Australian Private Reserve (APR) came and went over the course of about 3 years or so. In that time it got a lot of international attention for an Australian shaving artisan.
See Part One for the ‘origin story’ and details of the very early scents.
This post follows on and aims to focus on the scents in the next stage of the APR project.
Autumn 2017 Line up
The Australian Private Reserve (APR) Autumn 2017 line up was described here.
Alfredus Choice
A bold, rich elegant chypre with a heart of rich resinous cedar and damp, earthy spice.
The product of a choice that relies on an intricate chemistry and execution of design.
It’s rich and woody, with notes of deep teak, rich teas scaffold deep white grapefruit and
the scent of fresh cut basil absolute.
It speaks to a choice of sophistication, style and presence.
Top Notes: White Grapefruit, Bergamot, Basil
Heart Notes: Cedarwood, Ginger, Nutmeg, Violet, Lavender
Base Notes: Ambergris, Tonka, Oakmoss, Mysore Sandalwood
General Ledger
A modern Fougère with a paramount and traditional interpretation.
Verdant green Fern notes from the French Oakmoss supported with a suggestion of vetiver, rounded out by a warm bed of coumarin.
Middle notes of French lavender, cinnamon and Geranium scaffold a top of bright Italian Bergamot, citrus and warm sweet exotic Rose Maroc Absolute.
Top Notes: Bergamot, Rose Maroc
Heart Notes: Lavender, Nutmeg, Cinnamon Bark, Geranium
Base Notes: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Tonka
Mycroft
Brother of Sherlock Holmes, resident of one 221B Baker St as penned by Conan Doyle in his seminal texts on the grand detective.
We have designed a stylish and exacting Autumnal scent with rich clear notes of Juniper resting effortlessly on Bergamot and a dalliance of Jasmine Grandiflorium Absolute.
For the base we have engaged no less, the rich narcotic Labdanum Absolute as is truly fitting, a raw raunchy Animal Musk and the sweet intoxicating coumarin drenched Tonka Absolute.
A thoroughly intoxicating, sophisticated and effortlessly elegant fragrance for cooler times and higher minds.
Top Notes: Calabrian Bergamot, Jasmine Absolute
Heart Notes: Juniper
Base Notes: Labandum, Musk, Tonka, Vetiver
Suitably Attired Australian
A fragrance that considerably develops and evolves the design, concept and execution of the
‘Smart Dressed Man’ whose heritage is Creed’s renowned Greed Irish Tweed. A modern, present
and long lasting fragrance that reflects the contemporary, and suitably attired Australian male.
Bright citrus rests on notes of Verbena and Violet Absolute with a warm base of Sandalwood and
Amber. It’s proud and unabashed, make your presence known and ensure you are suitably attired.
Top Notes: Lemon, Verbena, Sweet Orange
Heart Notes: French Violet, Rosemary
Base Notes: Mysore Sandalwood, Fragrance Oil
Winter 2017 Line up
The Australian Private Reserve (APR) Winter 2017 line up was described here.
Fougère Bourbon Rose
A beautiful, dirty, deep winter Fougère accented by the smoky Réunion island Bourbon Rose..
Top Notes: Réunion Bourbon Rose
Heart Notes: Lavender, Geranium
Base Notes: Hay Absolute, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Tonka, Amber
Bay City
It’s a Bay-rum with a twist, think different: a balsamic and Vanillic base of musk, caramel and spicy Bay, a middle of sweet Cinnamon and orange topped off with the sweet, treacle notes of sweet deep caramel and black and red currant.
Top Notes: Black Currant Absolute, Red Currant
Heart Notes: Cinnamon, Sweet Orange
Base Notes: Benzoin, Musk, Peru Balsam, West Indian Bay
Winterfell
A very old chypre formulation with a contemporary fragrance design using genuine agarwood as an inspiration for something quite special. On application an accord of Sicilian Bergamot and cypress presents, gently receding to warm intoxicating Labdanum and sweet Rosewood, shortly thereafter something very special emerges and endures for hours.
Top Notes: Sicilian Bergamot, Cypress
Heart Notes: Labdanum, Rosewood
Base Notes: Brunei Agarwood, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Musk
The Santal
This is for Indian Mysore Sandalwood lovers who appreciate this exceptionally rare and scarce oil and there are only 2 bottles on offer. It is highly unlikely I will ever be able to offer this again due to the costs. I will be releasing a Limited Edition Soap and Splash (3 pucks, 3 bottles) and immediate and absolute preference will be given to those who own the EDP.
‘The Santal’ is an Eau De Parfum delivered at 32% strength in a 50ml frosted glass bottle.
Top Notes: Indian Mysore Sandalwood
Heart Notes: Indian Mysore Sandalwood
Base Notes: Musk Ambrette, Ambergris, Indian Mysore Sandalwood
During that winter another limited edition was released –
‘Idoru’
We are very proud to release Idoru after being approached to design a fragrance around the revered Japanese Cypress known as Hinoki.
