Perfume Review: Andy Tauer Hyacinth and Mechanic
 By TomAndy has sent his latest scent on a "bottle journey", where it has gone from perfume lover to perfume lover, who have commented upon it, The latest was Gaia, the Non Blonde, who was nice enough to send it to me. Like Gaia, I find the opening intensely green. Really intensely green. The succulently green hyacinth is paired with lily of the valley and a bare whiff of cold camphor to make a lush but identifiably Tauer scent. Like his Reverie au Jardin, which challenges how you think lavender smells, the tart, green whiteness of the opening is light-years away from what you think that a hyacinth should smell like, but somehow seems perfectly right, like a lightbulb over your head. "Oh yeah! That's hyacinth!" Then the mechanic pops up. He starts off smelling oily, a bit like the note in SMN Nostalgia, that leather and oily old-car smell that I loved in that scent but wished lasted longer. It then gets stronger, almost Kolnisch Juchten- like in its fatted roundness. This mechanic might be bringing a bouquet, but he also is bringing a sandwich. There isn't a lot of development in this, it dances around from cool whiteness and fatted leather darkness. Do I have to tell you that I am in thrall? I hope that Andy decides to release this one, it's completely identifiable as one of his scents and it's completely gorgeous. |
posted by Marina |
12:03 AM
33 Comments:
I am already anxious for spring to arrive - desperately want to just skip over winter, so anything that can remind me of green spring scents is going to be extremely welcome. Add in a mechanic and I'm completely sold. How could he not release this one? Sounds absolutely ideal.
elle-
It's a perfect "skip over winter" scent= there's a hothouse urgency in the opening that would obliterate Seasonal Affective Disorder far more effectively than those expensive lamps they push
Elle, I am wondering the same thing. Why doesn't he release this one? Tom, is it just too odd? What is your theory? I am dying to try this one too. I love the idea that he has thrown in a can of oil and a ham sandwich!
kelley-
I think perhaps he's gauging opinion on something that he feels is unfinished? It's not quite a new direction for him but it's a bit of a stretch, and in my opinion a good one.
God that sounds pompous..
I for one cannot wait to sniff his incense..
I cannot WAIT for this one to be released - I really hope he will do it! It sounds like something I would really fall hard for.
Oh, I am so jealous that you got to smell this! It sounds fascinating! Can't wait for the incense, but I think he should release this one, too!
Great review! I love all things Andy Tauer! I am looking forward to the incense (might even buy unsniffed) and because I love all of his 'fumes, by default I am anxiously awaiting this one.
Hmmmm.....I love Hyacinth in all of it's many forms but I have to admit that the thought of mixing it with food and auto grease does nothing for me! Still, because you have said that you love it as soon as I get the opportunity (if ever) I will have a very open mind :) I think that it was the phrase, "Hothouse urgency!) that has me intrigued.
flora-
I'd love to read what you think about it when you do smell it
lily-
I hope it gets to you, and I hope he releases it.
renee-
I've heard a rumor that Andy will be coming to ScentBar for the release of the incense one, and I for one can't wait..
beth-
I wouldn't have thought so either, but on me it really worked.
I so much love this scent and hope he gets it released!!!
I'm very happy that you loved it. And you're right about its mood altering effect. Definitely a scent that deserves to be produced, even as a limited edition release for the die-hard fans.
It's purty and dirty, which I contend is another fitting name for it.
I just ordered the whole Biehl's sample collection because of the complementary Tauer Incense sample from Luckyscent- now, how insane is that ?!
patty-
Me too, and soon- I think it's a perfect wintertime reminder of the joys of spring..
gaia-
I could live with it being a limited one if he wants to do it that way, as long as I can score a bottle. Whenever I was in a particularly dark mood I could just sniff...
lee-
purty and dirty? That should be the Euro release name (a la French Lover)!
BTW did you get your little package? We want to read your review of those Lubins..
jane-
makes sense to me...
I dunno about those Biehls- 13 of them? I sort of just want to throw my hands up in the air and ignore them, you know?
I have been lusting after this one... it sounds so wonderful!
I want him to release L'Eau des Epices, too. Nownownow!!!
ducks-
I feel the same way...
Now if I can work up some enthusiasm for the 65 new Biehls ones...
I am not crazy about hyacinth, but you make this sound really interesting. Andy does the coolest stuff.
BTW I am curious -- I know the bottle disappeared at some point in its rounds, and I don't read Andy's blog regularly enough. Is this one he re-created, or did the original bottle turn up?
Sounds lovely! Wish he would release them as a layering duo -- Hyacinth in one bottle, Mechanic in the other.
march-
I don't know about that. I was tempted to "disappear" it myself but I figured that would fang me in the butt...
I'm not normally a hyacinth lover myself but he kind of does for the flower what he did for lavendar in "jardin"- spins it slightly off on a tangent in a wholly wonderful way...
nowsmellthis-
That is a capital idea!
Regarding hyacinths and motor oil: Tonight I was fortunate enough to spend time listening to Frederic Malle at the opening of Barney's in San Francisco. He mentioned the use of lilacs in En Passant. I said I'd always enjoyed the great banks of lilacs that bloom near Harvard Yard in the spring, and, perversely, I like the added note of gasoline from passing cars. His reply was, "Of course you do! The indole of gasoline is the perfect balance for the lilacs, which would be boring otherwise." He strikes me as a person of great perception and a particularly lucid and generous intelligence. And my budget is busted for the next year. Oh, well.
Cornlily
Tom, Luckyscent posted my order already, but it will take some time to get to Europe. I have no idea about the Biehls yet, there is a lot of fuss about them - I'll let you know, when the package arrives.
I can't quite imagine hyacinth and mechanic (and sandwich!) together, but I really hope Andy releases this one so I can try it! It sounds a bit like a naughty chypre with a slightly floral, green top and a leathery/musky base, and boy I love those...
It's funny you should all talk about spring, because to me hyacinth is THE Christmas flower. In Sweden we buy tons of bulbs as potted plants and hope they'll bloom just in time for the holidays (then we throw them out afterwards). Put some of them in a room and the scent is intoxicating, almost too much, heady but not just floral sweet, more piquant, spicy, mossy, green, almost aquatic... And then imagine that mixed with Christmas tree, mulled wine, gingerbread... Hyacinths are not among the common spring flowers in our gardens, although some people recycle their bulbs from Christmas in that way. Being in the UK I miss all the hyacinths and even contemplated buying a hyacinth/sweet pea scented candle from Marks & Spencer (I wouldn't normally buy a floral candle). That was definitely the sweet side of hyacinth, but if Andy's scent captures the green side that's even better!
Actually, strictly speaking I'm not sure I "like" the scent of hyacinths, but it's so nostalgic and comforting to me...
cornlily-
I love the smell of lilacs as well. Here we get jasmine and gasoline. It's heaven..
jane-
I will be waiting for a report!
I guess I will be sniffing the Biehls on Saturday, but 13 of them just seems like such a slog...
solander-
Interesting! I didn't know that about Sweden- hyacinth must be like pointsettias are here.
Andy does capture that green part wonderfully.
I would love to find a true sweet pea scent...
We have the pointsettias too (We call them "Christmas stars") as well as Christmas Rose and a bunch of other bulbs like Amaryllis, Narcissus and red tulips. But hyacinth is the one that most strongly defines Christmas for me.
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