The Fragrance Foundation announces winner of the 2012 "Indie" FiFi Award!

Congratulations to Odin NY for winning the inaugural "Indie" FiFi award! I'm a huge fan of Odin fragrances (ALL of them) and am very happy for them. After all the Elements Showcase excitement (which I'm so sad I had to miss!), we're already working to making next year's "Indie" FiFi Award process even better. With the support and guidance of my fellow committee members, I believe that the field of possibilities is wide open. Thank you to the "Indie" FiFi committee, The Fragrance Foundation, all the incredibly talented perfumers who entered and to all who have been following along with us during this process!

The Fragrance Foundation Announces

Winner of the

2012 FiFi® “Indie” Fragrance Award

New York N.Y. February 1^st.  2012. The Fragrance Foundation is very pleased to announce

06 Amanu

Odin Fragrances New York

was revealed as the winner of the 2012 FiFi® “Indie” Fragrance Award at Monday night’s award ceremony that took place for the very first time at the Elements Showcase in New York City. 

The beautifully designed Elements Showcase provided a stunning venue to host the newly

configured 2012 “Indie” Fragrance Award allowing finalists to enjoy the spotlight among buyers, press, colleagues, friends and family.

The master-minds behind the showcase - Frederick Bouchardy, Ulrich Lang and Jeff Lawson - welcomed all the guests and the five finalists to the awards ceremony.  Mary Ellen Lapsansky, Vice President of The Fragrance Foundation took to the stage to open the sealed envelope, safe-guarded until that very moment by the accounting firm of Sperduto, Spector and Company. She then presented 06 Amanu, Odin New York with the coveted crystal FiFi® trophy, a recognized symbol of excellence.

“We are very proud to have won the 2012 FiFi® “Indie” Fragrance Award,” said the co- creators of 06 Amanu. “It was a labor of love to create a fragrance with such a romantic and exotic heritage.” This winning scent is described as a primitive ambiance of Southern Mediterranean peaks combined with the ancient fertility of Anatolian soils which bring forth a herbaceous blend of verdant Galbanum and raw Lentisque. The cortex of Amanu revolves around the woody rusticity of Cedarleaf and the heady complexity of Jasmine Sambac.  Rooting textures of Amberwood, Musk and Live Moss endow this earthy scent with a lush maturity.  The top notes: Blood Orange, Green Galbanum, Lentisque.  The middle notes: Aged Cedarleaf, Jasmin Sambac, Magnolia.  Bottom Notes: Amberwood, Sheer Musk, Live Moss.

Cos Policastro, Executive Vice President, Fine Fragrances at Givaudan presented 06 Amanu with a congratulatory check for $10,000.00.  "This is a true achievement and we wish 06 Amanu and all the "Indie" brands continued success in the future,” commented Mr. Policastro.  “These independent creators play an important role in our industry by engaging the consumer with their unique stories. Givaudan is proud to sponsor this award as our company is defined by these same attributes.”

The ceremony and cocktail party was graciously sponsored by RPG’s Chief Executive Officer Bruce Teitelbaum who added his own heartfelt words of congratulations and encouragement.   “RPG began in exactly the same way as these “Indie” brands so we appreciate, understand and value the creativity, hard work and passion they dedicate to their craft and wish them great success.” said Mr. Teitelbaum.

“We congratulate all the brands that submitted fragrances, we applaud the five finalists who made it through to the finals and we absolutely cheer for the 2012 FiFi® “Indie” Fragrance Award winner 06 Amanu!” said Mary Ellen Lapsansky.  “In these challenging times, nothing can hold back their entrepreneurial drive and their vision is the future of the business we all love.”

As part of the ceremony, each of the top five finalists received mini FiFi® Awards in recognition of their accomplishments.   The four other finalists were:

“Cuirs” Carner Barcelona                   

Come L’Amore, Bois 1920                 

La Fumée Miller Harris                                   

Siberian Snow by D.S. & Durga                     

O Tannenbaum! [a joint blogging project]

Around Christmas time every year, I think back to my much-cherished days in 'a capella' choir in high school. Singing holiday songs in different languages was one of my favorite parts about choir, and no song was more beloved by me than "O Tannenbaum" sung in its original German, which was also my favorite language to sing in (it's so satisfying and earthy). So, when Joanne of Redolent of Spices first contacted me to see if I wanted to participate in this blogging project and told me the name and theme, my heart leapt just a little bit.

