Spirituelle by Divine

*****

Year: 2014

Notes: pink pepper, Sichuan pepper, spices, geranium, Anatolian rose, Rose de Mai, labdanum, frankincense, cedar, ambergris, white musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

With perfumer Richard Ibanez once again at the helm, Spirituelle is Divine's eleventh release and is all about "a woman of spirit".

Unfortunately, based on what greets one's nose, it's just a run-of-the-mill concoction of spices and rose resting on a woody-oriental base. One is unable to discern much geranium but there's certainly a tea accent (possibly from the rose accords themselves).

As for the base of woods, resins and musks, it's quite uninspired and consists of predictable components, with no real effort to bring a unique twist to the composition. And although cedar is the only official woody note, one is able to discern traces of patchouli in the background.

While unspectacular, it's still a passable effort. But, structurally, it does smell very close to a formulaic jammy rose-oud template before adding the oud (synthetic or not). Sillage initially bellows before quickly dying down to a skin scent, with below average lasting power.

L'Homme Infini by Divine

*****

Year: 2012

Notes: coriander leaf, coriander seed, black pepper, elemi, agarwood, cedar, oak, vetiver, benzoin, amber, serenolide

Composed by Yann Vasnier, L'Homme Infini is a woody-oriental that wears its influence on its sleeve.

Overall, it's a lighter and less screechy version of Hermès' Terre d'Hermès. Gone is the flint or mineral aspect of Terre d'Hermès. Instead, L'Homme Infini is a shade greener and possesses an ambery-musk foundation, which provides a smoother and slightly sweeter drydown (largely courtesy of the serenolide – a synthetic white musk with "sweet-fruity connotations").

Both the elemi and pepper play crucial supporting roles but, this time, the emphasis is placed on the cedar (as opposed to the vetiver). As for any agarwood, one is unable to discern any, but there's a comforting woodiness that one would attribute to the oak. Possessing a subtle nuttiness found in Vétiver Tonka (another Jean-Claude Elléna creation for Hermès), L'Homme Infini is well-executed but shamelessly unoriginal.

With very good staying power and moderate sillage, for a long-standing French niche house, the last thing one expected was a Jean-Claude Elléna clone.

L'Être Aimé Homme by Divine

*****

Year: 2008

Notes: bergamot, celery, basil, cardamom, ginger, lavender, everlasting flower, cistus, patchouli, amber, vetiver, sandalwood, exotic woods

Acting as the male counterpart to L'Être Aimé Femme, and also created by Yann Vasnier, L'Être Aimé Homme removes the fruity-floral premise of its sister and replaces it with some lavender, aromatic accords and an extra serving of woods.

Thankfully, the everlasting flower is better implemented, this time around, with the aromatic notes being just as vital to the composition. The lavender remains subdued but the celery is almost as prominent as the immortelle itself. With swirls of basil and spices, there's a noticeable saltiness that effortlessly complements the emerging patchouli and vetiver.

As for the immortelle, it fuses with the woods, celery and spices, resulting in a slightly sweet and dark culinary take on immortelle – the end result being not too dissimilar from Christian Dior's Eau Noire (but minus the curry note). However, L'Être Aimé isn't as hardcore and is probably the easier of the two to get acquainted with.

With an anaemic base of sandalwood and exotic woods (or a synthetic cedar-musk cocktail), its final moments on the skin belies its substantial and unconventional opening. And while one vastly prefers L'Être Aimé Homme over L'Être Aimé Femme, L'Être Aimé Homme could have been a much more satisfying affair.

Longevity is good but, within a couple of hours, it becomes a skin scent.

L'Être Aimé Femme by Divine

*****

Year: 2008

Notes: bergamot, nectarine, neroli, lily, rose, jasmine, everlasting flower, labdanum, vetiver, vanilla, sandalwood

"L'Être Aimé for women is a poem to the everlasting flower, a fiery bloom filled with spices and sunshine."

Composed by Yann Vasnier, the opening of L'Être Aimé Femme is rather intriguing. Sadly, that's the best thing that can be said about it.

With a rich infusion of neroli and nectarine, there's also a prominent note that's dark and almost cherry-like. It's only after several moments one realises that the immortelle (or everlasting flower) is largely responsible for this olfactory effect. During this stage, there are also fleeting aldehydic flourishes.

However, when the estranged floral aspect is finally allowed to breathe, the underlying murky earthiness of the immortelle remains at odds with the rest of the composition. Although everlasting flower is meant to be the star note, it still comes across as too heavy-handed and oppressive, even if the woody drydown is both creamy and very pleasant.

