Ayalitta
Ayala Moriel (2002)

I find myself not quite sure what to think of this, but one thing is clear - it's very green! If you like green chypres, give this one a try for sure.The bright, tangy, galbanum opening melds interestingly with a herbal background. It's a little discordant for my tastes, but not offensively so, and in the heart it becomes a little smoother with well-meshed florals sweetening it some. Despite the pyramid, I smell neroli more distinctly in the heart, and there is a nice mixture of floral, citrus, and green. The base is lightly mossy, but in general this is a fairly ephemeral fragrance, with most of its "oomph" in the top and heart.I'm not quite sure if I like this, but it's got me interested, which is more than enough for a thumbs up from meEdited to add: having tried the original Coty chypre that started this whole genre, I must add that this fragrance is the closest, out of possibly hundreds of chypres I've smelled, to the one that started it all. ( I happen to prefer this! )

Notes: clary sage, galbanum, labdanum, neroli, oakmoss, patchouli, rose otto, sageAyalitta is another charming scent from the Ayala Moriel line. I think that Ayala really has a knack for designing brilliant, distinctive and very classy green scents (others being Rainforest and Bois D'Hiver). Ayalitta is one of the loveliest chypres I know, it is just delightful! The galbanum and labdanum are vibrant without being overwhelming. The dusky clary sage adds a further green note. All these green notes are very enjoyable and true. They are softened wonderfully by the florals, yet the scent remains dry enough for this man to wear with great pleasure. It is a mellow and appealing scent. The drydown is a mossy treat. Ok thumbs... start pointing upward!

I've been wearing this perfume for years, in all seasons. When I wear in the countryside, it meshes beautifully with the summer foliage. Ah, Ayalitta. This was the first all-natural fragrance that I ever bought, the first galbanum fragrance I owned, and one of my first chypre perfumes. It still ranks right at the top in all three categories. The opening salvo of galbanum is completely addictive to me--breathtaking and beautiful. Then jasmine moves to the forefront along with a patchouli-scented amber background. The galbanum and sage never lose their influence, having touched this fragrance in its entirety. No worry, oakmoss will always be in this formulation, regardless of the IFRA. This is one little gem of a perfume for green chypre lovers everywhere.