When you hear the word “island feeling”, many of you will surely think of white sandy beaches, palm trees and turquoise sea, the South Seas, the Maldives, the Seychelles or – not quite so far-fetched – the Balearic Islands. But Memo takes us to a completely different corner of this earth, to an island that many of you probably don’t have on your mind when you hear the term island feeling: Great Britain.
With Inverness and Sherwood, Scotland and the East Midlands are our destination today. So you can mentally unpack the bathing suits again. No lovely South Sea flair or tangy Mediterranean vibes, but the sometimes harsh climate of the British Isle is on our agenda.
Inverness – Scotland’s Highlands
The city of Inverness is located not far from the famous Loch Ness lake in the Scottish Highlands. The city, which is now home to around 50,000 people, is as steeped in history as the water itself. Numerous wars, battles and feuds took place in and around Inverness, whether caused by one or more of the numerous clans or otherwise induced. A rather cruel as well as eventful time Inverness looks back on. Besides the mysterious Loch Ness, the castle of Inverness, where none other than the legendary Macbeth ruled over his people, is also remarkable. Not quite as bloodthirsty as in William Shakespeare’s play of the same name, but the real Macbeth was certainly not an innocent lamb either.
Even the name is enticing and dreamy: Inverness. A land of peat, heather and golden rain, beyond the senses, capital of the Highlands, the largest region of Scotland. Nature unfolds freely, untouched, extraordinary, and the river Ness meanders mysteriously. From this endless green and invigorating realm rise scents of various woods, each more captivating and fragrant than the other.
The perfumer used in the creation of Inverness was the young French Nadège Le Garlantezec, who combined the fragrance notes of iris, mate, sandalwood, amyris, cedar and guaiac wood. Another eau de parfum with mate … after my mate hit mosaïque by 27 87 Perfumes yesterday, I’m curious to see how Memo olfactorically translates the South American herbal infusion.
Amyris Highlands – Inverness
“The journey is the destination” so the credo of Memo and this fragrance journey I like from the beginning extremely well. Fine creamy iris shimmers between soft powderiness and delicate lipstick accents. Again and again I catch a whiff of earthiness. Yes, the iris plays out its multifaceted nature in a beautiful and rather understated way. Mate brings a pinch of greenish tart herbaceousness into play, while the woods slowly but surely appear on the fragrant horizon.
Comfortably warm amyris unites with velvety sandalwood, joined by the clean, delicately coniferous and sweet notes of cedarwood, which give the creation depth and durability. Guaiac wood provides floral-powdery and subtly smoky aspects in the finish.
Inverness by Memo is a finely balanced, delicate and multi-layered iris fragrance that beautifully reflects the many facets of the iris root. From creamy and lipsticky to powdery, earthy and woody, the eau de parfum shows almost all shades of iris. Combined with velvety warm woods and greenish herbaceous mate, Memo evokes for me the image of a balmy sunny afternoon in the Highlands, when a unique scent rises from the heather and moss covered landscape, when the scent of damp earth mixes with mineral rocks and a subtle peatiness. Certainly, Inverness is not a typical Scot, because those who are looking for powerful whisky nuances or rough-smoky notes should rather turn to another perfume. But if you prefer a restrained and really great iris-wood composition, you should definitely put Inverness by Memo on your to-try list.
Sherwood – On the trail of Robin Hood
The Sherwood Forest in the East Midlands in the heart of England is the source of the name. According to legend, this is where the famous Robin Hood was at work, taking money from the rich to give it to the poor. Since the Middle Ages, the adventurer with bow and arrow has been the subject of many legends, as he repeatedly escapes from his adversary, the Sheriff of Nottingham, by means of many a ruse. Sherwood Forest was much larger at the time of the Middle Ages than it is today, almost a hundred times larger. The Major Oak, a German oak up to one thousand years old, can be found there. This is said to have served Robin Hood as a hiding place.
Perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglu was entrusted with the creative work on Sherwood, combining the ingredients of carrot seed, Damask rose, sandalwood, black currant, pink pepper, orange blossom, oak and cashmeran for the eau de parfum. Fittingly, the Major Oak is immortalized in the form of the scent of oak in the creation of Memo. And not only olfactory there is a reminiscence of this special tree, but also visually.
The Sherwood plaque was inspired by the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest and is a nod to Robin Hood’s legendary arrows.
Sherwood – Hidden Sandalwood
Lucid and bright roses meet soft sandalwood in the opening of Sherwood, whose creamy notes are underscored by the lovely powdery sweetness of carrot seeds. A pinch of pink pepper brings subtle, dry-hot notes into play that set beautiful accents. It’s surprisingly floral and creamy in Sherwood. Are we possibly witnessing a fragrant tryst between Robin and his beloved Maid Marian?
Dark fruit nuances of blackcurrant give depth to the creation, as does oak, with its distinctive woody facets providing an atmospheric backdrop for rose, currant and sandalwood. Thanks to orange blossom, the creamy and fruity accents in Sherwood intensify before the fragrance slowly and gradually fades away in a cotton-soft and comforting cloud of cashmeran.
Sherwood by Memo is by no means a typical forest scent, as I would have expected. Rather, it is a restrained, quiet, lovely and softly floral mix of rose, orange blossom, sandalwood and oak, accented by a few sprinkles of pepper and blackcurrant fruitiness. Very creamy, very smooth and soft, this transparent and elegant fragrance evokes a beautiful, calm and incredibly relaxed atmosphere. A unisex composition that is absolutely suitable for office and everyday use and can be worn all year round. 💚
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