Year: 2002
Notes: bitter orange, aldehydes, cardamom, pepper, rose, hay, cedar
There was once a time when, if you wanted a realistic orange fragrance that lasted longer than a traditional Eau de Cologne, Eau d'Orange Verte by Hermès was probably the best option. Unfortunately, its longevity was only marginally better.
With regards to Bigarade Concentrée, it could be perceived not only as an intense version of Cologne Bigarade (released one year earlier and also created by Jean-Claude Elléna), but also an improvement over the Hermès' 1979 classic (and it's interesting to note that Concentré d'Orange Verte was released two years after Bigarade Concentrée – yet another Jean-Claude Elléna interpretation of an orange scent).
One can't deny that the opening is rather stunning and lucid – an uplifting aroma of juicy ripened oranges, with the bitter astringency of freshly peeled orange rind. The sweetness is well-balanced, natural-smelling and not at all cloying. With a slightly spicy development, the rose and aldehydes provide further depth and richness. As it approaches the drydown, the hay injects a subtle animalic twist to the composition.
With a faint woody base, as well as a lingering trace of bitter orange, one envisions Bigarade Concentrée as an olfactory essay, outlining the natural and inevitable deterioration of an orange – with its plump, fresh and zesty beginnings, followed by its gradual blemished staleness, through to its fragrant and decrepit decay. Thus, even though it may come across as linear, its development is actually more intriguing upon closer inspection.
Offering gentle projection and longevity of approximately two hours, it's sharper, richer and denser than Cologne Bigarade, with a lot more tenacity. It may not be a powerhouse but it's still both a masterful and well-composed rendition, with adequate substance and very few peers.
Now, the only real issue is its exorbitant price...
With regards to Bigarade Concentrée, it could be perceived not only as an intense version of Cologne Bigarade (released one year earlier and also created by Jean-Claude Elléna), but also an improvement over the Hermès' 1979 classic (and it's interesting to note that Concentré d'Orange Verte was released two years after Bigarade Concentrée – yet another Jean-Claude Elléna interpretation of an orange scent).
One can't deny that the opening is rather stunning and lucid – an uplifting aroma of juicy ripened oranges, with the bitter astringency of freshly peeled orange rind. The sweetness is well-balanced, natural-smelling and not at all cloying. With a slightly spicy development, the rose and aldehydes provide further depth and richness. As it approaches the drydown, the hay injects a subtle animalic twist to the composition.
With a faint woody base, as well as a lingering trace of bitter orange, one envisions Bigarade Concentrée as an olfactory essay, outlining the natural and inevitable deterioration of an orange – with its plump, fresh and zesty beginnings, followed by its gradual blemished staleness, through to its fragrant and decrepit decay. Thus, even though it may come across as linear, its development is actually more intriguing upon closer inspection.
Offering gentle projection and longevity of approximately two hours, it's sharper, richer and denser than Cologne Bigarade, with a lot more tenacity. It may not be a powerhouse but it's still both a masterful and well-composed rendition, with adequate substance and very few peers.
Now, the only real issue is its exorbitant price...
