... how long has Tubéreuse Criminelle been out? Or should I go all the way back to Chloé?
RépondreSupprimerOoh? My reconciliation with tuberose - I used to hate it - is less than six months old, and I keep going for stronger and stronger fixes now. This sounds like one to try.
RépondreSupprimerI find this one to smell of tuberose absolute as well, but I think it's important to remember that tuberose absolute does not smell just like actual tuberose flowers. It has less wintergreen, more of a strange bready quality. The actual flowers don't have the ham, cheese, steak tartare, rubber, and all the other smells in them. They smell cool and medicinal and tropical, much 'prettier' than the absolute, and more grapey. If you want a REAL tuberose for purists, get some tuberose enfleurage. It's far far closer to the living flower than the absolute.
RépondreSupprimerBluegardenia, thanks for underlining that, I may not have made it clear enough in the post.
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