Looking back on 2008

I'm very happy to be participating in a retrospective of 2008 in the world of fragrance with the authors of some other wonderful blogs about perfume: Perfume Shrine, Ars Aromatica, Bittergrace Notes, Grain de Musc, I smell therefore I am, Savvy Thinker, The Non Blonde, Tuilleries, Legerdenez, Notes From the Ledge, 1000 Fragrances and Olfactarma

So without further ado.

My top 3 new scents of 2008 have been:

1) Dans Tes Bras by Frenderic Malle, which I wrote about here. I'm not sure this has been every one's cup of tea but it's actually one of my favourites from the Malle line now. It is a wonderful name too.

2) Elixir, by Olivia Giacobetti for Penhaligon's. I have only recently smelled this and haven't had time to review it yet. On me it was a very true church incense fragrance that was wearable on my skin, which is exactly what I have been looking for. I am also very pleased that Penhaligon's have pursued this more daring scent. Full review to follow in 2009!

3) Fleur De Sal by Miller Harris. I tried this fragrance when salt was a relatively new scent to me and one I was obsessed with it. I have since found other salt scents but for me this scent still has *something* special in it. It's by far the most satisfying scent in the Miller Harris line for me. I read today with great interest in the Telegraph's Stella magazine that Lynn Harris is working on a scent based on a raining morning in Regent's Park. If it's anything like as good as it sounds this is going to be top of my wish list.

My 3 favourite developments in the perfume world outside of fragrances themselves have been:

1) Perfume books! I have devoured Perfumes: The Guide and Roja Dove's Essence of Perfume this year. For me while I love perfume blogs and magazine and newspaper articles there is nothing so good as have a book I can hold in my hands and refer to whenever I want. I have been so pleased to see the attention these books have had in the mainstream press and hope they open the door for even more perfume books to add to the growing collection available.

2) Personally I have gained a great deal of pleasure and knowledge from finding more perfume blogs and have really enjoyed having contact with their authors. I'm also very grateful to the people who read and comment here, I really enjoy writing the blog and it always brightens my day to know that it's read and enjoyed.

3)The increased availability of samples. Whether that's via sites like The Perfumed Court, Lucky Scent or through scent houses offering sample sets. I think this is especially useful where scents aren't widely available, because even if you can make a journey to somewhere that sells the fragrances you might not want to make a decision about if you want to buy something or not without sampling a scent for several hours at least. I myself have made use of Lostmarc'h's excellent sample service recently and will be writing about the perfumes they sent in the new year.

My 3 favourite fragrance discoveries in 2008 have been:

1) Pour Troubler by Guerlain. Again I found myself thinking that, to my nose, Guerlain's classic scents are just head and shoulders above most fragrances I have ever smelled and I think I ever will.

2) Lostmarc'h, whose scents I have already mentioned I will discuss in January. I have been curious about this house for some time and their fragrances really didn't disappoint.

3) Sel de Vetiver by the Different Company. Finding this was like finding the answer to a complicated puzzle to me; it is everything I want a Vetiver scent to be.

I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and fragrant 2009!