Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes
Etat Libre d'Orange (2012)

I’m confused by people who say this smells like a Thai curry like that’s a bad thing. The best smell in the world – apart from that of a baby’s head and perhaps marijuana – is the smell of a good Thai meal being prepared in your kitchen. The aromas of crushed lemongrass stalks, freshly-chopped coriander leaves and stalks, chilies, lime juice, and of course, the steamy smell of basmati rice are all a cheap, legal high that nobody in their right mind would turn down.

Fils de Dieu works because it triggers all the right responses in our salivary glands – hot, sour, aromatic, fresh – while also giving us the creamy rice mouthfeel of a pudding at the end, to sweeten and calm the mouth. Although technically a gourmand, I think of Fils de Dieu more as an aromatic oriental with a sour citrus vein running through it. It’s perfect for summer, because it’s has the same psychotropic effect on the nerves as the smell of a gin and tonic, or a squirt of whatever suntan lotion your mother used on you when you were little. In fact, Fils de Dieu should come with a trigger warning (may cause drooling, beatific smiling, and general time-wasting at work).

The first half of this is very pleasant. I was expecting something nutty, like basmati rice, but instead it's mildly sweet, like lemondrop candy with ginger and cardamom notes. Slightly effervescent, too, so that the effect is like a soda. It gets a lot duller toward the middle, turning into a sort of undistinguished and rather muddy vanilla rose. Had it remained as charming as the top half was, I'd have considered a full bottle, but as it is -- no.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. I finished a small decant, then sprang for the 30mL bottle. I love those 30mL bottles--so sad ELdO discontinued them. I was about to buy a second 30ML, but it was sold out before I could...

Anyway, I love this in fall and spring. There is just enough citrus, and just enough vanilla, and it is perfect during the day for either season. This wears pretty close to the skin on me, so I found it very work appropriate. I did not get the curry /Thai or Vietnamese dinner that so many others do. I found it slightly powdery (maybe that was the rice) and slightly spicy, and overall very well blended.

Unfortunately, my partner hates this. I can't imagine why. I will therefore not spring for a 50mL or larger size.

I guess I can call this one a gourmand, as almost instantly I get the smell of a rice pudding with milky coconut and some spices. Although there are times when I get a floral body lotion, actually more a suntan lotion, due to the coconut.

A very nice, refreshing citrus opening. After it settles down, I kept getting wafts of what resembled a very nice, floral-sweet skin lotion. Projection is good, if not above average. Listed as unisex but this is too feminine for me, but a nice scent nonetheless. I enjoy smelling this but not something I desire to wear.

An artful rendering of notes reminiscent of Filipino or Thai food. Alternatively, after the drydown, it reminds me of Indian rice pudding. I'm a sucker for cardamom (in this, Bigarrade Concentree, Bergamote 22, and others, but cardamom's body funk can be overwhelming (e.g. Jo Malone Mimosa Cardamom). Not so here. The Cardamom has a light touch, and the lemongrass cuts the bite of the coconut milk notes so that the overall effect isn't cloyingly sweet. I could see this working as well at the office as at a beach party; it strikes me as very versatile. I think I will use some store credit to procure a bottle.