Parfum d’Empire Osmanthus Interdite: A Review

Parfum d’Empire has won my heart. I’ve purchased a few of their fragrances and loved every single one. My latest obsession, and I really mean obsession because I’ve worn it for four days straight (seriously, do you know how rare this is?!) is Osmanthus Interdite.

Parfum d’Empire create fragrances inspired by various historical empires. Osmanthus Interdite uses the Chinese empire as it’s inspiration. Osmanthus is a small mildly sweet flower native to Asia and smells akin to a citrusy, fruity floral iced tea with apricots.

Before Osmanthus Interdite became firmly entrenched in my summer fragrance wardrobe I already had Ormonde Jayne’s Osmanthus and Keiko Mecheri Osmanthus. I do not have, nor have I smelled, Hermes Osmanthus Yunnan. Once I wore Osmanthus Interdite (OI), Ormande Jayne’s Osmanthus (OJ) was knocked out of rotation. I'll continue to wear Keiko Mecheri’s Osmanthus because it’s a different style, mostly an osmanthus soliflore with a stronger floral presence while OI is complex and multi-layered.

In a side by side comparison, Ormonde Jayne’s Osmanthus has a heavy dose of pepper (pimento is listed as a top note) which just doesn’t work for me now that I’ve smelled the brilliantly creamy and smooth OI. Osmanthus Interdite starts with a citrusy, fruity opening that quickly steps aside allowing the unfurling of a tobacco leaf, tea leaves and leather. I was immediately blown away by the beauty of this fragrance. It’s such a delightful, sunny, carefree, sheer scent yet there are dark shadows and intrigue. These are just shadows, mind you, because the overall fragrance is absolutely joyous and uplifting. The tea notes and the mildly sweet quality of osmanthus keep the fragrance crisp and decidedly refreshing for summertime enjoyment.

Sillage is light but present and longevity is very good.
Notes are listed as: green tea, citrus, osmanthus, rose, jasmine, musk and leather

Rating: 5 stars (swooning)
Longevity: very good about 5 hours
Sillage: soft but present