Tauer Perfumes / Tauerville
AMBER FLASH
This felt quite dull to me, as compared to so many amber perfumes out there. It's a faint woody amber. I guess that was the problem--it was so incredibly faint. (Apr. 2016)
This felt quite dull to me, as compared to so many amber perfumes out there. It's a faint woody amber. I guess that was the problem--it was so incredibly faint. (Apr. 2016)
FRUITCHOULI FLASH
Syrupy peach, slightly bubbly and fermented at first. I smell some patch and something a bit animalic, and then I smell a hint of the Taueraide, so little that it feels like a tease. I find this to be a simple, uncomplicated, straightforward fragrance. It doesn't project much, but it lasts a decent 7 hours before I feel the itch to re-apply. Nice but not a must-have for me. (Apr. 2016)
Syrupy peach, slightly bubbly and fermented at first. I smell some patch and something a bit animalic, and then I smell a hint of the Taueraide, so little that it feels like a tease. I find this to be a simple, uncomplicated, straightforward fragrance. It doesn't project much, but it lasts a decent 7 hours before I feel the itch to re-apply. Nice but not a must-have for me. (Apr. 2016)
INCENSE FLASH
Now this is interesting. As soon as I hit the trigger, I smell the cult favorite L'Air du Desert Marocain, or something so similar as to fool my nose for a few seconds. There is that incredible scent of cedar wood that we are already so familiar with in Tauer's perfumes, tossed with an Arabian spice blend. Could be cumin, coriander, or both. I also sense dried herbs, maybe rosemary or sage, which lends a camphorous, sticky effect that weaves its way throughout the perfume.
Very quickly, as in 1-2 minutes, a prominent note of leather comes in, so you know this is not L'Air du Desert Marocain. We are still very much in the desert sands, but rather than than the scent of sand baking under the scorching sun, Incense Flash is more like Arabian riders on their horses, riding through the night on some sort of secret mission to invade some territory or kill someone or other. I don't know what they are up to, but it can't be good. I can picture the hot sands and the midnight blue sky with twinkling stars above. So beautiful and quiet but foreboding at the same time.
Black leather dominates the heart of the perfume, so much so that I forget this is supposed to be called Incense Flash, not Leather Flash.
The base is where I detect a prominent note of Boswellia (frankincense), reminding us that the Arabian desert is an ancient land with ancient traditions and rituals of worship. The leather begins to take on a subtle creaminess that is really nice. I like the top and the drydown best.
I think that lovers of L'Air du Desert Marocain who also love leather are going to swoon over this release. I think the main point to take away is that while L'Air du Desert Marocain dries down into sweet amber and woods, Incense Flash dries down into leather and bitter frankincense.
Sillage is medium and becomes closer to the skin after a few hours, but the perfume lasts many hours.
Andy Tauer does not tell us the notes, so it is up to the perfume worshipers to figure it out. Here is my totally subjective pyramid, based on what I smell:
Rosemary
Sage
Cedar
Amber
Black leather
Cumin
White pepper
Frankincense/Boswelia
(Sept. 2015)
Now this is interesting. As soon as I hit the trigger, I smell the cult favorite L'Air du Desert Marocain, or something so similar as to fool my nose for a few seconds. There is that incredible scent of cedar wood that we are already so familiar with in Tauer's perfumes, tossed with an Arabian spice blend. Could be cumin, coriander, or both. I also sense dried herbs, maybe rosemary or sage, which lends a camphorous, sticky effect that weaves its way throughout the perfume.
Very quickly, as in 1-2 minutes, a prominent note of leather comes in, so you know this is not L'Air du Desert Marocain. We are still very much in the desert sands, but rather than than the scent of sand baking under the scorching sun, Incense Flash is more like Arabian riders on their horses, riding through the night on some sort of secret mission to invade some territory or kill someone or other. I don't know what they are up to, but it can't be good. I can picture the hot sands and the midnight blue sky with twinkling stars above. So beautiful and quiet but foreboding at the same time.
Black leather dominates the heart of the perfume, so much so that I forget this is supposed to be called Incense Flash, not Leather Flash.
