Best of 2010

'Tis the season for looking back on the olfactory year gone by ... Please join us and list one, yes just one, scent that you nominate to be the best of 2010 for you personally. It does not have to be a 2010 release, and, as always, when we say, "the best", we mean, "the one that brought us the most delight". Alyssa How I wish I could nominate some quirky, underappreciated perfume for my choice. Alas, I will have to be satisfied with a quirky, appreciated masterpiece. There is no denying that Nuit de Tubereuse has quickly entered the select circle of perfumes in my collection that manage to be wholly wearable, but never boring. I have worn it for all weathers, moods and occasions, and am still irretrievably addicted to its electric pepper opening, the weird giggle of that green mango note, and the wholly lovely dark veil of that drydown, hovering between tuberose, incense, and oriental. Reader, I bought my bottle retail. Beth This was easy, although a little unexpected! 2010 was the year that I rediscovered the House of Chanel. For years No 5 was my “go to” fragrance whenever I needed something just a little bit black tie. Sadly, it changed on me and it’s been years since I enjoyed it. That’s all different now because about 2 months ago I rediscovered the magic of No 5 all over again in the form of No. 5 Eau Premiere! Whatever they’ve done to it is perfection and I can’t stop wearing it, almost like a lover that you’ve just been reunited with after 20 years of absence....... Donna My favorite perfume discovery of 2010 was Tcharas by La Via del Profumo - in fact, the repertoire of the house itself was a revelation to me. Its wild, exhilarating, and shocking beauty expanded my thinking about what fragrance could be, and the perfumer's skill with all-natural ingredients including resins, moss and earthy animalic elements left me in awe and eager to explore the rest of the line. Kelley Declaration Cartier (1998) Jean-Claude Ellena. I have been obsessed by the artemesia and cedar mixed with the sunny bergamot and bitter orange notes. When I wear it, I can't believe it was a mainstream release because the opening notes are all about bitter herbs and sweaty cumin and cedar. I remember reading in an interview that with was Mr. Ellena's favorite creation. Linda Lostmarc'h Lann-Ael is my favorite scent this year (and have you tried Din-Dan?). This whisper of a scent has long been a favorite in my rotation, as it is creamy without being heavy, foodie without being dessert, interesting without being too challenging... but right now I am mad for it. The reason? It smells like the top of my baby boy's warm little noggin after a bath. The pure, sweet, milky and weirdly cereal smells of clean baby are intensely there - and all of this without a touch of powder. Marian Al Qurashi’s Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bent Mubarak- This dark and glamorous blend is a hypnotic mélange of lemony Taif rose, suede-lined oud, and bewitching musk, a riveting perfume that’s most at home in flickering candlelight behind locked doors Marina The olfactory color of this year for me was green. The aloof, cold, stark intensity of green chypres, the deceptive lady-like, crispy fragility of green florals, which hides unyielding core of strength, the general angular, jolie laide beauty and the noli me tangere quality of the green family held an incredible appeal. Private Collection and Private Collection Jasmine White Moss, Untitled, Amazone, Puredistance, Bel Respiro, and Memory of Kindness were in constant rotation. The perfume that I worn and enjoyed the most, however, was the very successfully re-done Futur by Robert Piguet. The standoffish fragrance with an attitude and an oddly, wonderfully metallic verdancy has been my armour this year. I imagine its thorny, dry, earthy greenness to be a protective shield and thus I would go so far as to call Futur my comfort scent. Marla I had a seemingly unbreakable tie between Serge Lutens' Bas de Soie and L'Artisan Parfumeur's Traversee du Bosphore. So I put one on each arm and asked for family and friends to vote. Traversee du Bosphore won by 3 votes! I think if you like one, you'll like the other as well.... Tom My best scent of 2010 is one that I am happy has a price point that not only allows but practically begs extravagant spritzing: Mocktail by smell bent. It's a happy, sparkly citrus with a smooth woody finish that never fails to elicit a grin and at $45 for 55ML almost feels like it's free.. Please tune in to the other participants: Bois de Jasmin, Grain de Musc, Now Smell This, and Perfume Posse.