Hommage à l'Homme Eau was launched in 2012 by Lalique Parfums to commemorate its 20th anniversary. It was inspired by Lalique’s long history with the Orient Express, which began when René Lalique designed the interiors of the legendary train that ran from Paris to Istanbul from 1883 to 1997. The Orient Express became the very definition of luxury travel.

It opens with sharp, bitter bergamot followed by metallic and green violet leaf and soft, leathery, earthy saffron. The saffron has a delicious bittersweet aspect that always makes me pause when I sniff it. Right off the top, HOMMAGE a l’Homme smells manly. As it develops, the bitterness of the saffron is echoed at the heart by chilli leaf, which beautifully sets up the cool, earthy violet that blooms there. And then the magic happens – oud appears, deep, dark and woody. Deftly handled, it’s not pungent, nor is it too sweet, thanks to the addition of spicy black pepper. Oud is usually paired with rose, so seeing it paired with violet is a surprise. It’s the back-and-forth interplay between the cool violet and the warm woody oud that makes HOMMAGE a l’Homme unique. Cistus and musk at the base make the drydown woody, slightly sweet, animalic and smooth.

HOMMAGE a l’Homme is a beautiful interpretation of a ride on the Orient Express, from the manly start to the journey from Paris (violets) to Istanbul (oud) through to the debonair, urbane and sophisticated drydown. But I think this journey has another destination… a place I like to call Manville.

Notes: Violet leaf, bergamot, saffron, chilli leaf, violet, black pepper, cistus, oud, musk.