I could have chosen dozens of fragrances that I love with a woody and/or tree resin theme, but alas, we could only choose three. I decided on Aftelier Perfumes Fir solid, Odin 01 Sunda and Ormonde Jayne Man. Please do check out the following blogs who have also participated in "O Tannenbaum", we are all very excited to share the spotlight with one another:


Joanne of Redolent of Spices
Ines of All I am.. A Redhead
Mals of Muse in Wooden Shoes
Krista of Scent of the Day
Victoria of EauMG
Meg of Parfumieren
Joey of Beauty, Bacon, Bunnies
Dee of Beauty on the Outside
Suzanne of Suzanne's Perfume Journal
Birgit and Tara of Olfactoria's Travels
Julia of Undina's Looking Glass
Thomas of The Candy Perfume Boy
Nick of Fragrant Reviews
Natalie of Another Perfume Blog


Now, on to the perfumes!

Aftelier Fir Solid
Fir solid perfume has a particular bright, jammy quality that I've found in several of Mandy Aftel's perfumes. One of the golden threads running through many of them is a flair for adding fruity elements to enhance the major notes and to cast some sunshine on the entire blend. This technique is used to great effect in Fir, and it makes me think of fir trees in Mandy's native California instead of those found, say, in the Midwest this time of year. These are not snow-covered trees, these needles have been sun-warmed and are sticky with resin. It's a truly charming and sensual fragrance and a year-round favorite of mine.

Odin 01 Sunda (formerly Nomad)
Surprisingly potent for an eau de toilette, Odin 01 Sunda really delivers all the best mouthwatering bits of a woody, musky perfume. I've been consistently impressed with Odin's fragrance offerings, but so far, Sunda is my favorite and the only one I have a full bottle of. There are notes of juniper berries, cedarwood, bergamot, palmarosa, black pepper, heliotrope, tonka bean, West Indian sandalwood and grey musk. Right off the bat, you get a soft but persistent pinch in the rear from a really lovely bergamot note, followed very closely by an amalgam of juniper, cedar and sandalwood. If Sunda were a person, it would be Barry White. By that I mean that it's one smooth cat. Nothing is ever too sharp or too soft, and it melds with the skin to create a musky, sexy scent that can very easily be worn by both women and men. In fact, my husband loves to wear it too (maybe there is a god?).
P.S. Odin, if you're reading this... hey... it's me, Carrie. You should have left the name at Nomad, it's cooler.

Ormonde Jayne Ormonde Man
Okay, I need to compose myself for this one. Ormonde Man, the slightly more masculine version of my beloved Woman, is less sweet and powdery, more herbal and the grass oil has been replaced with juniper- but it's got that sigh-inducing level of Iso-E Super and natural sandalwood that still makes a massive impact on me every time. What's more, it has oudh. Oh yes, there's oudh. I personally think that Man and Woman are equally good, so if you're going to have one, you really must have both. If you've spent any amount of time at all with these two fragrances, you'll know how each one satisfies different moods and whims, and they beg to be shared with your significant other. Ormonde Man is sexy, intelligent and defies you to categorize it with anything other than its female counterpart.

Please enjoy visiting the other bloggers involved in "O Tannenbaum", and have a lovely Winter Solstice, Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! Now go hug a tree and tell it that you love it.

Weekend Poll just for fun: 3 Scents in Heavy Rotation

Which three perfumes have you been wearing a lot lately? They can be new to you, old stand-bys, or maybe something you've given several chances to capture your heart, but it hasn't quite managed the task. Do your choices correspond with the weather in your region?

Mine:

1.Odin 02 Owari has been one of my daytime staples lately. It's got a delicious, juicy and slightly bitter mandarin and grapefruit gorgeousness with a pepperiness that is hard to resist. Owari goes from top straight to bottom, skipping the heart stage, but that's fine with me. Owari is perfect as is- no-nonsense refreshment for 100 degree weather.

2. Aftelier Perfumes Tango. I cracked open my mini bottle last weekend, and I could swear that it's even more potent and rich than the sample vial that I recently drained, but I'm not sure if it's my imagination. As the level in the bottle drops steadily from using it every night, I have begun plotting for more, along with some Fig (which I've not tried yet, but everyone is telling me I HAVE to- and I believe them!). Aftelier creations are the perfumes I live in every day, like my favorite cashmere sweater or leather jacket- indispensable and timeless. Tango, in particular, has become part of me. No other perfume inspires in me so much nose-to-wrist action.

3. Soivohle Transcendental Musc is the most recent addition to my sample collection. It's being re-launched this Fall as part of Liz Zorn's new Pour Homme collection, and I predict it's going to be a smash. It smells amazing on me and my husband, who is also impressed by it. It carries that bewitching quality that seems to be unique to Liz; so many of her perfumes feel like living things to me, Mercurial in nature and unpredictable until you get to know them. Review to come during the launch.

So, spill it, guys (the beans, not your perfume)! What have you been wearing lately?

the owari satsuma mandarin- photo from davisgardenshow.com