Perfume Review: Parfumerie Generale Psychotrope

Psychotrope is a perfume created by Parfumerie Generale exclusively for a store in Moscow, called Aromateka. It is described as a leather-jasmine scent and has notes of cyclamen, violet, “dark jasmine”, lilac wood, black leather and musk... The inspiration for a fragrance came from a vision of a flower with leather petals, dark, strange, intoxicating. Although I do not perceive Psychotrope as dark, I think that the image is very fitting. If a leather flower existed in some odd and elegant parallel universe, that’s how it would smell. The color of that flower would be silver (think the color of Chloe’s silver Paddington bag)…

The beginning of Psychotrope is green, or rather floral-green (unopened white flowers and grass on a cold spring morning, dew glistening on the leaves) and fairly aquatic. Those familiar with Creed Cuir de Russie and S-Perfume S-ex would recognize the salty-watery smell that I loosely called “aquatic” and that, in Psychotrope, heralds the arrival of the leather. Just like there are no flowers with leather petals, there is no transparent leather, but in the strange world of Psychotrope anything is possible, and so I will say that the leather note in this fragrance smells transparent. Shimmering, silvery-grey transparent leather perfumed with the honeyed aroma of virginal-white jasmine. The scent grows somewhat sweeter and darker as it progresses, the flowers become more apparent and the leather acquires a cold kind of smokiness. The salty-watery accord that was distinct in the beginning becomes fainter, but it is still there, still enhancing the illusion of transparency and freshness. I am sure you know by now that I am NOT a fan of marine scents, but here the note is actually enjoyable, not to mention functional. Apart from creating the effect of translucency, it also provides a twist, an unexpected little something that I always love in perfumes.

Often, in Pierre Guillaume’s creations, this twist is achieved by adding a surprisingly gourmand undertone to the composition. Psychotrope is one of the few Parfumerie Generale scents that completely lack even a slightest hint of gourmand. It is an elegant perfume, edgy (just the right amount of "edgy", not too much) and aloof, enigmatic in a cold rather than sultry sort of way. I think of it as “Grace Kelly for the 2000s”, dressed in Comme des Garcons rather than Dior garments. I liked Psychotrope very much and would love to own a bottle.

If I understand correctly, Psychotrope will be available starting in February, in Aromateka in Moscow.

Ароматека
Москва, Галерея ZAR, Рублевское шоссе, д. 42, стр. 1
тел.: +7 (495) 509-7287

Aromateka
Moscow, Gallery ZAR, Rublyovskoe Avenue, 42/1

I am not sure whether it is possible to buy this scent directly from Parfumerie Generale. If you find out more, please share the info!