The base is where I detect a prominent note of Boswellia (frankincense), reminding us that the Arabian desert is an ancient land with ancient traditions and rituals of worship. The leather begins to take on a subtle creaminess that is really nice. I like the top and the drydown best.
I think that lovers of L'Air du Desert Marocain who also love leather are going to swoon over this release. I think the main point to take away is that while L'Air du Desert Marocain dries down into sweet amber and woods, Incense Flash dries down into leather and bitter frankincense.
Sillage is medium and becomes closer to the skin after a few hours, but the perfume lasts many hours.
Andy Tauer does not tell us the notes, so it is up to the perfume worshipers to figure it out. Here is my totally subjective pyramid, based on what I smell:
Rosemary
Sage
Cedar
Amber
Black leather
Cumin
White pepper
Frankincense/Boswelia
(Sept. 2015)
L'AIR DU DESERT MAROCAIN
This is a very beautiful, dry, woody, spicy perfume. It's exactly what I expected it to smell like. On my skin it smells mostly of toasted caraway, aromatic woods, and a sharp citrus that fades slowly as time progresses. Normally I would not like sharp citrus, but here it balances the spices and creates an illusion of freshness (ie not stale caraway that has spent years in the spice bottle).
While I don't actually smell pine, this fragrance strongly reminds me of Christmas. Many of the volatile oils found in herbs, spices, and aromatic plants are chemically similar, so I wouldn't be surprised if caraway and pine shared some constituents. I'll have to look into it more.
I have not been able to stop sniffing myself. The spice and woods are extremely sexy and mysterious. Despite this, I am not sure I can commit to buying a full bottle. It's one of those things, like just beacause something smells fantastic doesn't mean I want it on my person all day long. The woods are sublime in this perfume, but I am pretty much a cult follower of Le Labo, a brand that offers the finest woody scents I've ever encountered, so again I'm not sure I would choose this over a new Le Labo. And do I really want to smell like a walking spice rack??
While I have these questions floating around in my head, make no mistake about it: I truly have the greatest respect for this perfume. As I try to talk myself out of a full bottle, something continues to draw me in. Please--you must give it a try and see for yourself! (June 2012)
This is a very beautiful, dry, woody, spicy perfume. It's exactly what I expected it to smell like. On my skin it smells mostly of toasted caraway, aromatic woods, and a sharp citrus that fades slowly as time progresses. Normally I would not like sharp citrus, but here it balances the spices and creates an illusion of freshness (ie not stale caraway that has spent years in the spice bottle).
While I don't actually smell pine, this fragrance strongly reminds me of Christmas. Many of the volatile oils found in herbs, spices, and aromatic plants are chemically similar, so I wouldn't be surprised if caraway and pine shared some constituents. I'll have to look into it more.
I have not been able to stop sniffing myself. The spice and woods are extremely sexy and mysterious. Despite this, I am not sure I can commit to buying a full bottle. It's one of those things, like just beacause something smells fantastic doesn't mean I want it on my person all day long. The woods are sublime in this perfume, but I am pretty much a cult follower of Le Labo, a brand that offers the finest woody scents I've ever encountered, so again I'm not sure I would choose this over a new Le Labo. And do I really want to smell like a walking spice rack??
While I have these questions floating around in my head, make no mistake about it: I truly have the greatest respect for this perfume. As I try to talk myself out of a full bottle, something continues to draw me in. Please--you must give it a try and see for yourself! (June 2012)
LE MAROC POUR ELLE
So divine, so very divine. I tested and bought this after L'Air du Desert Marocain, and I think I like this even better. It's a strange mix of incense from the shops on Haight (good call Kris143max) and exhaust from the laundromat. That being said, not everyone is going to want to smell like that, and I understand completely. It's the same way some people don't mind smelling like chocolate, but I do. Gimme incense any day!
Being San Franciscan, LMPE is perfect for casual days. In fact, people will probably just assume I was burning incense at home and will never even think to ask what perfume I'm wearing. Maybe for some this is elegant, sexy, dressy, but in San Francisco this smells like you partied all night and just rolled out of bed. Fine by me!
