I have been on a fragrance roll lately! There are so many lovely new scents. I feel like the floral and fruity perfumes I prefer are having a resurgence of popularity in the market, leaving me with so many luscious choices.One of my recent purchases was Dior's new Escale aux Marquises Eau de Toilette ($66). After Portofino and Pondichéry, the first two fragrances in the Escales collection, Dior has opened its doors to a new world - a world that takes us on an exotic journey to French Polynesia, a destination that conjures up a wide range of idyllic images.
François Demachy, Dior perfumer and creator, has created a floral, fresh, and spicy (so says Dior) fragrance, using exceptional raw materials that were carefully selected from the region’s finest, giving the fragrance its feminine and sensual notes. With a cologne spirit, the Escale aux Marquises fragrance is orchestrated around the magnificent Tahitian tiare flower, symbol of welcome and femininity. Spices from the most beautiful islands of the Indian Ocean were also selected to accentuate freshness.
The bottle is dressed in the precious cane motif (dear to the House of Dior) and is transparent, revealing a new color of fragrance: a light and exotic shade of sandy pink that is reminiscent of the sweet life in French Polynesia and the pink sand of exotic beaches.
Reading from the Dior description...
Top note of sweet orange essence: Blood orange is a variety of orange that contains anthocyanin, a pigment common in many types of fruit, but rarely found in citrus, giving its flesh a reddish color. It is a sweet and tasty fruit that's particularly popular in Italy (and my house!). Blood orange essence gives off fresh, energizing tones.
Heart note of pink pepper: The Pepper Tree bears clusters of berries that are used as spice and known as pink pepper or Brazil pepper. Native to South America (Brazil), this tree is now grown on Reunion Island. Its berries are red in color and the size of peppercorns. They grow in clusters and emit an intense spicy fragrance. Pink pepper extract is obtained by using a carbon dioxide extraction technique, which allows the peppercorns to retain their full aroma.
The scrumptious base notes: The Tahitian tiare, which is a small shrub that grows in tropical climates, has snowy white flowers with a sweet and heady fragrance, wavering between tuberose and jasmine, maybe with a touch of gardenia thrown in. Concrete and absolute, with an exotic fragrance and sun-kissed notes, are then obtained by extraction using volatile solvents. The tiare flower is emblematic of French Polynesia and a sacred symbol of welcome and femininity. Tiare flowers are macerated in copra oil in order to produce the famous Monoi of Tahi.
I have read on several blogs that the additional notes include cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, coriander, elemi resin, Amalfi lemon peel, freesia, benzoin, and vanilla. Honestly, my unsophisticated nose can't smell any of these, with the possible exception of the lemon peel and freesia. I hate cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and the like, but I love Escale aux Marquises.
I am a huge fan of tiare - always have been, so this fragrance suits me to a "T." The flowers and fruits marry beautifully with the pink pepper. I don't smell spicy; I don't smell the "noxious spices" that are said to be in the composition. I smell "intriguing." I smell fruit and flowers. It's a light scent. I'm sure that's the nature of the Eau de Toilette I purchased.
This is an easy-to-wear, light, summery scent. I purchased the 2.5-ounce spray for $66 at Nordstrom. If you like white flowers combined with fruits, you should make sure to sample this one!
Photo courtesy of Dior