I think Winter Woods #R5 may be the replacement; it has the new moss and labdanum and is my favorite. It’s getting great tester feedback so far and I hope it can go back on the site soon.
I had sent out Ambre Noir R2 but I am trying a tweak to it, so I’ll probably send out a few testers of this new version as well. I’m trying slightly less clove and a little bit of a dry and slightly spicy rosy ingredient at a low level. Not sure yet which one will be best, so I’ll keep testing.
I received a sample of Cosmone today, a biodegradable macrocyclic musk that Givaudan introduced in 2005 but is now promoting since it is no longer captive. I’m just taking a sniff tonight and it seems quite nice; I like that it is less sweet than many musks, is strong and diffusive, and has a light ambergris nuance. I’ll have to try it in some formulas. I already have quite a few macrocyclic musks in stock that I love, but there’s always room to lust after a new ingredient.
I’m getting some pretty ambrette seed CO2 extract later this week and look forward to that. I’ve been trying some in Gardenia Musk and like it. I’ve used the absolute before but I think I like the CO2 better.
Much cooler here today — that short little heat wave is over. I should get back to work, but I’ll leave off with a link to a fun (and beautifully written) blog post about Nathan’s amazing bottle photography:
http://ismellthereforeiam.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-im-loving-lately-nathan-branchs.html
