PG24 - Papyrus de Ciane - Welcome to perfumeniche, M. Guillaume (January 24, 2011 New Fragrance Listing)

Naiad - John William Waterhouse (1849-1917): A Naiad with  a Nymph - Wikipedia

When PG24 - Papyrus de Ciane by Parfumerie Générale first came out last year I had gotten a sample of it and really, really loved it. But as often happens, life got in the way and I back-burnered the PdC. It was brought back to mind during a recent phone conversation I had with Nazrin at The Perfume Shoppe in Vancouver. If you aren’t familiar with it, The Perfume Shoppe is a great source for niche scents.

So I asked Naz, “What’s your current fave scent?” And without any hesitation she shot back: “Papyrus de Ciane”. “What do you like about it?” I asked. Well, that was all she needed to launch into a glowing monologue about the frag. After the first five minutes I went down to the laundry room to throw in a load and when I got back to the phone she was just getting to the glories of the heart notes. By the time she’d finished, I’d found my sample, tried it again and then ordered a bottle from her. Am I ever glad I did.

Started by indie perfumer Pierre Guillaume in 2002, Parfumerie Générale is a line that is not easy to find, cause M. Guillaume positions his scents as alternatives to mainstream frags. Parfumerie Générale is all about the experience. For example, while each scent is named, it is known by the number on the bottle. Papyrus de Ciane therefore is, technically, PG24. In this way, the wearer is not influenced by preconceived notions of gender or olfactory type when trying the scent. I like it! Keep an open nostril and you never know what goodness might waft in. But enough of this, let’s get to the inspiration for the scent.

Located on the west side of the Porto Grande harbor in Sicily, Fonte Ciane is a pool of clear, blue water that feeds the Ciane river and is the only place in Europe where papyrus still grows wild. At one time, it was the centre of a paper-making industry. Today it is a protected nature preserve and one of Sicily’s top tourist spots.

An ancient, sacred site, it gets its name from the naiad Ciane. According to one version of the Greek myth, Ciane saw Hades abducting her BFF Persephone in order to make her his wife. Ciane tried to stop him and in his anger he turned her into a pool of deep blue water.

So, what does PG24 smell like? It opens with bergamot and galbanum  - citrusy and green but soon sweetened by neroli. In the middle it gets all more aromatic with lavender. Leathery labdanum and incense appear, clove warms it up and adds a hint of spice. At the base Mousse de Saxe gives it a mossiness along with a gorgeous licorice/leather accord that is just heart-stoppingly beautiful. Vetiver heightens the greenness and musk gives a woodiness and softens the whole composition.

PG24 is a complex scent –  there is no sharpness to it, no angles, no harshness. It’s green, powdery, licorice/leathery, woody, soft and creamy and a pleasure to wear.

Welcome to perfumeniche M. Guillaume.

PG24 - Papyrus de Ciane is listed in our Decant Store. Decants are $5.00 for 1 ml.