Description
The Heirloom Elixir Limited Editions Collection Archives: 2020 (no.10 – no.15):
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no.10: Snowflakes of Venice {aka Pizzo Veneziano}: Snowflakes, intricate and delicate, seemed the perfect theme to begin the 2020 Heirloom Elixir collection… the very stuff to fill a dream-like space to inhabit during January & February. With their unique patterning, like that of Venetian Lace, snowflakes are floating wonders of weightless fluff when new. The “Snowflakes of Venice” is a metaphor to speak to the famed Venetian Lace produced on the Island of Burano, and still beautifully hand-made with a mere needle and thread (!). During the Renaissance and into the 18th and early 19th centuries, Venetian Lace was a prized luxury and signifier of affluence, power, and rank in European society. Venetian Lace was a cherished heirloom, and even considered an investment for future generations. Created to express the glory of the lace, the atmospheric perfume “Snowflakes of Venice”, has an equal softness and lighter-than-air feel as it opens. It is an eloquently woven mix of chilled prosecco, iced Asian pear (Venetians love exotic delicacies!), cool cyclamen, and the wispy stars of elderflowers. The heart brings you directly to the lace ateliers with the delicate spindles of thread that smell faintly of orris butter, and the unmistakable aroma of starched fabric. In the drydown, we find ourselves back with the cool, moist stones of Venice mixed with an inner warmth connoting the look of snowy fluff. Notes: Ambrette Seed, Bulgarian Rose Otto, Chilled Prosecco (Accord), Cyclamen, elderflowe
no.11: Highland Idyll: I have never actually been to the Highlands of Scotland. But, I have had the joyous pleasure of experiencing some of Edinburgh as well as a wonderful family estate, not that far outside of Edinburgh, called “Holy Wood”. It all sent me into a reverie. Highland Idyll is the scented manifestation of that reverie: a fantasy of mossy stones, brooding skies, with rays of sun shining through, bold wild thistles, fields of heather coloring the hills and valleys a vibrant purple, and most of all, a raw, earthy beauty at the birth of Spring. The opening is cool, with moist earth, and fresh with the feel of just sprouted grass. As you walk the highlands you feel the fresh breeze, see the expanse, and begin to smell the heather and broom, with its beautiful honeyed undercurrent, as splinters of sunlight shine upon your face from behind the clouds. Everything is vivid but misty as in a dream. Elements of the fragrance dash in and out around you as on the wind. It is Spring itself waking the Highlands to bloom. Notes: Acacia Honey Absolute, Ambergris, Ambrette Seed, Apple Blossom, Bergamot, Brazilian Vetiver, Broom Absolute, Clover Leaf, Eglantine, Eglantine Leaf, Fern, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Green Grass, Green Oakmoss, Hay Absolute, Heather, Honey Beeswax, Ivy, Lavender Absolute, Leafy Green (accord), Liatrix, Neroli, Orris Concrete, Ozone, Peat (Accord), Pine Moss, Seaweed, Thistle (Accord), Tree Sap, Treemoss, Violet Leaf Absolute, and Wet Stone (Accord).
no.12: Giardini Segreti: We’re really in for a treat with this edition of Heirloom Elixir: we’re bringing back a lost gem from 2004 called Giardini Segreti. Behind the castle walls and locked gates lies the Secret Garden; a Paradise Garden created for lovers of beauty, natures treasures, romance, and forbidden pleasures. The “Paradise Garden” as these walled gardens are known, have been in existence for centuries. Begun in Ancient Persia and India, the practice was brought to Europe after the Crusades. In Venice, a completely man-made / designed city, almost all gardens and courtyards are enclosed, and therefore, in some manner, a secret garden or Giardini Segreti. These are gardens of love and seduction: a hidden place with parts wild with untamed vines and glorious flowers, and other parts well groomed, kept perfectly tidy for good impressions’ sake. This perfume was inspired by the Venetian walled gardens I’ve visited. They’re especially beautiful in May and June when the headiest, most seductive and narcotic flowers are all a-bloom and a-buzz with bees. The fragrance is utterly swoon-worthy. Notes: Acacia Honey Absolute, Amber, Ambergris, Australian Sandalwood, Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Castoreum, Damask Rose Absolute, Egyptian Rose Geranium, French Beeswax, Galbanum, Gardenia, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Green Oakmoss, Green Rose Leaves, Honeysuckle Absolute, Italian Neroli, Leafy Green (accord), Mimosa Absolute, Musk, Orange Flower Absolute – France, Orris Concrete, Parma Violet, Sambac Jasmine, Tiare Absolute, Tuberose Absolute, Tuberose accord, and Violet Leaf Absolute.
