GOLDFIELD & BANKS
SUNSET HOUR
2022
PERFUMER
Honorine Blanc
Mandarin
Desert Peach (Quandong)
Raspberry
Jasmin Sambac aBSOLUTE
Ginger
Pink Pepper
Sandalwood
cashmeran
Benzoin
‘As a blazing sun dips into the Indian Ocean, the scent of fragrant native fruit pervades the languorous evening breeze. A heavenly elixir of citrus and spicy delights awaits, giving way to a deliciously gourmand and sensuous floral heart. Best served at sunset hour! Fun and frivolous from the onset, Sunset Hour opens with a crisp pear, mandarin and desert peach accord – a tart peach- and rhubarb-nuanced fruity note with a distinctive salt crusted, sun-kissed skin feel. Carrying through the heart, jasmine’s rich white floralcy with green mango, ginger and coconut cream enhance the tropical exoticism of the desert peach as pink pepper lends sharpness to this central ingredient’s tartness. All the while, Australian sandalwood, itself a close relative of the Quandong, provides a spiced-green-woodsy springboard for the fruity decadence of the coconut and desert peach, which carry through to the plush musk-vanilla base. ‘ – Goldfield & Banks
Sunset Hour definitely captures the mood that I would expect given it’s name. It’s a golden, sparkling, fruity, sweet and floral scent that has a Spring/Summer vibe with enough sweetness and body to make it perfectly suitable for the Summer evenings.
What sets Sunset Hour apart mostly from other popular sweet florals that I’m familiar with (thinking in the style of Kilian Love Don’t Be Shy, Memo Sintra, Parfums de Marly Oriana) is that it’s brighter. There’s a stronger citrus presence and I think the ginger is the star (supporting role) of the show. I don’t know the quandong (an Australian sort of peach), so maybe that’s partially responsible for the tartness that I attribute to the ginger.
The quandong and raspberry make the opening fruity and lean very… girly, is what came to mind. To be honest, this is not a fragrance that I would personally gravitate towards. Some of my favorites to wear are women’s marketed florals, however Sunset Hour is more playful, youthful and sweet. Which makes it very uplifting and by no means a bad experience to wear for me, but it’s not something I’d have in my regular rotation. I prefer the drydown, when the fruitiness is subdued a bit and this airy vanilla takes over.
Aside from not exactly being the right audience for Sunset Hour, I was glad to finally get my nose on Goldfield & Banks. I think their presentation and pricing are on point. Also a shout-out to the excellent atomizer.
