Bond No. 9 Perfume; The Gift of Gold
December 1, 2011
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By Raphaella Barkley
Co-Founder, creator and artist of A Dozen Roses, Sandy Cataldo, signing bottles
A Sacred Cloak of Seduction
The Bond No 9 Perfume is truly a “Gift of Gold”. There were many releases these past two years made with Oud. I tried many, but only one grabbed my attention as a “must-have fragrance”. With all due respect to the scent of Oud, most can be a little too "dirty" for me. Some Ouds smelled “watered down” or “too smoky“, maybe even “too masculine” for a woman. It has crossed my mind that perhaps I was just not suited to Oud. Maybe I did not understand it. And then I discovered the signature scent of Bond No. 9 with rose and Oud and my perception shifted into true understanding. I finally recognized modern Oud, in all its glory. This was a love affair of major proportions.
It wasn’t until I was writing this review that I had the chance to talk with Laurice Rahmé, owner of Bond No. 9,about her signature fragrance. She explained to me that to celebrate her ten years at the address know as No. 9 Bond Street in New York City, she wanted to create a “personal signature fragrance”. She loves Oud, but told me that she did not particularly want to focus on just the traditional Oud, rather on the perfume as “a whole”. She asked Master Perfumer Laurent Le Guernec to create the fragrance exactly “the way she wanted it”, making sure it “was not the characteristic animalic Oud that everyone else is doing”. She described her signature scent as “very modern, very New York, very non-traditional”. It is classified as a woody oriental, opening with bergamot on top, then with Oud and rose, making this scent especially feminine. This Laurice Rahmé signature perfume is now the No. 1 seller at Bond outlets in New York, Dubai and globally.
Oud, it is said, has the rare ability to ground our inner being. As an essence, it has the power to inspire our souls. The Bond No. 9 Perfume press release states that this fragrance is a “mingling of East and West, Dubai and New York, ancient and modern, that captures the emerging international mood of 21st century New York.”
Bond No. 9 Perfume contains four harmonious East/West ingredients, the fewest ingredients in any of the Bond No. 9 line of fragrances. It represents the Eastern world with its earthy, sultry Oud blended with The Rose which has long been treasured in perfumery. Tonka beans from South America add to the heat, while musk brings forth Oud’s carnal nature. This scent is considered a Pure Parfum due to the 30 percent high concentration of perfume oils…and it shows.
This Rose and Oud signature perfume is refined and expensive, a sacred cloak of erotic seduction. No other Oud fragrance on the market has been quite this seductive except for the superbly outstanding Bond No. 9's New York Oud; a very sexy blend for men and women and the equally stunning, The Perfumers Guild in England Queen of Sheba perfume. (incorporating a fusion of aromatic frankincense and myrrh from Oman and the Yemen, rose from Damascus, jasmine from Egypt and a hint of the world's most costly perfumery raw material: Agarwood, or Oudh, as it is known in Arabic)
The scent of Bond No. 9 Perfume (and the other ouds mentionaed above) reminds of what a fragrance should do. It should draw you in, compelling your loved one to come closer and inhale. This fragrance beckons and calls with its sensuous overtones. It is one long Arabian Nights’ journey, a magic carpet ride of a scent that is now, suddenly, one of my favorite fragrances. It caused me to put aside many of my favorite fragrances, a major accomplishment.
Simply put, this has to be one of the most gorgeous, addictive, sexy skin scents I have ever smelled. It puts other sexy fragrances with the name “addict” in them to shame.
One cannot dispute the richness and high quality of the composition. The Bond No. 9 press release suggests that this perfume should be worn “with nothing at all”. It is recommended that this scent is a “nighttime experience”, and it may be, but when have any of us listened to advice about wearing perfume?
This is a fragrance that demands to be noticed, very dangerous indeed with the sumptuous, luxurious Oud and Rose. I wear this fragrance day and night and get compliments from casual perfume aficionados to the very experienced nose. That is the power of this Oud.
Perfumer Laurent Le Guernec, who has created many famous fragrances, pulled out all of his magical tricks to create this very special potion for Laurice Rahmé and perfume lovers everywhere.
This signature scent of Bond No. 9 Perfume is a stunning beauty. It sings and resonates with a life of its own, a shimmering tribute to Rose and Oud. The perfume is housed in a gold glittering bottle which appears to undulate and come to life under light, a sensuous subtle sparkle. No bright bling here, just a refined glistening gold, holding this magical and potent potion.
Since 2003, Laurice Rahmé has successfully bottled her love of New York City and thus, has created many artistic and highly evocative scents for the City as well as for the global market.
This contemporary New York version of the ancient Eastern Oud is testimony, I think, to Laurice Rahmé’s shining glory. She utilizes some of the best perfumers in the industry today and has a deep relationship and understanding with each and every one of them. Each Perfumer who creates fragrances for Bond No, 9 New York is allowed to shine, although Ms. Rahmé is clearly at the helm. As she emphasized to me, she is “the chef in the kitchen”. She is a woman who knows what she’s doing and exactly what she wants. Laurice Rahmé has created in this Bond No. 9 a scent that establishes itself as a “perfumer’s fragrance”. It is a stunning tribute and pays homage to the artistry of Bond No. 9.
Bond No. 9 website www.bondno9.com
Bond No. 9 toll free number: 1.877.273.3369
Bond No. 9 New York Boutiques:
897 Madison Avenue (73rd Street) 212.794.4480
680 Madison Avenue (61st Street) 212.838.2780
399 Bleecker Street (11th Street) 212.633.1641
9 Bond Street (Broadway & Lafayette) 212.228.1732
Originally Posted on December 23rd, 2010 on the Bond No. 9 Blog by Raphaella
