It’s time for a pop quiz. Name the perfume house which has had different fragrances composed by perfumers Dominique Ropion, Mathilde Bijaoui, Nathalie Lorson, Alberto Morillas, and Dominique Ropion; and retails for around $30 USD per ounce. I think it would be the rare perfumista who would name Roger & Gallet as the right answer. Roger & Gallet is one of my favorite “bargain” brands of perfume. As a company they show that our greatest perfumers can create even when on a strict budget. For 2013 they add to their roster of all-star perfumers with Francis Kurkdjian who is the creative force behind the latest release, Fleure de Figuier.

Francis Kurkdjian

M. Kurkdjian wanted to capture all that there is to capture of a fig tree. In the press release he says, “Focusing solely on the idea of the tree would have misrepresented the concept. Since the fig is also a flower, I gave it a light dimension, more delicate and modern than anything previously created and therefore based the formula on a floral structure. The next step was to incorporate the fruit, but giving it a new aspect as it is often portrayed in a purely raw dimension, a harmony of green and unripe notes.” As M. Kurkdjian notes there are many fig fragrances out there but Fleure de Figuier is something which feels very modern and very different from the other fig scents I own. Fleure de Figuier carries a freshness, which is not trite, over a smooth downy soft heart and base. Fleure de Figuier is a fragrance which wears as easy as a broken-in denim jacket. It feels like it is an effortless perfume and it surrounds me with a sun burnished moment in a Mediterranean grove of fig trees.

Fig Tree by Yvonne Ayoub

Fleure de Figuier uses citrus, in the presence of mandarin and grapefruit, and to that M. Kurkdjian adds caraway. I have mentioned this in the past but I do not know why more perfumers do not use caraway as an alternative to bergamot. The caraway used here in conjunction with the citrus notes creates a vibrant beginning. The fact that caraway is not so common allows for this opening to feel very contemporary. In the heart we get down to the titular notes as M. Kurkdjian takes the green of fig leaves and uses them in overdose to on top of the fruit itself. The fruit, here, is a green, not quite ripe, fig and the leaves impart an even deeper sense of green and also evoke the floralcy M. Kurkdjian mentioned. Together they create a blossom effect more than a fruit effect. The tree itself is represented by cedar drenched in fig milk, luscious, woody, and creamy. The final note is almost a trademark of M. Kurkdjian as he weaves a synthetic white musk across the base notes.

Fleure de Figuier has about six to eight hour longevity and above average sillage.

Fleure de Figuier is one of the best perfumes M. Kurkdjian has made in the past two years. It is clear to me that he was really inspired to make something special with his first fig fragrance. He has succeeded so well that I would easily name Fleure de Figuier one of the best fig scents I own. Furthermore Fleure de Figuier is one of the best new fragrances of 2013 and at the price it is crazy not to own this. If you have never explored Roger & Gallet you owe yourself the pleasure of discovering some of the best perfume by some of the best perfumers at one of the best prices; start with Fleure de Figuier and enjoy the trip.

Disclosure: This review was based on a bottle of Fleure de Figuier I purchased.

Thanks to Roger & Gallet we have a 100mL bottle of Fleure de Figuier plus two minis of the shower gel and body lotion. This is a US only draw. To be eligible leave a comment naming your favorite bang for your buck fragrance; i.e. the best fragrance you own for the least money. The draw will end October 21, 2013.

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

-Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Editor’s Note: Fleure de Figuier is currently in very limited distribution in the US. Check with your local Roger & Gallet stockist to see if it is available in your area.