Blogging the Madinis: Papillon

As promised, BG Notes is inaugurating a series of reviews of the Madini oils. Since friend-of-the-blog Chayaruchama loves the line as much as I do, I invited her to join me. We’re going to steal a page from the folks at Perfume Posse and do she said/she said paired reviews, along with some solos from each of us.

We’re going to begin with Papillon, a gorgeous scent that doesn’t seem to get much love. Chaya pointed out that there are no notes or reviews to be found for it, not even on Basenotes. That needs correcting. Chaya, please start us off:

Chayaruchama: According to the Talisman website, Suleiman Madini is the “heir of a perfume dynasty 14 generations old “- 400 years in existence. Goodness knows, if one can’t find a Madini to suit, then you are simply not looking. I counted, and re-counted--93 on the site. Just to be sure. They run the gamut: spicy, floral, citrus, herbal, woody, watery, arid, incendiary, cooling…you name it. I’m not sure exactly how many of these I own--wait, I’ll count ’em up. 46 bottles. Exactly.

Papillon is listed under the ‘spicy’ category. It clearly ain’t for the timid--that is a classic understatement: It’s a powerhouse in a 3ml rollerball bottle. Talisman cites as: “Exotic flowers and spices to capture those elusive reveries of the Shalamar [sic] Gardens of Lahore.” Tigerflag describes it a bit differently : “An oriental blend with exotic flowers, warm spices and amber. Somewhat similar to Olive Flowers, but a little brighter. For men and women, Papillon is a cheerful fragrance that radiates an aura of kindness and optimism.”

BRIGHT ? Oh, yeah, this is bright, all right. Loud, even. An extremely base-heavy, resinous , sweet beyond-measure scent, it nods to the extraits of L’Heure Bleue, Shalimar, and Bois de Copaiba in its balsamic intensity. There are echoes of other Madini oeuvres as well: Olive Flowers (opoponax–laden), and Musk Pierre (unctuous and velvety, creamy.)

The spice feels as if the sweet myrrh--aka opoponax--is mainly responsible, with its nutmeggy quality. If frankincense is in here, it is deftly rendered with a light hand. I sense the presence of Tolu balsam, vanilla, perhaps tonka bean in the base, along with a profoundly resinous amber - and not withheld. Big lashings, all around. Unctuous.

The top notes might well include citrus--bergamot/ lemon, I suspect aldehydes, too. With heart notes, possibly, of nard, exotics like a plumeria, and most definitely ylang ylang (or its less costly cousin, cananga.)

I tend to feel that the use of the word ‘reverie’ isn’t inaccurate, at all--far more descriptive than ‘cheerful, and optimistic.’ JEAN NATE is cheerful and optimistic. Daisy is cheerful and optimistic. Papillon is an odalisque, smoking a hookah, for chrissakes. Scantily clad, at that. Eunuchs waving vetiver fans are seedily present, edentulous grins revealing their blackened gums from chewing betelnut leaves…THAT’S what we’re talkin’ about here, folks. Now, I’m dying to know how my sister-in-sin feels about this one….

BitterGrace: First of all, I’m astonished to discover that I am even more of a Madini addict than Chaya. My bottle count runs to 52, along with a half dozen sample vials. It could take years to cover all these!

But getting back to Papillon, I’m going to be contrary and say I tend to agree with Tigerflag’s description of this beautiful oriental. I find no scantily-clad, hookah-smoking odalisque in my bottle. Not a eunuch in sight. For me, Papillon is a soft-skinned, laughing beauty with sparkling dark eyes. It is rich, without a doubt, but it also conveys a sense of buoyancy and joy. In fact, I’d say it perfectly suits its name. Like a butterfly, it’s graceful, extraordinary, and somehow embodies happiness.

That said, Chaya’s dissection of the notes seems right on target. Bergamot, ylang ylang, opoponax, Tolu balsam—all are very distinctly present along with vetiver, creating a wonderfully smooth character with just enough floral spark to add interest. (Madini's signature rose is nestled in there somewhere.) Amber is in evidence, but not terribly heavy to my nose. What I do get in abundance, lucky me, is tonka--a note I love. Its unique, lightly sweet nuttiness is always comforting, yet never dulling, as benzoin or amber can be.

Chaya’s reference to L’Heure Bleue is very apt, but if I had to pick a classic that Papillon brings to mind, it would be the original 1957 L’Interdit. (See the review at Bois de Jasmin.) Though Papillon lacks the subdued fruity notes of L'Interdit--except for a possible hint of peach--it has the same seamless blend of rich flowers, roots and resins. They all add up to a light-hearted, sophisticated fragrance that would have suited Audrey Hepburn as perfectly as the divine Givenchy creation. Papillon could have been the signature scent of the fiery, delicate Reggie Lampert in Charade.



Butterflies, Wilhelm von Kaulbach, c.1860. Image from Wikimedia Commons.