Monday morning in NY, and today I reached for Valero Extrait de Parfum from Parfums de Marly. For those that know me know that I genuinely enjoy Mondays.🎉 For me, Monday is a reset. A new beginning. Another opportunity to start the week with some intention rather than simply letting it happen to me, and fragrance has become one of those small details that helps set that tone. Valero feels particularly well suited for today. It opens fresh and aromatic with bergamot, cedrat and juniper, but there is much more structure underneath it. As it develops, Bourbon geranium, lavender, cypress and nutmeg begin to come through before everything settles into patchouli, sandalwood and ambrox. Parfums de Marly describes it as a woody fougère, and I think that fits it perfectly. There is freshness here, but it isn’t light or fleeting. There is lavender and that classic aromatic fougère character, but it doesn’t feel dated. And being an extrait, there is a depth and richness underneath everything that gives it a little more presence without making it feel heavy with a cooler, somewhat unsettled August morning here on Long Island, it feels like a very natural choice. Clean enough for the office. Refined enough to feel properly put together, but with enough personality that I keep catching something interesting as it develops. That is probably my favorite part of choosing a fragrance in the morning. Valero feels like a pretty good way to start the week.. 😎

Such a delicious citrus-floral-woody offering from a top-drawer under-the-radar reasonably priced French niche house. This three-season frag (not winter) keeps pushing all day. Dress it up or down. Getting a backup bottle soon.