Hedonist Eau de Parfum

Early last month, I received an e-mail from Viktoria Minya asking if I would like to try her new fragrance. Weeks later, I received a sample (from France) of Hedonist Eau de Parfum ($45 ml, $195). Viktoria is the first modern-day Hungarian to create a perfume brand, and she has demonstrated with Hedonist - her first fragrance - that she's an extraordinary perfumer. How does one come "out of the gate" with a fragrance as artistic as Hedonist?

How could I do it justice with words? I've labored over the challenge since my first whiff. This is a fragrance that speaks to me through its elegance. To my nose, it smells like it could be one of the most divine French fragrances ever created.

I learned from a Fragrantica link that Viktoria sent me that the presentation of the Hedonist perfume "calls upon the spirit of hedonism - the art of devotion to the pleasure of the senses. Indeed, this bold creation's aim is to provide a prolonged sense of indulgence to its wearer. The perfume is not only an enchanting olfactory experience, but an overall celebration of the infinite delight of the senses." The composition is brought to life with juicy fruits and intoxicating rich floral notes, anchored with warm, intense, and deep woody shades.

Who or what is a hedonist? Someone motivated by desires for or a devotion to sensual pleasures. What could please the senses more than Hedonist's first impression, with its luxurious presentation and bottle? A handmade wooden box with a snakeskin appearance opens to reveal a beautifully crafted bottle filled with hundreds of Bohemian crystals that sparkle in the champagne-colored liquid. The pleasure doesn't stop there, though. Hedonist is strikingly sensuous. Wearing it will make you feel gorgeous, confident, and undeniably enchanting. It's an extremely feminine and intense fragrance.

Hedonist's notes are rum, bergamot, peach, osmanthus absolute, jasmine absolute, orange flower absolute, tobacco, vanilla, cedarwood, and vetiver. That's a unique composition - one that delighted me at first whiff. It's a persistent fragrance, too; it's longevity is fabulous.

Viktoria had a dream: to create perfume. So she left her corporate job for training at the Grasse Institute of Perfume, which gave her the formal expertise to match her desire to create something luxurious and personal from the most beautiful raw materials, reminiscent of the golden age of perfumery.

It's hard for me to describe how deeply sensual Hedonist is (it makes me swoon), so I'll let Luckyscent take over here (edited, of course)...

Remember when Rossano Brazzi sang “Some Enchanted Evening, ” how he fell in love across a crowded room on a tropical Island? If you’ve ever wanted to be the girl who stops the party, this bold debut from Victoria Minya is your next must-have.

The hedonist who wears this intoxicatingly sweet floral, loaded with ripe peaches and rum extract, is unquestionable a pleasure seaker, but she's also a lady. She’s the center of attention without raising her voice. She enters the room, and heads turn.

In this perfect orchestration of notes, peach melds with vanilla, osmanthus, jasmine and soft tobacco [I usually dislike tobacco notes, but barely detect any in Hedonist] in a classic example of feminine flirtation, a beguiling expression of skin that wants to be touched.

Hedonist belongs in my seductive, night-out collection, which I'll admit is thin. Wear it to work at your own risk. You'll attract new admirers, but the outcome could be totally inappropriate for the workplace. I need a full bottle. I absolutely love Hedonist. I have nothing even remotely like it.

If Hedonist is indicative of things to come from Viktoria Minya, she will have a long, successful career as a perfumer. Get in on the ground floor, and one day you'll be telling your friends, "Oh yes, I purchased her first fragrance. Divine!" You can keep up with Viktoria on her Facebook page. If you are in the United States, the best place to find Hedonist Eau de Parfum is Luckyscent.

Photos courtesy of Viktoria Minya and Luckyscent