Montecristo Masque Milano - Opera. Interpreted by Delphine Thierry. Eau de Parfum.

Head Notes: Cabreuva, Ambrette Seeds, Rum.
Heart Notes: Tobacco Leaves, Celery Seeds, Cistus, Benzoin.
Base Notes: Golden Stone, Styrax Gum, Gaiac Wood, Cedar Wood, Patchouli.

Montecristo was the second fragrance launched in the Opera collection. It was created by Delphine Thierry, which is also the nose behind the creation of Terralba. In perfume reviews, Montecristo is praised for many reasons: the expertly rendered textures of the perfume, the conjuring of well-trodden wood and leather, the tawny swirl of rum in crystal glass, the chocolatey patchouli and of course the scent of tobacco. Delphine has used a good dose of ambrette seed, you can really smell it, powdered, earthen and musky in the opening stages, under the haze of sweet dry smoke. Ambrette is a beautiful perfume note. It has clarity and cleanliness, often adding a gentle underscore of nuts and cold wax on white lily buds. Interestingly in Montecristo it brings light and peace.

Delphine loves a raw material called Golden or African Stone (Hyraceum, as it more commonly known) and the opportunity to explore its unique olfactory facets in perfumes. It is Hyraceum that really sets fire to Montecristo’s boozy bonfire of tobacco, woods and balms. It is a rare sustainable source of potent animalic musk that comes from the weird little rock-hopping Rock Hyrax. Blending this feral note with rum, ambrette and styrax is normally asking for trouble but, in the hands of a talented perfumer like Delphine, the result is one of refined sensual assault. For a while, big businessmen style cigar odours set a brash mood in perfumery, but Montecristo could not be more different. Sure, tobacco smoulders and you can almost hear the sound of whisky vapours escaping old bottles; yet the mood is one of smooth privacy, appreciation of flavour, ambience and effect.