Love Me Tender: New Hedonist Cassis by Viktoria Minya

by: Juliett Ptoyan

I love to see the transformation of a perfumer's signature - there's always something exciting about inspecting a group of aromas by the same artist, much like reading an interesting story or watching a favorite show.

When there's not so many fragrances in the portfolio of a perfumer, I'm unconsciously hoping to find something in common, a special manner of working with materials or composing accords. After encountering a number of fragrances, the feeling is different: like if you visit a friendly chef awaiting a degustation of new experiments, knowing the favourite ingredients.

With Viktoria Minya, I had exactly the same story: I remember my interest in roseand iris Hedonists and my curiosity before meeting with Eau de Hongrie.... Now, with her fifth fragrance, I can talk about the signature of the brand - femininity.

Hedonist Cassis (2015) - blackcurrant absolute, Bulgarian rose,

freshly cut grass, cedar, incense

Originally, Viktoria had planned to release three fragrances by the name of Hedonist all together, but the first was launched in 2013, and the remaining two, Hedonist Irisand Hedonist Rose, appeared in 2014. At the end of 2015, we heard about Hedonist Cassis — and today I want to tell a bit more about it. 

This time the main ingredient of the composition is blackcurrant bud absolute which can be surprisingly different depending on the concentration: undiluted it is a quite thick, almost animalic scent; being "adapted" it becomes more familiar, with dry and cold, fruity undertones.

In Viktoria's interpretation, blackcurrant show us its airy, minty character, like the smell of your hands after picking berries from a ragged, dusty bush; the emphasis in the perception constantly shifts from the ingredients to the mood of fragrance - light, like a bubble, completely carefree and very bright.

Hedonist Cassis begins with a pastel, iridescent grapefruit-currant cloud, but there's no bright tartness from the former note, nor animalic touch from the latter: bitter citrus is intangible, almost powdery, and currant is more like a tiny berry caramel. From the skin it's like a foam of bubbles - instantly melting away; but you, of course, can layer. After the bubbles dissipate, there remains light, tender spring roses in a crystal vase and a hyper-realistic shade of freshly cut grass: it may seem that it's knocked out of the matrimonial idyll, but after a while it merges with a fresh floral accord and white musk.

Moving away from the ingredients, and returning to the mood, it turns out that for me, the Cassis evokes the image of an idyllic, young woman of the 1950's who just married: she's nice, modest, sticks by her husband and moderately indulges her child; our heroine could wear any starchy name like Becky or Gloria, love Carven, and cook (with sincere pleasure) oatmeal or something like that for the spouse. This fragrance, with its unique femininity and obedience, reminded me of Secret by Arte Profumi: the same loving voice, the same sweet smile, the same excellent manners.

In the era of independent perfumery, to experience such an aroma is quite pleasantly amusing. Try it if: you're crazy about fragrances like Tout A Vous; if you like subtle floral-fresh fragrances; or if you are generally interested in Viktoria's works - the signature of all of her work is femininity.

Hedonist Cassis's brand of femininity is most like the one that we already met inHedonist Rose, but if in the first case, the heroine only flirted with us, in Cassis she is already a faithful wife and mother.

Hedonist Cassis by Hedonist Cassis by Viktoria Minya

por: Sandra Raicevic Petrovic

Viktoria Minya apresentou a última fragrância da coleção Hedonist, Cassis, sendo a 4ª edição após o primeiro perfume intoxicante e baseado em mel  Hedonist, o romântico e sofisticado Hedonist Iris, e o feminino Hedonist Rose. Cassis segue os dois antecedentes que glorificam ingredientes específicos como pontos focais de todas as composições. Após a rosa e a íris nas edições anteriores, Viktoria optou pelo absoluto de cassis cujos aromas ácidos-doces se unem com outras notas para criar a sensação arejada de despreocupação, levantando o astral e evocando a sensação de pura felicidade na pessoa que usa.

De acordo com a perfumista e dona da coleção, Viktoria, "HEDONIST CASSIS é um perfume etéreo que captura a juventude e a liberdade eterna com a acidez do absoluto de groselha. Uma combinação energizante de rosa búlgara orvalhada e grama cortada cria uma harmoniosa combinação com cedro para seduzir e encantar quem usa."

VIKTORIA MINYA HEDONIST CASSIS
edição 2015

grama cortada
absoluto de cassis
rosa Búlgara
cedro

Viktoria continua os femininos e glamorosos frascos com cristas. Dentro do característico frasco encontramos cristais roxos que descrevem perfeitamente a composição. Hedonist Cassis Eau de Parfum pode ser comprado pelo preço de 155 EUR no website oficial victoriaminya.com. 

Com a compra de cada frasco de 45ml Eau de Parfum das fragrâncias Viktoria Minya, os clientes recebem um conjunto de amostras grátis! 

Hedonist Cassis by Viktoria Minya

by: Sandra Raicevic Petrovic

Viktoria Minya introduced the latest fragrance of her Hedonist collection, Cassis, arriving as the 4^th edition after the honey-based, intoxicating first perfume Hedonist, the romantic and sophisticated Hedonist Iris, and the feminine Hedonist Rose. Cassis follows the two antecedents that glorify specific ingredients and are the focal points of their entire compositions. After rose and iris, which were characteristic of the previous editions, Viktoria opted for cassis absolute whose tart-sweet flavors are united with other notes to create the feeling of being care free and airy, uplifting the mood and evoking the feeling of pure happiness in the person wearing it.

According to the perfumer and owner of the collection, Viktoria, "HEDONIST CASSISis an ethereal perfume that captures youth and eternal freedom with the tartness of blackcurrant absolute. An uplifting combination of dewy Bulgarian rose and fresh cut grass creates a harmonious blend with cedarwood to mesmerize and enchant the wearer."

