Calé introduce Roboris & Fulgor

Authors of the Calé Fragranze d'Autore range of eaux de toilettes, Italian perfumers Calé are soon set to release a new duo of perfumes in the line. These will not only compliment Calé's existing portfolio of perfumes, but also usher in a new dilution for the line: Les Concentrés.

Roboris and Fulgor are fragrances with a particularly high perfume concentration... greater than that of eau de parfum. Both were inspired by Director Silvio Levi's experience in the blistering heat in Death Valley, when from out of nowhere, a sudden thunderstorm struck and raging flashflood appeared. The experience left a two-fold mark on his soul: the first immediate, violent and wild, and the other; thoughtful, harmonic and embracing.

Fulgor, created by Maurizio Cerizza & Silvio Levi, channels a sensation of imminent, grandiose unstoppable power ready to burst forth... a violent manifestation of nature in all its bone-chilling glory. Fulgor embodies the relentless desert heat, but the air is also charged with electricity. Deep blue-grey clouds are heavy with rain and a zephyr picks up... a precursor to the impending deluge. Opening notes of fig and green tangerine rush over a warm heart of saffron, magnolia and narcissus - these components lend a 'can't-catch-your-breath' feeling of oppressive heat. Patchouli and incense bring an earthiness to the perfume, whilst two very unique 'graphite' and 'pyrite' accords suggest a sense of dryness, like porous desert stone and sand. If struck together, one would expect sparks to appear and a wink of light.

There are opposing elements at play here... contrasts in humidity and temperature which make Fulgor a very unique and compelling perfume.

For Roboris, Levi teamed up with perfumer Mark Buxton to explore a different aspect of the desert thundershower... a interpretation as much spiritual as it is physical. Levi's narrative details a Native American Indian in a desert highland, giving thanks for the imminent rains... the life source that will ensure renewed growth and prosperity for his family. Roboris is a scent which unifies delicate florals such as jasmin, violet and wisteria with cactus flower, vetiver, sandalwood, tonka and ambergris. It feels much greener in its approach, however a sense of the parched, thirsty land lying underfoot is also very vivid. It is a fragrance which is etherial, in celebration of the Great Mother and all her gifts; but it also remains earthbound. This is a perfume that expresses positive strength and gratitude.

In addition to this brand new fragrance duo, Calé continue to explore concentrated dilutions with the re-release of several of their eaux de toilettes, now in concentrated form. These include: Allegro con Brio, Ozio, Assolo and Brezza di Seta.

Profumi di Pantelleria

Few people are familiar with the Mediterranean isle of Pantelleria, located off the south west coast of Sicily. Its virtual isolation renders it a modern-day eden of unique plant species and awe-inspiring vistas that extend out over rocky bays and emerald green waters. The island of Pantelleria and its wealth of fragrances that pervade the cliffs, the paths and the surprising woods all serve as the inspiration behind Profumi di Pantelleria... a fascinating series of eight perfumes that each capture the essence of this far-flung isle.

Executed by nose Maurizio Cerizza under the diligent direction of Calé's Silvio Levi, Profumi di Pantelleria have been fashioned with a great sensitivity to the art, and, I expect, the destination. Below are my brief insights on each of the scents from this appealing portfolio.

"Il Profumo di Pantelleria" is a stirring citrusy green eau de parfum which is every bit as warm and sunny as a flourishing citrus glade where waxy leaves sparkle with morning dew and bushels of climbing jasmine and fragrant lavender are visited by humming, well-intentioned honeybees. Tufts of aromatic herbs like rosemary and and thyme furnish the perfume with a definite sense of the Mediterranean.
The Angel-esque perfume "Jailia" draws upon Pantellarian folklore of a beautiful Princess, and explores the essences of an enchanted garden. Rich and voluptuous notes of peach, tangerine and honeyed red fruits provide a lip-smacking prelude to a darker woody-amber base of vanilla, chocolate and patchouli. Jailia blankets the skin like the firm, enduring embrace of a lover... it is more-ish and compelling.
According to the notes accompanying my sample, "Dammuso" is the olfactory interpretation of the antique Pantellarian domicile; where families converge to recount their day in an ideal "buen retiro" surrounded by gardens. To my nose, however, Damusso is the Italian equivalent of a French l'eau... that is, an uncomplicated scent that vivifies and uplifts; here with shimmering citrus topnotes, and an enduring drydown of blackberry, green tea and pale musks."Nica" is an enchanting reference to the cornucopia of flowers, vineyards, and orchards prevalent on the island. Its opening accords of champagne grape and tangerine dance rapturously over a floral posy of yellow freesias and purple violets... the result is distinctly feminine in nature. Nica is vital and spritely and resonates in the nose in the same manner that a woman's laugh resonates in the ears.

