Chienoir - a stunning chypre by British perfumer Bedeaux

How long does it take to create an award-winning chypre accord? 

Well, at least two years according to the British perfumer behind the critically successful Chienoir, Amanda Beadle, @bedeauxxx - winner of the 2018 Art and Olfaction Awards, which celebrate excellence in independent and artisan perfume from all over the world. 

For the chypre accord in Chienoir, Amanda fused opoponax (instead of the typical labdanum) with patchouli, oakmoss absolute, and bergamot, a blended quartet of natural ingredients that took over two years to perfect. Taking the opportunity to attend an event where Amanda showcased Chienoir, it was clear from just smelling the  isolated accord just how much work had gone into balancing these four key ingredients. (Other notes include Neroli, sweet orange, pink pepper, tobacco, juniper berry, and musk.)

Chienoir was created in collaboration with an English Vineyard and is said to represent “the essence of an English vineyard: mossy woodland, green vines, white flowers and the deep, chalky, downland terroir.” For me, Chienoir is like standing at the top of a vineyard during golden hour, surrounded by the wide expanse, the moss, the woodlands. As you look down across the vines from an elevated location, the sun setting in the distance casts its sepia hues across the landscape and the earthy scent of nature fills the air. 

The sparkling citruses of neroli, sweet orange, and bergamot create that feel of resplendent, golden sunshine. The patchouli is earthy like soil and really speaks to that idea of terroir and the mineral aspect of the earth imparting its flavours and qualities into the produce. 

And the aromatics of pink pepper, juniper, oakmoss, and musks give it the sense of being out in the open air, of oxygen, as if all of a sudden you find yourself bathed in nature. 

It’s incredibly durable as a fragrance, and in testing has given me over twelve hours of scented enjoyment, with a hefty sillage. 

And of the presentation, Amanda hand crafts each label, arranging the artworked labels so that every bottle is unique, which makes owning a piece that little bit more special. 

I’m a huge fan of chypre fragrances and Chienoir is an excellent variation on the family.

It retails in sizes of 100, 30, and 15ml, as well as 2ml samples, which I think gives everyone a great opportunity to try this critically acclaimed, award winning perfume. 

https://www.bedeaux.co.uk/shop