no.13: Airavata: The name Airavata refers to the mystical white elephant that carries the deity Indra down from the clouds. Indra is the King of Gods, or the King of Heaven. For the Heirloom Elixir, I was inspired by the beautiful white elephant and in my own mind, it is the next in line of mythical ‘white’ animals after 2019’s White Rabbits, with an Indian twist. To encompass the symbolism and feeling of Airavata it seemed that the design should float lightly as in air but would also require substance ( a cloud elephant ). This quality also seemed a perfect goal for a fragrance in the height of summer (in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway): it shouldn’t overpower but have longevity. Ancient Ayurvedic themes are brought together with modern sensibilities to create Airavata: buttery Indian sandalwood, white roses, gulab attar (a co-distill of rose and sandalwood), coconut milk, basmati rice, tahini, and white peach. This fragrance is a panacea; it calms, soothes, and gives nourishment to the soul. Notes: Ambrette Seed, Australian Sandalwood, Basmati, Coconut Milk, Galub Attar, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Mandarin, Mysore Sandalwood, Orris Root, Peach Skin (accord), Rose, Rosewater, Tahini accord, White Peach, White Rose Absolute, and White Rose Otto.
no.14: Muresque: This deeply luscious beauty is a “remake” of sorts, as Muresque is the name of a design that I first produced back in 1998. It was a soft fruity floral blackberry fragrance which, while lovely, didn’t truly fulfill my yearning for a seductive, evocative (((dark))) blackberry as in those early years, materials were much more limited for the indie producer. Now, when there are more materials available than ever before, I am truly delighted to revisit this theme for the ‘late summer – early autumn’ edition of Heirloom Elixir. The new Muresque is a bounty of densely colored forest blackberry brambles (leaves, flowers, and berries) woven together with a harvest Pinot Noir accord and the gorgeously dark, liqueur-like ambrette absolute note; all in a lush chypre framework. I love Muresque’s elegantly polished, almost urbane, feel mingled with just enough earthy wildness to satisfy all of my gold-green edged, deep, dark purple-black longings. Notes: Aldehydes, Ambrette Seed, Atlas Cedarwood, Australian Sandalwood, Balsam Fir, Bergamot, Blackberry, Blackberry Flowers, Blackberry Leaves, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Cassis Bud, Damask Rose Absolute, East Indian Patchouli, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Green Oakmoss, Labdanum, Musk, Orris, Pinot Noir (accord), Violet, and Wood Violet.
no.15: A/Embers: As this ashen year comes to a close we’ll find warmth, transformation, and illumination from the golden embers of life. Although I began this design over a year ago with plans to launch it for November & December of 2020, I never really considered how prophetic this concept would be. I hope that A/Embers will feel like a talisman; a call to be the phoenix rising from the embers of these uncertain days. The amber elements, symbols of the ancient artifacts of prehistoric trees, helps us remember that life continues. This time of year can fill our hearts with a glow from the people and things that we love, and bring us joy. I truly wished to infuse A/Embers with this notion as well as to reflect all that we have been through in 2020. I hope A/Embers can bring a sense of rebirth. <3 Notes: Amber, Ambergris, Angelica, Birch Tar, Bourbon Vanilla, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, Bulgarian Rose Otto, Castoreum, Ciste Absolute, East Indian Patchouli, Elemi, Fir Needle, Fossilized Amber Resin, Frankincense co2 Absolute, Grandiflorum Jasmine, Incense Notes, Labdanum, Myrrh Gum, Oakwood co2, Orris Concrete, Pine Needle Absolute, Siam Benzoin, Spice Notes, and Texas Cedarwood.
DSHPerfumes –
(for A/Embers) Sarah : December 8, 2020.
A/Embers feels like a ritual; like writing down all one wishes to be rid of and casting the paper into a fire. It is at once solemn and quiet, warm and intensely smoky. On my skin, it glows like its name. Round amber, tinder-dry pine and deep wood smoke. This feels literal and aroma-therapeutic yet also manages to be quite wearable as a perfume. It is a good choice for one who struggles with sweet Ambers or favors smoky fragrances. A/Embers feels cathartic and needed at this time. So well done!
DSHPerfumes –
(for Muresque)
caroldawson (verified owner) September 24, 2020.
So luxurious and sparkling it makes my eyes cross. I won’t ever be audacious enough to break it down and analyze. I’ll just say: This scent is perfection. I could happily leave my nose in it all day long.
DSHPerfumes –
(For Muresque) Anthony La Russo March 30, 2022.
There is a fruity smoky animalic thing going on here.
As usual it has the DSH transparent touch which mutes just lightly enough a direct hit of fruit (to me it’s dark berry or plum jammy) and spreads it out with perhaps a minor aldehyde or musk? Or maybe it’s just a slight bergamot top that lightens it? But it stays in this perfume-y vein — very pretty — a sort of sweet smoke with a musky damp backbone. I smell a pith-like component peeking through if I get close enough — pith/fruit/forest combo like something on the forest floor that somebody squashed a wet fruit over.
But then if you bring your nose back to the foot or so sillage,15 minutes later there’s a sort of damp orange flower. Dawn has picked a super-nice combination of aromachemicals to back these main themes: it stays a fresh-ie and fruit-forward, but with deeper supporting notes all throughout. It’s like there’s 5 streams of beautiful notes orchestrated here — with chords holding a long time. This frag sneaks up on you; a very thoughtful scent that sticks on your mind — and the more you think about it and feel out its unique orchestral offering, the more your realize how truly original this is. And you want to come back to it over and over. Winner: original and addictive. DSH magick. (Good longevity (5-6 hours), moderate sillage [2 ft for a couple hours and 1 ft for the next couple, tapering til 6hr mark, perhaps a bit longer]–what a fantastic scent).
