L.T. Piver - Un Parfum d'Aventure
Eau de parfum

I have always been fascinated by the great explorers of the world. People who set off on enormous journeys, often without really knowing where they were going, what they might find or, perhaps more importantly, whether they would ever make it home again. Personally, I get a bit nervous when my luggage doesn’t appear immediately at the airport carousel, so I don’t think I would have made a particularly successful 19th-century explorer.

Anyway, the French perfume house L.T. Piver, which has been making people smell wonderful since 1774, has a rather magnificent fragrance inspired by the age of exploration, international trade and the great spice routes that once connected Europe with the rest of the world. It’s called Un Parfum d’Aventure, or, rather wonderfully, A Perfume of Adventure.

The story begins in 1863, during the reign of Napoleon III, when L.T. Piver created the original fragrance for an international exhibition that reportedly attracted more than eight million visitors. This was an extraordinary period in French history. Railways, steamships and industrial innovations were transforming the world, and goods that had once been almost impossibly exotic were increasingly finding their way into European homes.

Among the most precious of these goods were spices. Cinnamon from Ceylon, nutmeg from the East Indies, pepper, cloves and all sorts of wonderfully aromatic ingredients travelled enormous distances before arriving in the markets and shops of Europe. These were ingredients with histories, stories and, in many cases, extraordinary value.

The original Un Parfum d’Aventure was reintroduced in 1931, another extraordinary period of technological progress and international travel, and has now been reimagined as a beautiful Eau de Parfum, combining the adventurous character of the original with a more contemporary approach to perfumery.

And what does it smell like? Well, imagine walking into a beautiful old spice merchant’s shop, somewhere between Paris, Marseille and a rather expensive gentleman’s outfitter. There are wooden shelves, little drawers filled with spices, polished timber and perhaps a slightly eccentric French chap behind the counter who knows absolutely everything about nutmeg.

The fragrance opens with pink pepper and bergamot, creating a wonderfully bright, lively and slightly peppery freshness. It’s immediately appealing, with a little citrus sharpness that prevents the fragrance from becoming too heavy.

Then come the spices, and this is where things get particularly interesting.

Clove, nutmeg and cinnamon form the heart of the fragrance, creating a rich, warming and beautifully aromatic combination. Now, before you worry that you’re going to smell like a Christmas pudding, you absolutely aren’t. The spices here are sophisticated and balanced, giving the fragrance character and warmth without becoming overpowering or excessively sweet.

As the fragrance settles, cedarwood, sandalwood and vetiver begin to reveal themselves. These are some of my favourite ingredients in perfumery. Cedar provides a beautifully dry, woody character, sandalwood adds a lovely creamy softness, and vetiver brings an earthy, slightly smoky quality that ties everything together.

The result is a fragrance that feels wonderfully well travelled. It’s warm, woody, spicy and sophisticated, with enough freshness to make it suitable for everyday wear. There’s something reassuringly traditional about it, but it never feels dated. In fact, I would say it smells like the sort of thing a wonderfully dressed, slightly mysterious gentleman might wear whilst sitting outside a café in an unfamiliar European city.

What makes it even more special is the way L.T. Piver continues to manufacture its fragrances. The house still produces its perfumes in France, using a traditional maturation process developed from its historic expertise. Each fragrance is allowed to mature slowly for three to four months, giving the ingredients time to come together properly. The raw materials are sourced primarily from Grasse and Italy, and the finished fragrance is presented in a beautiful 100ml bottle and box.

I love things like this. Products that have a genuine history, a reason to exist and a little bit of romance about them. Un Parfum d’Aventure isn’t simply another fragrance with an elaborate marketing campaign. It’s a modern interpretation of something first conceived more than 160 years ago, when the world seemed enormous and the idea of travelling somewhere unfamiliar was an adventure in itself.

Not sure if this is the fragrance for you? You can purchase a 2ml sample and give it a proper try. If you love it and decide to buy a full 100ml bottle, we’ll give you the cost of your sample back as credit towards your purchase. We’ll send you a unique discount code to use against a full-sized bottle of the same fragrance, with no expiry date. So there’s no rush, and no need to take a gamble on something you haven’t smelled before.

A little piece of French perfumery history, inspired by faraway places, exotic spices and the wonderful idea that there’s always something interesting just beyond the horizon.

Fragrance notes:

• Top: Pink pepper and bergamot
• Heart: Clove, nutmeg and cinnamon
• Base: Cedarwood, sandalwood and vetiver

100ml Eau de Parfum. Made in France.