This Cypress is grown only in Japan where it is considered a ‘sacred wood’. The exquisite oil from this Tree is delicate, complex and nuanced. It carries beautiful notes of sweet lemon and a clean, smoky tone rich with woods.
We took the essence of this majestic Cypress and built a suitable foundation of Myrrh and Patchouli to really let the Hinoki soar. Our design intention was to ensure that this most prized of Japanese oils was given a full accord. Nothing less than a quantity of Ambergris was necessary to complete the foundation.
For the heart we determined Rosewood with its notes of Teak, Woods and Rose was ideal alongside other necessary elements. We completed the design with prized Ylang Ylang Extra to create a synergy between the delicate lemon and citrus notes of the Hinoki.
This was originally a private commission and is released with consent, the person who requested we design this fragrance wishes it to be shared.
Spring 2017 Line Up
In November 2016 the first batch was released as detailed here. The names and descriptions of those scents are described as outlined below.
Coeur de Vert
There is little more enjoyable than the experience of the grand excellence of a fougère in the spring that embodies a Coeur de Vert…a heart of green.
AP Reserve is proud to unveil our meticulous work in re-imagining de Laires Mousse de Saxe and seamlessly integrating it into this fragrance design for your enjoyment.
Coeur de Vert is a fragrance of warm French grass and fresh cut hay, fields of aromatic clover that catch a delicate breeze with notes of basil and fine lavender courting the fleeting sweetness of deep forest violets and ferns.
After some time the elegance and beauty of de Laires masterpiece will emerge from within the fragrance on your skin and will remain for hours ever present.
Coeur de Vert is for everyday masculine elegance that purposefully reflects the finest traditions of the classic fougère, reimagined, with the spirit and love which Australian Private Reserve is renowned for in our fougères.
Top Notes Include: Rose, Violet, Mousse de Saxe, Fresh French Grasses & Clover
Heart Notes Include: Clover, Violet, Rose, Lavender & Sweet Basil
Base Notes Include: French Hay Absolute, Tonka Bean, Oakmoss & Mousse de Saxe
Fresca
The freshness of a clean and uplifting spring fragrance to be enjoyed in the warmth and light that is spring after the months of winter come to an end.
We demanded a refreshingly new design for Fresca, a fragrance that is crisp and invigorating, with a masculine sophistication and body to embrace the classic Italian freshness of pure and sweet spring citrus, drenched in sunshine.
Beautiful and elegant musk’s accord with sandalwood, rosewood, jasmine and the finest citrus oils to create a design synergy of uplifting citrus that endures with classical style.
We call it Fresca, it’s Italian for fresh!
Top Notes Include: Italian Neroli, Italian Lemon, Bergamot & Sweet Orange
Heart Notes Include: Rosewood, Rosemary & Jasmine
Base Notes Include: Musk’s, Mysore Sandalwood & Patchouli
Lixiviant
Evenings with a delicate warmth, exotic fragrances from emerging blossoms savored in a fleeting moment, this is the ceaseless chemistry of life.
We built Lixiviant intentionally in a grand style, with rich orris butter, resinous vanilla and tonka in accord with Artemisia, the most infamous, deep and legendary intoxicant known as Absinthe!
Royal magnolia, the honey notes of acacia and the delicate intricacy of ylang ylang contrast the sweet piquancy of fresh mint and tart cherry blossom, while ever present within the fragrance the mysterious and expansive complexity of Artemisia.
Gentlemen, we demonstrate a mature, intelligent and complex fragrance that sits effortlessly by design and we have called this Lixiviant. A stylish and adult fragrance of complexity, refinement and intrigue.
Top Notes Include: Mint, Artemisia, Cherry Blossom
Heart Notes Include: Magnolia, Ylang Ylang & Acacia
Base Notes Include: Orris, Vanilla, Musk, Tonka & Artemisia
At around the same time as these releases there was a mention of a very special limited release – G’day Mate
‘A special and unreleased LE Fougère with an accord built around Yerba maté (pronounced mar-tay) absolute (Ilex paraguariensis) that was designed as thank you to Ellis B Miller (Chatillon Lux, L&L Grooming, etc) my incredibly talented graphic designer who is responsible for the second iteration and the new iteration of the AP Reserve visual look and feel. It would be a gross understatement to say I am thankful for his skill. He is an ardent yerba mate drinker (as am I) so I thought it most fitting to incorporate this furiously expensive absolute into something a bit special for him.
Only 12 sets of this were produced and with the exception of 2, they are all headed to the US as a thank you to Ellis for his phenomenal work. In picture is ”Minerva” my Russian Blue fronting for Australia.’
That might be all for this second instalment of the Australian Private Reserve collection. Come back in a couple of weeks for Part Three.