Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet  photo by Neringa©

There are those rare times when a  work of art – a painting, a poem, an opera, or in this case – a perfume, captures and bewitches you upon the very first encounter. This is exactly what happened when I was introduced to the ninth fragrance composed by Aggelos Balamis including his yet to be released Œillet. I met Aggelos, a young, humble and immensely talented Greek perfumer and founder of the brand Angelos Créations Olfactives two years ago at Esxcence 2019. I immediately knew he had great potential to shine as an artisan perfumer the knowledge, his passion for  fragrance  punctuated our conversation like sparks of olfactive light.

Aggelos Balamis courtesy of Aggelos

Each of Angelos Créations Olfactives Extrait de Parfums carry his unmistakable “Balamis” signature – full bodied florals, green chypres  rich spice-laden ambers and classic leathers, all are executed with skill and finesse. After having a chance to immerse myself in the collection via his sample set, it was the fiery carnation solliflore ablaze – L’Œillet that captured my nose and my heart. Aggelos explains L’Œillet’s provenance: “I always have been a great admirer of carnation note and accords in many masterpieces like Guerlain Derby and Caron Poivre; but also in fragrances that had this note hidden but so crucial for the whole structure of a floral composition. Carnation is one of the first things I asked to learn how to compose a basic structure of while taking my private classes in Paris. So, after being taught the basics I had a goal – to create my very own carnation soliflore. That’s how Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet was born. The most important part was to find the right balance between tuberose absolute and pink peppercorn with the carnation, clove accord and musks.”

Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet by Neringa©

Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet opens with the piquant, heated breath of a carnation blooming before suddenly bursting into layers upon layers of fiery petals spiked with spicy cloves and pink pepper. Œillet emanates old world opulence and glamour – lacquered red lips and fur stoles carelessly draped over the alabaster shoulders of elegant ladies during the belle époque and the early days of perfumery. Behind the sparkle of the opening, the soft creaminess of flowers beckon…heady pearlescent tuberose casts a bewitching spell, full-bodied, velveteen rose caressed by the powdery nuances of heliotrope; and pointillist dots of dew drops-adorned lily-of-the-valley, illuminating the heart. The florals enhance the molten red-gold warmth of the prima, the spicy carnation with daubs of watery, dewy freshness, and ensures that the structure retains its luminous weightlessness.

Viennese Waltz Vladmir Purvuninsky @tutt art

 It is at the drydown that this perfume exhibits perfect pitch. The florals and spices seem to waltz together to an orchestra of musk, leather and vanilla which play in the background – a dark contrast to the shimmering brightness of the top. Vibrant, facetted, surprising, at once nocturnal and solar,  Œillet warms up on the skin, melding and becoming one with it. Like many yesteryear carnation classics, Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet is opulent, rich and laden with a vast array of highest quality ingredients, orchestrated with perfect control and balance; I have yet to come across such complexity and majestic grandeur in a modern day artisanal carnation composition.

Top Notes:  Pink Pepper CO2, Lily of the Valley, Carnation; Heart Notes:  Tuberose Absolute, Rose, Heliotrope, Ylang-Ylang,  Clove Bud; Base Notes: Vanilla, Musk

Disclaimer:  I would like to kindly thank Aggelos Balamis of Angelos Créations Olfactives for the bottle of L’Œillett very generously provided for this review. My opinions are my own.

Neringa Svobutaite, Contributor  with contributions from Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

Angelos Créations Olfactives Œillet by Neringa©

Thanks to the generosity of Aggelos Balamis, we have an avant premier (release date in the future) 30 ml bottle of Œillet for one registered reader in Europe, the UK or the USA. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what strikes you about Œillet do you have a favorite Angelos Créations Olfactives fragrance and where you live. Draw closes 6/28/21

Editor in Chief Michelyn Camen selected Aggelos Balamis as 2020’s rising star.

Since Aggelos doesn’t’ have a website at this time please see his Facebook Page or email him at angelos.olfactives@gmail.com or DM him at Angel_bal on Instagram

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