J’s image of Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos

Nostos, a former Harrods exclusive released in 2023, now joins Etat Libre D’Orange’s The Orange Extraordinaire Collection. Nostos come from the Greek meaning the return, with its etymology the essence of that haunting feeling nostalgia. A return in real life of never possible, as the past is always there, its ghosts haunt our future, having shaped us and how we see the world; we’re in a cycle we can’t escape.

Creative Director Etienne de Swardt of Etat Libre D’Orange official photo courtesy of the brand

Perfume is a beautiful form for the bending of time and space. It speaks of the past for us in the present and through each wear forms new memories that fold in on each other. An elegant performance plays out over and over each time we wear it. Like a play each wear can feel comforting and familiar yet, can also reveal new facets as it performs on our skin from opening to dry down.

Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos and perfumer Jordi Fernández of Givaudan

Etat Libre D’Orange Nostos draws its inspiration from the legendary Greek hero Achilles, who carries with him the beauty of human duality. A fearsome warrior, loved by many who was destined to never return home to his one true love, forging forward in the fight against his destiny told by the gods. Nostos also feels like a return to leather for Etat Libre d’Orange, a note that appeared in many of their earlier releases.

Greek image of Achilles courtesy of the brand.

Nostos plays with this human duality in a beautiful homage to this Greek Odyssey hero capturing both Achilles power and love, wrapped into a dark smoky brooding incense oud rose. Nostos opens with a sweet kiss of mandarin, it lingers throughout, like a memory of love to hold onto as a dark oud and smoky incense roll in like a storm in a Greek Tragedy. It drives forward into adventure feeling powerful, as if you’re wrapped in a dark luxurious smoky incense woody musky haze. Saffron gives the leather a sensual softness that rubs up against the darker woods and oud giving Nostos a brooding feeling. That sweet memory of love persists, haunting the darkness that wraps around its heart or rose.

Materials used in Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos and Greek imagery that inspired it courtesy of the brand.

As Nostos dries down it softens, revealing its yearning love. A sweet suede rose is wrapped in dark incense smoke, capturing the feeling of a dark cloud over a beautiful memory of a love that can never be returned to. Flashes of jasmine over creamy sandalwood haunt Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos as Achilles remembers his lover lost to time, as his adventures rage on. Ambroxan grabs you, holding this cosy memory close as if it’s carved in wood as to never forget. Those darker smoky incense clouds are never far away looming over with leather and oud hardening your realisation that all you have is this beautiful memory partial obscured by musky incense smoke. Thankfully for us, we have the pleasure of respraying Nostos so we can relive this experience of playing back time, as our own memories fold time again from the present into the past, letting us bathe in the Purple Rain of memories that Prince sang about.

Notes: Essence of Enscens, Essence of Mandarin, Saffron, Essence and Absolu de Rose Turque, Absolu de Jasmin, Accord Oud, Sandalwood, Georgie wood, Ambrofix, Suede, Musk.

J Wearescentient, Senior Editor, artist and olfactive writer.

Discloser: A bottle of Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos was sent to J for review, his nose and thoughts are his own.

Etat Libre d’Orange Nostos courtesy of the brand.

Thanks to the generosity of Etat Libre d’Orange we have a 100ml bottle of Nostos for one registered reader in the EU and UK Only. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on J’s review and where you live. What is your favorite Etat Libre D’Orange fragrance? Draw closes 2/15/2025

Visit Etat Libre d’Orange at Esxence A03

Please read Etienne de Swardt’s Creative Director in Perfumery (his own words).

Secretions Magnifique was inducted into our ÇaFleureBon Modern Masterpieces Hall of Fame in 2013.

Read Olya’s review of The Story of Your Life Karl’s review of Clean Suede and Nicoleta’s reviews of Frustration, Ghost in the Shell, and Rien

Read Olya’s review of The Story of Your Life

Frustration was in Olya’s Top 10 Best Scents of 2023. For Nicoleta, Ghost in The Shell was a 2021 Top 10 Best of Scent.

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