Byredo La Tulipe: Early Spring in a Bottle

I like Byredo. I’m one of the few who love Pulp (the tartest, juiciest fruity scent on the planet) and I also love Green. The others I’ve only sampled so I can’t give final judgment based on a tiny vial (those are my rules).

I was eagerly anticipating La Tulipe. I had an idea of what it would smell like - what I hoped it would smell like from the description, and to my delight it turns out to be just what I wanted. La Tulipe is early spring in a bottle. Early spring meaning the first movement towards vegetation after winter’s thaw, with warm soil just beginning to erupt with shoots and flowers. Around the time tulips bloom there’s not much else blooming. There are daffodils, some crocus, a few violets and pansies, but none of these early spring flowers are enormously fragrant. La Tulipe smells like the promise of flowers, it’s only a mere whisper of florals, with a dose of what I describe as a vegetal note over a clean musk base.

Think of the last time you trimmed the stems from a big bunch of tulips or daffodils to arrange in a vase. Byredo La Tulipe smells like the cut stems of those tulips. I wouldn’t call this green, as in traditional perfumery green, also known as galbanum, but I’d call this vegetal or perhaps the idea of vegetation. La Tulipe lists freesia among the notes and I love the way the freesia is handled here because it’s not too sweet – it’s a perfect light waft of freesia. This is not a honeyed freesia ala Chanel Beige but a restrained, gentle poof of freesia.

La Tulipe is fresh, joyful and perfect for spring. I received my bottle this past weekend and have been wearing it a lot. Every time I wear it I like it more. Longevity is good, not excellent. It lasts maybe 3 hours on me with the third hour becoming quite faint. I tried spraying on clothing and this allows the scent to cling longer.

Byredo La Tulipe is available at Barneys for $195, 100 ml.