Launched in 2018, Mont de Narcisse part of L’Artisan’s “Les Paysages” collection of fragrances which were inspired by French Landscapes, in this case Auvergne’s highlands as background. It opens with a bright burst of bergamot that tingles my nose and ushers in a note of lavender. To my nose, it smells like true lavender grown in Haute-Provence - fragrant, fresh and so camphorous it's heady. A note of pepper adds a smouldering warmth and a touch of earthiness, while cardamom adds a spicy sweetness to top. The advertising blurb for Mont de Narcisse says these two spices represent the scent of volcanic soil in the area – I'll have to take their word for it. As it mellows, immortelle appears, displaying its hay and honey facets. This is just flat-out gorgeous! Slowly, the narcissus appears. Let's press pause here for a minute. The narcissus used in Mont de Narcisse is Poet's narcissus, the jewel in the crown of plants that grow in the Auvergne region. The scent of narcissus oil is rich and complex with facets of iris, rose, hyacinth, jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom and ylang-ylang. It's heady and opulent, green and floral, and one of the most sought-after flowers used in perfumery. I smell it here, but it has an ethereal quality, as though I was picking up the scent in a spring breeze. Green notes add a sense of place: we are in a meadow. A note of plum adds a fruity dimension to the heart, while Osmanthus adds a creamy sensuality to the narcissus. Narcissus has a leather facet, and Osmanthus amplifies it with its own leather aspect, taking it down to the base where it rests on birch – woody, sweet and green-tinged. Vanilla is here too, more cozy than sweet, giving Mont de Narcisse the smoothness of suede that creates a certain intimacy. The drydown is complex, smooth, complex, and so refined, it smells great on both men and women. The true beauty of Mont de Narcisse is how nose Anne Flipo has used a supporting cast of notes to highlight the various aspects of the narcissus. Notes: pepper, lavender, cardamom, bergamot, immortelle, narcissus, plum, green notes, osmanthus, leather, birch and vanilla.