DSHPerfumes –
(for Airavata) BostonScentGuy July 27, 2020.
Really lovely sandalwood gourmand that doesn’t feel overly sweet or treacly. I can smell all of the edible ingredients (coconut, peach, a citric top that kind of reminds me of lime), but it manages to not smell just like a tropical drink. High quality florals and a lovely sandalwood accord ground it and keep it from veering into “pudding” territory. The rice and tahini accords, I imagine, help contribute to that. Wonderful!
DSHPerfumes –
(for Airavata) kndbarr (verified owner) July 27, 2020.
This fragrance is perfection. Earthy and grounded in sandalwood, while at the same time as sophisticated as a garden filled with white roses, jasmine, and white peach trees heavy with sweet fruit. It floats around you like a gossamer silky fabric caressing your skin in the steamy summer heat as life slows to allow calmness to lull you to relax into the beauty around you.
DSHPerfumes –
(for Giardini Segreti) camaynardwilm@juno.com (verified owner) July 25, 2015.
Lovely delicate floral scent—absolutely love it!
DSHPerfumes –
(for Giardini Segreti). caroldawson August 5, 2013.
I just received this scent, and I must say that it’s one of the most exquisite compounds of floral deliciousness I’ve ever smelled. Just on the edge of fresh, fragrant ripeness, yet not overly sweet–it’s like wearing a garland around your writs.Once again, Dawn achieves subtle magnificence.
DSHPerfumes –
(Highland Idyll) Joanne March 14, 2020.
I just got my 3 ml spray, and tried it out today. It is definitely a fresh spring fragrance. My first impression was honeyed jasmine, with a hint of cherry. Then something green that reminded me of bee balm foliage. The finish was a lovely soft cherry scent. I have got to stop falling in love with these heirloom editions!
DSHPerfumes –
(for Highland Idyll) BostonScentGuy (verified owner) March 17, 2020.
This scent is truly gorgeous and evocative of springtime meadows. Everything is there from dirt to pollen to wildflowers to hay to greenery. This both conjures a real sense of time and space while also being wearable. The broom note–a beautiful, honeyed floral note–particularly takes me back to a familiar pastoral location. I love how the light sweetness and floracy feels tempered with greens, grasses, and dirt. So well done!
DSHPerfumes –
(for Snowflakes of Venice) Tamara Holubar (verified owner) February 24, 2020.
The smell of fresh falling snow is a favorite childhood memory.
I’ve been searching for years to find that smell and Snowflakes of Venice is Absolutely Spot On.
What an utterly beautiful scent.
Love the touch of lemony Prosecco and the Asian Pear.
Ruth Stoltz (verified owner) –
Muresque: I just put this on for the umpteenth time in the over two years that I’ve had it. I love, love, love it every time. It is unique amongst all the perfumes that have been in my collection (over 300). And I’ve gotten compliments for it when I’ve worn it around others. I can easily see why you brought it back as one of the fundraisers that you offered.
anadevice –
Opens with smooth, warm skin musk blended with silky, golden resins nd creamy jasmine. As it dries, it develops an airy, sparkling quality, highlighted by fresh cedarwood and a touch of sunny citrus. The scent becomes softer as it blends with the rich musk, though a glimmer of brightness shines though, beautifully highlighting the appearance of jammy blackberries — evoking images of sweet, wild berries on prickly vines, intertwined with pale creamy blossoms, all surrounded by the the golden warmth of the forest in summer.
A sophisticated and alluring take on fruity summer scents, that is also quite realistic and nostalgic — perfect if you prefer fruit notes to be a bit more subtle. However, if you enjoy extremely fruit-forward scents, this would be beautiful layered with blackberry or black currant. I quite like the balance here though since I often find other houses’ fruit scents a bit overwhelming.
sheneehoward –
Love this one! So sexy!
Savannah Prokop (verified owner) –
(Muresque). Imagine a fairy flitting through a sun-dappled evergreen forest, the lush canopy casting emerald shadows. The air hums with magic, and the scent brings to mind her sweetest creation: homemade blackberry jam, sparkling like jewels in the sunlight. This is the essence of Muresque – addictive and utterly magical.
i (verified owner) –
Muresque:
It’s tart, a bright sweet berry. Somewhat dry as well, I think the backing greens are almost tannic or tea like (looking at the notes, maybe this is the Pinot Noir?). Really enjoyable. There’s a hint of stinkiness/funk but it helps contribute to this luscious fruit smell. I don’t mean stinky in a bad way, but rather a potent, musky smell that could be controversial to others. I enjoy it a lot though! After a bit, I get a hint of rose, but it’s very enmeshed with everything else, and overall it’s all quite blended together. After a bit, the juiciness does disappear on me a little, and the “stink” increases, but the berry heart of it never fully disappears. This scent is more intoxicating than just berries, and it’s quite well balanced, never outright floral or green or anything else. To me, this is late summer, with your knees in the dirt, picking blackberries from the bush and stuffing them into your mouth.