January Scent Project Attaupe art in a collage by Michelyn via John Biebel©
Artisanal perfumer and iconoclastic polymath John Biebel is more a master of all trades than anything: painter, perfumer, musician, photographer (all around visual artist is a tidier way to express it), philosopher, writer, editor, technology whiz, fine cook – and that’s just a starting point. He knits, sews, gardens and is the chief do-it-yourself man who has made an old Rhode Island house into his own intimate home worthy of a showplace. John has utilized the pandemic and lockdowns to delve into his vast creative force – composing music and fragrance, revamping his living space. The man is tireless. His latest and limited release January Scent Project Attaupe revolves around an interwoven palette of ambient neutrals which barely register on the official color wheel – muted hues of grey, taupe, beige which intersect with tones of violet, mossy green and ochre.
January Scent Project Attaupe art via John Biebel©
Attaupe is described as “a lavender and tobacco syrup concept perfume”; only 50 bottles were made, and they sold out very quickly (I was very grateful to be able to receive one of the 60 or so samples upon request). The perfumer notes that these colors were prominent in the 1930s, when society’s expectations were at a rather low ebb due to economic uncertainty. In his classically synesthetic manner, John provided his own handiwork: screen-printed painting, a moody photograph with a vintage feel, handsewn wool plaid cushion for each numbered bottle in evocative shades which mirror his description. The artist’s perfectionism and attention to detail is evident here, as it is in all of his work.
January Scent Project Attaupe art via John Biebel©
Another engaging aspect of January Scent Project Attaupe involves the inclusion of rare, costly and aged materials. The bergamot which introduces his perfume is 100 years old; a black locust blossom accord is 75 years old – with clove-derived eugenol and Siberian pine oil following suit. There is a fruit syrup feel to Attaupe due to the Siberian pine’s relationship with black currant; one enhances the other, resulting a tangy jamminess. Lavender and blond tobacco are a felicitous match, sweetened by clove and vanilla – while black locust blossoms most resemble a honeyed orange flower, so that its addition helps nurture a seductive richness. Because contrasting coloration and aroma are so important to the perfumer, Attaupe is deepened with the earthiness of tea and carrot seed, ensconced in a bed of sandalwood, dusky labdanum, tenacious nagarmotha (cypriol) and a wine-dark patchouli.
Ida with John August 2017
January Scent Project Attaupe is an arresting, indefatigable perfume which straddles the soothing and the seething – a lavender luxury which bridges time-honored technique and contemporary specifications. It’s old-school well crafted and fascinating, difficult to pigeonhole or define. Perhaps it’s a moody gourmand steeped in tea and tobacco, wise beyond its years. Considering the sparse supply and relative cost of several of its aromatic components, it comes as no surprise that only limited release was to be expected; when it’s gone – it’s truly gone. We are thankful that John Biebel has reserved two samples for us to share with our readers. There exists good reason why it numbered among my best of 2021.
Notes: 100 year old bergamot oil, 75 year old black locust blossom accord, aged Siberian pine oil, aged eugenol (from clove), lavender absolute, blond tobacco, tea co2, carrot seed, black currant, vanilla, sandalwood, cypriol (nagarmotha), labdanum, dark patchouli
Sample generously provided by the perfumer – it’s wonderful! My nose is my own…
~Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
January Scent Project Attaupe art via John Biebel©
Thanks to the kindness of John Biebel we have two 3 ml. samples of January Scent Project Attaupe for two registered readers one in North America and one in the UK. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please let us know what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review of Attaupe and where you live. Do you have a favorite January Scent project fragrance? Draw closes 1/25/2022
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