Ineke Field Notes from Paris

11/15/09 21:18:03

By: Mark Behnke

I am an avid reader of mysteries and one of the best current mystery series is Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone series in which each title begins with a letter of the alphabet and when the author gets to “Z” she will be done with her series.

Perfume has its own ambitious creator in Ineke Ruhland who is also using the alphabet as inspiration to eventually create 26 different perfumes. In the fall of 2006 she released the first four scents. These all adhered to her ideal of telling “perfume stories” with names to match.

These first four fragrances were also different floral explorations focused around a different floral note in the heart of each of them. I am a big fan of the soft lilac in “After My Own Heart” and the fresh magnolia and guaiac in "Derring-Do". This original group of four fragrances put me on alert for the remainder of the alphabet.

In 2008 “Evening Edged in Gold” would continue the floral themes, from the first four scents, but you could begin to see Ms. Ruhland flirting with oriental style fragrance notes.

Classical spice notes such as cinnamon and saffron in the heart create a gentle pairing with the lightly floral angel’s trumpet before a beautiful suede accord finishes it. I was really looking forward to finding out what would happen when Ms. Ruhland finally went full out into oriental territory.

My answer comes with the “F” fragrance, "Field Notes from Paris". This perfume story comes from Ms. Ruhland’s time in France while studying at the ISIPCA. In her own words "Field Notes from Paris" inspiration is described as “…her halcyon days studying perfume in Paris and Versailles. It captures the romantic, nostalgic feelings of sitting in a café and writing in a journal while lingering for hours over a café crème” I find this inspiration to be surprising because Field Notes from Paris lacks a coffee accord of any kind. It does have a classic oriental architecture and it is a rich comforting scent.

The top of "Field Notes from Paris" begins with a mix of bright and light orange blossom which is combined with a strong note of coriander. The mix of strong spice and light citrus character is followed by a delicately balanced troika of tobacco, cedar and patchouli. The sweet, heady tobacco combined with the clean lines of cedar, are roughed up a bit by the herbal quality of patchouli.

These are three very familiar notes in perfumery but Ms. Ruhland gets them singing a beautiful harmony. The base is a lovely warm and comforting mix of amber, vanilla and tonka. The amber is soft and the sweet aspects of vanilla bring out the sweeter character of both amber and the lingering tobacco note from the heart. Field Notes from Paris has average longevity on me and modest sillage.

One of the joy’s of watching any auteur take on an ambitious set of goals is to watch that artist develop and change. I’ve seen that evolution in Ms. Grafton’s writing and in "Field Notes from Paris" I believe I am beginning to see that kind of elevated creativity kicking in from Ms. Ruhland. Which is good news because there are still twenty more letters to go.

Full disclosure: This review was based on a press sample from Ineke.

Images: Ineke Parfums

Author: Mark Behnke (Somervill Metro Man)
Fragrantica Writer

Mark Behnke is based in Somerville, MA, a suburb of Boston, and is the writer for Fragrantica. By day, he works as a research chemist in a pharmaceutical company. By night, he has been a consistent poster on the forums at Basenotes.net under his nom de blog, Somerville Metro Man. You can also follow Mark on Twitter @SomMetroMan if you're curious to find out what he wears on a day-to-day basis.

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