Ingrid by Tableau de Parfums

*****
Year: 2013

Notes: bergamot, lemon, orange, cinnamon, clove, lily of the valley, rose, frangipani, vanilla, patchouli, vetiver, labdanum, styrax, Tolu balsam, sandalwood
As the third, and final, instalment to the olfactory movie, 'Woman's Picture', with Brian Pera, Ingrid ends things with a disappointing whimper.

Commencing with abrasive citrus accords, it overlooks the spices and quickly shifts to a soft dusty floral core. However, by this point, one is already able to discern both the styrax and Tolu balsam in the background. Now, while that's not usually a bad thing, these two chords become so dominant that they soon make it very difficult to follow the evolution of the rest of the composition.

And that's the problem with it – its development is too hurried, with many of the components coming across as either too whimsical or stifled by the balsamic aspect. With the exception of the zesty opening, there's nothing much there besides a Tolu balsam overload, with some sandalwood adding an extra buttery dimension.

The first Tableau de Parfums offering, Miriam, provided some promise, but both quality and creativity have since been in decline with each subsequent release. As a result, Ingrid is the least satisfying of the three fragrances, as one expected a lot more than something close to a one note samba beyond the top notes.

Both longevity and sillage are acceptable.


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