Frapin L’Humaniste courtesy of Frapin
When I drop four cubes of ice
Chimingly in a glass, and add
Three goes of Gin, a lemon slice,
And let a ten-ounce tonic void
In foaming gulps until it smothers
Everything else up to the edge. – Philp Larkin, “Sympathy in White Major”
via Pixabay
It’s one of those rare summer days when the sun is at its height, a friendly breeze whispers cool across your skin at just the right moments, and something blue and sparkling – a pool, the edge of an ocean – glitters in the in the distance as your eyes half close against the brightness. The lawn chair feels like it was always waiting for you to sink into, faraway laughter occasionally punctuates the still, and no manmade intruders like lawnmowers or car engines break the mood. You reach for a tumbler resting on the small table next to you and your fingers close on its cool sweat. As you lift the glass, there’s aromatic herbs, a crystal splash of Sapphire and a tang of lemon fizz. Now imagine that feeling bottled in a fragrance, and you’ve got Frapin L’Humaniste.
Gin & tonic image via Pixabay
L’Humaniste, created by Robertet perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur, pours a classic cocktail of upscale men’s cologne and vintage gin, expertly mixes it with pinches of spice and bitters, and pours it nice and easy on the rocks. This classically summery fragrance feels as though it meant to be splashed rather than sprayed, and I would bet my imaginary baccarat winnings that it would smell and feel delicious after a stint in the ice bucket.
Pantagruel visits the Oracle of the Holy Bottle by Albert Robida, 1902
L’Humaniste – whose name and central gin accord allude to Pantagruel’s search for the “Oracle of the Holy Bottle’ in Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais – starts off with a zippy, zesty spritz of bergamot and lemon spiked with black pepper. It’s not as acerbic as you might imagine; some gently dusty cardamom filters in just behind and softens the sharpness of the citrus and pungent spice, while a distinctly flowery note – peony, I imagine – lends a subtle roundedness. But then comes the central gin accord. Some frigid, mentholic juniper slaps up against the lemon and it’s G&T’s all around. This is where L’Humaniste is at its sparkling best, as jaunty as a straw panama hat worn just so.
Katherine Hepburn in Pat and Mike, 1952
In its early stages, L’Humaniste leans masculine and is reminiscent of a high-end men’s vintage cologne a la Monsieur Balmain or Mäurer & Wirtz 4711. While L’Humaniste keeps its suave edge throughout its wearing, it gradually softens up a bit in the middle, when coumarin adds some grassy, hay-like sweetness and tonka bean offers up a touch of nutty sweetness. The fragrance rounds off with some oakmoss underscoring the fragrance’s herbal aspects and woods. Overall, it’s less floral than Lubin’s lovely Gin Fizz and less musky than Art et Parfum’s Gin & Tonic, favouring instead a devil-may-care refinement by leaning into the lemon, juniper and thyme. With its herbal edge and timeless insouciance, I could quite imagine Katherine Hepburn’s golf pro Pat Pemberton sporting this quite happily while she takes swings at Spencer Tracy’s Mike Conovan.
Effervescent, fun to wear, and just the right combination of uncomplicated and classy, Frapin L’Humaniste is a summer cocktail for skin. Make mine a large.
Notes: Lemon oil, bergamot oil, cardamom, pink berries, black pepper, juniper berries, nutmeg, thyme, peony, gin, oak moss, tonka bean.
Disclaimer: sample of L’Humaniste kindly provided by Kintessence, the USA distributor. My opinions are my own.
Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor
Frapin L’Humaniste by Lauryn
Thanks to the generosity of Kintessence, the USA Distributor we have a 100 ml tester bottle of L’Humaniste for one registered reader in the USA ONLY. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about L’Humaniste based on Lauryn’s review and if you have a favourite Frapin fragrance. Draw closes 4/23/2021.
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