Blackbird by Richard Allen (r.)
Blackbird, a pair of shops featuring clothing as well as a modern apothecary in Seattle’s Ballard district, has been the recent home of the Pacific Northwest Perfumer’s Circuit events. Several local perfumers have created fragrances specifically for the store. Unfortunately, due to rent increases, the brick and mortar locations will be temporarily closing, with Blackbird maintaining an online presence. The final perfume celebration, held in Mid-July, was in honor of the new Olympic Orchids fragrance, Blackbird.
Summer Forest by S.S. Minns
Blackbird was created by perfumer Ellen Covey in homage to the summer aromas of the Pacific Northwest. Ripe wild blackberries bursting on the vine, conifers giving off their crisp, resinous scents in the shimmering air, and the dry grasses of a meadow all contribute to the experience of wearing this perfume.
Blackberry Bird by Imke Pearson
The perfume opens with a truly juicy blackberry note, and this berry-lover was in heaven. I used to go berry-picking with my Grandma and Grandpa in the hot midsummers of Ohio, and of course shoved quite a few into my mouth. The sticky, dark purple juice would ring my mouth and make all manner of debris stick to my plump little hands. Blackbird is made with a tincture of blackberry that rings so true I feel like I have been eating the fruit. Ringing the edges of the dark berry is the aroma of evergreen trees. You can almost see the thickness of the air, and feel the dry mulch beneath your feet as you traverse this fragrant summer forest.
Blackbird by Michael Purcell
As the scent dries down, the berries succumb to the power of the sun and hungry birds, leaving only the dried leaves and stems underfoot. The aromas of the woods take over, seed cones bursting, dried needles crushed underfoot, their resinous, dusty smell rising up. This is not only a wearable and luscious fragrance, it is very experiential. An added bonus is the pretty dark juice, like deep amethyst, that comes from the berry tincture, except I would be careful about spraying it on a white garment.
Notes: Himalayan blackberry fruit, dry grass and leaves, elemi, cedar wood and resin, woody-amber accord, fir balsam absolute, musk
Ellen Covey
I received my sample from Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids, and she has generously offered to give one lucky reader in the US a 30 ml bottle, and for our international readers we are offering a sample. Let us know if you like berries in perfume, and if you are US or international. Draw ends July 26, 2013.
We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.
–Tama Blough, Senior Editor