Incense here is a lovely blend of rose, jasmine, and sandalwood incense sticks. It's all somewhat sweet, but not cloyingly so. I think the lavender laundry detergent scent adds freshness and upliftment. I haven't read the other reviews yet, but I wonder if am I the only one who smells some kind of sugary candy too, like pink rock crystal candy? (Oct. 2012)
So divine, so very divine. I tested and bought this after L'Air du Desert Marocain, and I think I like this even better. It's a strange mix of incense from the shops on Haight (good call Kris143max) and exhaust from the laundromat. That being said, not everyone is going to want to smell like that, and I understand completely. It's the same way some people don't mind smelling like chocolate, but I do. Gimme incense any day!
Being San Franciscan, LMPE is perfect for casual days. In fact, people will probably just assume I was burning incense at home and will never even think to ask what perfume I'm wearing. Maybe for some this is elegant, sexy, dressy, but in San Francisco this smells like you partied all night and just rolled out of bed. Fine by me!
Incense here is a lovely blend of rose, jasmine, and sandalwood incense sticks. It's all somewhat sweet, but not cloyingly so. I think the lavender laundry detergent scent adds freshness and upliftment. I haven't read the other reviews yet, but I wonder if am I the only one who smells some kind of sugary candy too, like pink rock crystal candy? (Oct. 2012)
LONESOME RIDER
Lonesome Rider is sort of a yin/yang type of scent. You get the smoky leather+vetiver combo contrasting with strong citrus notes that are pleasant and not sour. I smell a powdery iris too, which is a really nice play on this classic vetiver/citrus pairing. Has a lot in common with both Lonsome Rider (which has no citrus and more incense) and Tauerville's Incense Flash (which has more smoky leather and incense and less cirus).
Lonesome Rider is my least favorite of the ones mentioned, but that is probably because the vetiver/citrus combo does not suit my personal preferences. But this is certainly a Tauer perfume, and I feel that with this perfume what you see is what you get. There is nothing jarring about it and no weirdness about it. If you are into that combo of citrus & vetiver, I think this is one of the nicest out there.
Lonesome Rider is sort of a yin/yang type of scent. You get the smoky leather+vetiver combo contrasting with strong citrus notes that are pleasant and not sour. I smell a powdery iris too, which is a really nice play on this classic vetiver/citrus pairing. Has a lot in common with both Lonsome Rider (which has no citrus and more incense) and Tauerville's Incense Flash (which has more smoky leather and incense and less cirus).
Lonesome Rider is my least favorite of the ones mentioned, but that is probably because the vetiver/citrus combo does not suit my personal preferences. But this is certainly a Tauer perfume, and I feel that with this perfume what you see is what you get. There is nothing jarring about it and no weirdness about it. If you are into that combo of citrus & vetiver, I think this is one of the nicest out there.
LONESTAR MEMORIES
Just when I thought I had decided on a bottle of PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, I checked my inner-elbow, which held the mysterious, earthy scent of Lonestar Memories. I would describe it as just barely smoky, leathery, resinous, woody, creamy, and minty-herbal. When I first sprayed, it was much darker, much more leathery and smoky, like a BBQ, but it settles down considerably if given some time. I sampled it despite knowing I don't care for leather nor smoke, but I was still curious because, after all, it's a Tauer. I didn't have high hopes that it would become something I "needed" to own.
The thing is--Lonestar Memories' drydown reminded me of something I had been searching high and low to find in a perfume. Several weeks ago, I was out walking when I noticed a blooming rosemary bush. While I very much dislike the scent and taste of rosemary, I love flowers of all sorts, and the precious, tiny blue flowers were calling to me. I picked a few to show to my little daughter, knowing she could eat the flowers and they wouldn't harm her. Before giving them to her, I cupped my hand and inhaled, with full expectations that I would re-confirm my disdain for rosemary. Instead, I was amazed to find that the rosemary flower smells entirely different from the leaves. It was like the essence of the leaves mixed with cream and sugar. The flowers smelled so amazing, I could not stop inhaling their scent. That was my Jean Baptiste moment (if you've seen the movie "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer").
