Orchidée de Minuit by Chloé

In Galicia, when grandparents took food out of the pantry and someone tried a new item, they’d say ‘Nena, take it, eat it, or have some bread.’ It’s a privilege to be the first to ‘break in’ this fragrance, so I’ll be brutally honest. First things first: I’m obsessed. No ambiguity here. I like it. Because while ‘experts’ talk about quality, originality, and fantasy, perfume is ultimately subjective—a personal taste in a specific context and moment. What does it smell like? Broadly speaking, I recognize a deep, sweetened syrup, rich and dark, but not like a club concoction; instead, it’s elegant and distinguished. Basically, it’s an orchid decanted in sunlight with flavorful flowers, drunk on sugar and macerated in rum. It’s a balanced, harmonious formula; nothing stands out, nothing overwhelms or irritates: it’s not too boozy, nor excessively oriental. This fragrance is like the football team from Bhutan: no one knows them, they play in ‘high-class’ tournaments with sportsmanship, without winning anything or standing out, but getting along with everyone. That orchid is recognizable in other current works: as tasty as Van Cleef’s Orchidee Vanille, as sensual as CK’s early Euphoria, as iconic as Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, but tastier, snobbiest, and less adult. The only, huge drawback is its longevity and sillage. Oh my… it’s terrible. That doesn’t justify its price (approx. €125/50 ml.), since it lasts only 2-3 hours within a personal bubble. I keep it because I’m blown away, but it’s way too expensive to be a cologne with pretensions and a spirit weaker than my desire to go to work. I imagine it fits the ‘silent luxury’ line, but it’s so ‘silent’ you don’t even notice it. In short, if you’re a gourmet looking for something tasty, not too seen or overused, you’re good. But if your goal is to turn heads, unless you have a privileged pH, change direction. Winter literally eats it up. Maybe aging it for months or waiting for the sun will change things. For now, it’s just too short. That said, if you’re above good and evil and that doesn’t matter to you, you have exquisite taste, go ahead; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.