Thomas Dunckley is from the land of concrete cows and many a round-a-bout—Milton Keynes to me and you. He says it’s a weird little place and in it, he’s the HR Advisor for a telemarketing company. His dream job would be HR/Training for a perfume company. We met each other through twitter on one of the many perfume chats one evening. Like myself he’s a bit of a fragrance lover and knows many a thing or two. He’s just finished up a week wearing a different Tuberose fragrance a day.
Did you enjoy your Tuberose week? What do you like about the “Queen of the Night?”
Tuberose week was fun, I did find myself wanting to wear something else by the end of the week. Tuberose is such a versatile note and I love how it can be treated in so many different ways; from the cold camphor of Tubereuse Criminelle to the brazen divaness (yes I just made that up) of Fracas. Have you tried many Tuberose scents?
I don’t think I’ve ever smelled it before on its own to know what to look out for. Would you say it is your favourite smell? Actually what is your favourite smell not necessarily perfume related? Tell me a little about that.
It’s weird that both my favourite and least favourite smells are food related. My favourite smell is Earl Grey teabags, not the brewed tea (which I love drinking) but the tin I keep my teabags in. It smells of fuzzy black tea and blindingly sharp citrus. I’m yet to find a fragrance accurately emulates the smell of Earl Grey teabags.
My least favourite smell is the smell of boiling rhubarb, it’s really strong and sets my teeth on edge, it’s like a White noise but with smell!
I like that they’re both food related. I’d say most people are turned on or off by food smells. Especially near tea time, the smell of food always smells incredible when you’re hungry. Tea bags too have a lovely smell, different yes as it’s being brewed. I can’t think off the top of my head either of a represented Earl Grey fragrance either… or a rhubarb one too!
Do food smells remind you of certain places at all? What are they?
They sort of remind me of places, but I’m not as well travelled as I’d like to be. That said, I went to Poland a few years ago and we ate these delicious smoked cheese things and whenever i smell smoked cheese now it reminds me of Gdansk. A lot of food smells just remind me of home, roast chicken for example will always remind me of Sundays when i was a kid. I must favour food smells because a lot of the perfumes I enjoy are either gourmand or heavy on the vanilla.
Haha would you favour Shalimar ode de La Vanille over Angel then? What about a fruity floral? ;) What do you think of fruity florals actually?
I love both! Shalimar ode a La Vanille is beautiful and I love the old massive drag queen that is Angel. Fruity Florals aren’t too bad, there are some excellent ones on the market (see Juicy Couture’s epnoymous scent & Insolence) but I think it’s an over-exhausted genre with most offerings smelling the same; sickly sweet fruity, vague florals and bland musk. What’s your opinion of them and do you have a favourite scent genre?
I agree with you too about FFs smelling quite the same and over-used. I’m sure there’s a market for them but it’s a saturated one from my limited experience. Maybe like fashion it too will pass and something else will take it’s place.
My favourite scent genre would be green. I’m in love with Annick Goutal’s Ninfeo Mio and I adore Kenzo Pour Homme’s take on a real fresh ocean smell, woody and ever-so-slightly green too. I go through phases too, I’ve just came out of a gourmand binge and could easily go straight back in - Serge Lutens Jeux de Peu? :)
I’ve not tried Jeau de Peux but I’ve read that it has a strong imortelle note which gives it an odd curried/mapley vibe. Other than gourmand my favourite genre of perfume would be floral. I do love me some flowers! I’m also on a bit of a Montale Aoud kick at the mo.
Have you tried No 19? If you like green scents you might like it.
I have a lot of scent associations with my mother, she used to wear Beautiful by Estée Lauder and Safari by Ralph Lauren. Both are big blowsy florals with tobacco and chypre bases. If I smell either I’m transported back to when I was kid and I would watch my mum get ready for a night out, I was so fascinated with her perfume and make up (a typical gay :p).
I’ve never tried No. 19 either – so many fragrances, so little time! And actually reading up on Beautiful by Estée Lauder, rose and tobacco, I actually like the sound of that! I’d like to smell that developed more into something abstract, like an actual smoking rose…
If you had to pick a memorable floral what would it be and why?
I love the idea of a smoking Rose, you can already a good smoking Jasmine in Jasmin et Cigarette by Etat Libre d’Orange. What is great about beautiful is that it’s an abstract floral bouquet, no single flower stands out or takes centre stage. Estée Lauder are masters at creating abstract florals, Beyond Paradise and Beautiful are perfect examples.
A memorable floral is really difficult to choose but I think i’d have to go with Tubereuse Criminelle by Serge Lutens simply because there is nothing else like it. My initial thought on trying it was ‘Woah, I wasn’t expecting that!’ Nothing can really prepare you for the chilly blast of medicinal camphor in those top notes. It’s also memorable because a complete turn around and it blooms into a warm, buttery Tuberose with tons of indole.
So not only have you added more to my ballooning wish-list, but you’ve mentioned the house I’m most wanting to smell next, Etat Libre d’Orange. It’s settled, I’ll just have to fly to their flagship store to experience it all first hand ;)
Thank you Thomas for taking the time to share your Impersonal Odour. You know a good bit about perfume and I think we’ve only just scratched the surface.
Remember if you’re interested in joining in this series of discussions you can get in touch with me on the Impersonal Odour page.
