Aedes de Venustus, the first niche perfumery in NYC re image by TSF

Aedes De Venustas on New York’s Christopher Street is an important destination for any serious lover of niche scent. The bijou boutique opened its doors in 1995, inviting a curious world into its plush, papal interiors to sample hitherto elusive and artisanal fragrances from all over the world. The Creative Directors Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner are in many ways the olfactory godfathers of niche, introducing clients to a hand-picked and esoteric mix of international and home-grown perfume talent.

In 2008, the duo collaborated with Bertrand Duchaufour and L’Artisan Parfumeur on an initial house scent and then a fabulous full-blown smoky signature, Venustas Eau de Parfum in 2012, again made with Bertrand. Two more singular scents followed, Iris Nazarena in 2013 (signed by Ralf Schwieger) and the growly sensual Oeillet Bengale by Rodrigo-Flores Roux in early 2014. This collection of inventive and stylish scents cemented Karl and Robert’s reputations as both arbiters and creators of vibrantly different perfume.

Aedes de Venustus Copal Azur EDP re image by TSF

The latest launch from Karl and Robert is Copal Azur and what a strange thing it is, a milky, saline collision of smoke and glittering blue ocean. Karl was travelling in the Yucatan when he first encountered the full aromatic force of copal, as it seemed to be a constant theme in the surrounding air. It suggested a scent to him and a chance to revisit an olfactory friendship with Bertrand Duchaufour. The most impressive aspect of the scent for me is the adroit balance of sea and smoke; it’s like two weather fronts running side by side, nuzzling but not quite engaging.

Bertrand Duchaufour, Perfumer Extraordinaire re image by TSF

Copal Azur uses two strong themes, smoke and oceanics. Ozonic and aquatic notes such as Helional, Melonal, Aphermate and Calone are extremely potent materials; I was really intrigued by Bertrand’s handing of such potentially volatile and overwhelming notes. Interested to know he achieved such delicate and astute equilibrium Was it simply a case of diluting the materials or careful dosage? It became one of two questions I got a chance to ask Bertrand Duchaufour, thanks to my Editor in Chief Michelyn Camen and François Duquesne, CEO of Beauty Enterprise. Bertrand replied: ‘It is actually both. The superior quality of the frankincense (sourced at Art & Parfum in Grasse) makes this marriage easy and I dosed it very carefully. Also the maturation and maceration times prior to production are extremely important steps. In this case, very long, over six weeks, which adds to the overall coherence and quality of the fragrance.’

Sediment off the Yucatan -Image By TSF

Copal Azur is very different from the ecclesiastical or dry temple environs of any of Bertrand Duchaufour’s previous incense incarnations; this is a celebration of land and sea, of fire and blue shimmering depth, of smoke on water. He has washed his signature fumes in the azure waters of the Caribbean, creating a unique scent that eschews the usual queasy boredom of humdrum aquatics by contrasting the smooth bright salinity with a kindled smoulder drifting across clear blue skies. Bertrand is very well know for his use of incense and soft transparent woods so I am intrigued by his use of an ozonic facet in Copal Azur. When he made Chypre Palatin for MDCI, it felt like a delicious neo-chypré, an attempt to modernise the trope without the age-old dryness of oakmoss and the usual classic formulations. In my second question to Bertrand I wanted to ask him if he might consider Copal Azur as a neo-fougère, a brave and pagan riff on Davidoff’s Cool Water. I know he tends to avoid classification of his work, but I thought I would ask anyway. He replied: ‘It is hard for me to classify what I do generally and especially in this case. I leave it to the perfume critics! The first fragrance I made for Aedes de Venustas in 2012 has been described by some as a chypré, woody or fruity. All that matters is that people have a reaction to my work and enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed creating it.’

Copal resin with termites- Image by TSF

Copal is the resin of various South American trees used extensively for censing in religious ceremonies. The word derives from an Aztec Nahuatl word coaplli, meaning incense. As the ‘blood’ of trees, copal would be offered through up smoke (per fumum) to the gods. For the culturally obsessed Bertrand Duchaufour, copal must have seemed like the most divine inspiration for a scent. Copal can’t be used directly in scent, so Bertrand has used three extractions of frankincense to produce an intensely chic and resinous adaptation of this striking material. Myrrh and patchouli enhance the warmth of the frankincense notes, bolstering a sense of sinuous worship and religiosity. My favourite part of the composition is a moment of lull and milky calm as tonka and briny amber settle in, underpinning the flickering fumes of imagined copal; it feels buoyant, floating both in ocean and in air, buffeted by salt and waves and air and wing.

The majesty of Duchaufour creations is a discreet yearning for faith and its attendant mysteries. Copal Azur is one of his most enigmatic and curious creations to date, a seemingly contradictory and yet defiantly harmonious tableau of smoke on warm blue waters.

Disclosure – Sample of Copal Azur kindly supplied by Beauty Enterprises.

The Silver Fox, Sr Editor and Editor of The Silver Fox

Aedes de Venustas Copal Azur sample image by MC

Editor's Note: Iris Nazarena was the recipient of the Fragrance Foundation 2014 Award for Perfume Extraordinaire. I also own a bottle of Une Histoire de Chypre by Aedes de Venustus that I bought from Karl and Robert in 2008. It was made in collaboration with Molinard. If you are reading this, please bring it back-MC

Thanks to Beauty Enterprises and Aedes De Venustus we have a carded sample of Copal Azur for any reader in the USA, Canada or EU. To be eligible please leave comment with why you enjoyed this review, if you have a favorite Aedes Venustus Perfume and where you live. Draw closes 11/20/2014

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