David Falsberg

Perfumer David Falsberg of Phoenicia Perfumes has been on my radar for some time, but only now have I managed to snag samples of his perfumes. CaFleureBon profiled Mr. Falsberg earlier this year, and his story of becoming drawn to olfactory pursuits while temporarily blinded by an illness is compelling, to say the least. When I received a little box of samples from the FRAGments show in Los Angeles last month, I couldn’t wait to smell them.

In The Laboratory by Jennifer Comstock

Rather than try to review the line, which is small but mighty, I decided to review the scent that really spoke to me, and is actually Mr. Falsberg’s favorite so far. Having worked predominantly with natural fragrance compounds, he wanted to expand his palette with high-quality synthetic aromachemicals.  Gone But Not is the first product of that exploration, and it is a beautiful, intriguing perfume.

Flower Girl by Jasmine Ronel

Gone But Not opens with an intensely floral, boozy bouquet that almost makes me dizzy. One of the head notes is elemi, which I have smelled on its own, and is an odd, earthy, herbal aroma. It is quite evident in the opening of this perfume, and creates a unique atmosphere of antiquity that somehow shies away from being musty or outdated. It also adds a grounded natural feel that juxtaposes with the lift of the synthetics. As the scent progresses, the rose and jasmine notes start to shine. If ever a perfume had a shimmer, this is one; it is heady and bold. The musk in the base gives the perfume stockinged legs to stand on; just enough sex to keep things interesting.

Public Art Piece by Nicole Dextras

Gone But Not is aptly named, because just as you think it has disappeared, you catch a little whiff of something lovely. I am sad that my sample was rather small, as I would have liked to give myself a good drenching. Mr. Falsberg describes this as “grandma’s Joy meets Grandpa’s Jovan Musk with an industrial hint of hair spray.”  I think it is more elegant than that description might lead you to believe, but it is a bit of a throwback to times when perfume was unabashedly and fearlessly worn to make a statement. I will definitely get my hands on more of this one.

Notes: fruit, elemi, cognac, white rose, jasmine, musk

The Phoenicia Perfumes line has Skin Graft, which Mark Behnke has reviewed; a scent called Far NWest, redolent with evergreen; and a very true oud called Realoud (with a variation called Realoud Feral). He is launching a new honeyed floral, Rucher Fleuri, that I am anxious to smell.  Mr Falsberg is one to watch, and I will be watching closely.

I received my samples from Phoenicia Perfumes, and we have a 15 ml bottle of Gone But Not to give away to one lucky reader anywhere in the world. Leave a comment to enter, and remember that our sponsor cannot be liable or responsible for any packages detained or seized by customs. Draw ends August 2, 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

–Tama Blough, Senior Editor