I soon realized that the scent was oddly familiar. Yes, I know it was rosemary, but it smelled like something else too. I started thinking about Mentholatum. I mentally added milk and sugar. And then my a-ha! moment. The scent was like Noxzema. I had always enjoyed the scent of Noxzema, before I stopped using the nasty chemical goup, but now I desperately wanted a perfume that smelled just like it.
To make a long story short, Lonestar Memories contains a note of clary sage, another scent I don't like; however on my skin and in combination with the other notes, it plays out like a vague menthol scent. I wouldn't have guessed clary sage in particular. Combined with a creamy element, I found the rosemary flower fragrance that I had been longing for, a scent that I assumed would just be my personal unicorn for many years to come, if not forever.
Despite my total adoration for PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, I bought a bottle of Lonestar Memories. I barely got to my car before ripping my box open and spraying with abandon. The next morning, I woke up and immediately hit the trigger--I'm obsessed with it! I prepared a cup of Earl Grey tea, added sugar and milk, and proceeded to take a sip. As I sipped my tea, the scent from my wrist drifted up to my nose, and I noticed that the scent of the perfume and the flavor of the tea blended together almost perfectly. Vetiver can present as black tea (hence Odin's Seylon), and with a bright note mimicking bergamot as well as a creamy note that smells, well...creamy, it was a lot like a cup of Earl Grey with milk. So that is another reason I am falling for Lonestar Memories--I LOVE black tea perfumes.
I continued to examine the perfume on my skin. It is so beautifully blended that the notes just kind of tumble into one another, and it's tough to pinpoint specific notes. I did however pinpoint the scent of jasmine. I almost wasn't sure if it was really florals I was smelling, so I checked the Tauer website to confirm it is indeed "a hint of jasmine," one of my favorite florals.
Keep in mind that all the things I have mentioned (Noxzema, Earl Grey, jasmine, BBQ) are all present, but none of them dominate the scent. In fact, at first the perfume dries down and then it may seem streamlined, natural, even flat. But upon examination, it has what seems like a million subtleties to explore. Please take the time to get to know it.
Every bit as masterfully crafted as L'Air du Desert.
Lonestar Memories absolutely contains Mr. Tauer's fingerprints--his silky, ambery, cedar-like "Tauer-aide", if you care for it. This perfume is his second masterpiece.
Just when I thought I had decided on a bottle of PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, I checked my inner-elbow, which held the mysterious, earthy scent of Lonestar Memories. I would describe it as just barely smoky, leathery, resinous, woody, creamy, and minty-herbal. When I first sprayed, it was much darker, much more leathery and smoky, like a BBQ, but it settles down considerably if given some time. I sampled it despite knowing I don't care for leather nor smoke, but I was still curious because, after all, it's a Tauer. I didn't have high hopes that it would become something I "needed" to own.
The thing is--Lonestar Memories' drydown reminded me of something I had been searching high and low to find in a perfume. Several weeks ago, I was out walking when I noticed a blooming rosemary bush. While I very much dislike the scent and taste of rosemary, I love flowers of all sorts, and the precious, tiny blue flowers were calling to me. I picked a few to show to my little daughter, knowing she could eat the flowers and they wouldn't harm her. Before giving them to her, I cupped my hand and inhaled, with full expectations that I would re-confirm my disdain for rosemary. Instead, I was amazed to find that the rosemary flower smells entirely different from the leaves. It was like the essence of the leaves mixed with cream and sugar. The flowers smelled so amazing, I could not stop inhaling their scent. That was my Jean Baptiste moment (if you've seen the movie "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer").
I soon realized that the scent was oddly familiar. Yes, I know it was rosemary, but it smelled like something else too. I started thinking about Mentholatum. I mentally added milk and sugar. And then my a-ha! moment. The scent was like Noxzema. I had always enjoyed the scent of Noxzema, before I stopped using the nasty chemical goup, but now I desperately wanted a perfume that smelled just like it.
