Darvant's Review of Poppy Soma by Parfums Quartana

Poppy Soma is a narcotic spicy beast from Parfums Quartana performed by the talented perfumer Emilie Coppermann and focused on a (yes provocative) dominant Poppy ingredient. Poppies are kind of sinister florals considered a symbol of both sleep and death. According to Greek and Roman mythology, poppies were flowers used to adorn tombstones in order to symbolize eternal sleep. At same time they also symbolize the blood for fallen soldiers on the battlefields of war. What do they smell like? Is hard to describe this alluring aroma (in general and on this specific case), sort of an intriguing smell of pomegranate and orange connected to a spicy core of pepper, cloves and cinnamon plus some cherry blossoms encompassed by something creamier and syrupy as vanilla and cocoa beans. In this case (in Poppy Soma) I detect a sort of burnt sugar spicy fruity vibe kind of indie and agricole. This dodgy creation is floral in a carnal edible way. Relentless as a jackhammer. Spiciness is extreme and kind of yummy/fizzy, a sort of super intense nectarinic vibe with a sort of fruity (kind of vaguely berrish/cherry-like) undertone. Definitely the aroma is musky and resinous while the floral "miasma" is boisterous, dirty, vaguely rotten and agressive with a strong tuberose, some earthiness from rose and a super edgy jasmine. Is like musk and frankincense melt a violent floral dough inside their blast furnace. Muskiness is definitely addled and wild. More in general Poppy Soma is not properly an "accomplisced" work of perfumery but more properly a wild deliberately unbalanced carnal aromatic mélange. Cinnamon, musks and chaotic peppery/floral/leafy elements dance initially random taking finally their more determined place in the gorgeous geometric mosaic. I detect this sort of bohemian crude vibe all around which is spicy, floral, fruity and musky. I detect a sort of mental association with a less floral Parfums d'Empire Musk Tonkin which is more "glorious" in vibe and exudes a more classic elixir undertone conjuring scents a la Aramis JHL, Coco Chanel, Estee Lauder Cinnabar and Ysl vintage Opium (despite in its case modernized and oriented towards more contemporary musky animalic beasts a la Mazzolari Lui, Lutens Muscs Koublai Khan or Bogue Maai) while Poppy Soma being more focused over a modern indie visceral less classic twist really rural, oily, mostly floral and experimental. Dry down is intense, dense and syrupy (fruitiness, burnt sugar and cherry-like spiciness) in a quite erotic way. Really powerful performances. A fatal spectral young woman could match the Poppy Soma-kind of ideal fellow (a super elusive and dangerous creature from the woods wreaking havoc on a urban context).

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