Agonist Liquid Crystal: Searching for Melancholy + ‘Edvard Munch’ Draw

 Edvard Munch's "Melancholy"

Agonist has released their third fragrance, Liquid Crystal. Their first two releases, Kallocain and The Infidel, were unique compositions some would call them weird. Kallocain was a mix of unusual accords like tomato leaf, and rice all over a linen aquatic mix. Kallocain was unexpectedly bright for a fragrance from a company which says it “is inspired by the Nordic climate and culture with its melancholy.” The Infidel managed to find cumin that wasn’t so cumin-y and consequently it allowed the other notes to take The Infidel very deep. Both fragrances didn’t smell like many other scents out there but I wasn’t getting the desired “melancholy” Agonist was after. Would Liquid Crystal be the fragrance that pulled off Agonist’s stated design credo?

 

 

The one thing Agonist has accomplished is the creation of amazing flacons to hold these fragrances. Designed and realized by Asa Jungnelius of Kosta Boda Glassworks they add an artistic flair to this line. They all share an unusual beauty while touching a bit on the surreal; they feel like they match the juice inside. When the picture of Liquid Crystal appeared in the press materials I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be melancholy or dark.

 

 

Fabrice Pellegrin is the nose for Liquid Crystal and his recent composition of Diptyque Eau Duelle was a triumph of minimal design. Liquid Crystal, based on the note list, looked like M. Pellegrin was going to work the other side of the street .

Liquid Crystal starts off with bergamot and lavender and it almost seems too pedestrian for an Agonist fragrance. The spicy duet of clove and oregano comes forward to realize my expectations of what Agonist is usually like. M. Pellegrin lets the strong clove hold the center but the lavender, at first, followed by the oregano make this surprisingly almost herbal in its nature. How one reacts to this herbal phase will be what decides whether that person finds Liquid Crystal wearable.

Edvard Munch, Summer Night  1889

For me, it is not an easy accord to fall in love with at first sniff, but as I wore it more I began to enjoy it more. That herbal nature very slowly gives way to vetiver and coumarin and it feels quite seamless. The base is called a praline accord and it is here, where Liquid Crystal turns almost sticky sweet. Almond and an almost vanillic sugar come out.  The transition could be jolting but it actually works here almost like dessert after a particularly aromatic entrée. In the note list immortelle was listed but after three wearings of Liquid Crystal I was never able to pick it up.  Which felt like a loss to me because I think it would have been an appropriate addition.

Liquid Crystal has almost 24-hour longevity and average sillage.

Agonist does manage to live up to its unusual pedigree quite easily with Liquid Crystal. M. Pellegrin has created an herbal sweet confection; and while it isn’t a bright ray of sunshine it sure doesn’t qualify as melancholy either.

Disclosure: This review was based on a sample purchased from Luckyscent.

Mark Behnke, Managing Editor

Thanks to our friends at Luckyscent we have one sample of Liquid Crystal to give away to one commenter below.

The draw closes Sunday February 6th.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


24 comments

  • taffynfontana says:

    The bottles are extraordinary but such exorbitant prices. too rich for my blood sad to say

  • being a huge fan of infidels I can´t wait to try this new release. The bottle is a piece of art and worth the money alone. Kosta is highly collectable and I´m sure this flacon will be desired by glasscollectors in a few years time. 

  • I really like the sound of these notes and would love to try them on me.
    The bottles are special, I do wish I could see them in real life. 🙂

  • Sounds like an interesting line that I keep seeing here, there, and everywhere. Please enter me in the draw.

  • The bottles are extraordinarily beautiful. Perhaps the melancholy comes from knowing I won't be one of the 300 people paying $1150 for the Liquid Crystal bottle. (Actually not unreasonable for a limited edition piece of Kosta Boda glass.) They do however have a refill bottle for only $90 for 50ml. 
    As for the scent it sounds intriguing. I love strong herbal fragrances — I'm a little less certain about the sweet drydown but it would be an interesting experience. So do please enter me into the draw.

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Lindaloo,

    You and, the others who commented on the bottles, I agree they are something to behold. The unfortunate thing with the refills is you can’t buy them unless you have purchased the original bottle. I really wish Agonist would reconsider that policy because at $90/50mL I would own all of them because they are so unique.

    Mark

  • This is the second time I try to win something related to Agonist. Last time I had no luck, so I cross my fingers now 🙂
    24 hours longevity is amazing!

  • Those bottles are so beautiful 🙂  And as the person above commented, the melancholy is the lack of bottle in your hand perhaps?  😉

  • Sounds interesting. Oregano in a perfume! The bottles are beautiful. Would love to be entered to see if the perfume is as beautiful as the vessel:)

  • Actually, not being able to smell Immortelle would be a plus for me. I prefer it to be on the subtler side. Clove and oregono sounds great! I need to try this one. Great article, Mark!

  • Sounds like we have different scent preferences. I'm most interested in the praline accord, since I love almond and vanilla scents.

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Lori,

    As always we are all different. Sergey tried this before I did and had characterized it as similar to Dior Eau Noire on his skin. It was why I worked very hard to see if it showed up on mine. You might find your skin is more similar to his and therefore the immortelle more prominent. I hope if you win your skin is closer to mine based on your preference.

    Mark

  • Somerville Metro Man says:

    Valentine,

    We might have different preferences but I love immortelle when it is used right and if it really showed up here underneath the praline accord I think it might have been wonderful……or maybe a hot sticky mess. 🙂 What is here is quite nice and the praline accord is pretty good without the immortelle.

    Mark

  • I do NOT want to be entered into the drawing since i already had the pleasure of trying both fragrances. All i am going to say is Liquid Crystal is divine and yes it does last and last and last on my skin…….LOVE LOVE LOVE.

  • Would love to try it.
    I liked Agonist (my friend won a draw for it and shared with me since she did not care for it at all).  I did like it, but found it not matching the image of Infidel for what it's worth.

    Thanks!

  • I believe Claudia,,when she says she loves this scent.  I have been wanting to sample this forever!!!  Lavendar, Bergomot, and clove with a praline accord —couldn't go wrong.  I love clove in about anything!  (even perfume) lol

  • Oh I love the artful bottles and I am so looking forward to trying the juice inside the beautiful bottle!