DER DUFT Canvas @freddiealbrightonperfume

When Freddie Albrighton is listed as the perfumer you can rest assured the fragrance will be inimitable. It was Mr. Albrighton’s reputation coupled with the well-curated collection of scents comprising the DER DUFT portfolio, that enticed me to quickly get my nose on DER DUFT Canvas when it was released last year. However, it was Canvas’ magnetic allure that eliminated any hesitation to add a bottle to my collection and include it on my Best of 2022 list.

Freddie Albrighton courtesy of Der Duft

”DER DUFT, founded in 2020 by Anselm Skogstad, does not select its perfumers according to fixed rules. The goal is to assemble different talents and personalities with a shared curiosity on which to base the collaboration.” The choice to work with Mr. Albrighton certainly fits the mission; quite clearly, he is not your typical rule follower. “Having loved and been interested in perfumery since my teenage years, I found my way into playing with scent and raw materials. My taste and aesthetic is to achieve a dream-like, nostalgic and comforting feeling with my fragrances… Where things are familiar, novel, and full of color – but subtly distorted and out of reach,” says Albrighton, “Rather than create a “blank canvas”, I wanted to create a perfume that captured the possibilities of what the canvas could be – a kaleidoscope of watercolor, soft textures and contrasting elements. I started “Canvas” by visualizing ink (which is my medium as a tattoo artist), as black licorice – liquefying it and adding colorful translucency with raspberry leaf, a wash of herbal notes and gauzy, painterly florals of rose and peony.”

Anselm Skogstad, founder of Der Duft

Mr. Albrighton’s own description of DER DUFT Canvas shows how art, no matter the medium, is subjective. I agree the bitter black licorice, as the foundation that runs throughout the composition, is tempered by the vegetal brightness of notes of rhubarb, raspberry leaf and green apple.  There is a bitter brightness to the start that illuminates the subject, drawing you in to get a closer look at the main showcase.

DER DUFT Canvas (Rahul Agarwal – @eternalscentjourney)

My interpretation of DER DUFT Canvas lacks the watercolors mentioned by Albrighton and instead conjures a darkness enveloping the vibrant greens.  Is this a stormy sea putting the vessels at risk or a dark still-life with a distant lantern illuminating the remnants of the evening’s revelry?  DER DUFT Canvas’ herbal basil mingles with spicy geranium and rose creating an ever changing landscape that keeps me pondering what scene this canvas holds.  Where does the “painter” want to take us?  A hint of honey mixed with the anise and licorice immediately suggests hookah tobacco smoked in the camel-hair tents of a desert caravan but, the image is fleeting.  Momentarily, the desert is replaced by ocean shores as the smoky vetiver, salty seaweed and earthy patchouli form the base of this enchanting fragrance.  Just as a master painter utilizes contrast to draw emphasis, Freddie Albrighton’s Canvas harnesses both light and darkness to captivate the wearer.

Just as you would not try to guess the exact pigments used to create the great works of art found in the Louvre or the Met, it is seems disrespectful to attempt to pick out the individual notes of DER DUFT Canvas and instead you should just let your nose take in its overall beauty. There are works of art that stay with you long after you have left the gallery or museum, DER DUFT Canvas is one such composition. What will this Canvas reveal to you?

Notes: Green Apple, Raspberry Leaf, Rhubarb, Licorice, Anise, Honey, Musk, Basil, Pink Pepper, Seaweed, Peony, Geranium, Rose, Vetiver, Patchouli

Disclaimer: Review is based on a bottle of Der Duft Canvas I purchased myself.  My opinions are my own.

Rachel Watson, Senior Contributor

Thanks to the generosity of Anselm Skogstad, we have a 50 ml of DER DUFT Canvas for one registered reader within the US & EU. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest about Rachel’s review and where you live. Draw closes 9/30/2023

 ANTONIO ALESSANDRIA, A MUCH LOVED PERFUMER BY OUR ÇAFLEUREBON EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS IS THE NOSE FOR THE UPCOIMG RELEASE DER DUFT “IN FLAGRANTI”. Antonio composed Rusty Vibes for ÇaFleureBon’s10th anniversary.

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DER DUFT Privilege was selected as a top10 Best of Scent 2022 by Michelyn and Karl and was reviewed by Karl here. Please also read: Match Review by Nicoleta Tomsa here and Ida’s review of Grasse here

Enjoy our reviews of other DER DUFT fragrances: Bubble, Monopteros, Pride, and Cinematic.

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