One of my favorite parts of the enjoyment of perfume is the first fragrance that lets me know a perfumer is going to be a star. Back in 2005 I had the opportunity to try this, unknown to me, line called Divine from Paris. That fragrance was called L’Homme Sage and it was my introduction to the amazing possibilities of a fragrance that was exquisitely composed without any of the perfumer’s sleight of hand that was prevalent during that time. It took me a while but I found out the perfumer’s name was Yann Vasnier and back then I had just begun to know his name from his work for Cerruti 1881 and Comme des Garcons Series 2 Red: Palisander. L’Homme sage was the first perfume by M. Vasnier which pulled all of that potential together and made one of my all-time favorite perfumes in L’Homme Sage. I think everyone knows M. Vasnier’s work now as he has become one of the elite perfumers working currently.

Crola Oak Trees, Artist Unknown

While M. Vasnier has made himself a household name I am betting quite a few of you have never heard of Divine. After a year of what seems like one large collection after another stuffed with mediocrity I admire the slow and steady output of Divine. They put out their first perfume Divine in 1986 and it wouldn’t be until the calendar turned to 2000 that the second fragrance would appear. Now with the release of their tenth fragrance, L’Homme Infini, you can see that they truly care about the olfactory art they put out over the merely commercial. L’Homme Infini is also a return to Divine by M. Vasnier for his fifth composition with them. M. Vasnier once again produces a perfume which is rewarding in its simple complexity.

Old Oak Tree On A High Hill II by Connie Tom

L’Homme Infini is described as “boise vert” in the press release. To me it is an ancient oak tree with the sunlight shining down through it. M. Vasnier encircles the proud oak with resins and spices and a couple of other woody notes. I just want to sit at the base of this tree and breathe in this olfactory landscape for a long time.

Yerres,Camille Daurelle under an Oak Tree by Gustave Caillebotte

M. Vasnier uses a mix of pungent coriander amplified with black pepper and made exotic with elemi. Then the oak burst up like a storybook tree and seems to push everything out of the way for a moment. The coriander and pepper gather themselves first and then a beautifully sun-dappled amber bathes the olfactory tree in warmth while the elemi and benzoin add a resinous depth. It is here where L’Homme Infini lingers on my skin for hours as I settle in for the afternoon.

L’Homme Infini has outstanding longevity and average sillage.

The absolute woody quality of L’Homme Infini makes this an ideal fragrance for anyone who likes their fragrances to have a sylvan bent. I am reminded of M. Vasnier’s introduction to me with L’Homme Sage as he has again made a perfume free of pretension but full of artistry.

Disclosure: this review was based on a sample provided by Divine Parfums.

Thanks to Divine Parfums I have an extra 2mL carded sample to giveaway. To be eligible I want to expose our readers to Divine. Please go visit their website at this link and leave a comment about any of the fragrances you find there you think you might like. We will draw one winner on November 18, 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.

-Mark Behnke, Managing Editor