Andy Tauer's Bottle on a Journey ~ Hyacinths and a Mechanic

Andy Tauer is on a mission and his newest fragrance (in testing) Hyacinths and a Mechanic is on a journey around the world to perfumistas who will provide input on this complex and contradictory scent!

While this photo was not my initial vision of Hyacinths and a Mechanic it clearly demonstrates that opposing fragrance notes can be a delightful surprise! According to Andy, "It is a floral scent, a bouquet of powdery lilacs, green hyacinths and gentle lily of the valley. A bouquet of May flowers in the hand of a mechanic with an undertone of oily skin."

Having read the earlier reviews of this perfume, I knew it would not be prudent to spritz Hyacinths and a Mechanic with abandonment, so I tenderly rubbed the residue from Raphaella's test spray onto my wrists. This was at precisely 7:20 pm. I thought, "Oh no, this could be a migraine just waiting to happen." The 'oil' note was quite pronounced and just about caused me to run to the sink and grab the lemon scented Joy dish washing detergent, but I thought I should be fair to Andy, whom I adore.

After waited the obligatory 8-10 minutes before I sniffed again, the powerfully strong oil note was still definitely present, but the florals were beginning to debut. At about 7:45, there was an incredible soft, powdery floral bouquet that emerged as totally hypnotic and captivatingly sensual and was taking over the party. Nose to wrist; nose to wrist, over and over! I had become a slave to the Bottle Journey adventure!

The oil note clung with a fierce tenacity and took a good hour to dry down to the creamy mature Hyacinth and her little Lilac sister. Checking again at 9:00 the oil note for me was returning??? How could this be? Now this took me by surprise but then, we're dealing with Andy Tauer and he is a genius at creating complex fragrances, right? What I'll now share is the honest truth: at 6:00 am the next morning....I'm still feeling the love of the perfume, so that would mean that this fragrance could last almost 12 hours with a single drop. Andy, this is some mighty strong stuff.

The Verdict: This is a wonderfully complex fragrance that does become more 'wearable' as the hours go by, but I'm unsure of owning a perfume that I could not spray with abandonment. This is one of those scents, that if I choose to wear it, I'd have to get up an hour earlier than normal to begin my routine so the oily note could have dissipated enough that my peers wouldn't think I just completed an oil change on my Nissan. Now Andy, if you could just make a version sans oil? I'd be your raving fan for life!

Visit Andy Tauer to learn more about the bottle journey of Hyacinths and a Mechanic.

Photo courtesy of Raphaella Brescia and Kathy Patterson of Sniffapalooza Magazine.

Andy Tauer
The Lonestar Memories Maker

Andy Tauer is both a gentleman and a genius when it comes to blending exotic, daring and provocative notes together. His creations include Le Maroc pour Elle, L'Air du Desert Marocan, Reverie au Jardin and Lonestar Memories. Andy Tauer has secured his place in the niche hall of fame with a cult following of admiring fragrance lovers. Humble, unassuming, honest and generous, he exudes an extreme confidence without being haughty. He's witty, playful and a very creative writer as expressed in his own blog.

I presented Lonestar Memories to my husband and asked him to tell me what he thought of the fragrance. Before I could advise him to wait the obligatory 2-3 minutes post-spritz, his nose was buried in his forearm and when he came up for air, there was a pained expression on his face. Entreating him not to rush to judgment, I asked him to give it a chance to settle down and warm to his chemistry. Here was my perfect opportunity to try Lonestar Memories myself and make note comparisons. One spritz was perfectly metered out on my arm and of course being a perfumista in training, I did wait the appropriate time and then a deep inhalation announces..."Andy, you have this blended this very complex fragrance to perfection." My chemistry welcomed the smokey/sweet notes of birch tar, jasmine and tonka while my husband reflected the woody notes of cedar, vetiver and sandalwood. It was unanimous, we both loved this! Snuggle time that evening blended them even better. (wink)

My memory was immediately taken back to a summer vacation at Latigo Dude Ranch in Kremmling Colorado. Picture this scene: The evening ride takes you by horseback to a mountain ridge overlooking a stand of aspen to witness a breathtaking sunset. Already the air is heavy with dew, the sweetness of the native grasses and evergreens surround you with deep aromas reminiscent of cathedral incense. As we dismount, our guide has prepared a campfire and our 'cowboy' coffee. The wind picks up a bit and the smoke reaches out with small embers bursting in the air. The air becomes even heavier as night approaches and millions of stars make their debut in the sky. Even after the memory of our vacation has faded, Lonestar Memories is the fragrant microcosm of this experience. Thanks for the memories Andy!

Unafraid to use the unusual; Geranium, Carrot seed, Clary sage, Birch tar, Cistus, Jasmine, Cedar wood, Myrrh, Tonka, Vetiver and Sandalwood bring wave after wave of olfactory emotion in this incredibly long lasting fragrance.

Andy's fragrances are available at: LuiLei, Lucky Scent, First in Fragrance and the charming Eie Flud. Reverie au Jardin be reviewed in the near future.