I tried Dawn Spencer Hurwitz’s Tamarind Paprika fragrance earlier this year, loved it, and hoped it would still be around when cold weather returned (it was originally a limited edition) so I could review it. And here it is, relaunched under the name Nourouz in honor of the Persian New Year celebration.
Nourouz opens sunny and fruity, but from the start the sweetness of the fruit is cut with a generous dose of dusty red pepper (the notes: black pomegranate accord, paprika, tamarind, Bulgarian rose otto, orris, osmanthus, oppopanax, red wine notes, tobacco and vanilla). As it dries down, the fruit notes are joined by subtle florals, and it becomes richer and fuller, but at the same time, the sweetness mostly dissipates. The “red wine notes” and the sweet myrrh lend an amber-y warmth to the later stages, but this is not a heavy fragrance at all, and just enough of the tangy tamarind sticks around to make it feel bright well into the dry down. The vanilla and tobacco are there if you go looking for them, but everything here is perfectly balanced and no particular notes stand out: it just smells like itself. And it smells very good indeed.
I’d categorize Nourouz as a (grownup) winter comfort scent, and it’s very much a gourmand, but unlike many spicy gourmands it’s quiet enough to wear to a holiday meal without overwhelming the food (or the other dinner guests), nor does it have that “holiday candle” vibe that makes some holiday-themed fragrances difficult to wear.
If you don’t mind a bit of a holiday candle vibe, another winter spice worth trying is i Profumi di Firenze Spezie dè Medici, and if you don’t mind smelling liked baked goods, Parfumerie Generale’s Un Crime Exotique also works nicely as a holiday fragrance. As always, do add your own favorites in the comments.
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Norouz is available in Eau de Parfum, Parfum Extract and Perfume Oil ($26-145); samples are also sold. For buying information, see the listing for Dawn Spencer Hurwitz under Perfume Houses.
Note: image is Paprika, salt, pepper, butter by quinn.anya at flickr; some rights reserved.
70 Comments
Read more about commenting at Now Smell This.
Thanks for the review. This sounds wonderful, although I must admit I have never sniffed anything from this line.
Oh, you should!
I haven’t yet either…but have plans to do so next year, after my budget recovers a bit. This sounds like a good place to start!
Boo – she’s on my “next year” sample list too. We need to coordinate our efforts.
Same here — maybe we should start a sampling group. Each buy a few, test, and rotate.
Great idea!
Sounds like a good idea to me! Although I’m hopelessly disorganized w/my samples these days and really need to get them sorted (and some of them sent on to better homes).
I think she just has too darn many fragrances. i feel like there is no good place to start. i dont have a clue how she manages to keep all of these in production.
It’s a really big line, it’s true. She does have some good “starter” sample sets though.
I’m scared of the red pepper, which often means a red version of green peppers–like you put in salad. I love to eat them, but hate the smell. Is this a different red pepper? Other than that, it sounds like I need to have it. . . .soon.
It isn’t a bell pepper, if that’s what you mean…it smells hotter and not as freshly vegetal as that, I think. (and I hate to eat green or red peppers, but love paprika)
Off-topic already, but that is a beautiful, beautiful photo up top.
Flickr is the greatest thing since sliced bread…so many wonderful photographers!
With the cold weather finally here and the holidays upon us, this is the only time of year I reach for Chanel’s Egoiste (the original, not that ‘Platinum’ nonsense!). After the slightly medicinal opening blast of tangerine, rose and coriander, it eventually settles down to a warm, candied fruit scent with beautiful sandalwood and vanilla finish.
Another great scent!
Yeah, that photo is crazy/weird/great!
Have you tried any other of her fragrances that you liked, R? There’s a cardamom-something? that I was curious about, just can’t remember the two word name. Oh, Cardamom-Kyphi?
Hugs!
The other one I really love is Cimabue. And her Pamplemousse is wonderful, as is Wasabi Shiso. I didn’t love Cardamom-Khyphi — it sweeter and heavier on the patch, not really my taste.
Interesting, that a scent that comes across as so wintery is named after a holiday that takes place at the start of spring! Still, sounds lovely. Will have to try.
Yes, although it’s still usually pretty darned cold in late March!
Yes, I thought that was odd, too. My boyfriend is Iranian so I celebrate nowruz. During the holiday you have a tablecloth with certain symbolic items placed on it, including apples, hyacinths, rosewater, and a kind of Iranian incense called “esfand” so that is what I imagine a “nowruz” fragrance might smell. The Dawn Spencer Nourouz sounds right up my alley, though. Might have to order a sample.