To make a long story short, Lonestar Memories contains a note of clary sage, another scent I don't like; however on my skin and in combination with the other notes, it plays out like a vague menthol scent. I wouldn't have guessed clary sage in particular. Combined with a creamy element, I found the rosemary flower fragrance that I had been longing for, a scent that I assumed would just be my personal unicorn for many years to come, if not forever.
Despite my total adoration for PHI Une Rose de Kandahar, I bought a bottle of Lonestar Memories. I barely got to my car before ripping my box open and spraying with abandon. The next morning, I woke up and immediately hit the trigger--I'm obsessed with it! I prepared a cup of Earl Grey tea, added sugar and milk, and proceeded to take a sip. As I sipped my tea, the scent from my wrist drifted up to my nose, and I noticed that the scent of the perfume and the flavor of the tea blended together almost perfectly. Vetiver can present as black tea (hence Odin's Seylon), and with a bright note mimicking bergamot as well as a creamy note that smells, well...creamy, it was a lot like a cup of Earl Grey with milk. So that is another reason I am falling for Lonestar Memories--I LOVE black tea perfumes.
I continued to examine the perfume on my skin. It is so beautifully blended that the notes just kind of tumble into one another, and it's tough to pinpoint specific notes. I did however pinpoint the scent of jasmine. I almost wasn't sure if it was really florals I was smelling, so I checked the Tauer website to confirm it is indeed "a hint of jasmine," one of my favorite florals.
Keep in mind that all the things I have mentioned (Noxzema, Earl Grey, jasmine, BBQ) are all present, but none of them dominate the scent. In fact, at first the perfume dries down and then it may seem streamlined, natural, even flat. But upon examination, it has what seems like a million subtleties to explore. Please take the time to get to know it.
Every bit as masterfully crafted as L'Air du Desert.
Lonestar Memories absolutely contains Mr. Tauer's fingerprints--his silky, ambery, cedar-like "Tauer-aide", if you care for it. This perfume is his second masterpiece.
PHI UNE ROSE DE KANDAHAR
I'm a little late to the Rose de Kandahar party. I avoided it in a weird way because I got so tired of rose as a main note. I loved rose for many years, and after going through my phase of Middle-Eastern style oud/rose/vanilla (you know that combination! You are probably sick of it, too), starting with Noir de Noir, I just couldn't stand rose anymore. That combo sort of ruined rose for me. Olfactory burnout. I am still tired of rose, but I figured it would not hurt to finally sample this one.
What developed on my skin was blissful. I kept picturing a big copper pot with chopped nuts simmering in sugar syrup and rosewater. It reminded me of a combo of Turkish Delight and almond nougat with tiny pieces of candied orchard fruit (if such a thing exists). I know there was rose in the mix--there had to be--but it did not stand out and instead blended with the other notes to create perfection. PHI is sweet, definitely gourmand, but not a toothache, nor is it cloying. The creamy nuttiness is what stood out most on my skin; the angle that I came back to over and over again.
I recall telling myself all sorts of things: It wasn't that good, I've smelled others like it, I will never wear it because it contains rose, I am not into gourmands these days.... It's crazy how many things I tried to tell myself to make me not love this perfume as much as I did.
Might have to go and buy it before it's gone again!
(Update Aug 2016: It was unforgettable. I own it now!)
I'm a little late to the Rose de Kandahar party. I avoided it in a weird way because I got so tired of rose as a main note. I loved rose for many years, and after going through my phase of Middle-Eastern style oud/rose/vanilla (you know that combination! You are probably sick of it, too), starting with Noir de Noir, I just couldn't stand rose anymore. That combo sort of ruined rose for me. Olfactory burnout. I am still tired of rose, but I figured it would not hurt to finally sample this one.
What developed on my skin was blissful. I kept picturing a big copper pot with chopped nuts simmering in sugar syrup and rosewater. It reminded me of a combo of Turkish Delight and almond nougat with tiny pieces of candied orchard fruit (if such a thing exists). I know there was rose in the mix--there had to be--but it did not stand out and instead blended with the other notes to create perfection. PHI is sweet, definitely gourmand, but not a toothache, nor is it cloying. The creamy nuttiness is what stood out most on my skin; the angle that I came back to over and over again.
