M. Micallef
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Elemi resin erupts first, sharp and resinous, immediately complicated by a zesty lemon-orange duo that sparkles with citrus aldehydes. The effect is almost herbal-citric, vaguely reminiscent of an old apothecary's cabinet—bright but with an underlying peppery warmth that prevents it from feeling clean or fresh in the conventional sense.
The florals emerge gradually, with violet's cool, slightly peppery character providing surprising harmony with the remaining elemi spice. Ylang ylang and jasmine soften the composition's edges, introducing a creamy, almost waxy quality that melds the citreous top into something more sensual. The spice never fully retreats—it continues threading through as a subtle counterpoint.
Musk and vanilla establish themselves as the primary inhabitants, with cedarwood imparting a dry, almost dusty woody texture that prevents excessive sweetness. What remains is remarkably refined: a soft amber-woody whisper with residual spice notes ghosting across the skin, intimate enough to require proximity to appreciate fully.
Les 4 Saisons - Hiver announces itself as a contradiction: a winter fragrance that refuses to hibernate. Geoffrey Nejman has constructed something peculiarly luminous for the season, where elemi resin's peppery, almost medicinal bite collides with bright citrus (orange and lemon) that feels stolen from Mediterranean afternoons. This isn't the austere, spiced darkness you might expect from a winter composition. Instead, the perfumer threads a floral heart through the composition's skeletal framework—ylang ylang brings its waxy, slightly green earthiness, whilst violet contributes a cool, talcy restraint that prevents the florals from cloying. Jasmine arrives softer, diffusing into the arrangement rather than dominating it.
The base reveals the fragrance's true character: a restrained amber accord built from musk and vanilla rather than overtly sweet gourmandise. Cedarwood provides structure, a dry woody backbone that anchors what could otherwise feel scattered. This is where the spice threads (88% spicy accord, remarkably high for such a restrained composition) prove vital—they prevent the vanilla-musk marriage from becoming drowsy or powdery.
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3.6/5 (98)