Wednesday 27 January 2010

Washington Tremlett: Clove Absolute


One can't even begin to fathom what possessed British shirt-making institution Washington Tremlett to add a scattering of coloured swarovski crystals to the bottles of their recent perfume releases, but if one can look past their evident tackiness, Clove Absolute is a launch worthy of some examination.
Whilst I adore the smell of fragrant clove buds and relish what they bring to cuisine, Clove Absolute represents more of an abstract of clove.
The woody buds (that most would recall pushing into ripe oranges or corned beef at some time or another) are bittersweet, peppery and earthy - something that Washington Tremlett has surprisingly opted to overlook. Instead, I'd imagine a generous dose of eugenol takes pride of place in this composition, along with some shimmering citruses and soft floral accords that adeptly transform this fragrance into something perhaps a little less organic. There is a lovely rose at its heart, and an appealing robust "gruffness" achieved by a dark patchouli base.
This being said, what I perhaps enjoy the most about this perfume as it dries on my skin - is the magnificent musk... a musk that echoes the friable glowing presence of Serge Luten's Muscs Koublai Kahn. Between warm wisps of frankincense and resinous labdanum, this musk is truly something to be treasured.

Clove Absolute ought to be explored by those who don't shy away from clove, and those who wear musks well. It is available in 100ml size at www.ausliebezumduft.de for €140.

1 comment:

Galamb_Borong said...

Nice review! I think I'm going to get around to trying this one, despite the patently girly bottle ( no offense intended to the under-twelve set enamored with glitter! )

This one seems to get very mixed reviews all around, but I generally agree with clove fragrances, and this one sounds worth a try.