Tawaf perfume by La Via del Profumo
I think it must be quite evident from reading my blog that I have a real appreciation for natural perfumes. So you can imagine how elated I was to be chosen as the winner of a giveaway hosted by Freddie at Smelly Thoughts for a 15ml bottle of Tawaf perfume by La Via del Profumo.
Dominique Dubrana, perfumer/proprietor of La Via del Profumo, is a well known name in the natural perfume community. His website and blog are a treasure trove of information for those wanting to learn more about the art and fragrant materials underlying natural perfumery. In his own words, Tawaf was composed as “a fragrance that sings the very soul of the Arab people.”
I would describe Tawaf as a jasmine soliflore. The scent opens with an intense blast of indolic jasmine. The Jasmine Sambac absolute utilized is so multifaceted that I also get hints of green stems, hay and orange juice. Though Narcissus and Rose are mentioned in Mr. Dubrana’s description of the fragrance, on my skin they are indistinguishable and serve to bolster the headiness and provide roundness to the majestic jasmine bouquet. The wispy, dusty and just barely sweet oppoponax based drydown offers a direct contrast to the animalic opening. This perfume may not be the easiest introduction to jasmine based natural perfumes for those new to natural perfumery and unaccustomed to the indolic rawness of jasmine absolute. But for those of us who enjoy it, this perfume delivers true jasmine in all its funk-laced beauty.
Longevity: Above average
Sillage:Low
