Soudain L'Hiver
Henry Jacques (2010)

Green, woody pine, driven by a fresh and herbal rosemary accord that persists throughout. Like sunshine beaming through the trees in a pinewood forest with a chill in the air. It's suddenly winter.

I feel inadequate to be the first to review this fragrance, but I'm not shy, so I'll press forward and give it a shot.

I blind bought this based on all of the positive reviews and I'm glad I did. That's not to say I didn't have any sticker shock, because this is a true investment, but I wanted the experience and as I said, I'm glad to have it.

Soudain l' Hiver comes in 15 mil or 30 mil crystal decanter with a dabber top. I applied it on my neck, behind my ears and just a slight bit on my left interior wrist. The first thing I noticed was how it felt like a perfume oil. I also own Ancient Resins by Aftelier, and Siberian Fir by Evocative Perfumes and SLH goes on much like both of those perfume oil fragrances. It says it's a "pure perfume" and perhaps a pure perfume is oil based, but SLH seems to wear like that to me.

The initial fume that rises features pine, but it quickly folds itself into the overall fragrance profile, which is a leather base with wafts of pine, cedar, white floral and rosemary. I can't honestly say I've detected the rosemary yet, but I'm going to be wearing this fragrance for years to come and want to try and identify each nuance.

My favorite part of wearing SLH so far has been the far dry down. That's where the olibanum shows up and helps to ramp up the over all pine note, which is pure bliss for me. However, this is not only pine and olibanum. The blending for this fragrance is as good as any I've had the pleasure to wear.

I would say that Soudain l' Hiver is an "experience," and one I'm glad I've been able to have. I look forward to spending more time with it in the years to come.

I am first hit with the most gorgeous Pine, Rosemary and the Higher notes of Incense. The headiness continues with a Jasmine, Neroli sweetness, like a sprinkle of Citrus scented Sugar. The Rosemary in this is stunning. I can almost taste the Dusty, vaguely Bitter woodiness of it. This is a meal of Cool Greenness for the Masculine