Eris Parfums Delta of Venus

As a fan of Eris Parfums fragrances, I was very excited when Delta of Venus was first released and even happier when I heard it included an accord based on guava, a fruit that isn’t commonly interpreted in perfumery. We hear all about mango, pineapple, and passion fruit notes, but not as much about guava. So, I was curious to try a guava-forward fragrance by a brand that focuses on concepts of olfactory rebellion, provocative beauty, and subversive luxury. I had a feeling this creation would be anything but predictable.

At once vibrant, decadent, and sultry, Delta of Venus is named after the short-story book by Anaïs Nin and inspired by the Forbidden Fruit in the Garden of Eden. It interprets the tropical fruit theme like no other fragrance, hinting at the Garden of Eden’s serpent (Galbanum), sin (Guava accord), and sensuality (Jasmine Sambac).

In late 2019, I met Barbara Herman, founder and creative director of Eris Parfums at an event hosted by The Scent Room, a niche fragrance store in Dallas. I enjoyed chatting with Barbara, trying the fragrances in the collection, and learning about the brand’s creative process, including her collaboration with Antoine Lie, the perfumer behind all Eris fragrances. The fragrance, Mxxx., had just been released, so I had the opportunity to try it and even sample the ambergris tincture included in the base of this lush and mysterious fragrance. I also asked Barbara to sign my copy of her book, Scent & Subversion – Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume, which I keep as an invaluable reference for vintage perfume.

Four eventful years later, in early December of 2023, Barbara visited the Scent Room again, this time for the presentation of Delta of Venus. So, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to reconnect! It was great to see her again, sniff some of the raw materials, and hear all about this new release.

Barbara even shared a fascinating story about the fragrance. Country singer, Orville Peck (turns out he’s a fragrance lover like many of us!), joined drag performer and stylist, Delta Work, on her podcast, Very Delta. During the live, he gifted her the fragrance. (Fun fact: Orville purchased the fragrance at The Scent Room in Los Angeles!). Delta Work unboxed the gift and sprayed the fragrance during the show, calling it “rich” and “unlike anything else”. Within days of the show airing, Delta of Venus had sold out at the Scent Room in Los Angeles!

Delta of Venus is bright, moist, and easy to wear, but if you scratch its fruity surface, you might find something a little dark and intriguing.

The opening is an interplay of tart citruses and aquatic fruit notes. The guava accord is satisfyingly realistic, as if a fresh guava fruit had just been cut, revealing its cool scent along with its coral pink heart. I remember eating guava when I visited Salvador de Bahia in Brazil and thinking it smelled and tasted like a mix of honeydew melon and berries. Delta of Venus convincingly conveys these facets along with the succulent texture of fresh guava pulp as well as green touches suggestive of guava skin. This guava accord then transforms into a different fruit scent: I detect peach skin with hints of mango. A crisp, bitter green vein cuts through the tropical fruit richness, running through Delta for its entire duration and keeping any cloying sweetness away. The fragrance is also beautifully creamy on my skin, as if the peach skin I smelled earlier transitioned to lactonic peach flesh and then seamlessly blended with the creamy sandalwood.

Banishment from paradise has never smelled so good. (Note from the brand)

Olfactory notes (as they appear on the official website):

Top: Italian Bergamot, American Grapefruit

Heart: Egyptian Jasmine Sambac, Violet Leaf

Base: Guava Accord, Iranian Galbanum, Hatian Vetiver, Sandalwood

Delta of Venus has very good projection, sillage, and persistence on my skin. The fragrance is available as Eau de Parfum concentration in 50 ml bottles.

The bottle I reviewed the fragrance form was purchased at The Scent Room in Dallas during Barbara’s visit.

I talk about other Eris creations below:

Mxxx. (One of my picks for Halloween 2023 in the IFragrance magazine, read here)

Scorpio Rising (One of my picks for Halloween 2022, read here)

Mxxx. (My own review, read here)

The picture was taken by me.