Countdown day 11

Day 11 of our Christmas Fragrance Countdown is here. I don't know about you, but in this cold and wet weather I am overcome and even a little inspired by the need to not exercise. It is something of a compulsion. I suspect I might be a fat lazy git. To be fair, I do remember being quite excited by tennis once upon a time. I had the trainers, the shorts and fancy socks. I had the Bat/Hitter/Thingy/ Racket (?) and best of all, I had the balls. Yes a new packet of tennis balls was always a delight, especially to a serial sniffer like me. That smell was always lovely, and was all I needed to enjoy and participate in sport. Thankfully that smell has now been bottled and I need go nowhere near a tennis court. The Soft Lawn (2012) from Imaginary Authors is our scent of the day. The nose behind this one is Josh Meyer, the founder of this great new house. They are based on imaginary novels, and contain imaginary fantasy notes, such as Mountain Fog, Burnt match, Old Growth etc. We open with a beautiful Linden Blossom and Laurel and Ivy leaves. It is wonderfully vibrant and fresh. I also pick up a Cucumber in Hendricks as well. It is not at all boozy though, just sparkling and green. This is quite linear and so once the opening fades a little, we get straight into the main players of Vetiver and Oakmoss. These provides a warm, very grassy and beautifully mossy bed, on which sits the unmistakable note of fresh Tennis Balls in their plastic tube. On first smelling this I couldn't help but scream "You cannot be serious!!" It is a happy moment when that smell hits you and you realise what it is. What of the Imaginary Notes? As well as freshly packed tennis balls, the Oakmoss and Vetiver give you the "note" of Clay Courts. Perhaps a little silly, but I do pick it up somewhere in that mix. But herein lies the concept and brilliance of this house, it is all about you and your imagination, your memories and your associations. They steer you in a certain direction, and your nose smells what it wants to. For me, tennis aside, I just get a beautiful and velvety soft green fragrance. I do get all of the above associations because they are all smells already registered in my nose, and olfactory memory, and by some magic I don't understand, pictures come together and before I know it, my nose is in a packet of balls. I would heartily recommend you try this, it is a beauty. If there is a downside it is that you might never leave the couch to go and have a game, because your nose will tell you you are already there. Happy smelling and why not pour yourself. that Hendricks and Cucumber. J xxx