St. Louis Artisan Perfumer Shawn Maher launching Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked on May 15, 2021©
St. Louis-based artisanal perfumer Shawn Maher continually delights us with his singular creative approach to perfumery. He heralds the blossoming seasons which inspired him to compose a lilting fragrance – one which fairly dances with unbridled optimism, yet manages to shy away from the superficial. This is frankly no mean feat because, in addition – if Shawn creates a scent there has to be a novel, unanticipated aspect to it. He relishes chiaroscuro, contrast – and this is admirably demonstrated in his soon-to-be-released Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked.
via Getty Images The altar of the Zagreb Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Croatia©
Sun Soaked is shot through with the warmth of sunlight streaming through a clerestory cathedral window, infusing illumination everywhere it makes contact. These majestic windows are located well above eye level, a common feature in Roman basilicas, Romanesque and Gothic churches; not only intended for greater light, their purpose was also to provide fresh air. Their lineage goes as far back as ancient Egypt and King Solomon’s temple, by biblical accounts. The images which appeared before me as I sprayed my sample summoned the holy light and a paradisaical natural setting in tandem.
Collage and Special effects by Michelyn Getty Image, Maher Olfactive, Dr. Elise Pearlstine
Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked spirals around all things orange: blossom, leaf, bigarade, even the aldehyde (C10 is a particularly sweet, fatty and floral with an orange peel feel). Orange is not alone, however; her intoxicating loveliness is augmented by an indolic narcissus absolute and exquisitely quirky cassis notes. Fruitiness wends its way among the flowers on several levels and helps counterbalance the animalic: Cassifix®, for example, tempers black currant’s sulfuric nature, because it’s sweetly fruity and green and has none. Rhubofix® adds complementary woody floral spice tones which are zesty and reminiscent of rhubarb; Apritone, in contrast – is a very jammy apricot which is chummy with all of the above. Apple’s persona pops up in a particularly fruity chamomile and a component from fruitier roses, damascone alpha. Along comes Vetikone®, with its fascinating almost tropical feel: sulfuric grapefruit peel, honey, gardenia and verdant roots; it finds fellow exoticism in tamarind’s sweet/sour/spiciness. The complexity of this aromatic give-and-take is dizzying if one tries to analyze it.
photo by Jacob Meister©
Shawn’s beautiful base is similarly intricate and spans the woody/sweet spicy/leathery/musky deftly seasoned with a pinch (no more) of incensey elements and a smattering of beeswax absolute for rounded sunny sweetness. What I particularly enjoy is the lack of scratchiness one frequently encounters in the woody/musky realm. Despite an ample dose of labdanum (I love it) and potentially heavy-hitting materials, there is a downy quality to this substantive underpinning. Any one of the elements is all too easy to overdose, with resultant heaviness and olfactory clamor – much like people shouting over one another in a crowded bar in order to be heard. Sun Soaked is both highly unusual and wearable as it takes you on a journey (the way I believe fine fragrance should).
Shawn Maher has manifested a fragrant equilibrium in Maher Olfactive Sun Soaked: sweet, sour, bitter, narcotic, grassy, fruity, floral; woods baring teeth tantalizingly. And all of them bathed in a glowing diaphanous light, redolent of opulent optimism.
Notes: aldehyde C10, Egyptian neroli, bitter orange petitgrain essential oil, neryl acetate, Rhubofix® (Firmenich), Corps Oranger® (Symrise), narcissus absolute, tamarind, Apritone (Bedoukian), Vetikone® (Symrise), black currant bud absolute, Cassifix® (IFF), damascone alpha, chamomile absolute, cypriol, Texas cedar, amber accord (labdanum, ethyl vanillin, olibanum, elemi, Iso E Super® (IFF), Habanolide® (Firmenich), ambrettolide, beeswax absolute)
Sample kindly provided by the perfumer – many thanks, Shawn! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Deputy Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
Maher Olfactive Sun-Soaked courtesy of Maher Olfactive
Thanks to the generosity of Shawn Maher of Maher Olfactive, we are able to offer an avant premiere bottle of Sun Soaked which launches May 15th, 2021 for one registered reader worldwide. To be eligible, please leave a comment explaining what appeals to you about Ida’s review and where you live. Do you have a favorite Maher Olfactive perfume? Draw closes May 8, 2021
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