A Scent
Issey Miyake (2009)

Boil in the Bag green floral with galbanum and hyacinth...

cf. YSL Y (1964), Givenchy III, Vacances, No 19, Fidji, etc.

With an aqueous translucency, A Scent is a modern interpretation of the hyacinth-galbanum-citrus floral, shimmering and crisp, like the sun shining on a vernal pool. Bitter stems, white and purple blooms, the early verdant lawns of a warm day in April after a soft rain is the feeling I get here.

It is lucid, simple, somewhat soapy and sheer, a bit more floral than I had expected, which is in fact a plus (I discern a wonderfully sheer jasmine note). I discern hints of crushed tomato leaves and basil as well. It also reminds me somewhat of Calyx without the overripe cantaloupe and fruit salad. I would wear a few sprays while visiting Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA, while admiring the spring ephemerals: the development that eventually leads to a woody dry down would complement the surroundings.

This is unfortunately no longer in production, but still available at not too steep a cost (for now).

Bubbly lemon and lemon verbena top. Lively floral notes. Light and warm. A touch of green. The flowers come and go as if waving in a summer breeze. Perfect spring and summer scent. I love the bottle design as well.

What a beautiful thing this is!
Hyacinth and Jasmine softly breeze through this. A fine sliver of Galbanum. Citrus, just enough to counter the sweetness of the Florals. Maybe a very light White Musk, however no blinding wall of Sorbitol.
An easy wear Laundry soapiness, Ammoniac rather than Bleach.

At 1st spray, I didn't think this was going to go well....

But an hour in, I really like it! It's different from most of the scents I have. Probably will use it in fall and winter, but it's working well on this chilly Spring day....

Genre: Green

Issey Miyake's A Scent is a knife-edge sharp green fragrance that smells as if compounded of equal parts tomato leaf, galbanum, laundry detergent, and household glass cleaner. It is no doubt meant to be clean, fresh, and modern. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the brief to the perfumers was to “make an updated White Linen.”

In the event, what has emerged is a crude, chemical gloss on the Lauder classic – what White Linen might smell like were it made on a quarter of its budget for ingredients. I'm no great fan of White Linen to begin with, and this mildly caustic brew is no improvement.

For a green scent that's paradoxically acerbic and appealing, I'd recommend Jean-Claude Elléna's obscure but fascinating Eau de Campagne, which was done for Sisley way back in the 1970s, but smells like something Comme des Garçons might have released last week. It's challenging and refreshing, yet consummately wearable, with a surprising vetiver drydown that completely trounces the white musk and screechy florals on offer from Miyake.