Perfume Pen Pals: Indult (various) and the Bottom of the Wish List Syndrome

Dan,

I have come to the conclusion that I will not be complete until I own a bottle of Amouage Homage Attar. It is transcendental. The end.

Followed a tip from one of my fumeheads to check out Serge Lutens Chergui, and it's nostril-flarin' good. Now have to do a consumer-comparison test against all other sweet "skin" fragrances. What's happened to me, Dan? I never liked wearing sweet things. It used to be Christian Dior Diorella and Chanel Cristalle all the way, veering into Clarins Eau Dynamisante. And then the deeply sensual, woody warmth of Ultima II Sheer Scent, the closest I’ve ever had to a “signature scent”. Sheer Scent is now tragically discontinued, and much mourned by all who loved it in its brief life.

Maybe all the sugary fumes now out there in the land leave me no choice but to suck up the sweet stuff. And speaking of sweet, if you like M. Micallef Note Vanillée, then your eyes will roll back in your head when you smell Indult Manakara.

Katie

Katie,

As for your newfound affection for sweet things, I say it's promising. Think of perfumes like music. Those with only '60s folk or only prog rock in their collection, well, they're kind of creepy. The most interesting people never know what they like: they've got Ella Fitzgerald next to Simon & Garfunkel next to The Associates. So be unafraid. Except of spending too much money.

Have you tried all four Indults? How does Indult Isvaraya compare to By Kilian Liasons Dangereuses? They're both plums, though it sounds like Isvaraya might be darker. Why can't I sample these scents in San Francisco? Oh, Katie, you and your access to the Scent Bar make me feel I'm living in the wilderness. I'm in one of the most sophisticated and cosmopolitan cities in the world and what can I sample? Polo Sport?

I blew it and bought two things at the bottom of my wish list this morning: Tom Ford Italian Cypress, which I haven't even sampled but which supposedly compares well to a number of woods I like, and, because I want to prolong summer, Bond No. 9 Fire Island, which is good but stupidly priced. But neither of these are important additions and I really should've bought an Indult instead.

Dan

Dan,

I know this Bottom of the Wish List Syndrome much too well: all I need to feed the hungry heart is bottle of Amouage Homage Attar, yet I find myself thinking, "In the meantime, I'll just get a bottle of Serge Lutens Chergui and Rosine Rose Kashmirie and L'Artisan Parfumeur Dzing! Oh, and maybe I'd better see about that Parfumerie Generale Brulure de Rose....”

And by then I could own two bottles of Homage Attar.

OK, here's my comparative analysis of By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses and Indult Isvaraya:

Liaisons D has a lot of space in it, pumped up with air like supermarket ice cream, and the fruitiest fruit ever, flying around like sugar plum fairies. Wheeee!

Isvaraya is thick and grounded, a dense gelato. The patchouli anchors the fruit and jasmine, and gives it a bit of herbal smoke. It is stately and rich, and quieter than Liaisons D, which has more sillage and more characters in the narrative. Isvaraya is more “Ahhhhh” than “Wheeee!”

Funny, before you and my YouTube teens led me down the sweetie path, I would have said that Isvaraya is preposterously sweet. Now it's "Ahhhh...."

As for the other Indults:

Wearing Tihota is like being Jonah in the belly of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Vanilla sugar. Like that white fudge called Divinity.

Manakara is fruit candy from Rose Heaven.

Rêve en Cuir is...queer. Was eager to try after Chaz Brrr's review, but it's a little...complicated. My nose doesn't understand it. Need to revisit.

Katie