Oh, that does sound like such a nice mix of smells! Well, you’ll have to not think about that when you try the DSH, LOL…
Yes, and the smell of that Iranian incense is really unique. I think the DSL might be more aptly named after the Iranian winter soltice holiday “Yalda” because pomegranites are traditionally eaten for it and this fragrance has “black pomegranate.” But no matter, it’s the smell that matters!
Today’s comfort scent: POTL’s Luctor et Emergo. As I got my 5 yr old out of the car for school, she said “you smell *really* good!” LetE is one of her favorites. Other comfort scents: Lubin Idole, Bois des Iles, Tam Dao, and for baked goods yumminess (not usually my style): SDV layered with just a dab of Bois de Paradis.
I adore POTL, and I tend to forget about it these days. Thanks for the reminder, I think I’ll wear it tonight.
I love it too, but find it rather difficult to wear at times. We’re getting a snowstorm today though, so it’s perfect.
Mmmm…this one sounds very nice indeed.
Other festive scents–Theorema, Bois des Iles, oranges and gingerbread!) and I really like a small dab of Coco in the extrait. It doesn’t overwhelm like the EDP and EDT tend to — just hums along in the background, mandarines, roses, leather and dark chocolate…
Oh, Theorema & Bois des Iles are always great picks, holiday or no
Love the idea of a fragrance that hums along in the background. So hard to achieve.
Nourouz sounds very interesting. At the Toronto perfume meetup at Noor the other weekend I tried the Les Epices de la Passion (Safran Troublant, Piment Brûlant and Poivre Piquant) and have been flirting with the idea of getting the trio for Christmas. (My dog Layla always gets me such thoughtful gifts). What I’m unsure of is: Will I wear them? Is being intrigued the same as wanting to wear them? Is it more of an intellectual attraction than a emotional one? At under $100 for the 3, does it matter?
can I help you out with some virtual dog-sitting/walking? Your dog sound delightful
Absolutely. She’d love the attention
. She really is the sweetest, most gentle, loving dog. And to think she was days away from being put down simply because the shelter (like many) simply didn’t keep dogs (even fantastic ones) longer than a week or two. We’re one happy family now. I highly recommend pet adoption. [end of PSA] 
One more reason to adopt a shelter dog: They’ll buy you perfume if you ask nice!
Since the last scent Patches chose for himself was Eau de Broken Sewer Line, I haven’t asked my dogs for perfume. Maybe if I’m really specific?
My method: don’t buy them. Start a “to buy” list, and date everything you put on it. Every so often, look at the list and reorder it: move the things you haven’t thought about in months towards the bottom, move the things that keep popping your head towards the top. When you have $ handy, buy whatever is near the top of the list that you can find at that moment at a reasonable price.
Sounds like a smart way to see which ones move from “interesting” to “really like” to “must have” or simply fall away. Thank you.
My darling doggie is just like your Layla. If I really want a perfume, why he immediately offers to get it for me! I’ve had to put him off lately though, because neither he nor I can afford it just at the moment. I agree that if you are wanting a dog its good to get one from the shelter or spca etc. My one was an unwanted dog, now he’s in a home where I am dotty over him!
And they always know just exactly what to get us, too.
Thanks for the review, Robin! Great as always
I’m adding this to my ever-growing must try list. I love tamarind, I used to eat the tamarind covered in sugar as a treat when I was a kid. I love it in cuisine also!
I ordered Fendi Theorema unsniffed, the first time I’ve ever done that. It finally arrived in the mail today and oh my I don’t regret the purchase. I think it would make a wonderful holiday fragrance, it’s more sheer than I thought. I love the combination of the muted orange with a dash of creme and nutmeg in it.
Isn’t is Theorema wonderful? I too acquired a bottle this fall and feel warmed, happy and grateful everytime I wear it.
Theorema is beautiful. I’m thinking of passing on my mini to someone else, though, because each time I wear it, I find myself thinking, “You know, this needs something…” I don’t know what I’m missing, or expecting to get that I don’t get, but I’ve realized it doesn’t have an emotional impact on me.
Mals, I’ve had the same reaction! But I’m horrible at layering (unless it’s something obvious, like, “This needs more musk, so I’ll add more musk!”) so I can’t come to any conclusions. Besides, I have enough other no-assembly-required fragrances to wear, so really why bother?
I have very mized feelings about layering. Yes, you may not be satisfied with a fragrance “as is” but then the perfumer put the fragrance together that way. If perfume is an artform than isn’t layering like messing with a masterpiece?
Isn’t that a wonderful scent? So glad it worked out unsniffed, that’s dangerous.
Yup, I’m quite relieved that it worked out. I figured that I would put it up for a swap if it didn’t. Tons of people here are just head over heels in love w it LOL.
