Diptyque Launches Orphéon in a Solid Perfume: Perfect for Travel

Hey campers, today I'm sharing some thoughts on the Orpheon Eau de Parfum, by Diptyque. Imagined as a tribute to a late night bar adjoining the first Diptyque boutique, Orpheon Eau de Parfum celebrates the place where the founders' friendship was forged. The bar is no longer there as the boutique was extended into that space. Although it is immortalised by a sparkling blue column.

When not exploring the globe themselves, the three friends would drop in at the Orpheon several times a week. Here they would talk about their latest finds, or try out their creations. Here was where the ideas flowed 

Orpheon is an olfactory dream: fresh and flowery, sensual and woody. This Fragrance Gesture is inspired by the enfleurage technique used in times past to capture the scent of flowers. Its alcohol-free wax is a scented balm, applied with the fingertips to reveal the warmth of the tonka bean, the depth of the cedar and vivacity of juniper berries at the heart of the composition of this fragrance. And because this solid perfume is refillable it's a nomadic, eco-responsible gesture. (Perfect for travel as you don’t have to check it in at customs).

The fragrance is unisex, very direct and with a punch. It has an aquatic quality to it, although I'm unsure if that's the effect that Diptyque were hoping to achieve. The juniper is incredibly prominent throughout, like a lot of Diptyque fragrances that are focused on one material with supporting notes. It's got an elegant push, and feels refined. I can't see myself in a clandestine speak-easy in sixties Paris, eyeballing Brigitte Bardot through a room of fine tailored bourgeoisie. But it's gregarious, convivial, popular, just not in a 60s way. It's too top end and studded with floral notes from the juniper and jasmine.  

That said it makes for a terrific unisex fragrance. Tuula loves it, both to wear herself and to smell on me. I would put this down as a sophisticated, mature, first date fragrance. It's not overly ambitious due to its linear profile, but it hangs around in a good way.