Le Labo Coriandre 39 Mexico City image via the brand
It is customary for Le Labo to create city exclusives for their line which become widely available for a discrete period of time – only to resurface each year (from August 1st to September 30th). New is Coriandre 39 the latest city exclusive, Mexico City which revolves around the leaf, not the seed. When I was asked if I would like to review Le Labo 39, I said yes! Any fragrance swirling around lime and cilantro is bound to be a shoo-in for me (yes, that’s the proper spelling!). While this green herb – which also goes by the names Mexican parsley, Chinese parsley, and coriander – is a classic example of a polarizing note in perfumery, it happens to be a culinary favorite of mine. I adore cooking, and many Asian-inspired and Mexican dishes benefit greatly from its ardent fragrance and pungent taste. I employ both cilantro and lime in my salsa verde with tomatillos; legume, rice and noodle dishes; pho; curries, et al. I harbor deep suspicion that these two notes are madly in love with one another.
Cilantro image Le Labo Instagram
Why is cilantro so controversial? On a very basic level, I think that any powerful aroma has its fans and detractors – so there’s that. People either love or hate anisic notes, for example – as in basil, fennel, or licorice-inflected fragrances. This polarity appears even more prominent with cilantro: quite simply put, it is experienced by many as both smelling and tasting like soap, due to a variation in olfactory receptor genes which results in a strong perception of cilantro’s soapy-flavored/scented aldehydes. It’s one of those ingredients which one does best to check in with dinner companions before planning a menu.
Le Labo’s south-of-the-border cilantro-lime reverie Coriandre 39 feels entirely instinctual – which is not always the case. It has been noted that several of Le Labo fragrances do not strictly correlate to their given names – and when it comes to city exclusives (which are intended to evoke a specific location), they are art in abstraction. It’s pure creative license as to why Shanghai’s depiction happens to be myrrh (Myrrh 55), or why Cedrat 37 personifies Berlin. That being a given, Le Labo scents are never boring – and they encourage the wearer to think outside any particular box. A label does not indicate a soliflore, because each Le Labo perfume is more than the sum of its parts – or its appellation. The title is followed by a number – and that number signifies how many aromatic components comprise that fragrance. I mention it, because this approach may not be apparent to those who may not be familiar with the brand.
Le Labo Coriandre 39 image via the brand
Le Labo Coriandre 39 moves through three distinct phases, and its progression is fairly rapid; I have applied my sample over 3 times, in order to more fully understand it. The initial spritz is pure delight and refreshment – an incredibly lifelike rendition of juicy lime and snapped-stem verdant cilantro leaf accompanied by a charming limpidity. If you enjoy these components, you want them to go on indefinitely. The poet Robert Frost reminds us that “nothing gold can stay”, and so it is with Coriandre 39’s introduction. The following juncture takes the nose by surprise: suddenly, Coriandre 39 assumes an edgy sharpness, pointed and inescapably woody amber in the manner of particular aromachemicals: it possesses a brisk figgy freshness. This is not my favorite stage: most frequently, when I experience it in a perfume, my first desire is to head for the hills. There is no ignoring the second chapter because of its clarion fanfare – but it is short-lived. The fragrance’s final development is another creature entirely: soft, clinging closely to the flesh. Potent musk no longer resembles an intrusive voice caught up in the aromatic melee; it has become more muted, and the composition itself has transitioned to a point where it more resembles a Mediterranean terrain – sunlit, drier, and redolent of the scrub which flourishes along the coast. Lime and cilantro have quietened to a whisper.
In toto, Le Labo Coriandre 39 is a novel and fascinating scent with tenacity and wears well throughout the day. Unlike many fragrances, it changes along the way – which contributes to its allure. It’s a good one to sample, especially if you enjoy a perfume with a woodland/coastal/herbal character. Unlike other scents which may be blind bought with a measure of certainty, I posit that Le Labo fragrances are best sampled prior to purchase. They are unique, often exhibit a strong personality, and are not cookie cutter in nature. I see this as a big plus – but when cost is an issue (and when is it not?) it’s probably more prudent to be circumspect and try before you buy.
Notes: aldehydes, lime, cilantro leaf, watery notes, green floral notes, musk.
Perceived notes: woody amber, fig? accord
Sample kindly provided by Le Labo – many thanks! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Le Labo City Exclusives via press release
From the brand: Every year, we look forward to September & the release of our City Exclusives. For us, this month is a time to reconnect with these fragrances and places we treasure around the world…and to be reminded of the ways anticipation can renew our appreciation, how patience unfolds into new beginnings.
17 Le Labo City Exclusives via press release
This year’s collection also introduces our newest City Exclusive fragrance, CORIANDRE 39, crafted as an ode to Mexico City. Its namesake, the humble (at times divisive) cilantro plant, lends a vegetal lushness both grounding and surprising—much like the city’s intoxicating blend of vibrant aliveness and deep history, of birdsong and urban buzz, of infinite discoveries around eve. “-Deborah Royer, Global Brand President & Creative Director of Le Labo
The City Exclusive Event runs through September 30th, you’ll need to head to Mexico City to get your hands on a bottle!). Sample sizes are available at any Le Labo boutique
Check out Michelyn’s interview with Le Labo co-founder Fabrice Penot
Please read Deputy Editor Tama Blough’s, (may her memory be a blessing) love letter to Benjoin 19 City Exclusive Moscow by Frank Voelkl (and many more for Le Labo), Lauryn’s review of Myrrh 55 Shanghai and The Three Le Labo City Exclusives You Should Be Wearing here
Do you have a favorite Le Labo City Exclusive?
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