I suppose November 2nd is a little early to start complaining about the cold, but hey, it's cold! And I was lulled into complacency by our extra-long, signs-of-global-warming Indian summer. I just wasn't ready for hats and gloves. I think I've mentioned before that I hate winter?

Now that winter has arrived despite my protests, as it usually does, I've pulled out two Parfumerie Generale fragrance releases from earlier in the year: Cadjmere and Un Crime Exotique. Both of them were "too much" when I first tried them in warmer weather; today, they get their second chance.

Cadjmere starts out sharp and green, with a short-lived hint of something that smells vaguely industrial and toxic mingling with a bit of orange-y citrus (the notes: myrtle branch, sap, red tangerine, rosewood, Kenyan cypress resin, coconut milk, sandalwood bark, ambrette seed and vanilla). The dry down lives up to its claim of "exotic woody powdery"; there is lots of rosewood and cypress, rendered soft and cuddly, with hints of warm spice and a creamy sandalwood base. It is sweet but not terribly so — this is a comfort scent for those who take their comfort from the smell of wood, not food.

Cadjmere is nicely done, and highly wearable. Still, I don't generally like sweet powder, and the far dry down has a just a bit more of both elements than I care for. I'd wear it if somebody threw me a bottle, but it isn't something I'd buy.

Un Crime Exotique starts with cinnamon Red Hots*, nice and fiery (the notes: Chinese osmanthus, gingerbread, tea, cinnamon, star anise, mate absolute, vanilla sugar and sandalwood). The cinnamon gradually settles down, and we get the gingerbread, as promised, glazed with sugar, and a hot cup of tea on the side. In the summer Un Crime Exotique was overwhelmingly rich and creamy, in today's cool weather, it is beautifully warm and spicy, and strikes a nice balance between sweet and woody/resinous notes. The base is dusty-velvety, and in the cool weather, the overall effect is rather quiet and subdued.

It seems most appropriate for holiday wear, preferably wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe and sitting in someone else's farm kitchen sipping something warm and reading magazines while they do the baking. That makes it a very odd match with its name, but I won't hold that against it. This is a great comfort scent (and much more to my taste than Cadjmere), and while it is listed as a feminine fragrance, I should think anyone could wear it, male or female.

Parfumerie Generale Cadjmere is available in 50 or 100 ml Eau de Toilette. Un Crime Exotique is available in 50 ml Eau de Parfum. For buying information, see the listing for Parfumerie Generale under Perfume houses.

* For more cinnamon Red Hots, see Serge Lutens Rousse & Comme des Garçons Harissa.