Review of Cuir Béluga Eau de Parfum by Yaroslavna Lasytsya

Not many people know what a true "beluga" is. In its original/native form it is a species of sturgeon, - a fish, not a small-sized white whale, that looks rather dolphin-like. It is, in fact, a fish, that is known and treasured for its caviar. And I do not know a fish that smells of orange sprinkled aldehydes. Fresh and airy in their sparkling beauty. Let's assume that these are the impressions of the water spray, carried on a breeze in decadent light of an early autumn's sun. Pleasant and refreshing, sweetened by memories of a summer gone. Patchouli bends and flows as wild grasses over the hills of the endless steppe, where in the days gone buy, a whole cavalry regiment could easily disappear unheard and unseen, for they (the grasses) were that tall and abundant. Immortelle is on queue, as a reincarnation of the late summer/early autumn flowers, - feather-grass, heather and asters. The blooms are small, and in case of a feather-grass - they are long strings of white-silver down, which, when growing close enough (as it does) create an impression of silver waters flowing under the blue sky. Yes, patchouli and immortelle here are a vision of an endless great steppes of Ukraine, Southern Russia, Kazakhstan, etc. glorious and awe-inspiring in their ancient beauty and expanse. And then comes vanilla, not a modern one, no, - it is vintage, bordering on antique with light powdery mustiness, transforming into the well-worn, soft leather, the very top layer of it, brushed and softened until it became a suede. A velvet-like, delicate type, hugging the curves of one's body as second skin, keeping warmth in winter and cool in summer, allowing freedom of movement and resilience of suppleness. A true luxury, if you truly know what a luxury is. Heliotrope adds more powder, enhancing the suede and vanilla accords, easing the amber in, so that the composition does not become indolic or animalistic-like. It keeps it sweet, floury and sumptuous. The fragrance flows as the waters of a mighty river, smooth and unhurried, confident in their beauty and strength, not trying to make an impression, not struggling to force their way, not bothering to make themselves heard. They have been there for centuries, if not millennia, they are eternal and divine, their beauty and splendour unquestioned and worshipped by all. So, there you have it - "Cuir Beluga" - a modern classic worthy of Olympic fame, elegant, enchanting and unforgettable. But, why the "skin/leather of a fish"? Is it to justify the price? To sound that much exceptional and unattainable? To draw one's attention through a sheer impossibility of existence? I love this perfume with every grain of my being. I busk and revel in it and adore how it envelops me in its mighty yet tender embrace, but I do not see the fish or the whale, - I see the endless steppe, full of mystery, wild grasses and blooms and the winds of time, that keep their pace unhurried and determined no matter how many periods the bright and golden sun rises and sets over this earth.