Description
“Ossianizm is romantic poetry style in Europe in the XIX century. Ossian is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of celtic and epic poems. Ossian was influential in the development of the romantic movement at the end of the XVIIIth and the XIXth century.
The poems achieved international success (Napoléon Bonaparte was a great fan) and many writers, painters and artists were influenced by the works, including Ingres, Schubert and Oriza L. Legrand Perfumes. The work also had a timely resonance for those swept away by the emerging Romantic movement and the theory of the “noble savage”. “Rêve d’Ossian” is a perfect perfume for those who claim a difference and the rich heritage of the History. Dark and precious essences, wooden notes filled with the mystery of the forest with fairies and pixies…” – a note from the brand.
Reve d’Ossian is a Oriental Woody fragrance for women and men. Reve d’Ossian was launched in 2012. The nose behind this fragrance is Hugo Lambert. Top notes: incense, aldehydes, maritime pine; middle notes: cinnamon, benzoin, elemi, tonka bean, Guaiac wood, opopanaks; base notes: balsamic notes, sandalwood, leather, labdanum, amber, musk.
dima196 – :
First time I tested this in very warm weather the first thought that popped into my mind was “Chowards Violet Candies”. Luckily I put my sample to the side to retest in cooler weather. In much cooler weather and a different season it smells quite different…a bit of a Coca Cola vibe but I definitely get the beautiful balsamic notes and lemony frankincense. A lesson learned to not dismiss a fragrance immediately.
AgepRonepew – :
Note to editors:
Try typing or pasting the name “Reve d’Ossian” into the search box and you will get zero results. I had to use the keyword “legrand” to find this page which was annoying.
Re: the fragrance. The big bottle with all the trimmings came in the mail today. I nearly had a heart attack as I was spraying it on I dropped the bottle onto my hardwood floor…..it didn’t break, or crack! The bottle is very thick and well made, and beautifully designed I might add. This resinous eau de parfum is absolutely heavenly (in the church incense way). The Fragrantica list of notes is incorrect. The official Oriza L. Legrand website does not list elemi or aldehydes or guaiac wood as notes. It also includes tolu balm. Note breakdown is as follows:
Top Notes:
Frankincense and Pine woods
Heart Notes:
Cinnamon, Benzoin, Tonka Bean and Opopanax
Base Notes:
Tolu Balm, Sandalwood, Leather, Labdanum, Amber and Musks
The angelic frankincense used here is high quality and has a light effervescent, slightly sweet lemon wax tint which, along with the pine wood, is mood elevating. There is an “implied” smokiness going on, because of the olibanum and opoponax, which is normally burned on charcoal, but there is no “overt” burning smoke accord that is prominent to me. Rêve d’Ossian is not a grand projector, but its longevity is substantial. Incense fans that steer towards the liturgical and contemplative side of the incense spectrum will adore this edp, though there is a sweetness, which may be too much for those that prefer things more on the dry, austere or bitter side. To me Rêve d’Ossian is like warm angel food cake with frankincense frosting. The box artwork and overall presentation (the bottle comes with a tassel) is gorgeous and trés 19th century retro. This epic, neo-Romantic love poem, is now a new treasured fragrance in my small collection of what I call “cathedralesques”.
baho15629 – :
Reve d’Ossian is the polar opposite of the campfire-smokey, terpenic wood and incense scents we’ve been seeing in niche lately (Naomi Goodsir’s Bois d’Ascese springs to mind). It smells like someone is making candy out of drops of golden tree resin. Very sweet – but scents tend to turn sweet on me. I really don’t get any medicinal or sharp notes, it’s all candied pine sap and benzoin, with a slightly fizzy uplift from aldehydes. The aldehydes are not the sneezy or retro kind that I tend to avoid, just a little “lift” in the composition. Later, I get something that smells more like fir needles than pine, and some slightly lemony elemi, but it’s fairly linear. Reve d’Ossian reminds me of playing outside as a kid and rolling balls of pine resin between my fingers by the pine tree stump in our front yard. It’s a pleasant scent and very easy to wear. I would suggest it as a good beginner scent to folks looking to dip their toes into woody/incense niche perfume. Good sillage, good longevity. Like.
