Premier Figuier
L'Artisan Parfumeur (1994)

The best natural fig interpretation that I've ever smelled (tried about 8 so far), the first hour feels like plucking a fig leaf, and crushing it in your hand. You can definitely get the fig leaf milky sap and greenness of the leaf. This lasts for about an hour, and then it progressively turns sweeter and more woody.

Honestly, I'd say the the introduction of wood and toffee sweetness makes me perceive it as stronger after it dries down, compared to the opening. At the same time, it's by no means overly sweet or aggressively woody, it's superbly balanced and soft.

Gender agnostic. Reminds me of some kind of iced tea, but I can't quite pinpoint it specifically. Makes me a bit hungry. One of my absolute favourites. Still projects very well 5 hours into wearing it. It's a fig tree in a bottle. I would even say that it is very reasonably priced for what it does, compared to what you get with other niche brands. 10/10.

The smell of fig trees under a blazing sun.

It's realistic, but this kind of literal smell is a retrograde step.
It harks back to the simple naturalism of pre-synthetic perfumery, and the days when perfumers could only copy natural smells and not interpret them.

Fig makes a good parfum d'ambience but it's a bit boring as a fine fragrance.

Alchymia. Perfumare. Magnum Opus.

I can't help but think that Olivia Giacobetti named this composition "Premier" Figuier either consciously being aware, or subconsciously feeling that this a first attempt and take on the fig theme, perhaps even a draft, with Philosykos completing the process.

Be it as it may, on my skin this scent quickly develops into a light and pleasant fruity aroma with predominant peach vibration. Interesting enough, the first inhales of the fragrance, while being close to the fig, already hint towards what will follow.

As mentioned by others, on my skin this perfume also shows more feminine characteristics. But this is not the reason why I can't fully stand behind it with a positive rating. The reason is that the fig just disappears shortly after the opening, and the perfume is transformed into an elegant and innocent peach scent which, however, is nothing remarkable.

That being said, respect goes to Olivia Giacobetti's sincerity and boldness for this honest and direct take on the fig theme.

I don't hold longevity and sillage as key factors in a perfume, the former assessing the perfume quantitatively, and the latter – by its external impact. My perception and communication with perfumes are based mainly on the quality of the essence and the way it affects me internally. If you are interested in the longevity and sillage aspects of "Premier Figuier", please kindly refer to other reviews.

L'Artisan Parfumeur, Premier Figuier:
Composition: 6/10
Complexity: 4/10
Development: 4/10
Naturality: 6/10

Musty, milky, and greenly vegetal-fruit on opening. It quickly developed into an artificial sandalwood fragrance, overpowering the verdant and jammy, deep fig. It's still there, just muted next to some aged flowers and almond powder. If the titular note would stay present throughout and have a backbone, I'd like it more.

This has been lauded as one the most loved figgy fragrances...I'm simply not feeling the hype and will leave the superlatives to those who are in love. Longevity is so so, about 3 hours. Sillage was moderate.

Singularly focused on evoking its subject matter, Premier Figuier offers up a green, earthy, bitter, salty, sour take on fig that becomes increasingly milky as it sits on skin--which is to say, a very realistic take on a fig tree--without the ornamentation the fig note is so often buried under to make it less polarizing.

Premier Figuier is refreshing and subdued and intricate, with discreet presence and limited longevity (five hours or so).

A fairly unimpressive fig, and I would have given it a neutral score but I detected a particular sour milk note which I recognised as one of the very few perfumery ingredient smells that I detest. There is a strange dusty matting (almost jute like) note in the dry down which shouldn't be there either.

After a less than inspiring opening, a rather disappointing end. Shame.