By Portia
Hi there A Bottled Rose.
New Diptyque will often get me excited. They are some of the niche groundbreakers and almost all of their fragrances have a perfectly finished quality, that lovely smooth story that has enough twists to keep you interested but done with such aplomb that you miss it, unless you’re paying attention. They are practically mainstream nowadays and are in large department stores all over the world. Do they even have stand alone stores?
Eau de Minthé by Diptyque 2019
Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Mint, Nutmeg, Rose, Patchouli
OOOOH Minty goodness, like a herbal mint tea with some spices giving it an added warmth. Yes, the opening zings and is very refreshing but eau de Minthé is not only a hot weather fragrance. It also works perfectly in the cool. The greenery is given sheer earthy warmth from the patchouli. Modern patchouli.
I recently bought some patchouli dark essential oil. We used to sell patchouli oil when I was a kid working in a barber/tobacconist. I never liked it then, it was too potent and real for me. I was only interested in Aramis, Ralph Lauren Polo and Safari at the time. Having the EO in adult life has opened my eyes to how patchouli was. I can’t think of a fragrance that smells like the real deal in modern times.
The rose mentioned in the notes is not the star of the show, hardly even a bit player. Every now and then it pokes its fruity rosiness out and is then subsumed. I’m getting a smell that seems like angelica, a wispy sharp green, bittersweet and full of the end of summer ripeness.
Eau de Minthé is nice, not usual and if I’m being honest i think I’d prefer it as a room spray. Maybe even a linen spray. I could easily imagine getting into a bed smelling like this and drifting off into sleep. So much so that it’s going to be my bedtime scent tonight.
Are you a fan of mint in fine fragrance? Is there one you love?
Portia xx
A Bottled Rose 
Well I might be a fan of hidden mint. When I open my oven to take the cookies out, I always get a blast of heat straight at me. The heat often reveals building blocks of a perfume that you would never know were there. Unless of course you stick your head into hot ovens. So …… Eau de Magnolia from Malle has mint of some sort hidden in it. I smell it every single time I bake when wearing it. And since I am nearly out of my 100ml bottle you can sure trust me on it. Mint is there. And yes, I will replace the bottle (which I bought when I was with Tara and Vanessa) because I absolutely adore the stuff. Bussi.
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Hey Val,
I’m going to have to wear Eau de Magnolia now and see if I can get the minty zing.
WOW! 100ml of Eau de Magnolia is a big deal.
Portia xx
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You need to stick your head in a 375°f oven.
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HA! Yeah, my Mum used to have a saying about my friends asking me to do that………
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Hey Portia
I really struggle with prominent mint in perfumes. I get on better if it’s herbal and leafy rather than toothpaste fresh. Shame there isn’t more rose. The idea of something like this as a linen spray is very appealing though and as ever, I love the way you write.
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Hey Tara,
Thank you.
Yeah, crawling into the coolness of freshly spritzed sheets is one of lifespan’s true luxuries.
Bummer about the mint. Does that include Heeley Menthe Fraiche, ELdO You or Someone Like You, Goutal Nuit Etoilee or Mandragore, or Hermès Monsieur Li? They all treat mint so differently.
You know I think I might have a mint thing, there is a Phaedon and A*Men Kryptomint and a slew of others in my collection. WOW! Revelation.
Portia xx
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I don’t own anything with mint but I’m sure I’ve tried perfumes with a herbal bouquet that I’ve liked. I think of those you’ve listed Monsieur Li could work for me. How funny you’ve uncov ered a hidden mint fetish!
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Oh yes, Monsieur Li is the softest mint experience ever.
Yeah, I do seem to crave it. Didn’t even mention Geranium pour Monsieur, Heeley Esprit du Tigre, Batucada, SIP Black Rosette, and Herba Fresca. GAWD! I keep thinking of bottles and I’m sure there are more.
Definitely a mint fetish.
I love it, always finding out new things about myself.
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Another mint in fragrance struggler here. I even struggle with it in sweets – with the strange exception of After Eights and Murray Mints. Am currently trying to come to terms with TicTacs, though Trebor are a mint too far. Glad you found some application for the Diptyque, though it’s pricy as a room scent.
Big fan of other Diptyques, especially Volutes and Eau Duelle.
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Hey there Vanessa,
It’s interesting to me that people are mint averse. Jin won’t eat mint chocolate (MENTAL!) and you and Tara don’t love it in fragrance.
What about toothpaste? Does it freak you out there? Jin uses a Pine and Salt or a Charcoal flavoured toothpaste from Korea unless he’s run out and steals mine.
Portia xx
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Hello Portia, Eau de Minthe does not do anything for me but I got the ELdO You or Someone Like You two summers ago and spritzed my way through pretty much the whole bottle in a few months. I appreciate the refreshing qualities mint has in the heat. In a similar sort of theme Gucci’s Memoire d’une Odeur with the strong camomile note is refreshing without the toothpaste association. Holly
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Hey Holly,
YAY! It’s nice to see someone else loved You or Someone Like You. Such a good fragrance.
With Gucci’s Memoire d’une Odeur I keep spritzing it in department stores where it just can’t compete with all the other heavy hitters. I need to spend some quiet time with it.
Portia xx
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You are the second person to mention this fragrance to me this week Tara!!
It’s a sign…
The Gucci Memoire you’re right Portia couldn’t compete with the others that day!
I love mint with chocolate and mint toothpaste, so maybe this is for me.
Next time in Mecca will go out and try it Tara xxxxx
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Hey Anna Maria,
Portia (me) wrote this piece.
Was it me mentioned the frag to you? I’ll try to remember to bring it Sunday and you can give yourself a spritz.
Mint with EVERYTHING!
Portia xx
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