J’s image of Essential Parfums Velvet Iris

Velvet Iris is Essential Parfums latest release composed by master perfumer Dominique Ropion at the helm. As an iris perfume lover, I was very excited to smell Velvet Iris and of course Monsieur Ropion is not doing the expected here, rather he’s taking us on a new sensorial adventure. It’s the second perfume I’ve smelled recently from Dominique Ropion that’s had an unexpected green feel to it. The surprise of Essential Parfums Velvet Iris is a delight and it’s refreshing to smell a perfume that is truly special.

Perfumer Dominique Ropion and Essential Parfums Velvet Iris courtesy of the brand.

Velvet Iris crackles with fresh and green spices as it opens. Pink pepper pops and fizzes in air adding an exciting sensation and is joined by a unique complex array of aromas. That spiced initial spark turns darker, with a bitter sweetness that slips into a cool camphor rootiness with a cool green minty aroma. The pink pepper explosion seems to have ruptured the earth with turmeric leaves, warm spices seeping through dry ground as buchu leaf’s roots push through foreshadowing something that’s blooming below. Velvet Iris has a unusual opening with lots of aromatic herbaceous greens with sharp balsamic almost medicinal aromas that slowly start to soften. The turmeric leaf is stunningly rich, packed with complex yet subtle aromas and gives Velvet Iris a unique presence in its opening stages.

The iris of Velvet Iris reveals itself now. A soft powdery sensation seems to seep out from the turmeric and buchu leaf, its soft and powdery with a crisp fresh rooty greenness. The iris is more part of the atmosphere around this greenness, you can feel stems growing with a rich balsamic for tree sap giving Velvet Iris a warm woody and rich tone packed with aromatics yet handled delicately. Dominique Ropion handles each of these complex materials in a light and elegant way, letting the darkness playing off the light while also giving some of the more raw ugliness of nature, which cleverly makes the beautiful elements of Velvet Iris shine brightly. Galbanum’s greens feel fresh as they shot through the rich earthy ground dripping with fresh sap as more and more powdery iris warms on your skin.

Essential Parfums Velvet Iris PR images courtesy of the brand.

Velvet Iris blossoms with soft, woody, powdery petals humming with an earthy sweetness. It’s dry and stays closer to finely shaved woods giving a seductive sensation of the soft fuzz of velvet. The dry irones conjure this feel, its softer than chalk powder, edging close to silk with a swirl of abstract florals, especially violet but not the Palma sweet kind rather the sensation of the soft petals, with a wink of chocolate that shifts into a rich earthy balsamic resinous subtle sweetness. Velvet Iris feels cloud like here it immerses you it’s this seductive soft sensation of iris flower petals that’s very alluring in the air as you move.

Essential Parfums Velvet Iris wears like a gentle embrace of a lover’s caress, sandalwood’s soft creamy woods feel like naked flesh with a gentle suede nap gliding ever so slowly over it. The IFF Saffiano TM molecule smells like the most luxurious soft leather, you get the richness of the outer side giving Velvet Iris an air of refinement with the texture of the reverse adding that soft and subtle yet very seductive sensation that teases you as your wear it. It’s not overt, but rather as if a gentle touch traced over your skin. Labdanum purrs with a gentle smoky voice in your ear as this suede sensation does its magic. Imagine crushed velvet being moved over your skin by a warm summers breeze and you’re getting close to this delicious sensation with gentle sweet warm woody kisses of mastic interspersed. As you get more intimate with the scent, you can feel little bites of green sink into the sandalwood and leather keeping that green aromatic iris opening fresh in your mind.

J’s image of Essential Parfums Velvet Iris

The dry down leaves a beautiful trail swirling in the air, keeping the creamy woods close to you. Essential Parfums Velvet Iris is spectacular for warmer weather, keeping you feeling fresh. There are glimmers of coconut shavings teasing out more of the sandalwood milky notes giving it’s a joyful touch as you sink into this musky powdery woody suede haze that lingers for many hours on skin. Velvet Iris is a beautiful twist on iris; it’s a wonderful rich journey that a delight to wear.

Notes: Pink Pepper, Turmeric Leaf, Buchu Leaf, Galbanum, Lentisque, Iris Concrete, Sandalwood, Labdanum and SaffianoTM.

Disclosure: Essential Parfums Velvet Iris was sent to J, his thoughts and nose are his own.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist & olfactive writer.

Essential Parfums Velvet Iris courtesy of the brand.

Thanks to the generosity of Essential Parfums, we have a draw for a 100ml bottle of Essential Parfums Velvet Iris for one registered reader in the USA or EU or UK. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about J’s review, if you have a favorite Essential Parfums fragrance, and where you live. Draw closes 7/13/2025

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