Horizon (new)
Oriza L. Legrand (2013)

To be perfectly honest, I am not sure that my nose is detailed enough to pick up on all the minute differences between one classic ambery patchouli and another. To me, Horizon has precisely the same woody, boozy, cocoa-dusted, tweed-suited gorgeousness of Reminiscence Patchouli, Mazzolari Patchouli, Patchouli Leaves, Inoubliable Elixir, Psychédélique, and so on and so forth.

The brief twinge of orange upfront is an innovation but then, Bohemian Spice by April Aromatics did that too, and more distinctively. There is this over-ripe fruit note in patchouli that gets drawn out with whiskey notes time and time again in fragrances like these. Invariably, there will be cocoa powder or dark chocolate because these flavors are so naturally simpatico with patch. And the result is never not amazing-smelling (to me anyway), especially when all that golden-brown earthiness is padded out with amber.

Yet what on earth would entice me to spend three or even four times the amount of money on Horizon over the jeroboam of Reminiscence Patchouli I can buy for €30 from Mes Origines during the Christmas sales? Believe me, I am willing to spend more for better. But I have to be able to spot the difference with my own eyes first. When the end state of satisfaction is exactly the same no matter the vehicle, you begin to understand that, sometimes, in perfume, it can be like insisting on buying Waitrose’s chocolate biscuits even though they’re three times as expensive than the ones in Asda (which are made in the same factory) just because the presentation is posher.

There are definite aspects of earth and booze, like a peated whisky paired with dried tobacco leaves. The opening is glorious, but the chocolately-amber tones take over the composition as it develops, which renders this into more of a standard sweet/patchouli blend by the dry-down.

This is quite a nice perfume, but I won't be buying more than my sample. It just got too linear and patchouli-isn at the end. I much prefer Chypre Mousse from this brand.

From the opening it's clear this is going to be a dominant patchouli perfume. To the chocolate-like patchouli, in the beginning there is a healthy dose of cognac, sweet vanilla and bitter orange for a touch of light in this dark, damp perfume. The dry down is syrupy and thick with added tobacco leaves and a subtle leather with a sensual aspect, all this combined with the bitter cocoa and patchouli, off course.

The opening is comprised of a thickly, slightly terse, fresh mandarine note, but from the beginning two other componenents are evident on my skin: a gentle tobacco, and a deep, earthy peaty one, that makes for a unique and absolutely amazing triad that is of very impressive depth and of a complexity that by far descends the three constituents involved. Overarching is a very light and soft patchouli that remains in the background on my skin. This first part is of nigh O'Driu-like glory.

The drydown adds a toasted almond notes with a benzoin-underlined wood impression. Towards the end a pleasant and well-balanced vanilla with a soft new leather comes to the fore, and is is gradually fading out leaving the echoes of an earthy vanilla in my mind.

The performance is excellent with strong sillage, very good projection and nine hours of longevity. Whilst the second part does not reach the heights the opening reaches, is is overall and excellent creation, beautifully blended of components of the highest quality. A stunner, especially in the opening phase. 4/5