What do you consider to be an innovative, unique perfume? Is it a new scent you never encountered before? A new impression? Unusual note? Well, Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes is none of it. Neither did the inspiration come from some uninhabited, unseen place outside this world.
None of its ingredients are too uncommon in perfumes. Yet, the way it’s constructed makes it a unique, innovative, one-of-a-kind fragrance. A trip to an Asian street food market. Fils de Dieu is gourmand, but not in the typical “vanilla frosting cupcakes” style, but rather a foodie, savory type of perfume.
Olfactive memory of Asian food
Many years ago, we went to Malaysia with my now-husband. It was a holiday we took in between my jobs change. Every single vacation before, I was constantly rethinking what had to be done the next day in the office. Hundreds of emails were piling up while I was gone. This time, my old job was wrapped up. My new contract was signed. I went away having to think about nothing.
We had plenty of time for midday naps, lazying around the pool, and walking everywhere on foot. Staying up till 2 am sipping beers in crowded local bars with live performances, we woke up late for breakfast almost every day. We didn’t even plan much about what to do on those days. Time just flowed. Life was simple.
(If you want more vacation-type fragrances, head to the list of beachy perfumes.)
We often ate dinners on Jalan Alor, a street in the middle of Kuala Lumpur lined with street food vendors and tables heaping with durian fruit, with the scent of decomposing onions. After dark, when it finally became bearable to sit outside to eat, the street filled with crowds of people of all life paths, hungry with expectations of the freshest dishes cooked up right there.
Holidaymakers from the nearby luxury hotels, backpackers, working people rushing home to feed their families, students and party-goers filling their stomachs before hitting the bars, families with small children hoping to skip right to the dessert, the vendor’s family members sitting around, helping to chop heaps of chili peppers and clean the fish and seafood, stands selling fresh coconuts and sugar cane.
Everyone ate at plastic picnic tables, and the vendors handed people rolls of toilet paper instead of napkins.
This wasn’t your cozy downtown restaurant with AC, linen napkins, and fancy decor. Everything was simply about the food here, as if nothing else mattered. And that food was stellar.
You could blindly point your finger at any menu item and be happy. All lit up by strings of paper lanterns, occasional cockroaches crawling past your feet an inch too close, the scents of Asian cuisine wafting around in the heavy, humid tropical night.
This, to me, is Fils de dieu. The unpretentious vibe of Southeastern Asia. The worry-free, playful mood. The friendliness of people around. In your face, tropical, exotic, inviting, bold with flavors. Zesty and warm at the same time, spicy and refreshing.
Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes composition
Fils de Dieu opens with a zesty blast of lime, the rind included. Corriander, ginger, and shiso give it an aromatic, green edge, which gives off a soapy impression for a brief moment. It’s not a fancy liquid hand soap; more like tasting a bitter bar of Savon de Marseille in your mouth.
The heart of hearty curry
Soon, the main dish appears – the powdery rice notes, creamy, milky coconut, and warm, exotic spices like cardamom and cinnamon. Jasmine plays a supporting role here, adding to the creaminess of the composition and warming it up. It is like serving an Asian curry, the jasmine rice cooked with spices and coconut milk, all topped with a healthy handful of fresh herbs and lime.
The base notes list tonka, musk, amber, vetiver, leather, and castoreum. They are not as potent as the heart; the leather isn’t noticeable to me at all. I decode mostly tonka with a musky – vetiver base, which is a little dirty, earthy, bitter-citrusy, and feels bone dry, with a pinch of cinnamon. In warm weather, it seems to steer towards a fuzzier, more ambery direction.
The verdict on Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes
I never expected this to come to life as a fragrance. Interestingly, Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes works without smelling like you just walked out of an Asian kitchen. I am a fan. It is comforting, evocative, zingy, savory, juicy, lactonic, and spicy at the same time.
Q&A
What is the meaning of “Fils de Dieu du Riz et des Agrumes”?
It can be translated as “the son of God of rice and citruses”. The fragrance was originally launched under an even more controversial name – Philippine Houseboy.
What is the price and size of the perfume?
The fragrance is available from Etat Libre d’Orange’s official website in 50 ml and 100 ml packaging, (at €98/140) – a very fair price for a niche fragrance, often discounted if you buy through online retailers. There are also custom discovery sets of 4 fragrances each by 2 ml, retailing at €15.
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