Sailing on the skiff of a fisherman, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon transports us to the land of milky Oolong tea, the starting point of her inspiration – ©Pixabay, bottle ©Manuele Pinon, montage ©Emmanuelle Varron.

 Fragrances developed by independent perfumers are like a breath of fresh air. Their financial means are less, the distribution isn’t wide but the soul of these innovative creators resonate in their compositions. Isabelle Larignon, just launched her second fragrance after a year of hard work. And even if her mentor is Bertrand Duchaufour, and her talent is just  beginning to be recognized by her peers, nothing is simple when you have to manage your formulas, your choice of raw materials, your suppliers and the shortage of  packaging and bottles on your own.

Isabelle Larignon (©Studio Artichaut) and Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon in its 50 ml and 10 ml version (©Manuele Pinon) – collage ©Emmanuelle Varron.

I discovered Isabelle Larignon’s work via Instagram through mutual friends. Our first meeting, when she launched Le Flocon de Johann K was the beginning of a friendship.  Ever since, we chat about our common passions which are art, music, gastronomy and, of course, perfume. I had the chance to experience Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon very early on, being part of the perfumer’s  circle of “human mouillettes”. Until  the weeks before the launch Isabelle Larignon hesitated to dilute her fragrance in 13% or 18% alcohol. The nuance was slight but noticeable with others encouraging her to choose the higher concentration for more projection. She finally decided to dilute in 16%… and at the last minute to 15% alcohol. A specific matter to any perfumer, but which weighed when  your name is on the bottle, and financing yourself 100%. Isabelle does everything “in-house” including the design of the label, the 10 ml bottle boxes (cut in a precious Indian paper) with stamping of the serial number and numbering of the first 100 copies. Everything is assembled by hand (and with glue) by the perfumer. Pure craftsmanship!

100 handmade boxes with a serial number stamped on the bottom (lot 295 corresponds to the formulation machining process done on 29^th May) and numbered from 1 to 100 stamped on the lid (I chose #29!), labels to paste… Here’s a 100% own-financed fragrance behind the scenes – pictures and collage ©Emmanuelle Varron

 Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon finds its source in a fanciful story, this time inspired by Milky Oolong tea and the perfumer’s  imagined “102-year-old dragon, who is a solitary alchemist,” who settled on Formosa Island (the name given to Taiwan by Portuguese sailors in the 16^th century) a few steps from a wild tea garden. Every morning, a thick mist of white flowers scent woke him up and capsized his soul. One stormy day, he spread his wings over his precious garden to protect it, then used his hot breath to dry the petals weighed down by the rain: a sweet scent of jasmine and praline rose in the air, intoxicating. In his sleep, the dragon then dreamed of the white flowers transforming into a Serpent Woman, dancing and waving around his protector. This is how a perfume was born “green like a tea plant leaf, flowery like a carpet of violets, warm like the breath of a dragon in love”. The fragrance is well named as Oolong means “black dragon” in Chinese…

Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon into the hands of a golden dragon – dragon ©Pixabay, bottle ©Manuele Pinon – montage ©Emmanuelle Varron

On my skin, sweetness is present from the very first seconds. The buttery facet of the Milky Oolong tea that inspired Isabelle Larignon is apparent from the start, round and delicious, energized by the zesty freshness of bergamot, the minty note of buchu and the spicy and powdery aspects of cardamom. This opening takes me back to a dinner where the perfumer offered me an Alishan tea from Taiwan considered the champagne of Oolong teas; I had perceived its originality, its complexity and its roundness while drinking it, at once milky, brioche and praline. Paying homage to this unique tea, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon is also flavored with clary sage, playing on herbaceous and amber notes. Second round of sweetness: this time, the lactones and the hazelnut envelop my skin in a regressive roundness, evoking a pot of hot milk boiling. I also perceive floral notes in the background: rose, jasmine and violet gaining momentum over the minutes, soft and almost fruity, floating on this warm milk rich of a thousand scents. Long-lasting but not too heavy, Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon plays for long hours on the gourmet / aromatic / flowery / fruity contrast, matching the warmth of the skin. Cashmeran, cedar and fir balsam provide a woody base that does not dampen the ardor of the fragrance but on the contrary, gives it body to extend the pleasure until the end of the night.

To mark Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon’s launch, the perfumer has created a 10 ml limited edition version diluted in Bison grass vodka (bottle on the right, where the fragrance is cloudy) – ©Emmanuelle Varron.

A great gastronomy amateur since she managed a restaurant and was a copywriter in this industry for a long time, Isabelle Larignon wanted to adapt her perfume into a delicious cocktail made from bison grass vodka. Also called “flouve” in French, its smell and taste evoke hay, and pairs perfectly with buchu, a South African aromatic plant part of the fragrance. She had the great idea to produce a flanker of her perfume by replacing the classic alcohol with the 40° vodka. It’s of course forbidden to drink, but you then discover Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon with more herbaceous and nutty notes, like a small olfactory cloud. This unusual version was available exclusively during the launch pop-up organized at Paris Quatre Vingt-Treize shop… and I did not fail to treat myself to one!

Notes: bergamot, buchu, cardamom, butter, rose ketones, cis-jasmone, ionones, lactones, hazelnut, ozonic note, clary sage absolute, cashmeran, Virginia cedarwood, fir balsam, oakmoss.

Disclaimer: A big “merci” to Isabelle Larignon for the 10 ml Milky Dragon bottle provided for this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Emmanuelle Varron, Senior Editor

Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon 50 ml bottle – bottle ©Manuele Pinon, numbered boxes ©Emmanuelle Varron.

 Thanks to Isabelle Larignon, we have a 50 ml bottle of Milky Dragon for one registered reader in USA, UK and EU. You must register or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what appeals to you about Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon and where you live. Draw closes 07/13/2022.

Isabelle Larignon Milky Dragon is available by contacting her via email.

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