Theorema is one of the very few fragrances I’ve ordered blind. I love it, too! It’s just the perfect balance of delicious things, and so easy to wear.
“Wintery comfort scents” seem to be having babies all over my ‘fume stash… lessee, we’ve got Mauboussin and Dolce Vita, we’ve got the gingerbready TF Tobacco Vanille* and Bois des Iles, we’ve got Parfum Sacre and Lyric and Ta’if for spicy rose, we’ve got the ultra-gorgeous spicy-amber Alahine (squee, my Christmas-present-bottle arrived the other day!)… oh, and the vanilla-patch of Organza Indecence and That Slut Tocade.
The weather is HORRIBLE here, cold and wet, but at least I smell fabulous.
*Wore the Tobacco Vanille at Thanksgiving, and it went well with the food smells. Wore Parfum Sacre to bed the previous three nights, too; I love to snuggle in to that one.
Side note: I am embarrassed to say that yesterday I looked at my 4th quarter spending, and it’s been just as bad as the other quarters. Eek.
Plead the Fifth. That’s what I plan to do!
Hate to be holier-than-thou, but I’ve got to live it up while I can: I’ve bought NOTHING. Have to say that now and pat myself on the back because who knows if I’ll make it to the end of the quarter with all the shopping I’m doing right now.
But didn’t you buy the VC & A Bois d’Iris?
That was 3rd quarter, doesn’t count!
Oopsie! My Bad!
Bois de Iles and Ta’if are on my list. It’s great that you got Alahine, I got a sample of Meloe a few weeks ago and it’s very pleasant indeed. I have to give Alahine a try
If I were home, I’d be scrambling to my craft boxes to pull out my sample of Tamarind Paprika. I remember liking it, though I tried it in midsummer. Tamarind always piques my interest because it’s a flavor I love. Thanks for the review.
Darn, I just checked and this one is pricey … I also love Cimabue, which is more affordable. And I’ll agree that flickr image is really interesting.
True, but what I love about DSH is that you can buy things in a cheaper/smaller form…I mean, the dram of Eau de Parfum for $26 isn’t so bad.
Yeah, I’m all for smaller sizes, but 1 dram is less than 4ml!
I know! It isn’t economical per ml, but at least you can get some. And I mind paying premium less when it’s for an indie brand.
Today I am wearing Yves Rocher Fleurs de Noel, which I bought unsniffed on sale – it is not a spicy-foody comfort scent, more a warm floral with gourmand undertones. it’s very nice!
I just discovered Theorema, too, and asked Santa for some.
Otherwise, I have been trying some of the darker Neil Morris scents like Rumi and Midnight Tryst, which work nicely in cold weather, and of course my Tauers, Black Cashmere, and the like.
DSH is on my “samples in 2010 list” so I’ll have to see about this one.
I heard that Yves Rocher was really nice! And I need to try more of the Neil Morris line.
I’ve been wanting to try her stuff, but this is where the newbie disease comes in and breaks the bank. I just don’t have enough time and money to try everything I want! sigh…
Ditto!
I think almost all the DSH scents I tried every on came from swapping…many of them as “extras”.
I like the sound of the sweet tamarind contrasted with pepper. Thanks for the review, Robin! Other winter spices? I wore Caron Poivre the other day to a concert, and it was just right. I’m also coveting a bottle of Frapin Caravelle Epicee. Delicious comforting spice.
I like that Frapin too, and keep forgetting about it — I should get a decant.
That’s another line in my “keep meaning to” list.
I’m Iranian and the scent I will always associate with my culture is rosewater. Its everywhere; used as a light refreshing perfume or added to sweets and ice cream. Rosewater will always be my favorite scent and its probably what got me into fragrances in the first place. I remember running down to the kitchen during bath time to steal a cap-full of rosewater for my bath, good times
The mixture of spices, rose and pomegranate is very authentic, all three are used quite a bit in Persian cooking, I must try this!
Oh, then do let us know if it seems to fit the Nourouz name!
Red pepper is one of those notes I just cannot miss sniffing. I worry about the fruit, though. I haven’t met a fruit accord I like; my favorite fruit smell is definitely the bergamot butter that resides on the top of Queen Shalimar. Everything else….
I’ll have to try this. Of course, that means I’ll have to to try 5 or 12 of the whole line, maybe make the tiniest scratch in it.
No fruit at all, other than Shalimar?? That is hard!
Memechose recommended this for me as she thought it would work well on my skin and so it proved. I went on to buy a purse spray of it (couldn’t afford anything bigger!) which is very cute in its little black box. I agree that it stays well short of the holiday candle vibe. Cimabue is a bit in that vein, but I love it too!
Ah. Glad it worked for you.