HIRAM GREEN
SLOWDIVE
2017
PERFUMER
Hiram Green
Orange Blossom
Neroli
Beeswax
Tobacco blossom
Dried Fruits
Tuberose
Resins
‘Slowdive is a warm tobacco-themed fragrance that captures the mood of those languid afternoons when the sweetness of the Indian summer air is almost palpable. The heady scent of summer flowers and the humming of bees surround you as you flee the high summer sun. The fragrance opens with fresh and flowery top notes of neroli and orange blossom before tobacco blossom, honey and beeswax take over. The heart – rich and deep, with hints of dried fruit and creamy tuberose – is delicately anchored by a base of warm resins that give Slowdive its soft and exotic touch.’ – Hiram Green
I’ve had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Hiram Green’s Slowdive. When I initially smelled it, it became a favorite of mine quickly and I opted to buy it instead of Voyage 2019, which had just been released at the time. Eventually I ended up getting and preferring Voyage, but Slowdive has a lot going for it regardless.
I’d say Slowdive is the best ‘alternative’ to Zoologist’s ever-popular Bee and I do prefer Hiram’s rendition. Slowdive takes the full-on sweetness of honey and adds a deeper layer of almost intoxicating floral touches. I probably didn’t know what Tuberose was when I first got my hands on Slowdive, but now I can imagine the slight indolic nature in this composition. Overall, there’s a heady component that rears it’s head when wearing Slowdive and it makes for a slightly active wearing; as if it draws attention and energy from the wearer.
The sweetness is almost cloyingly strong, but kept in check just enough. However it’s heady nature and pretty linear development made it so that I ended up not wearing it as much as I originally thought I would (the same goes for Zoologist Bee, which I feel is even more linear). It’s a great honey-focussed scent nonetheless, probably only topped by others that are less focused on the note for me (like Thomas de Monaco’s excellent Raw Gold).
