New Perfume Review: Tauerville Hyacinth And A Mechanic (Andy Tauer) + Perfume as Storytelling Draw

Vladmir Kush

 

"Perfume is storytelling.  Perfume comes with a beginning and an end. And in between is the story that unfolds differently for everybody. It is a story that cannot be explained by notes or ingredients. It lives on skin and in the moment. Perfume must be experienced." -Andy Tauer

 Jonathan Wolstenholme

Andy Tauer creates scents that tell stories and are somewhat polarizing, and I mean that in a very positive way. Tauer perfumes love them or hate them rarely leave people feeling ambivalent. His perfumes re-invent, challenge, and get people talking. I like to think of them as the "performance art" pieces of the perfume world; non-traditional scents you simply must try, but might make you think twice before wearing them to work, a social outing, or out in the world in general. These are scents that I personally enjoy wearing alone at home, so I can douse myself and wander through whatever universe, journey, or fantasy they provide at that moment. Meditative. Some I love and some I don't and isn't that true of every Perfumers work?

One of his latest releases,  inspired by a project from about 10 years ago, is "Hyacinth And A Mechanic" EDT (for the sake of brevity, HAAM), however before you dash off to order a bottle, just know that it is probably unavailable, but that may change sometime in the future. Or not. This current run of HAAM was available in the USA only at the launch parties for Tauer's new "A Coeur Du Desert", and only by buying this fragrance during the event.

Digitalized  Hyacinths and Fred with Tyre Karin Wilzig

So why write about HAAM when it's unavailable; simply because it's gorgeous! And strange. And compelling.  The notes of "Hyacinth And A Mechanic" are listed as: "Hyacinth; spicy green floral beauty. Some roses, maybe. In the air: the toolbox, the woods of workbenches, the sweet oily perfume of a garage and men at work. Leather, oily skin and flowers." This is a gorgeous melange of heady purple floral strewn out on a concrete garage floor, the narcotic spring-like scent mixing with the smells of oil, metal, petrachor… the totally recognizable smell of a garage. With pots and pots of hyacinth. Flowers and hot rubber tires and sweat,  A scent that straddles the vague delineation between masculine and feminine, Hetero and homo-erotic.

Peter Paul Rubens, The Death of Hyacinth, c. 1636

The original Greek myth of Hyacinth finds Apollo the god of music, healing, light, and truth, falling head-over-heels in love with the young man Hyacinthus, but accidentally kills him by hitting him in the head with a discus during a competition. Where Hyacinthus' blood soaked the ground, purple and white phallic-shaped flowers sprung up. Apollo was so bereft at the death of his paramour, that he emblazoned the leaves of the flower with the Greek symbol for the word "Alas! or Woe!".

Fred With Tires By Herb Ritts 1984

This is a story made for Grand Guignol theatre or a La Scala Opera production. Actually I keep picturing a contemporary opera set in a garage or Autobahn service center, where Apollo is the owner and handsome mechanic and Hyacinth is a flat-tire customer who get killed by a carelessly thrown hubcap….. And the mechanic of course, is that tire-toting model from the famous Herb Ritts photo from the 80's. There we go again;  Tauer perfumes always tell a story to me…

–Robert Herrmann, Contributor

Disclosure: I purchased my bottle at Scentbar in LA (luckyscent.com) and opinions are my own

ART:MC

Signed Bottle of the limited edition Stories of Hyacinth and the Mechanic

 To begin the New Year in the spirit of giving, Robert is offering his  personal (signed by Andy Tauer) 100 ml bottle of Hyacinth and a Mechanic for a registered reader click here in the CON US. To be eligible, please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Robert’s review, if you have a favorite Andy Tauer fragrance and if you are familiar with this fragrance. Draw closes 1/7/2016

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

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21 comments

  • Amber says:

    I so want to smell this “because it’s gorgeous and strange”. Rubber tires, concrete, oil, flowers, how wonderfully odd and evocative! I’m in the US and have smelled a few Tauer perfumes but don’t yet own one. Thank you!

  • Christine says:

    Oh hyacinth is a favorite. I have not smelled this, but would love to. I’ve been using Une Rose Vermeille a lot this winter. Thank you for the chance!

  • Aaron Luke says:

    I have never heard of Hyacinth, but it sounds amazing and would make a wonderful addition to my winter fragrance rotation

  • Elizabeth T. says:

    Robert, that is so very generous of you! Thank you for the wonderful review of a perfume I have not heard of, from a perfumer I love. I love your visual of pots and pots of hyacinths in a garage – what a heady smell it must be! Shame it’s not available to the rest of us, but fingers are crossed that one day… anyway, thanks again for your gift and the review! USA

    (Oh, and my favorite Tauer is Lonestar Memories.)

  • Ellen M says:

    Robert, what an interesting review. It must capture what the fragrance is like. I’ve always loved LADDM. I love hyacinths and can’t imagine them in a garage, but I’m hopeful that I will get a chance to experience it. Thanks so much fof this opportunity. I live in the USA.

  • Steve A says:

    So unique in name and concept I must smell this. I’d like to smell a perfume that has the smell of a totally recognizable garage. My favorite Andy Tauer is Orange Star. U.S.

