Le Pavillon d'Or

“Inspired by a very human quest for happiness and inner peace, it evokes the sheer joy of serene self-confidence and peace of mind.”

Winning ‘Niche Customer Choice’ in Moscow and chosen as the Fragrantica’s Editors ‘Best Perfume of 2019’, ‘Le Pavillon D’Or is already presenting some big expectations. I can’t wait to try it, I’m curious about the mysterious green frankincense along with honeysuckle. Here goes…

There’s an initial smooth green creaminess and not the blaring powerhouse that I was expecting. There’s a very subtle mint from the Wild Menthe Citrata (otherwise known as Eau de Cologne mint, orange mint or bergamot mint) which gives a gentle herbal mintiness, as although a member of the mint family, it only contains 1-2% menthol, making it gentler and less intense.

Next the Boronia Absolute comes through (which is an Australian shrub), which is richly flowery, natural green freshness and the character of ripening hay with exotic fruit. I’m still getting green (where’s the honeysuckle?)

The Frankincense Green Sacra now jumps in. It’s one of the highest grades of Frankincense which is harvested in the winter, distilling only the prized green resin. It gives golden warm honey tones, with candid green lemons and sweet amber. This mysterious green resin is powerfully opulent, like liquid sweet candy. It’s highly aromatic and just keeps giving (lasting for over 24 hours) so massively prolongs the longevity of this fragrance.

FINALLY the honeysuckle comes through, but pungently sweet, like thickly-fruity, ripe citrus with warm honey, it’s very vanilla-like. The increasing sweetening has begun on my skin. I’m not sure if it’s TOO sweet now, but it’s developing! Where is this journey taking me?

Almost sensing my sweetness fears, the White Thyme Oil begins to penetrate. It’s a further distillation of red thyme oil, made to be thinner and less potent but still herbaceous. It has warming and therapeutic properties to help boost circulation, aid nutrient and oxygen delivery to the body, also clearing airways from the lungs and throat. Just breathing ‘La Pavillon D’Or’ is therapeutic.

The more simplistic base brings English Oakwood with its hints of black pepper spice and vanilla along with Sandalwood Spicata (otherwise known as Australian sandalwood) to add yet more of a creamy-smooth woody aroma. But the dry-down’s last words are with the vanillic honeysuckle (who’s now more ambery and resinous) but still remaining sweet to its final breath.

‘La Pavillon D’Or is just so greenly-creamy, like a smooth green aromatic paste designed to heal an open wound. There is a medicinal factor, which makes me feel like I’m engaged in alternative herbal healing. But like with all Dusita’s, there’s a softness and delicate subtlety, so however avant-garde or courageous the approach, it’s always done with a wearable sophistication. ‘La Pavillon D’Or’ is a high quality and very interesting aromatic oriental.

TOP – Wild Menthe Citrata, Honeysuckle Extrait

MIDDLE – Boronia Absolute, Frankincense Green Sacra, White Thyme Oil

BASE – English Oakwood, Sandalwood Spicata