The samples of Winter Rouge and Tabanesque by Eternal Scents | Photo by The Perfume Magpie

I put my Christmas tree up the other day. The days are drawing in and the bite in the air is announcing that the winter solstice is just around the corner. Soon, we’ll have the mountain tops capped with snow. In the campo, the red leaves are feebly clinging onto the grape vines and just as the reminder of the past autumn days, the remaining poplar leaves are gleaming gold in the early evening light. When I walk down the village streets, all I can smell is the smoke from the burning logs. Winter is here.

The heavy blue-grey clouds have been lingering over us for over a week and I’ve been feeling rather lethargic and contemplative. So many questions with no answers keep filling my head and, just like the heavy winter sky, I cannot seem to break free from them. To shake off my low mood, I wandered up to my dresser and picked up a small bottle of perfume. I traced my finger along the contour of the bottle, and then hesitantly unscrewed the golden top.

I dubbed a drop on my wrist; immediately, intoxicating tuberose scent swirled up in the air. Tantalising dance of flowers was joined and intertwined with the warm opulent balsams, giving somewhat musky, velvety feel to the floral notes. The richness and the warmth of this fragrance captivate me every time when I open this bottle and, somehow, it always brings me back to the time when we were living in Egypt; especially the narrow, maze like streets of Khan el-Kalili where I enjoyed walking around so much.

Khan el-Khalili, Egypt | Photo by The Perfume Magpie

So many memories started unfolding as the scent developed; the voice and the smile of someone I so long for, the places we visited together, and the conversations we had… I knew this would happen.

I’ve won Winter Rouge by Eternal Scents from the giveaway hosted by the Sorcery of Scent blog back in April and wanted to review it in the wintertime for its warm quality. But now the cold season is here, I feel reluctant to dissect it into pieces. Some scents are special to each person for their own unique reasons; they might be better left alone.

This perfume, to me, is the intersection between joy and sorrow. While I rejoice this fragrance as I celebrate life, the memories that woven into this fragrance still torment me. (See my earlier post.)

I just hope, some day, I can wear Winter Rouge with full of joy… not with tears.

Winter Rouge is created by Rafael and Sharon Rodriguez, Eternal Scent.

The notes: Narcissus, Tuberose, Tahitian Gardenia, Tolu Balsam, Cedarwoods and plant Musks. (Official notes according to Eternal Scents website.)

It is available in 5ml Perfume Oil, AU$ 239.95.

Disclosure: I received the 3ml samples of Winter Rouge and Tabanesque from Eternal Scents as a giveaway prize hosted by Sorcery of Scent.

What others say: You can read a review on Sorcery of Scent.