40s photo of the dance floor at the Cocoanut Grove.
Created by : Unknown perfumer
Date : 2013
Genre : Rose patchouli
Concentration : eau de parfum (at least)
One of my favourite courses in library school was Collection Development, i.e. what to buy! With all that is being published and evermore shrinking budgets, libraries are becoming more and more choosy. The Acquisitions Librarian of a large library in Québec City gave us a presentation of their purchasing policy. It was detailed and complex and fascinating. And the presentor ended it with, “And, of course, we NEVER buy first novels!” I said, “Excuse me, did you say never?” He answered, “NEVER!” (Unless of course the novel becomes a best-seller or a subsequent novel becomes a best-seller or the first novel wins a literary prize… but I digress.)
So… here we are with a first perfume launched by Ex Idolo from an unknown perfumer. Should I review? Well… the creative force behind Ex Idolo, Matthew Zhuk, sent me a lovely email and a sniffing expedition was in the works so I decided to give it a try.
Both Matthew and the SA at Etiket talked about Thirty Three as being an oud… “thirty three” being the age of the oud which was used… but actually, it’s not really an oud perfume, not on my skin anyway. Yes… the oud is front and centre for the first 20 minutes, but it quickly takes a backseat to a beautiful, quality rose-patchouli accord which is the heart of Thirty Three. Yes, there is musk and some powder and maybe the oud is in there somewhere but for the most part it’s an exquisite red rose-patchouli… not yellow roses, not pink, RED! Over time, the patchouli disappears, the powder lingers as does the rose, and a soapy note emerges (perhaps the musk) making me smell cleaner at the end of the day than when I stepped out of the shower that morning!
So… what impressed me most? I would say the quality of the materials. That rose note is exquisite. In addition, the composition is good… no rough edges, no overly chemical smells. It has a few twists and turns but I like that in a perfume. The longevity is similar to extract strength. And, Thirty Three is totally legible which I think is a plus in these days of “just feel the perfume.” There are others in the same genre but this composition straddles deftly between a rose soliflore and one of the many big rose chypres on the market making it quite unique. I would say its closest competitors are David Yurman and Jo Malone’s Velvet Rose and Oud. Evidently, Matthew Zhuk has been able to steer Thirty Three through a narrow opening on a crowded dance floor.
Now people who read me regularly know that I never discuss bottles or names but I love the bottle and I particularly like the art deco-inspired font. There is some marketing savvy behind the packaging.
Overall… it’s very beautiful and if you’ve been thinking of adding a quality rose fragrance to your collection, check this one out.
Enjoy!
Ex Idolo’s Thirty Three – beautiful presentation!
The Perfume Chronicles 
dkchocoman
/ November 5, 2013this one sounds quite intriguing. where can you purchase this art deco gem?
Normand Cardella
/ November 5, 2013Hi!
You can find out where to purchase Thirty Three from their website (http://exidolo.com/).
Normand
dkchocoman
/ November 9, 2013Oh no, since it’s in England I would be able to get my hands on it since I’m in the US due to ridiculous UK postal regulations This is so unfortunate.
Jordan River
/ November 5, 2013Odd in this day and age not to reveal the perfumer for a 2013 release. Maybe someone is moonlighting from somewhere else? So is this Oud a 33 year old aroma chemical? Not possible, so this must be the real thing which will be delightful with rose especially as real Oud ages beautifully. Which country is this coming from Normand?
Normand Cardella
/ November 5, 2013According to the website, Thirty Three is manufactured, hand-blended in fact, in England… http://exidolo.com/
Undina
/ November 12, 2013You just reviewed this first perfume from the brand, you haven’t bought it, have you?
Normand Cardella
/ November 12, 2013No. I tested from a sample. I have several rose scents in my collection which I wear regularly… Velvet Rose and Oud, Knowing, Soir de Lune and David Yurman… even Paloma Picasso on occasion. I put Thirty Three on my “one day” list… finances permitting. 🙂
Normand