Christopher Brosius

Christopher Brosius is one artist who constantly pushes the envelope, when it comes to originality and uniqueness. His uncanny ability to bottle memories and points in time astounds me-not only with the quality of ingredients and construction; but with how spot on and “true” they smell. Perfumes like “Gathering Apples” and “I Am a Dandelion” deliver what the names promise, and then some. When my sample of Invisible Monster arrived, I had no idea (from its name) what to “osmagine”. What greeted my nose was something I had never smelled before, in a perfume…but it did resonate with me on a mnemonic and nostalgic level.

from l. to r. Jonny Quest, Bandit and Hadji

Though we have never met, Mr. Brosius and I have a lot in common. We both hail from Pennsylvania, we are both passionate about perfume (love and hate are horns on the same goat, my aunt Roberta used to say) and, it seems, both of us were inspired by Saturday morning cartoons and spent hours playing “make believe” with friends in the wilds of our home state. The newest installment of his Secret History Series is inspired by his love of cartoon character Jonny Quest and his wild and wonderful adventures, and how he used to imagine being Jonny on the Susquehanna River as a young lad. Imagination was something my best friend and I (and obviously this perfumer) actually preferred to any game or toy. We could be anyone anywhere and do anything! Now, the scents and smells of imaginative youth and those carefree forest frolics are captured in a bottle.

Sumac

When I first opened Invisible Monster and gave it a sniff, there was a strange undertone…even in the bottle. Something ever so slightly dank and (to be honest) almost mildew-like greeted my nose. It was not unpleasant, just strange. Invisible monster indeed! There was something “lurking” in that vial, something odd and altogether different that was making me think of the forests of home. A deep and rich loam smell, like the forest floor has, and a strange and slightly damp floral accord I could not place, but knew instantly. What was that??! I dabbed some on each wrist, and on my neck and chest…the richness of the forest surrounded me. After the rich fertile scent of leaves and trees had subsided I knew what it was: sumac!! 

Yo Ran

Where I grew up in southwestern PA, the sumac trees bloom in the summer and its thick dense clusters of magenta blossoms feel like velvet and smell like a combination of lemon, blackberry pie and dust (if that makes any sense). Nothing else looks or smells quite like it, and I can see how the branches hanging over the river inspired Mr. Brosius to think of rich and exotic jungle flowers dangling over a mighty jungle waterway. This particular flower has been combined with a rare Chinese orchid (Yo Ran) which also has a dry lemony floral scent and merges perfectly with the sumac to create a feeling that is exotic, and at the same time very familiar. Tartly fruity, yet still floral and dry, this is anything but a fruity-floral!

 

Jungle River by Razz

The backdrop for these dry citric floral aromas is a superb blending of the slightly sour and sharp green of oak moss along with the cool grassiness of vetiver, not to mention an intensely loud and dry galbanum. I believe it was the galbanum that added that “odd” twinge to the opening. Three very different aspects of green have been combined to simulate the depth, thickness and beauty of a tropical jungle, one that is no doubt rife with bad guys and ferocious and strange beasts. It never smells “too strong” or too tropical, just rich and delightfully different. Other accords were specially created to bring the scent of the islands in the Susquehanna River to life. Throughout its development Invisible Monster is earthy, slightly damp; floral but also green and woody. I have never smelled these islands, but my parent’s house was along the northwest branch of the Susquehanna and it definitely captures the scent of swollen summer river and the accompanying flora and fauna with a few imaginative additions.

Invisible Monster is hard to pin down, in terms of sillage, as it opens intensely (two drops of perfume absolute, dabbed lightly, were detectable across the room-at first). It surrounds you in an otherworldly aroma of strange and enticing notes before the thick leaves part and the beauty of the flowers capture your attention. At this stage, it projects slightly; but feels as if there are flowers blooming around you-not like you rolled in them. As it drifts further down the river, you are covered in the cool shade of the canopy and the warm woodiness of the trees (both evergreen and deciduous) and a warm thick summer breeze. In the ultimate finish it is more of a skin scent and fades to a cool muskiness like you have just had an adventure and are heading home as the shadows of evening are falling.

 

Imagination by archanN

Many perfumes evoke memories from our past, be it the smell of Chanel No5 on our moms or the scent of pine, cinnamon, clove and orange making us think of Christmas. This particular scent evokes (in me) the memory of youthful playing in the forest (though in my mind I was on a strange planet wielding magic and my best friend was a powerful warrior who escaped from the mines) and reminds me that even now, in my forties, there are still adventures to be had, surprising things to be found around the next bend in life’s river and that your imagination only atrophies when you stop using it. This weekend I am going to take the dogs into the forest, don some of this perfume and have an adventure! Sillage: variable (see above). Longevity: good.   

Disclosure: Review based on 2mL perfume absolute sample provided by CB I HATE PERFUME.

–John Reasinger, Editor