Recently I had some good luck and won a giveaway on Instagram (my favourite social media platform by the way) from Atelier Cologne. Thank you Atelier Cologne! I won 5 x 30ml bottles of perfume that I was more than a little excited about. I’ve given one bottle to a dear friend who has recently finished chemotherapy and I would like to share the love and give another bottle to one of my readers.

Atelier Cologne is a brand that I wholeheartedly admire for its innovation, chutzpah and eye on the bigger prize. The hard work by founders Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel has led to perfume  pay day with a buy out from L’Oréal. Atelier Cologne is a house that puts marketing to the fore with a finesse not readily apparent in other perfume brands. They have never seemed like a small perfume house. It seems like they had capital investment up front so everything has looked sleek from day one. They broke with convention and called their scents Cologne Absolue, denoting a 12-20% perfume concentration. The perfumes come in an array of sizes (to the delight of perfume geeks) and are also available in gift coffrets. The line has expanded to include more premium perfume collections in addition to body products, soaps and candles. They crucially also have a number of stores in key markets, no doubt a very appealing facet for L’Oreal.  Personally  I think they release far too many perfumes but it does create scale and means there will be something for everyone in the range.

I’ve previously written about Orange Sanguine, a very popular perfume from the brand so take a look to find out more. But for now let’s have a Quick Sniff of the following perfumes and read on to find details on the Giveaway!

Rose Anonyme : Jérome Epinette : 2012 : 18% Concentration :  I believe this is one of the best sellers in the line and it’s a lovely dark rose with a very Western oudy feel (not barnyard and likely containing no actual oud) and great on a man as well as a woman. I love wearing this perfume all year round and is one of those fragrances that I actually get compliments on. This seems to be a rarity for me by the way. Rose Anonyme also has reasonably good staying power and sillage and I get lovely whiffs throughout the day.

Jasmin Angélique : 2015 : Jérome Epinette : 18% Concentration : The quirkiest scent in this collection of perfumes. It’s the freaky cool Atelier Cologne fragrance. Jasmine Angélique is a jasmine that tends green, eschewing the cross-eyed euphoric moments for a more masculine spin. As well as the galbanum hit, the angelique adds a herbal aspect. The weird thing is there is a lot of wispy smoke wafting through so in some ways it’s reminiscent of Etat Libre d’Orange‘s Jasmin et Cigarette but not as ashtray literal / feral. There is lightness in Jasmin Angélique  too, but it definitely reminds me of smoking in the heat, maybe at the beach with jasmine nearby but not up close, with brief whiffs of the floral scent mixed with tobacco and other smells from the surrounds. It’s a weird one for sure, and I doubt this will be one of the more popular in the range but it’s interesting and I’m rather fond of it.

Mistral Patchouli : Jérome Epinette : 2013 : 15% Concentration : A mistral is a strong, cold, dry wind that hits the South of France and cools the sea temperature dramatically after its visit. To me this is a wind-blown patchouli with an aromatic vibe that would work well as a masculine. I do like the spicy fresh quality from the anise, but then the emaciated patchouli puts me off, although it’s not an overtly patchouli centric scent. Note that this is the light style patchouli here, not the darker, more pungent variety I prefer in scents like Borneo 1834 from Serge Lutens.

Bois Blonds : Jérome Epinette : 2010 : 20% Concentration : This is very pretty up top with a light sheen of neroli and bergamot.  Bois Blonds manages to smell delicately floral with a sheer texture and a hint of vetiver as it wears. The most easy wearing scent in this selection and it would be difficult to get annoyed with this fragrance. Think office, beach, gym, exercise …. a perfume that will work well in daily life. Overall a great summer freshener that’s not wildly crazy nor too boring.

Bergamote Soleil : Ralf Schwieger : 2016 : 15% Concentration : A lively zesty citrus in the style that Atelier Cologne do oh so well. I like it so much that it’s become one of my summer go to scents and included it in my Top 10 Summer Perfumes for 2016.  Bergamote Soleil is not complicated, it’s fuss free and smells great. It’s the bergamot spritz and go for summer. Perfect!

GIVEAWAY : 1 x 30ml bottle of Bois Blonds (note that it has been spritzed a few times for the purposes of this Quick Sniff but it’s practically new!) with a dark brown leather cover.

I will post to anywhere in the world. Note that I won’t take responsibility if goods are damaged or lost in transit. However I haven’t had any issues to date sending supplies overseas so fingers crossed it should be fine.

What do you need to do to enter?

1. You must follow Megan In Sainte Maxime – here on this blog, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Let me know how you follow in the comments where you enter. If you don’t already follow me, that’s fine, but you must do so to enter.
2. Answer the question : What is your favourite Atelier Cologne perfume or the one you’re most interested in trying?

Entries close on Wednesday the 17th of August, 10am Paris time. I’ll do a post to announce the winners on the blog, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Names will be plucked out of a hat, or if there are lots of entries, I’ll use random.org. Winners, please contact me via email. See my address in the contact page.

GOOD LUCK! Please feel free to share this post with your perfume friends so they have the chance to win.

Notes : Images : Megan In Sainte Maxime