Dimitriy535 – :
Weak, skin scent after an hour, and not a pleasant smell on me.
9876512345 – :
A fresh, less meditative and more comfortable church incense.
In this the ingredients peek out one by one and spread well on the skin. The smell is ceremonial in the church, but not funeral. In my mind he remembers flowers,candles,comfits and of course incense in a church party on a summer afternoon.
Has in its DNA the other fragrances of this house. Always evocative of the first half of the twentieth century.
The drydown is a little flat and on my skin it is mostly cinnamon that I appreciate.
Not bad.Not for me. Not special, but an antiques with simple class.
sashasincov – :
so very soft and dusty with amber, myrrh and resins that you burned then walked into the room the next day and caught a faint whiff
PeapCapse – :
Too much resin for me (standard). There’s an interesting menthol/absinthe note. Seems modern and intriguing.
scorpion_177 – :
As an incense and conifer lover this one was a huge disappointment. I love vanilla too.. but this was straight up coca cola with vanilla powder. Not at all what I wanted from it and pretty mediocre as a vanilla imo.
trance56 – :
Incense with a sharp twang that gives it lift in lieu of calm…there are woody notes but this does not smell smoky to me…the box and bottle this come in are works of art on their own…absolutely worth the money…a true treasure…
vov4uk69 – :
The second I smelled this I knew it was love at 1st sniff.
I had to have it, it is my go-to incense for colder weather or when I need to amp up & feel my inner priestess. Fantastic silage & longevity, use sparingly.
lokodaniel – :
This smells *exactly* like Papier d’Armenie incense.
I love Papier d’Armenie, but I prefer it as a room fragrance rather than a personal one. Plus, Papier d’Armenie is considerably cheaper… 🙂
enviflelo – :
The opening of Rêve d’Ossian is AMAZING. Really uplifting and stunning. This is a warm incense, it feels very human. Absolutely beautiful. I was obsessed with smelling my arm! I have to admit I ordered a bottle after two hours of wearing this, and then I went to bed in a total bliss. Unfortunately when I woke up the next morning I realized that the drydown was somewhat different than I expected: ambery, musky, animalic with vanilla…which are not notes I love. It’s still good and cosy though, and I will enjoy my bottle but how I wished it would have developed closer to the initial scent! Beautiful anyway.
olgabalabanova2010 – :
The opening is so refreshing, pure incense, the frankincense, cinnamon, pine & elemi are so uplifting. I love this part of the perfume development most. This is a complex scent, many phases and facets, i really enjoy it. The last stage of drydown, the incense has faded in the background, the animalic musk, ambergris and leather take centre stage. Its weird because i did not percive those notes early or during development, but sadly I am not a fan of animalic musk, and the Glorious incense this was at start is gone. I still think this is amazing, and worthy of praise and recomend for incense lovers and animalic lovers. Love this perfume house, fantastic creations!
Inmertiol – :
Scent – aldehydic pine, benzoin & incense.
Season/Time of Day – I prefer to use this one in the colder months, day or night.
Projection – I did get noticed, I didn’t get a compliment.
Longevity – I get 12hrs consistently.
kent-125 – :
Of the seven samples I ordered from Oriza, Reve d’Ossian and Horizon are my favourites. My first reaction to Reve d’Ossian was: I’ve already got an incense fragrance. But then I felt the difference between the two. Serge Noire, which I have a FB of, is a spicy, warm incense, while Reve d’Ossian, as other reviewers have said, is cold, light, airy and green. It seems to me that’s reason enough to have a FB of both.