The weightless eau de parfum "Aire" pays hommage to the shadow-speckled corners of the island where one can enjoy some welcome respite from the sun... the temperature sinks to a sympathetic degree with gentle gusts of white tea, white pepper and a tiny scattering of soft florals. Aire is as transparent as the open sky where crying gulls soar motionless on crisp oceanic updrafts. An enduring base of white musk and creamy tonka lingers on the skin like a rippling white hair-ribbon whisked away on the breeze. Aire would also serve as a spectacular way to scent your linen!
Whilst the majority of scents from this line can be easily enjoyed by both sexes, "Maestral" is potentially the most masculine of the line. I can easily fathom the inspiration for this perfume being the rugged Pantellarian shoreline, with its rocky cliff faces and wind-swept shoals. Rum, rhubarb and aromatic lavender communicate a sense of comfort and familiarity whilst cardamom, vetiver and cedarwood evoke a feeling of resilient, grounded earthiness. A tiny floret of iris and jasmine perhaps remind us that within every man there is a tenderness to be found. Maestrale is as bold and commanding as the rolling sea; yet as tranquil as the calm that comes after the deluge. A personal favourite.

"Tanit" was the name given to the goddess who was celebrated for centuries in the Mediterranean basin, and also the name given to this tenacious eau de parfum - one that demonstrates an epic strength of character. Tanit is unrelenting in its femininity with aromatic topnotes of basil and zesty ginger coupled with a variety of dramatic florals: peony, magnolia jasmine and osmanthus. A delicious undertone of patchouli and musk liken it in style to the exotic attars of Asia Minor. Just as the notes supplied with my sample suggests, Tanit represents "feminine sensuality combined with determination and presence of mind".
Finally, there is Approdo, a perfume that marries the scent of the sea with that of the land; where salty, mineralic notes lap gently against basil, tangerine, soapy vetiver and summery Mediterranean flowers. Approdo is clean and refined and evokes a strong sense of basking under a warm Mediterranean sun on the stern of a boat with a sheer spray of saltwater settling across your body.
Unfortunately, many of us will never visit the shores of Pantelleria, but Profumi di Pantelleria offers the wearer a unique and rare opportunity to experience her from afar. And for those who have had the pleasure of walking her worn tracks and who have looked out over the Mediterranean from an outcrop high above the sea, what better a souvenir to take home with you?
Profumi di Pantelleria are available from www.essenza-nobile.com and retail for 105 euros for 100ml.

Calé Fragranze d'Autore: Preludio d'Oriente

Italian distributors and creators of fine niche perfumes Calé continue to pleasure my nose with their aromatic chypre release, Preludio d'Oriente. Tales of a Thousand and One Nights inspire this creation, where creators Silvio Levi and Maurizio Cerizza draw upon the Near and Far East to compose a perfume that is every bit as enchanting as a stroll through the Maharaja's gardens.

Preludio opens with a brief sparkle of sweet mandarin and sour citrus... one that is short lived as a stunning incense accord reaches up from beneath and spreads out laterally, cloaking the perfume with a husky, semi-opaque shroud. The mildly metallic/resinous aroma of raw frankincense stones can be identified; furnishing one with the distinct olfactory sensation of standing in the medinas of Northern Africa.

