Perfumer John Pegg has proven (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that he is more than a flash in the fragrant pan. Each of his previous five releases has been met with glowing praise from the online perfume community and perfumistas around the world. Perhaps one of the most soft-spoken and humble people I have ever conversed with, Kerosene continues to keep creating scents that are never boring or repetitive. Each one of his creations is like a painting with a central figure that is brought to life and accented by what he chose to include in the background and the frame. His two newest scents Fields of Rubus and Wood Haven continue in this vein.

I am fortunate to call John a friend and also a colleague. I was very happy to hear he had created two new scents and was including me among those chosen to receive advances samples. We have spent some time getting to know each other over the phone and he is not one to “blow his own horn”, but he does talk with great passion and fervor about perfume. Despite a move and a full time (non-perfume) job, he manages to keep his creativity going and now has seven original scents available in a little under a year…very impressive, indeed!

When I first heard about Fields of Rubus, it was described as “jammy” by another perfume lover. Not anything that would immediately cause me to seek any perfume out. Rubus is the Latin name for the genus of raspberries (r. idaeus) and blackberries (r. fruticosus), and to me both are prevalent here, without the sticky or overly sweet tartness usually found in those notes. The addition of a succulent black plum gives this perfume a “noir” and sexy aura. If you can osmagine a smoky Chambord liqueur, you have an idea of how wonderful this smells when it is first applied.

Tobacco “wood” is listed in the notes provided by the perfumer. There is a type of tobacco that is referred to as “tree tobacco”, so perhaps this is the wood of that particular specie. Whatever it is, it adds a definite and delightful woodiness to this scent along with the heavenly scent of dried aromatic leaves. It is in the heart of this scent that the more oriental nature of the base begins to form and keeps it from being another generic fruity. A truly enthralling musk is combined with a golden vanilla and together these heart notes create a trinity that encompasses earthy, sweet and naughty.  With a thick fog of violet plums and scarlet berries lingering, this descends into a completely unisex fragrance despite the intense fruity opening.

A dry down of regal patchouli, flanked by warm cedar and thick sandalwood, complete this indulgent journey into a dark and elusive world of shadows and provocative pleasures. A few perfumes came to my mind when sniffing and wearing this. Natori edp for one (due to the dark fruitiness) and also By Kilian Liaisons Dangereuses (for its wanton naughtiness and hedonism) both spring to mind; however, this particular perfume stands on its own as it is far earthier than either of these two and less spicy. Hints of DIOR’s Poison are also on the outside periphery, yet it is nowhere near as loud or incense-filled. Kerosene has managed to paint a beautiful portrait of elegant fruits surrounded by oriental beauty and the gentle strength of wood and exotic smooth patchouli. Without veering to one side of the gender scale or the other, he has created something completely intoxicating and almost narcotic. Sillage: excellent. Longevity: very good.

Note lists for perfumes can be deceiving. Many times what reads like it is going to be a stunner can come off as mediocre. The inverse is also true. I have been floored by perfumes that have a few simple notes listed or notes that are ubiquitous. Wood Haven is one of the latter. Comprised of citruses, some spices and greens and then woods and grass, it seems like nothing to write home about.  I beg to differ! What met my nostrils, when I first applied this, was a trio of citruses (lemon, grapefruit and bergamot) that didn’t smell like any one of them and were better than all of them. Together these three cut through the air, like a dazzling laser beam, and they were not too sour, sharp or acrid. The heart notes are a subtle, yet aromatic, blending piquant black pepper with some pink peppercorns (to soften the “bite”). Warm, but not too spicy, this blend is contrasted with juniper needles (leaves) and juicy ginger root creating something as fresh as it is enticing.

At this point, I smell something that reminds me of how the magical elven forest of Lothlorien would have smelled in J.R.R. Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. A deep green that is as ancient and powerful as it is vibrant and alive-a place where the Dark Lord cannot see or trespass, and where you feel safe and protected. Here is an all-encompassing woodiness and a delightful blend of grassiness and warm sunshine (that cuts through the canopy and its beams dance on leaves and precious flora). All about, in the air, are the scents of things that would grow nowhere else and have magical and healing properties. As this wears on, the spiciness fades somewhat as a cooler and greener accord of vetiver and guaiac wood take over while cedar continues to bolster the woodsy feeling.

The projection on this is not wide either. It is like a wood elf in how quietly and stealthily it moves. It is strong yet fair and beautiful. It has a definite tenacity and, at the same time, something almost ethereal to it. As it greets you, you are first struck by how amazingly lustrous, graceful and soft it is. Then, you sense its magic in the glimpses of its subtle warmth and restrained power. Its true beauty lies in the way it comes to rest on the skin in a way that captures the coolness of a grassy breeze and the feeling of shady fronds and leaves with the dry and pungent scent of raw cedar. Akin to something ancient, but eternally youthful and beautiful, this perfume takes woody aromatic to a whole other level while turning it inside out and adding hints of an eau de cologne’s classic structure. It does all this while never smelling “dated” or overly masculine. A truly androgynous scent, this captures the best of both worlds. Sillage: close. Longevity: above average.

This fragrant pair is amazing and comes very close to capturing the truest essences of both yin and yang. Fields of Rubus is definitely more “yin” (darker, cooler, elegant and more feminine), yet has that small amount of more intense yang in its core. Wood Haven captures more of the “yang” (brighter, spicier, more Spartan and masculine), yet it has a distinct softness and the femininity of yin in its heart of hearts. I tip my perfumista’s hat to John Pegg, these are superb!

Disclosure: Reviews based on samples sent to me by Kerosene

Thanks to Kerosene we have two sample sets of both fragrances to giveaway. To be eligible leave a comment naming which one of these two new Kerosene fragrances you think you will like better. We will draw two winners on September 8, 2012.

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.

–John Reasinger, Editor