Germaine Monteil Bakir: Perfume Review

Germaine Monteil's 1975 oriental wonder, Bakir is a rich tapestry of golds, reds and russets. The citrusy-spicy-aldehydic top notes are an explosion of ripe brightness that slowly darkens into the carmine velvet of the floral heart, in which the creaminess of rose and ylang-ylang are juxtaposed with the fiery piquancy of carnation enhanced by cloves. Darker still is the ambery, incensey, earthy base, where myrrh, amber and bezoin continue the theme of languid softness, while moss and ptachouli play for the opposite team, enhancing the sharper, spicier side of Bakir. The exuberant richness of colors is muted in my vintage sample, but I feel that the patina of time ages the scent beautifully, bringing a touch of wistful elegance to what was prevously unabashed decadance. Bakir can be found on ebay. Again, many thanks to L for introducing me to yet another vintage gem. Image is by Ellen Von Unwerth