Liz Zorn Riverwalk: my top choice for PLAP 2011 (and a draw!)

What an exciting day it was, that day I got my gorgeous little box of 13 samples for the Summer of Patchouli Love Project (or PLAP- Peace, Love and Patchouli) on Perfume Pharmer. I stayed up late that night (well, I'm already a night owl, so it was later than usual, even). I sniffed and took notes well into the wee hours, and I had a wide variance of reactions to the fragrances: pleasure, displeasure, confusion, childlike giddiness, wonderment... reactions that really ran the gamut. When I got to #2, I knew within seconds a couple of important things: a) this is fantastic, something I would wear regularly, and b) this is without a doubt Liz Zorn's perfume. I am a Soivohle junkie, through and through. Liz' signature of rich, resinous aromatics with a tinge of sweetness is something I am completely defenseless against. Her perfumes are enchanting, original and stay with you for hours on end. Riverwalk (her entry for PLAP, #2) is no exception.

[photo by Liz Zorn]

Riverwalk has many scent elements to it, and I'll list them according to Liz' Blog. Keep in mind that these are not listed in order, it's just a rough list:

notes: bergamot, lavender absolute, French lavender EO, star anise, galangal root, petitgrain, fir balsam absolute, rectified birch, choya loban, geranium leaf EO, geranium concrete, 2 different aged patchoulis, patchouli absolute, cassis absolute, hay absolute, blend of 5 different natural cedars, cocoa absolute, tonka bean tincture, Indonesian vetiver, benzoin Siam absolute, brown oakmoss and vanilla absolute, rosewood/linaloe/ho wood(?), ambergris

Riverwalk is a fougere at heart, allowing the classic composition to put patchouli front and center. No natural isolates were used, it's a 100% natural perfume in every way possible. The underlying sweetness of vanilla, cocoa and tonka is absolutely delightful and never overwhelming, and works so well with the intensely aromatic lavender essences. Riverwalk's spicy, smoky side is really brought out by the contrasting note of star anise. The fragrance mellows over a period of hours and the warm gourmand aspects are brought to the forefront. The gorgeous lavender lasts throughout the entire wearing, accompanying the rich patchouli to the very end, creating a delicious, fuzzy incense.

My initial impression of Riverwalk still holds true to me. It immediately felt like something that had so many facets that it was constantly growing and changing on my skin, leading me down different paths simultaneously. One minute, it's a fairly masculine fougere, the next, a gourmand patchouli, and then, an ode to honey-drenched hay in the sun. I think that this is the mark of a successful and unique natural perfume: it's not static, definitely not linear, and not only one thing to all people. Riverwalk highlights the best things about patchouli; extending its possibilities beyond what our memories have allowed, tenderly taking us by the hand while we stroll into new territory. You have a frame of reference to recognize its classic elements, but realize that the originality in this composition takes patchouli far beyond any expectations. To me, this is one of the most joyful things about fragrance.

To celebrate The Summer of Patchouli Love Project, I'm having a draw for two (count 'em 2!) 5ml silver atomizers filled with Liz Zorn's Riverwalk. To enter the draw, leave me a comment about anything having to do with patchouli: do you have a favorite patchouli perfume? Do you have issues with patchouli? Do you love it to bits like me?

The drawing will close one week from today, on Saturday, July 16th at 1pm Central US time. Two VERY lucky winners will be chosen at random, and should email me with their mailing address at eyelineronacat at gmail dot com. I will announce the winners around 2pm on July 16th. Liz will have Riverwalk available soon on her website for sale, so stay tuned!