Heya APJ Crew,
Ever get so swept away by a review that you go hunting for the fragrance immediately? I too am no slouch in the lemming stakes. Here is a happy ending story…
Racine by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier 1988
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Vetiver, oak moss, while musk, citruses
To give you the complete truth I have been dying to own one of these bottles but the ones I tried were too close to things already in my collection. It’s hard to believe that this fun crew, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, have been around since the 1980s that is a 4 decade run in a business notorious for its patrons fickleness. Quite an achievement.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
The opening on my skin is a zesty burst or citrussy goodness slightly warmed by what I think must be the musk/vetiver but it reads to my nose like almond. If you are yawning and switching off at the ubiquitous citrus opening you would be missing out on something fun and a little daring, the citrus is mildly effervescent, dry and bitter without any of the household cleaner aspect, whatever they have put with it keeps it playing nice. The citrus stays! Even through the soft, earthy greenness of the vetiver. For a change I get no salt shimmer from this vetiver at all.
Beyond 2 hours Racine goes quiet on me, it hasn’t gone and continues to pump a low level hum through the day with bursts of waft. On Wednesday I wore Racine for cleaning the house. Always a 3-4 hour marathon that stretches to 5 because when I finish each chore I gift myself 10 minutes on the computer with a drink, coffee or tea. Even as I was doing my last chore of the day, steam mopping the tiles, I was getting radiant whiffs of very soft Racine. Do I like it? I LOVE IT!!
Photo Vetiver used in Aqua Culture in Brazil Stolen vetiver.org
From The Black Narcissus: Usually in perfumes of this type, the lemon or bergamot in the opening will disappear fairly quickly and be taken over by the usual contemporary architecture of cashmere woods and the like, and this is where Racine is different: rather than the constrained urbanity of Tom Ford Grey Vetiver or Lalique’s Encre Noire and their debonair, besuited attractiveness, Racine, from the Les Caprices du Dandy collection, entwines a predominant, fresh-as-a-vine, sinuous vetiver from the Réunion Isles with a sucked-on-a-lemon, imperious citrus note, combined beautifully with a mauve-hued, satin plum cushion of prune, oakmoss, geranium, and, gently intertwined, a touch of equally dry, deep-octaved patchouli.
Photo Stolen thebeeskneez DeviantArt
Further reading: The review that had me swooning enough to go get Racine was The Black Narcissus and looking at old & new variants The Non Blonde
FragranceNet has Racine for $99 but with the Coupon DCRT3 it comes down to around $78
The Perfumed Court starts at $3/ml
Do you have any of the Maître Parfumeur et Gantier range? Maybe you’ve spent some Racine time? Don’t you love the bottles?
Till tomorrow,
Portia xxx
AustralianPerfumeJunkies 
Neil’s writing has ruined many a budget. Currently I am exploring gardenia variations, but I’m sure that after weeks of BWFs, I will need to huff a little citrus to restore balance.
GARDENIA!! I love it so. Though this is citrus it is also the loveliest vetiver.
Portia xx
Vetiver can work or not for me, but this one sounds lovely. I have one bottle from MPeG, Cuir Fetiche (misnamed, I think–it’s a very soft, floral leather). The bottle comes with that little red leather corset, and if I had found a less expensive bottle without it I would have bought that instead, but I have to admit it is awfully cute.
I TOTALLY love that cuir fetiche bottle. it was my original draw to the house. It is enough like a couple of other leathers in my set that I couldn’t justify the buy. Fully green that you have it.
Portia xx
I just have to add… Steam mopping the tiles?? I should be such an ambitious cleaner. I am impressed.
Ha Ha ha! Well, it’s just a part of the routine. Nothing makes them shine , or feel as clean, as a quick wizz with the steam mop after you’ve vacuumed. It doesn’t take long either. I thought it was the lazy way out.
Portia xx
Handsome bottle.
Takes handsome to know it lovely Jordan,
Portia xx
One of my all time faves is Secrete Datura. I blind buy MPGs fairly regularly and have never been disappointed, even though its a tricky line. I have Jasmin, Rose Muskissime, and Magnolia Pourpre. Racine is a lovely scent, and has less teeth than Zroute de Vetiver.
You have spolen to the heart of a big MP&G lover. I have the entire masculine collection except Racine, Secret Melange (too much clove for me), Eau des Iles and Baimé. I also have several of the femines, Les Muskissimes, Or des Indes, Bahiana (actually this is the one that Bronze Godess drew its inspiration from and needless to say, it is infinately better the the Estée Lauder fragrance) and Fleur d’Iris. I haven’t bought Racine because Route du Vetiver (vintage alas!) is the closest to my holy grail and I alread own too many vetivers. But it is always good to read that someone actually “LOVES” on of the MP&G’s. There is something very special about the construction of these fragrances and although they never astound with their note listings their construction is solid, unique and with an emphasis on materials. Their latest release, Cuir Fetiche is a beautiful floral with leathery connotations. I believe you would actually like Eau pour le Jeune Homme a lot.
Eau pour le Jeune Homme, I shall look it up immediately. They are a good house, I need to spend more time with ALL of them,
Portia x