Poorly underperforming, both in terms of projection and longevity, it's an immortelle fragrance that's somewhat unsure of itself.

L'Inspiratrice by Divine

*****

Year: 2006

Notes: Calabrian bergamot, rose, peony, Comorian ylang-ylang, patchouli, tonka bean, vetiver, vanilla, white musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

L'Inspiratrice is aptly described as "a lofty meeting between patchouli and the rose", with a sweet, powdery and buttery demeanour.

The rose is both jammy and acerbic at the same time, with a powdery iris-like chord accompanying it. With the ylang-ylang providing a creaminess to the floral heart, the patchouli plays more of a supporting role and serves as a bridge to the woody-oriental foundation.

As it evolves, the composition becomes more powdery but the patchouli remains restrained. The florals are still evident but occasionally less distinguishable, as they coalesce with the woods, vanilla and tonka bean. With a strong ambery leaning, especially towards the drydown, the whole affair is soft, elegant and serene.

With moderate projection and very good tenacity, it's certainly not groundbreaking or distinctive enough by any means. However, in its defence, it's well-crafted, and smells well-balanced and refined. If it possessed an extra trick up its sleeve, like some real animal musk, it might have been given an extra star.

Eau Divine by Divine

*****

Year: 2006

Notes: Italian citruses, green mandarin, rose hip, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, star anise, orange blossom, violet, labdanum, white amber, musk

Created by Richard Ibanez, Eau Divine performs like an Eau de Cologne, even though it's an Eau de Parfum.

Essentially, it's a peppery citrus offering that's more spicy than sweet, yet it fails to leave a lasting impression. Firstly, it isn't as juicy or vibrant as one had originally hoped. Secondly, its ephemeral nature requires constant re-application throughout the day, lasting only a couple of hours at a time.

As natural-smelling as it is, it's very underwhelming and exhibits a derivative designer spiciness as it develops. With so many satisfying citrus fragrances available, regardless of concentration, Eau Divine is pretty much a redundant release.

L'Homme Sage by Divine

*****

Year: 2005

Notes: mandarin, lychee, saffron, cardamom, mace, fir balsam, everlasting flower, patchouli, amber, Atlas cedar, frankincense, styrax, guaiac wood, oakmoss

After sampling the fragrances from Divine, one hasn't been left too impressed. After all, for a small independent niche house, one was expecting a few well-composed winners instead of mainly lacklustre releases. However, with L'Homme Sage, one is happy to report that it's an exception to a very disappointing oeuvre.

As a spicy woody-oriental, it's a compelling, sophisticated and seductive effort. With a spirited opening of fruits and spices, the lychee yields a watery rose-like pulpy sweetness that perfectly complements the saffron. The other spices are well-balanced, with a slightly green aromatic slant from both the cardamom and mace.

With a spicy tea demeanour, comprised of tender fruity overtones, the everlasting flower eventually emerges – setting the scene for a rich and complex woody base. The drydown is remarkably blended, with woody, earthy, ambery and mossy accents, all the while interwoven with tinges of incense and leather. From beginning to end, its evolution is impressively smooth and silky, with the amber substituting the lychee even before the fruitiness has completed subsided.

Situated in the same ambery ballpark as Tauer Perfumes' L'Air du Désert Marocain, with a woody base vaguely similar to Guerlain's Héritage, L'Homme Sage could possibly be viewed as the precursor to Puredistance's M. And while L'Homme Sage isn't as leathery, it's just as sensual and refined – sharing a similar spicy sweetness that resides on a beautiful bed of moss and woods.

But, for all its virtues, it does feel somewhat incomplete, but this could be due to its bare or minimal structure. And despite its apparent richness and excellent tenacity, its presence on the skin can be too demure for one's tastes. But, regardless of these flaws, it certainly deserves the praise it's been receiving over the years.

L'Âme Soeur by Divine

*****

Year: 2004

Notes: bergamot, aldehydes, Bulgarian rose, Rose de Mai, Comorian ylang-ylang, jasmine, liatrix, vetiver, ambergris

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

As a "homage to the meeting of kindred spirits", L'Âme Soeur is an aldehydic floral that's undoubtedly feminine but not as nostalgic-smelling as one was originally led to believe.

Once the sparkling citrus and aldehydes subside, a prominent rose bouquet becomes discernible, with metallic and raspberry-like traits. This aspect is also so dry that it could easily be mistaken for iris (especially given the impending powderiness). But what's really intriguing is that the floral core is so overtly rich and jammy, it's very difficult to appreciate it for what it is. In other words, it comes across as fruity rather than floral.

