Tuberose Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2016

Notes: citrus, orange blossom, jasmine, tuberose, patchouli, amber, benzoin

Possessing an aroma that could only be best described as strawberry bubblegum fused with fizzy cola bottles, Tuberose Flash is a sweet and slightly fruity rendition of tuberose.

With a patchouli-infused caramel sweetness, throughout its lifespan, Tuberose Flash makes Andy's Tuberose a multi-faceted masterpiece by comparison. Essentially, the composition revolves around a crude woody-amber sweetness, with fruity-floral underpinnings and lashings of the dreaded ambroxan.

If it wasn't for a pleasant white floral presence, during the more palatable drydown, one wouldn't have hesitated in knocking off one star.

Fruitchouli Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2016

Notes: apricot, peach, rose, white flowers, patchouli, musk

Being the sixth Tauerville release, Andy Tauer decides to shake things up a bit. So, instead of just focusing on one component, Fruitchouli Flash focuses on two: patchouli and fruits (or, to be precise, fruits from Prunus – a genus of trees and shrubs, which also yields nectarine, cherry and plum).

However, ultimately, it's more about the patchouli and florals, especially once the fruity top notes have settled down. Resting on a musk base, with animalic nuances, the florals possess a syrupy sweetness that's redolent of an amber accord. This aspect works well with the patchouli, but it quickly becomes apparent that Fruitchouli Flash is very similar to the drydown of L'Air du Désert Marocain (albeit simplified and oakmoss-free).

With low sillage and average lasting power, such familiarity makes it rather difficult to view Fruitchouli Flash as a unique creation in its own right – more an old olfactory idea recycled and slightly tweaked.

Amber Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2015

Notes: labdanum, patchouli, benzoin, vanilla, sandalwood, cashmeran, ambreine

So far, Andy's Tauerville offerings have mostly been disappointing and, sadly, Amber Flash is no different.

Supposedly a slightly animalic amber effort, Amber Flash fails dismally when compared to most sub-par amber fragrances, such as Ambre Loup by Rania J. Instead, what one mostly detects is a stale cherry cola beverage, with a dreary saccharin sweetness and a wafer biscuit aroma from the patchouli.

With an eventual chemical woody-musk assault, it really should have been part of Andy's ill-fated Pentachords Collection. And as much as one wanted to award it higher, it has to be remembered that this is the same man who composed the superlative L'Air du Désert Marocain... and should have known better.

Lasting at least six hours, with a synthetic ambergris late-drydown, it's a ghastly abomination.

Incense Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2015

Notes: Boswellia Serrata frankincense, leather, ambergris, musky woods

Within less than the space of a year, Tauerville has launched four fragrances. The latest one is Incense Flash, but it seems to be a budget-priced rehash of one of Andy Tauer's earlier works, Incense Extrême. Disregarding the affordable price point, one gets the impression that it's pretty much a redundant affair.

Coming across as a pared-down version of Incense Extrême, with leather nuances and a less rich frankincense premise, Incense Flash leaves one quite underwhelmed. It's clean, vaguely resinous, and harbours a pleasantly sweet, animalic and woody muskiness in the base. With a more natural-smelling aroma, as opposed to smoky or liturgical, it's too airy and provides no new olfactory insights into this resin.

With insubstantial longevity and sillage, it's sadly a forgettable offering.

Vetiver & Petitgrain Splash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2015

Notes: petitgrain, orange blossom, vetiver

Vetiver & Petitgrain Splash is a water-based summer fragrance.

Marketed for use on the skin, around the home and on linen, its 2.5% concentration is less than that of an Eau de Cologne (3% being the minimum). Naturally, this begs the question as to why any house would even bother with such a product – it's such a simple composition that anyone could make their own version of it, with some decent quality essential oils and a little patience.

While the price is reasonable, it's nothing more than a pointless novelty release, primarily aimed at Andy Tauer fans, frivolous consumerists and those who aren't willing to create something similar themselves.

Vanilla Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2015

Notes: spices, rose, patchouli, tobacco, Bourbon vanilla

Vanilla Flash is the second release from Andy Tauer's new olfactory venture, Tauerville.

Intended as a no-nonsense, more streamlined and simplistic way of composing and marketing fragrances, this house sets its products at a much more affordable price point. Personally, it comes as no surprise that vanilla was next on Tauerville's list, as it's an accord that Andy obviously loves very much.

As for Vanilla Flash itself, it's a dark and spicy take on vanilla, with a healthy serving of rose and patchouli. For most of its duration, the spices are in full force – so much that the composition gives off a cola beverage or root beer aura. Although this aspect provides a spicy warmth, it overwhelms the vanilla most of the time. With some added tobacco, the overall aroma is more unisex than feminine. However, the vanillic drydown is disappointingly musky and slightly synthetic.

Performance-wise, it's noticeably ethereal on the skin and possesses average lasting power. With that said, it's a passable vanilla scent, but there are already plenty of more satisfying cheap alternatives out there.

Rose Flash by Tauerville

*****

Year: 2014

Notes: rose

Comment: Rose Flash is a limited edition release

With Andy Tauer's desire to launch a line of fragrances at a lower price structure, without the various pressures associated with the Tauer Perfumes brand, Rose Flash is the debut release from Tauerville. Pronouncing a 20% concentration, and proclaimed to be Andy's most luxurious rose creation, Rose Flash is a notably scaled-down composition and "a perfume for my rose loving friends".

As previously mentioned, Andy seems to have a concerning fixation with florals, especially those heavily based on rose, and Rose Flash is yet another example of this – following on from Phi – Une Rose de Kandahar, Une Rose Vermeille, Une Rose Chyprée and Incense Rosé. While it isn't at all surprising that a rose-based offering is this new venture's first release, one would have been more enthusiastic if it was a significant departure from his renowned olfactory style.

Commencing with a raspberry facet, reminiscent of Une Rose Vermeille, Rose Flash mainly consists of a high concentration of rose otto, reinforced by some geranium and dorinia (a rose aroma chemical with musky, dewy and leafy green properties). The end result is a pleasantly soft, realistic and candy sweet rose soliflore. With a spicy peach-like astringency, a discreet base of woods and vanilla soon proceed to smooth out any bitterness, with this aspect becoming more discernible as the rose inevitably dissipates.

Compared to Andy's other rose fragrances, it's certainly not the richest or heaviest (that award still belongs to the original formulation of Une Rose Chyprée, which has since been noticeably diluted). But it's definitely rich, with regards to the amount of rose absolute used. In fact, one deems Rose Flash as a better alternative to the cloying shrillness of Une Rose Vermeille.

Lasting under six hours, with moderate projection, Rose Flash won't silence Andy Tauer's detractors nor will it win over many new fans, but it will undoubtedly satisfy his core fan base. Also, for a parfum extrait, the price is extremely reasonable and Andy deserves some respect for that alone.