VIKTORIA MINYA HEDONIST CASSIS
edition 2015

freshly cut grass
cassis absolute
dewy Bulgarian rose
cedar

Viktoria continues the feminine and glamorous bottles with crystals in the new editions. Inside the characteristic flacon one can find purple crystals which describe the composition perfectly. Hedonist Cassis Eau de Parfum can be purchased at the price of 155 EUR on the official website victoriaminya.com. 

With the purchase of each 45ml Eau de Parfum bottle of Viktoria Minya`s fragrances, customers will also receive the free sample kit! 

The Perfume Inspired by Tokaji Aszu: Viktoria Minya Eau de Hongrie

by: Serguey Borisov

Elisabeth of Poland, (1305–1380), Queen consort of Hungary and regent of Poland

Elisabeth of Poland with her sons

The history of modern European perfumery began in Hungary in the 14th century. The exact date of invention is unknown, but French King Charles V (Charles the Wise), a lover of smells, received Hungary Water as a gift in 1370. The first fragrant alcohol-based lotion, named Eau de la Reine de la Hongrie (or Hungary Water), was a distillate of flowering rosemary and maybe thyme, according to the old recipe by an unknown author. Later formulas were expanded by lavender, mint, sage, lemon, marjoram, orange blossom, etc. The Hungarian Queen Isabella (or Elizabeth), according to a book published in 1660, managed her wedding with the Polish king by regularly using this lotion. Eau de la Reine de la Hongrie was not only perfume, but also skin tonic, lotion, a remedy, and a repellent—it's possible that it was used as a means of any anti-epidemic disease control. Hungarian water was popular for centuries, until the 18th century when citrus colognes took over the market.

Famous Visegrad Castle, built by Charles Robert

Some centuries later, before Christmas 2014, a new Hungary water, Eau de Hongrie appeared in Paris. This time the perfumer is known: the fragrance was created by the young and talented Hungarian perfumer Viktoria Minya. Five years ago, she learned the history of Eau de la Reine de la Hongrie at the perfumery school ISIPCA. The story of the "proto-cologne" or the first modern alcohol-based fragrance made her dream of a new, modern Hungarian Water.

The new perfume formula of Eau de Hongrie is very far from the aromatic field of rosemary, thyme and lavender—there is no need for it to have any anti-epidemic properties. Our century's perfumes are about pleasures and hedonism, not about revival and hygiene. And modern cosmetics offer much better results for the complexion than rosemary distillate.

What could be the Hungarian perfume of the 21st century, then?

One of the long-time symbols of Hungary is the world famous Tokaji Aszú, a noble topaz-colored dessert wine, which became the world's first wine controlled by origin. This is the “wine of kings and king of wines” that remains a favorite drink of Royals and the Vatican alike. So Viktoria devoted Eau de Hongrie to this sweet treasure of Hungary. The perfume flacon in the form of a wine bottle in a wooden box also hints at the Tokaji Aszu. You can find Tokaji Essencia bottles so rare and old that ordinary people are unable to buy them and instead taste it by tablespoon in the Tokaji museums (where you have to pay quite a sum for every spoonful!).

Side remark: This is a good approach that should be applied by any art director who plans to launch a national perfume. Like, instead of copying other popular concepts and perfumes, start with choosing a national symbol that is well-known internationally and which makes your compatriots happy about it. I'm looking at you, art directors of Russian brand Denis Simachev. Choose the national tree, the national bouquet of wild flowers, the national drink, a well-known person or character, or even a ritual and give it to perfumers as a puzzle to solve: how to find the best way to express this symbolic image in the olfactory field. It turns out that foreign perfumes, including Masque Milano Russian Tea , Eutopie #6, Le Bolshoi de Guerlain, Fueguia 1833 Suprematisme, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Ciel de GUM, Vodka On The Rocks Moscow by Kilian, Aleksandr by Arquiste, all the fragrances by The Vagabond Princemake it better than we Russians do!  End of remark.

The special delight of Viktoria Minya Eau de Hongrie is that the fragrance is not equal to the taste and nose of the wine. Viktoria did not make an olfactory copy, but created the metaphor of Tokaji; the perfume recalls the dessert wine on several parameters—it's slowly intoxicating, it's not overpowering, it's honey-sweet—but at the same time, it's a light, fleeting fragrance. I recalled all the other scents of Viktoria and I suddenly realized that each of them has a certain chord associated with a tasty and fragrant alcohol. It was rum accord in the original Hedonist. In Hedonist Rose I recall white wine and peach liqueur; in Hedonist Iris one can find a rare crème de violette. Thus,Eau de Hongrie only continues the general trend of the Viktoria Minya brand: you need the right perfume and a little drink to feel good!

Eau de Hongrie reminds me of the original perfume Hedonist by Viktoria Minya, except that it's more relaxed, a less pompous-powdered fragrance with some citrus allure. Instead of spiced rum and peach, one could smell light wine and easygoing honey gingerbread notes that appear in the perfume. Now it is not just for the theatrical premiere of the year and beautiful ballroom dresses, but also any other situation.


Eau de Hongrie is probably attributed to the gourmand and oriental fragrance category. The sweet nectar of everlasting flower, honey, sandalwood and amber show their soft but appealing facets. It is the smell of the breeze near a bakery and a confectionery—a delightful neighborhood!

Viktoria Minya Eau de Hongrie

Notes: Lemon, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Honey, Sandalwood, Clove, Immortelle, Labdanum, Musk, Tonka beans, Tokaji Wine Accord.