It's been almost a year when I laid my hands on tester of Maison Margiela's perfume By the Fireplace. Since that time, I dived into the deep waters of haute parfumerie, scanning, sniffing, and searching for fragrances that would suit me the most. Today I would like to share some thoughts on my latest discovery, Piper Nigrum by Lorenzo Villoresi.
Having tested various fragrances I kinda understood what notes in a perfume's composition I like. Mostly, it's wood (especially cedar), amber, myrrh (incense), tonka bean, black pepper, leather, whisky, citrus (bergamot, orange), jasmine. My current favorites are perfumes by UNUM -- LAVS, Opus 1144, and Io Non Ho Mani Che Mi Accarezzino il Volto. They all are deep, balsamic, and warm, maybe more suited for evening, but I like to wear them during the day. Nevertheless, I was curious to try another aromas with similar notes in their composition.
Last weekend I went to a perfume flea market in my neighborhood. Large crowd and divinely fragrant atmosphere aside, I was able to test some good aromas (like Bois Doré by Van Cleef & Arpels), but most of them were too sweet, too "airy", I wanted something heavier and spicier. That's how I found myself sniffing my way through the fragrances for men. I found full bottle of Piper Nigrum by Lorenzo Villoresi totally by an accident. I liked its strong peppery top note, so I googled a little bit and found out that this perfume is dedicated both for men and women. After some bargaining I got this bottle pretty cheaply, compared with its price in the boutiques (around 116 USD).
At first, Piper Nigrum is all about black pepper, as states its name. After some time, you start to grasp clove, nutmeg, rosemary. When all the top and middle notes fade away, what's left on your skin is this deep base of amber, wood, and myrrh. It's quite an ambivalent perfume, both strong and sweet at this same time. I really love how it lingers on your skin hours after even most moderate spray. It's a fragrance ideal for sunny autumn afternoons or rainy and cold evenings, when you want something warm and soothing.
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