Where most Eastern-inspired compositions would likely reference the abundant spices of the Asian souqs, Preludio d'Oriente looks the other way and tips it's fez at the many tanneries instead; incorporating a moderately creamy, lightly animalic mountain goat leather accord. This deliberate decision I feel puts Preludio above and beyond other scents of the same genre, where innovation and intelligence triumph out over the obvious and the commonplace.

As the perfume settles, a beautiful, velvety sandalwood emerges, and I instantly think of ornate wooden boxes and perfumed sandalwood fans that have been painstakingly crafted by hand beneath the shade-giving tents of the Maghreb. A hint of placid patchouli in the base acts as an anchor and allows it to sit on the skin for around 7-8 hours. The official perfume pyramid references agarwood here too, though I struggle to pick it out... there is very little medicinal, animalic or overtly balsamic about Preludio d'Orient to suggest it has been used in abundance. This being said, the drydown is one of the most enjoyable I have encountered in a very long time.

One definitely to be tried.

Preludi d'Oriente is available in 50 and 100ml sizes from www.ausliebezumduft.de for €65 and €90 respectively.

Calé Fragranze d'Autore - Mistero

Calé is an Italian company with a fifty year history selecting and distributing niche perfume products, whom - through a dense network of personal relationships - have harnessed their increasingly intimate knowledge of the art of perfume composition and gone on to create something special. Calé Fragranze d'Autore (Calé Fragrances of the Author) is the brainchild of President Silvio Levi; a man whose passion and love for artistic perfumery has motivated him to create perfumes inspired by short excerpts from stories. His creations are "olfactory poetry", aimed at people who like to "listen" to perfumes and follow the narrative that unfolds from within. Italian nose Maurizio Cerizza is the perfumer chosen to interpret Levi's stories and transform them with mastery and elegance into stirring perfumed poems.

I have fallen for more than a few of the scents from this line - the first of which I'd like to highlight is Mistero.

Classified as a Woody Aromatic men's scent, Mistero offers a warm complexity which transcends many offerings available in the current niche market. From the outset, the opening is fabulously peppered with the smokey, balsamic woodiness of agarwood which melds with a comforting semi-sweet distilled rum accord. I encounter a sense of familiarity here - not a likeness to another perfume, but rather an impression of having come inside from a campfire that has been dampened by rain, with the smell of smoke and rainwater soaking through my wool jumper. I also glean a sense of enjoying a nice boozy nightcap whilst sitting by a woodstove waiting for my clothes to dry. This underlying narrative is the olfactory tale that I begin to build upon as the author of my own olfactory experience.

What I find interesting about Mistero, are the unique and unusual notes which, at a glance, might seem rather arbitrary.

Head notes Rum, Rhubarb, Mint

Middle notes Pimento, Elemi, Saffron, Basmati Rice

Bottom notes Oakwood, Agarwood, Labdanum, Musk

The bottom line is that, despite the somewhat unconventional inclusions of rhubarb, pimento and basmati rice, they all work profoundly well together. The rhubarb and mint accords in the top notes lend a well-rounded zippy crispness which all-too-often in perfumery, is usually attributed to essences from the citrus family. Here they furnish the opening spritz with a mouth-smacking tartness. The saffron is ever-present, but achieved with a very measured hand, and the basmati rice note is truly unique - it offers a starchy (almost lactic) accord which successfully rounds off some of the sharpness in the head notes. The pimento emits a certain ambient warmth, but the fundamental and (to my mind) most enjoyable aspect of this edt is the woody, musky base. The agarwood has a smokey, ever-so-slight medicinal quality which works well with the oakwood, resinous labdanum and a very visceral musk.

Mistero prickles and glows like campfire embers, whilst at the same time, offers olfactory sustenance through the clever incorporation of familiar, almost edible accords. It is important to note however, that the final mix is far removed from those scents classified as gourmand. I find this marriage of components extraordinary.

Silvio Levi and Maurizio Cerizza may be the very adept authors of this fragrance, but part of its appeal is the imagery it evokes in one's own mind's eye. It draws upon your inner reflections, memories, emotions, and associations. Mistero is stimulating and unexpected - much like the pages of a good book.