My mate Megan of the excellent blog Megan in Sainte Maxime was kind enough to send me some samples from French niche brand, Atelier des Ors, which launched in 2015. As pleased as I was to receive them, for some reason I didn’t rush to spray.
The bottles are beautifully faceted and contain juice with floating flecks of gold leaf, but I leans more towards an artisan aesthetic. I also had the impression that the compositions were skewed towards the oriental, which I have a poor track record with. I finally got over myself and tried the three which focus on notes I gravitate towards: rose, iris and leather.
Rose Omeyyade
Top notes: Raspberry, Rose, Pink Pepper
Middle notes: Patchouli, Brown Sugar, Guaiac Wood
Base notes: Amber, Sandalwood, Oud
I’d describe Rose Omeyyade is a slightly jammy, almost boozy, softly spiced, rose-centred fragrance. Sweet but not sickeningly so, the raspberry brings out the fruity facet of the rose, placing it on the verge of gourmand. I keep noticing something like spicy incense, which I’m putting down to the pink pepper combined with guaiac wood. This is very much a composition based around a prominent rose note, rather than a rose soliflore.
The oud is mildly skanky which makes a nice change from the plethora of sanitised versions out there. It also gives the fragrance a bit of edge. In the drydown the woods become a little too persistent for me, however if you are fond of ‘east meets west’ rosy perfumes, you should give Rose Omeyyade a spin.
Iris Fauve
Top notes: Bergamot, Cinnamon, Iris
Middle notes: Patchouli, Haitian Vetiver, Cypriol oil.
Base notes: Myrrh, Musk, Labdanum, Liatris (Deerstongue/Wild Vanilla)
Iris Fauve was released this year and turns out to be a pussy cat rather than the beast its name suggests. After a bright bergamot opening, it becomes smooth and fuzzy with pillowy iris atop a bed of ambrette-style musk. Usually irises are cool and metallic, rooty or cosmetic but here it’s in my favourite mode; warm, sensual and somewhat doughy. The overall texture is suede-like but without any hint of leather present.
Cinnamon can be harsh and anti-social but here it plays nice and mixes well. There’s a lick of liquorice in the drydown from the myrrh but nothing forceful. It’s said to “drape the skin like a soft and reassuring caress” and it does indeed stay close to the body. In short, Iris Fauve is a welcome addition to that small subset of warm iris fragrances.
Cuir Sacré
Top notes: Juniper Berries, Cypress, Cardamom
Middle notes: Incense, Saffron, Cedar Needles
Base notes: Leather, Vetiver
Not only do I generally love saffron notes in perfume but my favourite discontinued leather fragrance Cuir de Lancôme contains creamy saffron wrapped-up in buttery suede. Therefore it’s unsurprising that I really enjoy the strong saffron opening of Cuir Sacré. Most spices are not my friend but the orange-gold of saffron with its floralacy is something else entirely. It speaks of luxury and seems to pair brilliantly with more austere accords.
The leather is super smooth and refined rather than rough and tarry. It’s not all about sleek upholstered interiors though. There is a distinct aromatic accord unwinding throughout that is evocative of dark green pine forests which, along with the saffron, lifts it above most of the niche leathers currently available. If I wasn’t in the mood for my usual birch tar, smoky leather I’d certainly go for Cuir Sacré.
Have you tried any of the fragrances from Atelier des Ors? What are your thoughts and favourites?
Photo credit: zastavki.com
A Bottled Rose 
Hey Tara,
I love this house. They play interestingly with perfume and those bottles are so yummy to hold and spritz from.
Portia xx
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Hey Portia,
I bet the bottles are lovely to own and use. Very luxurious!
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I haven’t tried the perfumes yet, but have been interested in both Iris Fauve and Cuir Sacre, for the same reasons as you; saffron and iris:-)
I should still very much like to test them, although I don’t hold too much hope that they will bring new exciting facets to the saffron/ iris mix.
I mean a pussy cat- iris would be grand, but an iris-beast even better… from your description it sounds like IF could do with a bit of Bal de Versailles 😁
I love the idea of a leather complete with “dark green pine forest”.
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The musk in Iris Fauve is not skanky but not screechy white musk either. The rose was more beastly.
The leather is my favourite of the three. The saffron is fantastic and I really like the unexpected effect of the pine needles.
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Hi Tara. I really enjoyed your take on the three perfumes and I do think that the Cuir Sacré is a bit of an undiscovered gem and one to try iif you like leathers with a good twist. xx Megan
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There are so many humdrum leathers out there it’s great to find one with not one but two twists: saffron first and then pine needles!
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if!
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🙂
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Saffron, you say? Must try that.
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It’s so good, Sabine. Occasionally I find it can be off but here it’s on point.
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I only tried the Iris one and while I don’t remember any details anymore I still know that I liked it a lot. I said back then that I should try the rest as well – and then I forgot about them. And so I’m saying again “I have to try them”, especially the leather one (recently I cannot do roses, not even with oud…).
Sending lots of Love to you, dear T.
m.
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Lovely to hear from you, M! Sending loads of love right back at you.
I think this line would really suit you so I’d be surprised if you didn’t find at least a couple you love. I know they have them at the Harrods Salon de Parfums. The leather is a winner.
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I love rose right now. We need to meet. 😍 Soon huh? ❤️❤️❤️❤️. I have 10mls of Iris Fauve you can have. xxx
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Well, I am certain I have tried these and yet I cannot put my hand on the samples anywhere. The spelling of the rose perfume is particularly distinctive. Did I sniff them during a meet up, or borrow them and give them back, or pass them on to another fumehead, perhaps? Certainly the rose and leather ones are ringing massive bells. Maybe I am having the olfactory equivalent of a deja vu moment. Or a merely senior one! Anyway, if I haven’t smelt them after all, I feel sure the leather one in particular would be my thing, probably also the rose. Thanks for giving me this brain – and nose – teaser!
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Ah, I wonder if it would come back to you if you tried them again. You weren’t with us when Undina and I saw them at Harrods. We try so many things and often pass them on, it’s not easy to keep track.
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Hi Tara. So lovely that you reviewed these perfumes. I have tried Iris Fauve and love it and now am curious about the others as well. You make me want to try Cuir Sacré next. Sandra xoxo
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Hi Sandra, I know we had a quick look at these in Harrods but that was at the end of the Salon de Parfum. I hope you get a chance to try the others properly.
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I have tried these scents and for some reason, none of them really caught my interest. They were all pleasant, but not something I feel I have to have.
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Hi Tara C, I know what you mean. With so much choice you have to really love something to want to try it again, let alone purchase it and especially at this price level.
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Hi Sandra, I know we had a quick look at these in Harrods but that was at the end of the Salon de Parfum. I hope you get a chance to try the others properly.
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The only perfume from this line that I’ve tried so far was Iris Fauve – and I still cannot make up my mind. I love the opening. Then it becomes not interesting… and later suddenly I realize that I keep sniffing my wrist for the drydown.
Bottles look very nice. But 100 ml?!! What would I do if I love any of the perfumes? 🙂
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100ml bottles are so prevalent now in niche. it’s bad news for people like us. You’d have to love something the whole way through and even then you’d struggle to get through 100mls. I can’t remember the last time I actually finished a bottle. It feels like they’re with me for life or I end up giving them away when I get bored.
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