I recall telling myself all sorts of things: It wasn't that good, I've smelled others like it, I will never wear it because it contains rose, I am not into gourmands these days.... It's crazy how many things I tried to tell myself to make me not love this perfume as much as I did.
Might have to go and buy it before it's gone again!
(Update Aug 2016: It was unforgettable. I own it now!)
ROSE FLASH
Jammy rose to the max! I love it, it's fantastic. Starts out with intense rose dripping with honey, and as it dries down it becomes more resinous/balsamic and just the tiniest little bit of patchouli (so little it's practically negligible, which is great because I am not a huge fan of the rose & patch combo). Something about this reminds me of Le Maroc Pour Elle, an incense quality, but take away all the powder. No trace of spice on my skin. This rose is not fresh--it is candied; identical to my memory of the rose confiture I bought on the Cote d'Azure.
Sillage shrinks to a skin-scent after a short time, but it lasted on my skin for 12 hours and smelled divine on clothes. This from a vial, so perhaps spraying would give stronger sillage. I'm willing to take a gamble on a bottle.
Since Mr. Tauer won't give away his pyramid, I am going to make one up based on how this smells on my skin:
Rose
Honey
Benzoin
Patchouli
Lavender
Raspberry
Sandalwood
I bought the roller ball. Darnit, should have made it the bigger bottle! It is so scrumptious and addictive. (March 2015)
Jammy rose to the max! I love it, it's fantastic. Starts out with intense rose dripping with honey, and as it dries down it becomes more resinous/balsamic and just the tiniest little bit of patchouli (so little it's practically negligible, which is great because I am not a huge fan of the rose & patch combo). Something about this reminds me of Le Maroc Pour Elle, an incense quality, but take away all the powder. No trace of spice on my skin. This rose is not fresh--it is candied; identical to my memory of the rose confiture I bought on the Cote d'Azure.
Sillage shrinks to a skin-scent after a short time, but it lasted on my skin for 12 hours and smelled divine on clothes. This from a vial, so perhaps spraying would give stronger sillage. I'm willing to take a gamble on a bottle.
Since Mr. Tauer won't give away his pyramid, I am going to make one up based on how this smells on my skin:
Rose
Honey
Benzoin
Patchouli
Lavender
Raspberry
Sandalwood
I bought the roller ball. Darnit, should have made it the bigger bottle! It is so scrumptious and addictive. (March 2015)
VANILLA FLASH
Tauer's new Vanilla Flash is nice! It has an interesting opening that smelled a bit like ginger cola, bright and a little tangy, yet no citrus. From there it only gets better. The heart reveals intense tobacco, and any spice is extremely subdued in this phase; vanilla seems deliciously natural, like vanilla bean ice-milk. The base smells like a boozy, spiced rum ice cream--wonderful! It is not smoky at all, in case anyone is wondering.
I also smell a vein of wood running throughout the perfume. It is similar to the wood I like so much in L'Air du Desert Marocain.
This is no Tobacco Vanille. Vanilla Flash holds its own.
It is spring in my city, and this vanilla wears well in the sunny and warm air. For the price point, Mr. Tauer is right, this is a fantastic vanilla as well as a fantastic tobacco perfume. Certainly a love for me! Full bottle on its way. (April 2015)
Tauer's new Vanilla Flash is nice! It has an interesting opening that smelled a bit like ginger cola, bright and a little tangy, yet no citrus. From there it only gets better. The heart reveals intense tobacco, and any spice is extremely subdued in this phase; vanilla seems deliciously natural, like vanilla bean ice-milk. The base smells like a boozy, spiced rum ice cream--wonderful! It is not smoky at all, in case anyone is wondering.
I also smell a vein of wood running throughout the perfume. It is similar to the wood I like so much in L'Air du Desert Marocain.
This is no Tobacco Vanille. Vanilla Flash holds its own.
It is spring in my city, and this vanilla wears well in the sunny and warm air. For the price point, Mr. Tauer is right, this is a fantastic vanilla as well as a fantastic tobacco perfume. Certainly a love for me! Full bottle on its way. (April 2015)