I like that the sillage is not heavy, so I can wear it at the office without giving colleagues the feeling they are attending mass 🙂
sarlAnaessy – :
Gosh this is a unisex, dry spicey, but with a little sweetness heaven. I immediately thought of Andy Tauers much loved moroccan desert masterpiece. It has a lot in common with it. Im glad I dont get much of the aldehydes but I do get bucket loads of pine, incense, benzoin, labdanum, opopanax, cinnamon, tonka bean, elemi and amber. Its very well balanced and has the perfect amount of sweetness care (I guess) from the tonka bean and cinnamon. There might well be some iso E super in here but it is very low key. It probably assists in boosting the sillage. Moderate sillage and longevity. I did really expect the longevity to be really long but hey ho!
SamBuca – :
Unlike the very critical reviewer further below, I don’t get either Iso E Super or damp greenery. In fact, the two standout notes on me are frankincense of the lovely boswellia serrata kind (initially lemony but morphing quickly into “chewy” liturgical resin) and benzoin, adding a dry, ambery sweetness.
Two sprays from a sample radiate very well, deceptively strong without coming across obtrusive or obnoxious like other incense frags (*cough Tauer! *cough).
So all in all a lovely thing, ancient and modern, calming and intriguing,all at the same time.
fmt196speagoessenda – :
Moon Sparrow has the best review for this beauty. For me it is the best from Oriza L Legrand (what a name!) It is a sparkling aromatic incensey fragrance that lifts the spirit and is so so different to most of the heavy duty frankincense perfumes out there today. I tried to love Tom Ford Sahara Noir – bought a bottle but sold it on ebay – it was toooo much – but this is gorgeous! Makes me smile! It also takes me back to the late 70’s to a perfume from Charles of the Ritz called “Ritz” which I adored and its very similar…so for me a journey down memory lane which held much expectation and excitement and unfolded in pure pure Joy.
PS Just wanted to add that I’ve just ordered another set of sample from Oriza which includes their newer fragrances….read great stuff about Heliotrope Blanc so want to try….Oriza is a great niche perfume house which does really unusual but very balanced creations, also love Chypre Mousse and Horizon. 20 euros for seven 2 ml samples – incl p and p. Brilliant!
lys275speagoessenda – :
This is really a unique masterpiece of a frankincense fragrance and a mandatory stop for anyone who loves incense. It sidesteps the dry, lemony, or liturgical categories by adding light-green piney facets on the one hand, and touches of powdered sweetness on the other. In fact once it dries down it is almost a frankincense-vanilla fragrance, as much as I didn’t want to admit it (vanilla-phobe here). But if you are like me, you shouldn’t let that stop you! I’ve come to really adore this one and bought myself a bottle for my 30th birthday.
di201i – :
Soft, understated incense and frankincense that does not smell like a head shop.
I have had this fragrance for about 2 months now, and it has taken me this long to review it because I love it so much that I am not sure mere words can do it justice. If any perfume embodies the essence of my soul it is this one.
Frankincense, pine, soft herbs, sweet smoke and fragile vanilla all come together as a poem for me. Yes, this is the fragrance of a poet; a fae poet at that. It is uplifting, wistful, sorrowful and spiritual all at once. Arwen from Lord of the Rings drifting through the ethereal elf palace wears this right before her wedding to Aragorn. Emily Bronte wears it while penning Wuthering Heights in the chapter where Heathcliff forever wanders the moors calling for his beloved Cathy.
If I wax romantic and get a little too purple with my prose, forgive me…I am a nature lover and this fragrance is nature pure and true. This fragrance is my nature. It calms me, soothes me and carries me to another realm through a parted veil.
Reve D’Ossian is not a sexy fragrance, and that’s fine with me. It is a comforting, spiritual scent. My favorite frankincense perfume because it is soft and billowy, not sharp as it comes across in others I’ve tried. When I want to tap into my carnal nature I have Bal a Versailles and Lust. When I want to separate from worldly things, I have this.
walkman88 – :
I wasn’t honestly expecting much from Reve D’Ossian but I’ve to say this has been more than a nice surprise. A bright, modern, aldheydic resins fest built around a nostalgic powdery /ambery base.
