By Thomas
For some reason I had it fixed in my mind that floral-based scents should be…you know…flowery. Like a visit to the florist. For those…special times when I have to make up for something I did that upset the Mrs. In just three sentences you kind of, sort of, know why men don’t go for florals. Besides the whole ‘smelling girly’ thing.
So here comes Andy Tauer with an iris-based scent called Orris. Well, I’m glad I did a bit of research beforehand, or I might have missed the whole point of the scent. For a moment I thought it was Yatagan. Eventually, I realized that it pretty well is Yatagan, but with the curved sword replaced by an ice-cold dagger.
At opening, Orris feels a bit rooty and spicy – pepper and iris, smoky incense, maybe some cardamom, and a bit of wood. Sometimes it feels fiery, at other times the chill comes through, and I never notice the transitions, they just happen. Interesting play of light and dark, fire and ice. Between this interplay, there is a weird lushness going on, like a choir singing “Quality” to you at random intervals. (Glad I have a reasonably spacious kitchen).
Towards the heart, I get rose and oud as the pepper starts to fade. Normally I dislike Oud in general, but this fits, and fortunately Tauer didn’t go overboard here. I never would have thought of Oud/iris, but it shows a coiled-spring restraint between the two. The oud warmly embraces the icy flower, and the exercise in opposites continues.
Eventually drydown comes around, and the oud/iris combo changes into sandalwood/vetiver, retaining some of the oud’s warmth. Really, it’s the only ending that makes sense, but you’ll forgive me if I don’t have much more to say on sandalwood/vetiver combinations – except to mention that again, a lush quality remains apparent.
I can’t decide whether Orris is more compelling as a wearable scent, or as a perfumer’s exercise. There’s something grand and showy about Orris that I hardly ever smell anymore – the only other scent I can think of that’s similar in being so ostentatious is Amber Absolute. Given that this is a limited release and no longer available, I’m tempted to consider this to be Andy Tauer showing us what he’s capable of. That’s okay: this is a skillful blend, and if the IFRA restrictions don’t impinge upon this formula, then Orris is proof that perfumery still has a grand future. We just have to demand it from the perfumers.
Year: 2006
Perfumer: Andy Tauer
Notes: Ambergris, Sandalwood, Vetiver and Agarwood, Frankincense, Orris, Rose, Cinnamon, Pepper, Citrus (notes borrowed from perfumeposse.com)
Pic: herbdatanz.com
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