Annette Neuffer
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Cinnamon and clove burst forth with genuine spice, immediately sweetened by a bergamot-mandarin brightness that feels almost candied. Pink pepper adds a sharp, almost peppercorn-like bite that keeps the opening from settling into predictability.
The spice softens as davana's leather and rum's fermented warmth emerge, anchoring the Turkish rose—which here smells almost animalic, almost incense-like. Carnation intensifies the peppery character whilst tobacco introduces a dried, slightly herbaceous dryness that prevents this from becoming a gourmand fragrance.
Beeswax and sumatra benzoin create a waxy, resinous skin-scent that feels intimate and sculptural. Sandalwood and tonka bean provide whispers of sweetness over patchouli's earthy foundation—what remains is warmth rather than projection, a fragrance that demands proximity to appreciate fully.
Mellis announces itself as a spiced confectionery rather than a conventional fragrance—a scent that smells like it's been composed inside a Victorian apothecary where rum-soaked fruits share shelf space with amber resin. The opening volley of cinnamon and clove doesn't whisper; it declares itself with the assertiveness of freshly ground spices hitting warm honey, immediately tempered by mandarin and bergamot that prevent it from becoming cloying or overtly festive.
What distinguishes Mellis is how Annette Neuffer orchestrates the heart's complexity: davana brings an almost leathery, slightly medicinal undertone that anchors the spice, whilst Turkish rose otto emerges not as a romantic flourish but as something darker, almost animalic against the rum's fermented sweetness. Carnation adds a peppery, almost clove-like intensity—a note doubling down rather than introducing contrast. The tobacco is crucial here; it's not a smoking-lounge cigarette but rather the dried leaf itself, herbaceous and slightly bitter, preventing the composition from tipping into dessert territory.
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4.0/5 (325)