This is just a short announcement to compensate for the extreme lack of fragrance reviews in this blog for the past few weeks. Partly because of an extended cold I was unable to enjoy fragrance and dared not share any views that may have been impaired by my nasal capacity. I don't tend to be into trying new things when I am sick, let alone when my nose is unstable.

To top it all off, there seemed to have been far too many political issues related to fragrance that seems to cast shadows of doubt and take away the focus from enjoying perfumes and perfumery, to fighting for being able to maintain that pleasure for next generation (if there will be any, with global warming and natural disasters world wide). This winter sure didn't seem very promising in any of those aspects...

But, life must go on; The show must go on; And so does SmellyBlog. I have lots of exciting things in stock for you in the next couple of months and I hope you will enjoy reading about them just as much as I am enjoying writing and experimenting with new fragrances and unusual notes. Here is some heads up on what's in store for you in the next little while:

Vetiver Marathon
For those of you who remembered the Osmanthus marathon from a while back, now it's Vetiver time! I am really excited about new specimens of this tropical root that landed on my Perfumer's Organ, and I am ready to experiment and share my process, as well as reviews of favourite vetiver scents done before me. Unlike the osmanthus marathon, this will open up with a chapter of explaining the complexities and subtleties of this outstanding perfume note This will be published as part of the "Decoding Obscure Notes", even though vetiver is not that obscure, or is it?
If any of you have a particular vetiver scent that you are particularly fond of and would like to be reviewed, please email me and tell me about it. As long as I have access to it (or to a sample) I will be more than happy to include it in the marathon.

Perfumed Collectibles
In the past few months, I have been stocking up on very interesting vessels that can contain both liquid and solid perfume. Some of them make a perfect packaging to an existing fragrance from my line. Others are so special, they deserve a design of a whole new fragrance inspired by them. These are really beautiful pieces, ranging from jewelry to bottles and boxes, some rare and exotic and others are just fun. These will be auctioned off via SmellyBlog or eBay (I haven't decided yet), and a significant portion of the profit will go to charity.

New Perfumes for the Spring
As usual, I will be releasing two soliflore perfumes this spring. One in March and one later on in May. You will be the first to hear about them, as well as the process leading to their creation and development.

Aside from that, we will have our usual fun with perfume reviews, perfumed recipes and lots of fun contests!

I am looking forward to spending the spring with you on SmellyBlog!

Sincerely,

Ayala