Eucalyptus is a rare note in perfumery, especially as a bracing and prominent top note. Intensely therapeutic; mind clearing, a pulmonary healer, and all round regenerating, I think of this essential oil as more of a medicine than a perfume – although I do like its beautiful green and refreshing scent (particularly of the eucalyptus globulus variety) – rather more than the sweet pungent, Myrtacae family-related oils of niaouli, cajeput and ravensara.
Art De Parfum’s curious, and rather original new proposition for spring and summer, is a green tea-infused eucalpytus, a light and aromatic fragrance featuring gently metallic and aquatic notes vaguely reminiscent of 90’s neo-Japonisme – the magnolia and water lotus of L’Eau Par Kenzo and L’Eau Issey Miyake – but less forceful : more restrained. Geranium, mint, plum and a cedar chypric light base of patchouli round off a peculiar but convincing combination of energies, theoretically clashing, but in fact androgynously serene.
The Black Narcissus 
I do not know if this would be a scent for me, cosidering my history with green tea scents, but the bottle is lovely. I enjoy the scent of eucalyptus, but not in fragrance I would think. Then again, it might be interesting.
Love all the photos!
This is quite a weird number, and the ending might irritate you with its generic white-ozonic pure ’90’s-ness’, and the eucalyptus note is really quite bracing at first. Overall though there is something in the clash that works – and D quite liked wearing it. It will be nice when it gets too hot.
White-ozonic, eek! Not my cup of tea, pun intended.
Precisely.
That Lalique bottle!!!!!
The video is gorgeous. I’d like to try it, although eucalyptus is not a note I generally enjoy. (Ric gave me a ginormous bottle of eucalyptus foam bath and it’s had minimal attention, I’m afraid.) Still loved reading about it. (I do love l’Eau par Kenzo.) Thank you, dear N.
Eucalyptus is a weird one, and if you don’t like it as a note, you would HATE this – a real mash up of oddness. But if someone floated by you on the street, and not even necessarily in a green kimono, I reckon you would do a head turn and be momentarily excited. There is something slightly fascinating in all the unusual juxtapositions.
There was a windbreak of eucalyptus trees at the far end of my property in Sonoma, loved their brisk scent mingling with the cool ocean breezes that brought fog on summer evenings.
I think eucalyptus is underused in perfumery as it suffers a cultural stereotype of being a cough & cold remedy in the West. (Patchouli endures the same fate in Indian culture.)
This perfume sounds interesting, I shall have to try it.
Yes, like me you enjoy refreshing scents in summer and I can imagine you getting a kick out of the contemporary briskness of this one overall, though I don’t know how you feel about that 90’s ozone/aqua vibe in the back drop.
I LOVE the smell of eucalyptus trees in the breeze as well, though I have never experienced a whole lot of them next to the sea as you describe here (sounds heavenly!)
I agree that eucalyptus has possibly been underused in a way in perfumery, and it could be used more subtly than it is in Kimono Vert (it is easier to imagine it fused into a typical men’s aromatic), but at the same time I like the audacity in fulling embracing such an outsider and meshing it with green tea.
What you think about Contradiction by Calkin Klein and about one of my favorite: Jangala by Pierre Guillaume?
I remember quite liking Contradiction back in the day – it kind of disappeared quickly though, didn’t it ?
I don’t know Jangala. What is it like ?
I bought Contradiction and am waiting for it to arrive to test it.
It was a purchase motivated by your article on eucalyptus smell.
Instead I know Jangala well which revolves around a mentholated coconut from eucalyptus.
It is a masterful work by Pierre Guillaume, the refreshing humidity of a jungle with creamy touches that are never suffocating.
It would be very nice if you could try it.
Thanks for the reply and sorry for my bad English