Ramon Monegal Next to Me by Karl©
“The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.” Excerpt from Love’s Philosophy by Percy Bysshe Shelley.
Ramon Monegal is synonymous with exclusivity. Mr. Monegal represents the fourth generation of the House of Myrugia, which was the official purveyor to the Spanish Royal family, this house is famed for luxury and creativity. The ink bottle flacon represents Monegal’s main source of inspiration in literature and like his scents reflect the richness of both prose and the minimalism of poetry.
Ramon Monegal courtesy of the perfumer©
Ramon Monegal Next to Me has a beautiful poignancy on both a physical and an emotional level, which is incredibly romantic. What stopped me in my tracks immediately was its ability to fuse both masculine and feminine energies and meld them together to produce something truly blissful, which has both sunlight and moonbeams within. Next To Me is a personification of two souls who are meant for each other meeting, clasping and comforting each other in an embrace. There is the duality of spices: saffron, nutmeg and black pepper and the fruity notes of coconut, peach and melon. Imagine for a moment the power of this combination. A leathery saffron and spicy black pepper (strong and dominant) playing against peach and melon (bright and juicy) linked with a soft coconut water and lush warm nutmeg. Heat and fire blending with soothing tones.
Dubai Sunset Image by Karl©
Ramon Monegal Next to Me has presence, the peach is so realistic that one almost salivates in anticipation of being served up a plateful of them to take a bite from. The spices mingling with the fruit set up an olfactory menu to savour. This is no ordinary perfume. The inspiration for the scent was the majesty of the stories of ‘A Thousand and One Nights’ and the unique destination of Dubai. Here I can make a clear link with my own experiences earlier this year whilst visiting and taking in the power that Dubai emanates. There’s an energy to Ramon Monegal Next to Me that lingers like the memories I have of the Pier Chic restaurant located in the Jumeriah Al Qasr. It is a labyrinth down to the pier, which reimagines the ancient architecture styles of various eastern and western dynasties. Once there the restaurant faces directly to the Burj Al Arab, a global icon of Arabian Luxury looking on to the gulf. Taking in such a sensorial experience reflects the beauty of Ramon Monegal Next to Me. The warm tones elicit thoughts of balmy evenings strolling to the pier, whilst the tropical aspect plays on the temptation to dive straight into succulent fruits on offer.
Image by Karl©
Ramon Monegal Next to Me doesn’t follow traditional top to base note construction. It is unique and the effect on skin is like a collection of small-surprising presents that you open on each spritz. One second you are hit with Turkish rose, the next the Somalian Frankincense teases your nostrils. All the while, the fruity and spicy nuances continue to peek through. As such the perfume keeps an element of lightness and avoids becoming too heavy.
There is an underlying darkness which is apparent right from the beginning. Spanish labdanum holds the entire fragrance journey together. Slightly animalic and leathery, subtly sweet and fruity whilst being woody this is the perfect ingredient to centre the other notes around; the mutual vision and the glue that brings the romance of Next to Me together. The darkness is further enhanced with the introduction of Indian oud, which is blended in so beautifully that it creates an elegance and pleasure that indicates great thought and time has been dedicated to this scent. It transports you to twilight, the effect is a harmony of emotions and a soul. Really the additions of such a delicate and precious wood a superb undercurrent to conjure up the majesty of this perfume further bolstered with Russian leather, a fantastic addition to harmonise with labdanum. No simplistic Rose-Oud combination going on here. Beneath this wonderful symphony of chords lies sandalwood, cashmeran and Brazilian tonka bean. These notes act like soft pillows to relax on and rest one’s head. The magic of ‘Next to Me’ lies in its ability to fuse excitement, desire, surprise and pleasure at once. This is no mean feat. A truly special fragrance that is incredibly luxurious and exclusive.
Ramon Monegal Next to Me epitomises the difference between a hot and steamy affair and a relationship that withstands the test of time..
Notes: Coconut, peach, melon, Spanish Saffron, Indonesian nutmeg, Black Pepper, Egyptian Jasmine, Turkish Rose, Turkish Rose Absolute, Somalian Frankincense, Spanish labdanum, Indian Oud, Australian Sandalwood, cashmeran, Russian Leather, Brazilian Tonka bean.
Disclaimer: Bottle of Next to Me kindly sent by Ramon Monegal. My opinions are my own.
Karl Topham, Senior Contributor
Please read: Kiss My Name Review by Nicoleta Tomsa
From our dear editor Robert Herrmann(RIP) Monegal La Isla Blamca
Please view Steven Gavrielatos’ The Three you Should Be Wearing
Ramon Monegal Next To Me
Thanks to the generosity of Ramon Monegal, we have a draw for a 50ml bottle of Next to Me for one registered reader EU, UK & USA. To be eligible please leave a comment about what specifically interests you about Karl’s review and where you live. Draw closes 4/216/22.
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