  • tarena says:

    HAAM sounds like it would smell so incredibly nostalgic for me. My grandpa was a mechanic and my grandma was an avid gardener; I can just imagine that wonderful combo of florals + motor oil. I haven’t tried any Tauer fragrances yet, but I would love for this one to be available in the future! US

  • Patrick Echevarria says:

    Love the metaphors Robert used in describing HAAM. So aptly selected. Was suppose to go to Lucky Scent and pick one HAAM myself but schedule just wouldn’t permit that day and I’m still pissed at myselffor not making it. Currently I only own Fruitchouli from Andy Tauer’s Flash Series and planning to get more from his works. Winning this giveaway will be late Christmas gift that I really wanted.

  • Linda Trujillo says:

    What a beautiful review. That Herb Ritz photo is absolutely perfect for this fragrance. I grew up in a family of classic car collectors who are always working on their cars in the garage which is next to our back yard garden, so this scent is “home” to my nose. Great review!

  • doveskylark says:

    I love the stories behind fragrances. This one sounds like something I’d love to wear. I love the idea of masculine and feminine elements playing off each other. I’m a big fan of Lonestar Memories.
    I live in the USA.

  • Martin says:

    HAMM sounds extremely interesting with its mix of floral, motor oil and sweat. I have been a fan of Andy Tauer and enjoy my full bottle of Lonestar Memories. Thank you Robert for sharing your signed bottle and for sharing the myth of Apollo and Hyacinth.

  • Cynthia says:

    Thank you for the review, Robert, and the generous offer. I remember when this first made the rounds among bloggers several years ago. If memory serves, it was passed around from blogger to blogger (when the numbers were smaller) and each gave their impression. Or maybe I’m imagining that! Anyway, I always thought that the hyacinth, such a distinctive and fresh spring flower, was an unusual choice to throw on the floor of a garage! i’d love to see how it works. Andy was my first niche perfumer and he only had a couple of perfumes when I first discovered him. I like several but my favorite remains the original, L’Air du Desert Morocain. A classic. USA

  • fazalcheema says:

    I agree with Robert that Tauer treats perfume making as telling a story. His perfumes tend to tell tales and his creations are indeed polarizing though that can be a good thing. The interesting thing about Hyacinth and a Mechanic is that the name gives a good idea of what to expect. It does remind one of being a garage, with motor oil aroma. I am aware of this fragrance being a 10-year old project and how this could only be obtained at the events attended by Andy last year. My favorite from Andy is Une Rose de Kandahar. I am in the US.

  • Gvillecreative says:

    WOW, what an incredible opportunity and an interesting review. I remember it as a much-desired cult classic when I first started collecting fragrances but haven’t heard ANYONE compare it to an opera in an Autobahn service center! Ha! I love Andy Tauer fragrances and am a big fan of Hyacinth (L’Artisan Jacinthe de Bois is one of my prized bottles). I haven’t smelled any similar sounding interpretations of hyacinth frags, but vintage Cuir de Russie has an oily/gasoline-y note in it, and I can almost picture how that might smell, when combined with hyacinth. I am just dying to try it!

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    Love the picture series that went along with the review, in addition to mentions of the scent straddling so many boundaries (i.e. masc-femme) because I think Tauer does that really, really well. Hyacinth is also just a favorite scent of mine to smell in nature, and I love the idea of finding a perfume that does something bold and interesting with it. I’m a big fan of Tauer, and have found my loves to be LADDM, Lonesome Rider (and the Orris that it feels based on), Une Rose Chypree, and Carillon Pour un Ange, which also has an oiliness mixed with the greenness and floralcy of a delicate spring flower.

    Thanks for the draw! I’m dying to try this though, alas, the plane ticket to LA seemed a bit excessive of course, and I figured I’d find a sample some day. I’m in the US.

  • Maya says:

    This perfume sounds strange and weird. I am surprised that I think I might actually really like it. Robert Herrmann describes Hyacinth And A Mechanic in such a way that I can imagine what it might smell like. This is something rare for me. I have no real favorite Andy Tauer scent. Thanks for the lovely draw.

  • XendawG says:

    I enjoyed every aspect of the review (like others- an opera in an autobahn service center? Yeah, count me in). That I could not buy this one was getting to me 🙂 This sounds even better than Lonestar Memories. Yeppers, in the US

  • karo says:

    I’ve heard of this fragrance but I’m unfamiliar with it. I find it interesting that this fragrance has a beauty side and a brawn side. Florals with the smells of a garage. Oil, sweat, metal, rubber. I absolutely have to smell this. Thank you so much for reviewing this and doing the giveaway. Une Rose Vermeille is my favorite Tauer. I’m in the US.

  • Richard Potter says:

    I always love everything about Robert’s reviews and wish him a happy birthday and happy new year.

  • Hikmat Sher Afridi says:

    Robert Herrmann you are the true story-teller, thanks for the article and review of a perfume that maybe not available or reformulated. The perfume sounds weird & queer like the name and notes, but certainly it has a beauty, unique & style like Tauer Perfumes have. I haven’t tried any of the Tauer perfumes but favorite on my want list are: LADDM, Incense Flash and Au Coeur du Desert.
    Thanks to the generosity of Robert Herrmann and Cafleurebon for the opportunity by letting my relative address based in NY, US.

  • allaces says:

    I fall in the category of loving Tauers fragrances. The notes on this seem soooo different though. Spicy greens and smells like a garage? I’m severely intrigued. Flowers and hot rubber…tires and sweat? Yes please:) I don’t know if I have a favorite fragrance but his Flash fragrances are definitely in heavy rotation for me during the cooler months. Thanks for the chance. I live in UT USA