L'Eau de Phaedon by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2014

Notes: yellow mandarin, aloe vera, agave leaf, white neroli, jasmine, woods, musk

L'Eau de Phaedon is a floral-woody musk that's "an allergen-free, fresh, suave cologne for the whole family".

With fleeting mandarin top notes, plastic white florals and spurious watery green chords, it exudes a cheap and synthetic aroma. The light woody-musk base complements its laundry clean premise but, overall, it just smells artificial, innocuous and exceedingly bland.

There's absolutely nothing at all that's redeeming about it, with low sillage and poor longevity.

Coton Egyptien by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2012

Notes: galbanum, Egyptian cotton, cedar, musk

Whilst reminiscent of bed linen drying on a garden clothes line, against a cool summer breeze, Coton Egyptien is a clean and fresh offering that, thankfully, doesn't venture down the dreaded aquatic route.

Commencing with a resinous (but not too overbearing) galbanum opening, the Egyptian cotton accord (which is essentially a floral blend of orange blossom, lily, lily of the valley, jasmine and iris) gently emerges and provides a metallic sweetness to the dry and verdant top note. With a beautifully clean demeanour running throughout, it gently veers towards a clean woody-musk finale.

Offering reasonable longevity and below average projection, it's still both a refreshing and delightful creation that would be rather satisfying to wear on warmer days.

Verveine Figuier by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2012

Notes: liquorice, verbena leaf, fig leaf, fig wood, Texan cedar, benzoin, oakmoss, musk

Even though the name, Verveine Figuier, suggests the interplay of fig and verbena on a reasonably level playing field, those who were primarily drawn to the mention of fig might be slightly disappointed.

While the interweaving fig is noticeably green, smooth and rather milky, it's the verbena that dominates, with its dominant citrus-green disposition. Naturally, things change to a certain degree, especially when a soft fig musk base emerges, but this is just a classic case of too little too late.

It's undoubtedly a pleasant verbena fragrance, but both longevity and sillage aren't terribly impressive.

Cendres de Thé by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: smoky notes, cardamom, pepper, rose, spicy tea, myrrh, ho wood, cedar, musk

As if two fragrance brands weren't sufficient for Pierre Guillaume, the mastermind behind Huitième Art Parfums and Parfumerie Générale has launched another brand, named Phaedon (adapted from Plato's seventh dialogue about Socrates, 'Phaedo').

Marketed as Mediterranean inspired Eaux de Toilette, Cendres de Thé is interestingly one of only two Phaedon offerings authored by this ridiculously prolific Frenchman (the other being Dzhari). As for the composition itself, it's just a cardamom-infused version of L'Artisan's Tea for Two, with some generic earthy woods. In addition, its lasting power is disappointingly minuscule, with a bland drydown of mainly cedar and musk.

Based on the above, his creative endeavours echoes that of an artist exuding self-delusional promiscuity, rather than a restless perfumer who highly values quality control.

Dzhari by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: Málaga wine, dates, tonka bean, clay accord, cedar, sandalwood, cashmeran

Christened after a wind that blows through Lybia, Dzhari is yet another exotic gourmand from the Serge Lutens' School of Arabie. Also noticeable is a mild boozy facet, reminiscent of Frapin's 1270, with the addition of some baked earth (an idea that was probably taken from India's well-renowned Mitti Attar).

So, let's see...

Syrupy or stewed dates?

Check!

Spices, wine, candied or dried fruits, or a combination of these?

Check!

An overall impression redolent of Arabic or Middle Eastern souks?

Check!

Evidence of either benzoin, tonka bean or both?

Check!

An apparent dryness, suggesting a pseudo-cognitive association with scorching hot deserts?

Check!

Acceptable lasting power?

Ermmm...

Rue des Lilas by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: white lilac, lily of the valley, Brazilian rosewood, powdery musk

Named after a Parisian street, Rue des Lilas is an honourable feminine woody-floral, successfully capturing the green attributes of white lilac. With the addition of lily of the valley, it smells quintessentially old-fashioned with a somewhat waxy almond accent running throughout. With just the right amount of sweetness, both the woody and powdery aspects are perceptible but remain elegantly subdued.

Overall, it's both enchanting and serene, while successfully reminding one of springtime re-awakenings.

Pluie de Soleil by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: bergamot, lemon, pineapple, strawberry, white peach, freesia, vanilla, sandalwood, cashmeran, musk

While it would be extremely tempting to write off Pluie de Soleil as designer-esque fruity-floral garbage, it does possess the odd virtue – a vibrantly rich cocktail of citrus, pineapple and strawberry, whilst in possession of far greater presence than the other Phaedon releases.

Harbouring a tart floral sweetness, the soft sandalwood and musk base guides the composition towards a more woody and sombre finale. However, based on Pierre Guillaume's extensive experience in niche perfumery, one is completely at odds as to why something so generic (yet admirable) was released in the first place.

Noir Marine by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: Egyptian peppermint, pepper, rose geranium, black tobacco leaf, cedar, Tolu balsam, ambroxan, white musk

Noir Marine starts out with more of a spearmint blast than one of peppermint, shortly followed by a prudent yet musty tobacco accord. Sadly, the emergence of the tobacco temporarily spoils the proceedings due to a damp nuance that sets in. However, this is rather short-lived and, as the peppermint dissipates, both the tobacco and sweet balsamic resins gradually thrive on the skin.

Commencing as a fresh aromatic, before transforming into a warm masculine oriental, it doesn't emit that much sillage. And although it lasts for two or three hours, its subtlety could make some think otherwise.

Grisens by Phaedon

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: frankincense from Awaji, cedar, sandalwood, ambroxan

Inspired by the incense sticks from the Japanese island, Awaji, Grisens is a simplistic woods and frankincense creation, along the lines of Comme des Garçons' Avignon (but without the synthetic aura found in most of Mark Buxton's compositions). But in order for the ephemeral frankincense to seemingly appear discernible during the meditative sandalwood drydown, some peppery dry cedar has been inserted in-between.

Staying extremely close to the skin, it struggles to linger beyond the three hour mark and fails to offer anything distinctive.