I first became interested in fragrance when I was younger, watching my grandmother spray her perfume and seeing how much joy it brought her. I would know when she had entered the room as the aroma of her rose scent would permeate the air and even now the smell of rose reminds me of those carefree days. I became fascinated with how certain scents creates a fragrant bookmark in life, with just one spray transporting you back to that very moment. As soon as I received my first gift of fragrance, I was truly hooked and it slowly opened up the world of scent to me. Since then, I am lucky enough to be able to write about my favourite fragrances and experience many unique fragrances houses.
Recently I discovered the intriguing fragrance house, The Gate Paris founded by Palestinian born Fady Adwan. Like me, after receiving a gift of perfume when he was young, it immediately ignited a true passion in him that opened ‘the gate’ to the world of fragrance. After a career working as a professional photographer and travelling the world, he had numerous jobs in the luxury fragrance industry. His continued enthusiasm, ambition and experience ultimately led him to create his fragrance brand. The brands name The Gate was chosen to interpret the owner’s journey of success, opening that gate to follow that journey and pursue his dreams.
The Gate Paris is committed to producing exclusive fragrances using only the most luxurious ingredients. They currently have 12 stunning fragrances across two collections; The Caravan Collection and Love Collection. I was kindly provided with one of the fragrances from their Love collection entitled Memories described as a ‘Floral-Fruity’ scent. The journey begins with the packaging, a matte black box imprinted with the brands’ logo and flaps that open up like a gate. As you peel back its doors the beautiful bottle glimmers from inside, enticing you to pick it up and explore the wonderful scent from within. The bottle gives a taste of the luxurious vibe that this house exudes, covered in iridescent gold yet still allowing you to glimpse the fragrance inside.
As I sprayed Memories on to the skin I got an immediate and distinguishable cherry note, reminding me of a cherry sherbet that I used to enjoy as a child. This sweet beginning starts to evolve and instead of exuding the tart ripeness that the fruit is known for, it leans more towards a dense Maraschino Cherry. It emanates a rich and addictive aroma, conjuring up images of those glistening preserved cherries drenched in a blanket of syrup. Even though Cherry is the more dominant note, a tinge of Black Raspberry hangs quietly in the background releasing its tart, juicy and slight green nuances. It’s almost as if the fruit just been pulled directly from the bush, its purple juices trickling through and balancing out that initial sweetness.
The heart of the scent begins to reveal a decadently exotic facet, transforming into a deep and dark composition that is truly captivating. A tantalising dose of Tobacco swirls through the fragrance adding a spicy and sweet aspect, punctuating the air like the smoking entrails of a good quality cigar. Memories delve even deeper with the inclusion of Olibanum, its sumptuous woody and spicy attributes pairing well with the tobacco. This rich addition adds a beautiful depth to the fragrance, its sweet and creamy aroma blanketing the skin whilst still allowing those subtleties of cherry to seep through. Delicate soothing floral notes of exotic frangipane also make an appearance, its warm and spicy undertones fluctuating throughout but never fully taking over.
As the fragrance dries down, the presiding cherry note continues to impress even in its more subdued state. Maple Syrup ebbs its way into the fragrance and along with the addition of Tonka Bean, the scent remains sweet and warm until the very end. The lasting sweetness sticks close to the skin, bubbling away like toasted caramel laced with tones of almonds and cinnamon.
Although described as a ‘Floral Fruity’ fragrance, I find it almost teeters on the verge of gourmand. With only a few sprays I was extremely impressed with the projection, sillage and longevity of this perfume, its sensual notes still wavering from the skin after many hours. There is no denying that this is a daring and unique fragrance for individuals who like to stand out from the crowd. This fragrance would make a great evening scent and I’m certainly looking forward to throwing on my blazer, applying this stunning scent and heading out to nearest sophisticated bar.
Fragrance Notes:
Head – Dark Cherry and Black Raspberry
Heart – Dark Tobacco, Olibanum and Frangipani
Base – Maple Syrup and Tonka Bean
Blu Blazer Guy Rating:
Presentation 4/5
Sillage 4.5/5
Projection 4.5/5
Longevity 4.5/5
Fragrance Concentration: Eau de Parfum
£179.00 for 100ml at The Gate Paris or Jovoy Mayfair
BLU BLAZER GUY 