Odiferess Is 1 year Old!

Happy birthday to my blog, 1 year old today! I am astounded that I've managed to blather a total of 55 posts over 56 weeks. As a result, I've stopped painting and drawing, taken to washing my hair and cleaning my flat less often and ceased applying for alternative day jobs that I should be applying for (much more fun to blog than to fill in application forms!). However, it's been utterly brilliant and I'm enormously grateful to everybody who has supported me, either by reading my posts, joining in discussions in the comments box or sending me beautiful scent samples to review. Thank you, you are greatly appreciated. 

Here's some things I've learnt over the year:

• I started the blog thinking that Caron's Eau De Reglisse is the greatest feat of contemporary perfumery ever. 1 year and a very many samples later, it's still my opinion.

• The concept of 'taste' is very malleable. Mine has slithered around all over the place, gaining cravings for all sorts of previously unloved notes and genres. Bizarrely it is currently enjoying floral aldehydes above all others. I never thought that would happen.

• The posts that I have enjoyed writing the most have been the rather silly ones, it appears I should be doing stand up comedy. 

• Indie perfumers are a friendly bunch who are a delight to communicate with. 

• These are the top 5 posts that gave me the biggest pleasure to write:

1. On Ormonde Woman and Witchcraft
2. On Chambre Noire and Adam Ant's pants
3. On The Scent of British Spirit and why I'll never be a royalist
4. A guest spot at the Penhaligon's Journal on traveling Victorians and Heinz Salad Cream
5. On the delights of perfume shopping and lovely sales assistants

I've amassed a great stash of fumes to review in the coming months. The next post will be about 'eau de toilet' and the notes we associate with cleaning products! I have found some delightful scents that should bust the myth that lilac is for air fresheners. 

Cheers chaps!