As it evolves, all that one detects are berry notes and powder, with a slight woody underscore. It's at this point that the composition becomes less interesting – with the fruity (or floral) aspect gradually losing ground to the aggressive powderiness. This powdery effect is probably due to the liatrix, which is best described as featuring the olfactory properties of coumarin and tobacco. If this is the case, its presence is too overbearing.

Where Yann Vasnier's other feminine Divine offering, L'Être Aimé Femme, contained an overdose of immortelle, L'Âme Soeur falls foul of the same fate, but this time with liatrix and (to a lesser extent) the florals. While some may find L'Âme Soeur appealing, one finds Yann's ham-fisted approach devoid of any finesse or complexity. It's a passable fragrance but, based on what it sets out to achieve, it simply fails to deliver.

Projection is moderate but its tenacity is very good.

L'Homme de Coeur by Divine

*****

Year: 2002

Notes: juniper berry, cypress, angelica, iris, liatrix, vetiver, ambergris

Released three years before Christian Dior's iconic Dior Homme, L'Homme de Coeur is a masculine woody iris. However, when the two are compared, L'Homme de Coeur is fresher, drier, earthier and more aromatic.

Commencing with a coniferous green opening, from the juniper and cypress pairing, the top notes are buoyant and a tad peppery. The angelica provides an earthy and herbaceous prologue, before the iris approaches centre stage. But unlike the heavy sweetness of the iris in Dior Homme, the iris in L'Homme de Coeur is cleaner and more ethereal.

Although the iris in L'Homme de Coeur is also dry, it isn't as vegetal as Serge Lutens' Iris Silver Mist and nor is it as austere as Maître Parfumeur et Gantier's Iris Bleu Gris. Instead, it has more of a sensual presence, with only the slightest hint of any powderiness. The reason for this could possibly be due to the liatrix, which smells like a combination of tobacco, hay, coumarin and tonka bean. As a result, there's a certain element of warmth that its niche peers clearly lack.

Resting on a minimalist base of vetiver and ambergris, the iris becomes woodier over time. However, it's during the banal drydown where one's interest severely wanes. With the iris almost completely gone, all that's left are faint remnants of what went before with some salty vetiver. Furthermore, its performance isn't satisfying enough to justify being labelled an Eau de Parfum – largely being a faint skin scent, for most of its duration, and lasting for less than four hours.

While one admires L'Homme de Coeur for its noble rendition of iris, it's simply too transparent and discreet for one to fully enjoy. Yes, it's still pleasant, but it could have been more potent and less apologetic.

L'Infante by Divine

*****

Year: 2000

Notes: blackcurrant leaf, ivy, peony, ylang-ylang, Chinese jasmine, tonka bean, vanilla, ambergris, musk

"L'Infante is a bouquet of white flowers, freshly gathered."

With a crisp green opening, L'Infante is largely a delicate interplay of white florals, verdant accents and vanilla. And, as the name suggests, there's an element of purity in its general aroma.

It initially possesses a vibrancy, with fruity nuances smoothing out the green accords. But it's the jasmine that represents the composition's core, with the other florals merely supplementing it. Resting on a base of vanilla, tonka bean and musk, a creamy (and suggestively spicy) ambery drydown gradually rises to the surface. And, while one discerns a synthetic aura throughout, it's not too prominent or jarring.

Created by Richard Ibanez, it's too thin and watery to completely beguile, and one also wishes that the green aspect had more airtime. Remaining close to the skin, with below average longevity, it's a pleasant offering but nothing more.

Divine by Divine

*****

Year: 1986

Notes: peach, coriander, orange blossom, Rose de Mai, Indian tuberose, gardenia, vanilla, oakmoss, sandalwood, musk

Comment: Eau de Parfum review

"A great perfume is a work of art that arouses emotions, a masterpiece that inspires you."

     ~ Yvon Mouchel

Divine, is a small independent fragrance house, owned by Yvon Mouchel and located in Brittany, France. Divine was this house's debut release and is the only Divine creation composed by Yvon to date.

Divine is an old-fashioned and sophisticated white floral affair. Opening with a fleeting peach accent, the orange blossom perfectly sets the scene for the other emerging florals. With a soapy and slightly powdery disposition, the composition rests on a creamy woody base of vanilla, oakmoss, sandalwood and musk.

While it's not as feminine as originally expected, it's not too sweet either. Initially roaring before quickly purring on the skin, it possesses a warm aura throughout. Personally, one would have preferred it not taking the soapy, almost floral detergent, route towards the end of its development but it's still well-blended.

One can't be entirely sure how true the current version is to the original formulation, but it's definitely one of the better feminine releases from this house. It also persists on the skin for an impressive length of time.