Impressions de Giverny
Fort and Manlé (2018)

These Impressions will be watery and indistinct if you spray discretely, but be a bit wanton, apply liberally and the full pointillist brilliance of this evocation of a Japanese garden in Normandy will come to life. Rasei Fort guides the marriage of light and elusive floral and fruity notes (apple, tulips, yuzu, fig leaves, light pink roses) to an array of much more serious resinous, dry woody and ambergris tones with such a sure hand that it quite catches my breath. ‘Yes, the picture is complete,' I want to say, ‘not a further dot or dab is needed.' There's something effortlessly modern about the ripple of impressions, and yet there is also the elegance, restraint and gravitas of some classic perfumes. If this is how spring in Giverny smells, I want to be there.
An active life of about three hours is on the short side for the moola involved.

Fort & Manle's second-latest (from 2018), Impressions de Giverny, is a mix of florals and fruits over a woody, resinous base. I do not detect many floral and fruity notes in particular, but the blend seems characteristic of a mix that includes some white florals, rose, citrus, and apple.

It's fresh, sweet, floral (but not too floral), and a bit woody with some interesting herbal, spicy undertones as well. Benzoin plays significantly into the dry down especially, giving it a sweeter, more resinous, less floral finish.

This is very easy to wear, possibly quite versatile, if it were not for it being a little airy for my usual taste, which would make it more difficult to pass offer in slightly cooler climates or in nighttime wear outdoors.

Performance is a bit lackluster but this is partly based on the brand generally having strong fragrances, especially Bojnokopoff, Amber Absolutely, and Suleyman Le Magnifique. Impressions de Giverny is more of a warm weather fragrance in my opinion--it'll shine much better when there's heat to bring it out.

8 out of 10