Countdown day 13

It's day 13 of our Christmas Fragrance Countdown, and I am done with this cold weather! I am going to put on my shorts and bright orange armbands, and sit on the pavement until someone offers to take me to a toasty beach on the other side of the world. The only compromise in the meantime is to wear a fragrance which transports me there, and I have something you might enjoy. James Heeley is a Yorkshireman who followed his passion and became a perfumer of the first order, and now boasts a varied collection of gems. Sel Marin (2008) is a glorious evocation of the sea and all that lies within. Some people have referred to this fragrance as an aquatic, but in reality it is so much more. I prefer to think of this as a Marine scent, with no trace of that cheap shampoo aspect you find in so many of todays "Freshies". We open up with a bracing fresh Citrus blast of Italian Bergamot and Lemon. They sparkle beautifully like the sun bouncing off the water's surface. But the middle bursts out just as quickly and provides the real interest here, Salt! Yes, lots of salt. It is so salty your doctor might not let you wear this. This gives a very realistic sense of the sea and all its smells and tastes. The middle also has a mossy note, it is green and bursting with flavour. Alongside this we have Algae, which lends a moody and dry element. The combination of these three middle notes is really stunning. It is almost made to combine with your own sweat, in the most extreme heat, and though it may not sound appealing, it is quite beautiful. The base is a rather subtle affair, we have some Musk and Vetiver, which maintain the fresh, crisp green nuances, and some Cedar to give structure and roundness. Despite seeming like a multi-staged fragrance, I really get quite a linear performance. It goes very quickly to its salty heart, and I don't mind one bit. This fragrance displays what could be done if the designer aquatics of yesterday and today didn't rely so heavily on cliches and poor quality ingredients. Here we have a beautifully made, relatively simple and yet hugely effective evocation of the sea. It is transportive and escapist, and uncompromising. Give it a try, and don't bother saving it for the summer, this IS the summer. Happy Smelling. J xxx