MAISON CRIVELLI
Tubereuse Astrale
2024
PERFUMER
Quentin Bisch
cinnamon
cumin
carrot seed
osmanthus absolute
tuberose absolute
patchouli
leather
cistus absolute
vanilla
‘For this new opus, Thibaud Crivelli was inspired by one of his childhood memories: a personal experience of discovering tuberoses while observing comets and the Milky Way. This powerful and surprising sensory shock inspired Thibaud to work on this white flower, an essential ingredient of Haute Parfumerie, in a new light. Tubereuse Astrale is based on an unexpected contrast between a shimmering tuberose and the creaminess of velvety leather with peach skin accents Tuberose Astrale opens with a powdery, warm and sensual note of cinnamon, enhanced by a very slight hint of cumin – an ingredient which is not perceptible but which helps to reinforce the hook of the note The heart reveals three key ingredients: a very beautiful quality of tuberose absolute from India with honeyed and creamy facets, an osmanthus absolute from China which completes the perfume of its leathery and peach skin facet, as well as an oil essential carrot seed which extend the powdery and fruity facet of the creation. The base is built around a leathery, velvety, musky and vanilla accord, completed by a touch of patchouli from Indonesia and cistus absolute from Spain. These ingredients bring comfort and suppleness to the perfume, while supporting the powdery and floral note with an addictive and resolutely modern structure.’ – Maison Crivelli
The Crivelli extraits have been hit or miss for me so far; Patchouli Magnetik was a no for me, Hibiscus Mahajad and Amber Chromatique are very interesting, but Oud Maracuja was the clear stand out for me so far. Tuberose can be tricky, so I was very curious about this one and I have to say, it’s nothing like what I’d imagined it to be. Spoiler: Surprised in a very positive way.
I mean, it is almost exactly what the notes say it is, so it should not come as a surprise, yet, I was surprised.
This is largely because of the healthy dose of cumin, which has to be up there with my favorite renditions of cumin for me. Not challenging, more towards the food side than the sweaty side, but very much perceptible in the first hour (as opposed to what the brand’s description claims). Combined with a brighter carrot scent; more towards the fresh vegetable, than earthy and rooty. Both the freshness and the cumin fade within the second hour.
The spiciness in the opening would fit in line with Bisch’s Ganymede and B683 Extrait for Marc-Antoine Barrois, if they made a gourmand-leaning release.
Despite the cumin, tuberose and leather, which are all there, I have to say it wears much more manageable than I figured. Slightly fruity at first, powdery, with some chai or tea-like hints to my nose. Moreover, this gets very sweet and vanillic, even within the first hour. And the more it dries, the more it feels drenched in vanilla, but a great quality syrupy one. At first it seems to go more leathery, but that sticks around as a non-overpowering side of the composition.
Last, but not least, how about that tuberose? This would not register as a tuberose scent straight away for me, if at all. It has the creamy, dense and sweeter side, but much less of the carnal, indolic or bubblegummy facets. Almost like a creamy vanillic gardenia; this reminded me of a much cozier, warmer take on Andy Tauer Sotta La Luna Gardenia for example.
Tubereuse Astrale is versatile, despite being rather unique and eccentric. I think it instantly became my favorite from Maison Crivelli. Spicy, creamy, cozy, sweet, floral. It has a little bit of everything. Not quite a gourmand, but definitely not what I’d expect from a tuberose either and it has an addictive quality to it. To the wishlist it goes (I bought a travel size as pictured below in the meantime).
