Dolcelisir Limited Edition 2023 L'Erbolario for women and men

Back in stock, but unfortunately only as a limited edition. I haven’t smelled the original edition in ages, but this is so nice in colder weather. Extremely smooth. Nothing groundbreaking really, but so very well made and utterly satisfying. It’s warm, comforting and balanced. It’s also quite similar to Hermes’ Ambre Narguile, but very affordable, so it may be worth stocking up while it’s still available.

Sweet alcoholic perfume. It is so indulgent, perfect for a winter holiday. The rum is something you can smell all throughout - it's like a vanilla infused rum with dried fruits.

This is Philippe Garrel "Les Amants Régulier" in a scent.
I feel like being transported in the failed post 68's to 70's social's rebellions, disillusioned with the state of affairs of the world...smoking opium in my spare time, while dressing à la Bertolucci's "The Dreamers", like Theo to be exact. I just can not dissociate it from that aesthetic.
It's a decadent, narcotic elisir for sure!

Ok, about the scent itself...forget warm cinnamon and rhum, caramel and the strong tonka beans of the first edition, this is a liquor, yes...but it is an elderflower based one. They make themself known in the opening, supported by bitter cacao powder and something lightly zesty (bitter orange? ginger? candied citrus?) and they never, ever leave the composition, remaining until the dry down in a true narcotic fashion!
If you never smelled them, they have something of anise, fennel and liquorice but they are much more elegant, in Italy we have a strong liquor made with them called Sambuca, a true elixir, a "tocca sana" as we say!

The rhum and caramel notes are quite faint and serve more as a support for the elderflowers which are present since the opening with a central role.
The boozines dies down a bit in the mid of the scent, where heliotrope and tabacco intertwine to create a powdery smoky/dry effect. But, like all the elements in here, they are toned down and muted, as if a patina, or better yet a sepia filter is applied on them, rendering them dusty, antiqued, but almost royally ancient.
This is truly an androgynous perfume, it's almost pure in this characterisation.
There is a bit of cinnamon sprinkled in the mix, but it is so cold...again, almost denatured. This stage remainds me so much of a Lush product, a bubble bar called Gingerbread House. Such fond memories evoked in me...
There is no palpable fruity note (maybe just the ghosts of dried fruits), nor truly tonka beans, at least in this new edition put on the market in 2023...a light nutty facet is only found in the opening where it is bitter and recalls the boozy notes of Mandorla, by the same L'Erbolario, and in the end of the base notes where results more as an almondy heliotrope then pure tonka.

Dry down is evocative of something even more old and aristocratic, a little smoked and powdery; the amber in it has a balsamic touch, it is paired with a smoky dry vanilla (so no sweetness or edible character from both of them) and a bit of brown sugar. The cacao powder returns from times to times, but present itself in a new facet...more mellow and lightly colored, not so bitter as in the opening.

Lasting power and projection is in line with other L'Erbolario creations, from 4 to 5 hours, depending on weather and skin, quite good but nothing to rave about. Overspraying definitely helps.

I find the scent very elegant and sensual, as I like to repeat, an elegance of old times.
I picture someone disillusioned by the mundane and detached from reality wearing it...someone that has the means and will to unplug everything and fly away to a safari (or to his uncle's "in the middle of a vineyard" French villa), spending his days in resigned hedonism, smoking narghilè while dressed in fine silk Etro bathrobes, listening to Nico. Not yet abadoned to nichilism but surely damaged, the egemony of the status quo to much to bear for his generous, illuminated soul. It's evocative for sure, I heard some say it should be inspired by Hermes Ambre Narguile from the Hermessence line but I haven't had the pleasure of smelling that one.

The notes declared by the brand are as follow:
-Caramel, Rhum Absolute
-Elderberry Flowers, Cocoa Powder
-Benzoin Siam Absolute, Vanilla Absolute

This is 100% beloved Dolcelisir, brought back after listening to customers' requests, together with other favs. Dolcelisir is a masterpiece, perfect for fall - winter.