Cocktail
Lush (2018)

(Review of the Gorilla Perfume release, bottled in 2016)

If this is truly a cocktail, it's a strange cross between a mint julep and a caipirinha. Generally speaking, you better love ylang-ylang to even get close to liking this perfume. Cocktail is crammed full of natural ylang-ylang and cananga oils, which virtually smell the same but the latter is a touch sweeter and warmer. The opening is a full-on starchy banana ylang-ylang, which definitely calls to mind cachaca - the banana forward Brazilian rum in caipirinhas made directly from sugar cane juice as opposed to the deeper molasses concentrate of sugar cane in traditional rums - but there is an extremely bright freshness to it, not nearly the sugary or fruity aspects one would assume from these materials, perhaps a type of alcohol heat, that almost forces the ylang-ylang into wintergreen territories, i.e. mint julep, a cocktail of mint and bourbon. I'm leaning more in the latter direction thanks to the heavily woody base of mosses and sandalwood that makes one think of barrel aged liquor. However, quite a bit of crystal white, citrusy, and piquant jasmine and orange blossom are playing around in the heart, dragging along their quieter and more reserved friend the jammy red rose, which certainly adds a deeper fruity dimension. Alcohol heat, some type of rum or bourbon, wintergreen mint, light starchy bananas, floral citrus, fruity floral, and a big, creamy, damp earth and wood base, in summation - a bizarre but extremely fun concoction that is unlike anything I've ever smelled.

I'm not sure how this compares to the original formulation from B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful or the last formulations under the Lush parent company's name. Serious Lushies that have closely followed the BNTBTBB, Gorilla, and Lush brands' perfumes for the last couple decades would have to tell you, since my experience with them is not that deep or far back. But, assuming the various formulations are very similar if not the same to my 2016 Gorilla bottle, I would say this to anyone wanting to try it: try in the store before you buy to make sure you love ylang-ylang if you don't already know for sure, and, if you do, you're going to find a truly unique ylang-ylang perfume. This is the brand's(s') entry into the tropical pool party, beach side, suntan lotion and cocktails perfume genre that is fresh, lively, and just darn good fun.