The Language of the Classics, Osmanthus Noble by Exaltatum London

And if the branches tap my pane

And the poplars whisper nightly,

It is to make me dream again

I hold you to me tightly.

And if the stars shine on the pond

And light its sombre shoal,

It is to quench my mind's despond

And flood with peace my soul.

And if the clouds their tresses part

And does the moon outblaze,

It is but to remind my heart

I long for you always.

And If by Mihai Eminescu, 

Translation by Constantin M. Popescu. 

I've recently realized, after a delightful perfume related talk with a friend, that i never put this beautiful fragrance`s scent into words. And it deserves a review to live up to its golden liquid`s glorious touch because i don't know about the others, but for me it's getting harder to encounter fragrances that deserve to be spoken of or even to be mentioned, not to say recommended. The modern market drives me to often lose the sense of orientation that i only recover by returning to the classics that offer me glimpses of a world apart. 

Eglija Vaitkevice - a polymath - decided to teach herself into the perfume making, after studying in Grasse a course of introduction to perfumery. Her style is classic, combining raw materials of wonderful quality in the true French perfume craft with a touch of born elegance and an unborn but naturally developed savoir-faire. 

The first fragrance she decided to start the Exaltatum line with is Osmanthus Noble, a fragrance whose easy to understand condition is backed-up by a complex composition. 

"The inspiration for this perfume came from a XVII century painting Samson and Delilah by P. P. Rubens. This painting is saturated with soft leather textures, smooth silks rustling between clenched fingers and luxurious dark velvets draped around the room. These lustrous elements compliment the dramatic historical scene of love and betrayal."

Samson and Delilah by P. P. Rubens. Source Wikidata. 

Osmanthus Noble is nostalgic without crossing the dramatic street. Its warm and romantic fragrance reminds of past loves that found peace at least and cured their broken hearts as survivors whose reward lays now in sweet memories of what once was lived. 

It's like a story - told slowly and relieved to an extent of prolonged past over the present. Its chapters are written in words carefully chosen. 

Top notes: mandarin, bergamot, cardamom, aldehydes. Heart notes: osmanthus absolute, clary sage, ylang-ylang, saffron, styrax, suede. Base notes: tonka bean, labdanum, musk, oakmoss, amber, tobacco, vetiver, sandalwood, animalic notes

Page after page it adds a new sense to the whole book keeping it all together and on the same line. The beginning is vivid and intense, spicy and rich. The brightness mentioned on the website in the fragrance description shows up on my skin for only a few seconds without revealing any kind of aldehydes but a short lived juicy mandarin followed by a dark suede accord with different facets and nuances - from a modern ink-like to medicinal accord in combination with the saffron, green-smoky specks of vetiver and a dry black cherry tobacco tonality beautifully recreated by tobacco, tonka bean and a drop of almond-like note (pretty similar to the heliotropin). 

Warmed by the flesh`s heat Osmanthus Noble blooms out with a natural sweetness given in the right amount by a heart of flowers and resins, especially by ylang-ylang and benzoin. It's not easy to pick up some of the listed notes and accords, the fragrance gives the feeling of a whole - a full bodied and well put together blend that showcase a certain level of knowledge and experience in the perfume field. The base adds darkness and a furry animal warmth to the rest of the composition making it comfortable and cozy. 

Osmanthus Noble is composed in a classic style and speaks a different language than most of the modern fragrances do. It's one of those to easily fall into misinterpretation and be erroneously classified, and it may also be hard to comprehend by those who don't speak vintage, but here we are to translate it and to spread the word of beauty. 


(Bottle gifted by the brand. The fragrance was shared with love with many other perfume enthusiasts as myself. Osmanthus Noble, as well as Ruby Wood and Pergola, can be bought from the brand website.)