For the most part this is all about a candid white incense with piney / dark green notes and soapy aldehydes but the overall brightness and the airy feel are warmed up by a retrò and smoothly woody, ambery foundation. The first thing that comes to mind is Maria Candida Gentile’s Exultat minus the violet note but also other *clean incenses* such as Cardinal or Sancti. Not exactly groundbreaking but if you’re a fan of the main player, this is thoroughly enjoyable.
Great presence.
Rating: 7.5/10
bond2288 – :
Reminds me of being an alter boy swinging the thurifer at Christmas and Easter mass.
vlad71.71 – :
love woody notes. love incense. sadly this one would only smell like pencil shavings on me and it’s the only thing going on, no depth on me 🙁
olegtt86 – :
The small woody catholic church full of incense in the middle of nowhere surrounded by dark pine forest with the bakery at its back where vanilla cakes are freshly baked for the Christmas. Love after first sniff; recommended for all olibanum note based fragrances lovers. Very long lasting with moderate silage. Something special from the different world, mostly forgotten……
Вован Кудрявов – :
Starts with a bright, somewhaat sheer churchy incense. Brings to mind the also lovely CdG Avignon, but in a somewhat more wearable form.
There is a backdrop of forest-y pine and woods.
Several hours in, it warms and sweetens to soft resins, musk and woods.
This is my favorite that I’ve tried from the line. I can see how this would be amazing in the autumn. Though not huge on projection, it is perfect for what it is. Anything stronger and it wouldn’t feel as ‘right’.
Enchanting.
Diktor – :
Deep church incense, licorice, spices. Reminds me a bit of Serge Lutens spicier numbers. The church incense makes it unique though. Probably the best one I’ve tried. Mellows out quite nicely.
ogdans – :
Strong frankincense upon contact with skin, just like the kind used in a Catholic church, slowly becoming less sharp over time with the addition of a semi-sweet resin, soon joined by woods and aldehydes. Something about it reminded me of CHANEL’s Bois des Iles, the sandalwood + aldehyde combo I guess. It gives the perfume an old-fashioned edge without being outdated.
Also reminds me of Sonoma Scent Studio’s Champagne de Bois, another woody-aldehydic perfume. This is less bright and cheery and a bit more brooding. And more masculine as well.
Not my personal favorite from this house, but enjoyable nonetheless.
dreggan – :
I’m afraid I didn’t like this one at all at first, though it mellows considerably after an hour Reve d’Ossian opens with a piercing lye-like note, probably a combo of the aldehydes, myrrh, and leather. Have you ever smelled poorly cured leather? Kind of like that. Then it settles into bad soap and root beer. After about an hour I mostly smell the myrrh and leather and it’s quite nice while it lasts.
Boss4490 – :
Truly a great perfume. Very well crafted. I perceive the sea breeze on the horizon with elegant notes of pine and wood.
kose123 – :
I love this at first sniff!
In two words: effervescent. bonfire.
It fizzes, but it’s smoky and delicious. This fits my personality perfectly. Now I just need to savour my sample as I think a bottle is out of reach.
BloofeCersTer – :
194) Nostalgie 1900
It’s quite close to a balsamic Baghari by Piguet.
A surprising opening, aerial and metallic (aldehydes and terpineols?) notes of pine, old wood and foam on wet stone but it’s warming gently, blowing a strange impulse to this myrrh fragrance. The smell of warm lightly ambered paper, dry almost dusty leather binder. An impression of moor in the autumn.
It is so at odds with our modern conception of the perfume he could be the last release of Comme Des Garçons: Odeur 1900, without changing anything.
Truly a beautiful work of resurrection of the house, all these completely forgotten fragrances are high quality, both modern in their treatment and completely faithful to the spirit of time: a real success.
BOKA30 – :
un parfum magnifique, d’une autre époque, sur ma peau le côté onguent, baume ets trés prononcé, il a un départ trés surprenant, aérien et inquiétant, il se réchauffe doucement par la suite, avec une odeur de vieux palais, j’aime beaucoup.