Classic Orange by Von Eusersdorff

*****

Year: 2013

Notes: Sicilian blood orange, petitgrain, black tea, Chinese osmanthus, suede, Hawaiian sandalwood, musk

With the emphasis on the sweetness of blood orange and the bitterness of petitgrain, Classic Orange is a very respectable citrus aromatic, particularly for the first few moments.

The opening is true to the olfactory sensation of piercing a fresh orange, with its succulent tangy juice gushing forth. The piquancy of the petitgrain provides a complementary foil to the sweet nectar of the blood orange. The aromatic notes remain mostly in the background but the osmanthus is clearly noticeable – prefacing a demure creaminess found in the impending sandalwood.

But, within an hour, all that's left are muted traces of orange, suede, sandalwood and musk. Within a couple of hours, there's hardly any evidence of it at all. While it's decent, it simply isn't as satisfying as Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine.

Projection starts out loud but, within a matter of minutes, dies down considerably.

Classic Patchouli by Von Eusersdorff

*****

Year: 2009

Notes: bergamot, black patchouli, tonka bean, vanilla, sandalwood

Von Eusersdorff is a Dutch fragrance niche house, founded by Camille Henfling. Wishing to honour his German ancestral heritage in apothecary, spanning nearly three centuries, Classic Patchouli was his first release.

Before sampling, one had already concluded that the best patchouli fragrances came from Italian niche houses (although Reminiscence's Elixir Patchouli is a strong Gallic outsider). Now, one may have to reconsider such a stance as Classic Patchouli is surprisingly close to the quality of its Italian contenders.

The bergamot is fleeting but the camphorous patchouli is full-bodied, only tempered by the sweetness of vanilla and tonka bean. At times, the tonka bean can be slightly jarring, and the sandalwood isn't as well integrated as originally hoped. Still, it's a noteworthy offering that, with a few minor tweaks, could have matched the patchouli greatness of those from Profumum, Mazzolari and Santa Maria Novella.

With moderate sillage, its longevity is also quite impressive.

Classic Mimosa by Von Eusersdorff

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: bergamot, green leaves, marine accord, neroli, orange blossom, violet, rose, mimosa, vanilla, musk

Classic Mimosa is a very nondescript floral-aquatic, which would have been a lot better off without the dreaded aquatic accord. Being of apothecary lineage, the last thing one would have expected from this house's founder, Camille Henfling, would have been this.

One strongly believes that niche perfumery and aquatic olfactory concepts really shouldn't mix.

Classic Vetiver by Von Eusersdorff

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, elemi, pepper, geranium, vetiver, black patchouli, cedar

Envisage a more natural-smelling alternative to Hermès' Terre d'Hermès, or a pared down alternative to Hermès' Hermèssence Vétiver Tonka (but without the lovely combination of tonka bean, praline and hazelnut), and you'll be extremely close to having some idea of what Classic Vetiver smells like.

However, looking at the listed notes, the composition is eerily similar to Montale's Red Vetyver – it even smells almost identical (albeit not as rich). With both Hermès' and Montale having already cornered the peppery-citrus Haitian vetiver market, Classic Vetiver simply comes across as a contrived and redundant release.

Based on Camille Henfling's past family tradition in apothecary, one would have expected a grittier and earthier rendition of vetiver instead. Though, with moderate projection, it does possess reasonable tenacity.

Classic Myrrh by Von Eusersdorff

*****

Year: 2011

Notes: petitgrain, cedar leaf, frankincense, violet, cistus, black patchouli, vetiver, guaiac wood, sandalwood

Classic Myrrh isn't really a myrrh fragrance but more of a woody-aromatic outing.

Any resinous or medicinal attributes are painfully lacking, and the composition lacks sufficient clarity – coming across as muddy and poorly-conceived. With a dough-like woody aroma emitting for most of its lifespan, it isn't that it uses poor quality materials (far from it) but its overall execution is rather underwhelming.

Performing close to the skin, its lasting power is respectable but the name is gravely misleading.