House of Puente Fragrances

I am pleased to begin 2024 by highlighting artisanal houses I have explored over the past year or so. Although I am open to trying many fragrance types, my interest is often piqued by small independent brands with intriguing concepts that tell interesting and compelling stories. When I approach a new artisanal house, I look for well-blended and wearable fragrances, but I also pay attention to the ways perfumers push boundaries through the creative use of raw materials, ingeniously interpret new themes, and connect scent to other sensory or cultural experiences.

One of the artisanal brands that captivated me is House of Puente, named after founder and owner, Eliam Puente, a natural perfumer living in a coastal village in Asturias, Spain.

I was initially drawn to the House of Puente for esthetic reasons. I loved the rich juice of the fragrances contained in minimalistic yet sophisticated bottles. After trying the three fragrances offered by the house, I was happy to discover that the artistry and quality of the scents perfectly matched the elegance of the packaging. I admire Eliam’s work because it combines the sumptuous with the unassuming. His fragrances are bold and unapologetic without screaming or overpowering the wearer. They have an elegant presence and a retro, classic style that satisfy my taste for fragrances of past eras.

Iris Doux is the interpretation of one of my favorite fragrant notes, orris (iris root). In this fragrance, the orris is cool and beautifully textured, with ylang ylang and frangipani lending a little tropical warmth. Mimosa adds a fuzzy and airy touch. The billowy floral elegance is complemented by the gentle and refined essence of sandalwood and cedarwood, as well as the subtle sweetness of tonka bean. In addition to the floral and woody elements, I can also detect a dash of cosmetic powder and a faint aroma of high-quality paper and pencils. With its lush and sophisticated nature, Iris Doux is a fragrance that is timeless, polished, and flawless. Iris Doux stood out as one of my top choices for 2023 and was highly praised by other bloggers, including Persolaise.

It is impossible for me not to be captivated by a perfume named after Medusa, the fierce and enigmatic woman with snake-like hair from Greek mythology. This daring and alluring fragrance showcases a classic bouquet of rose and jasmine that possesses a steely and resilient quality conveyed by earthy, mineral, and bold animalic undertones. It is rich and big, exuding a self-assured elegance while gradually revealing an untamed and rebellious side. It makes me think of the Medusa statue by Luciano Garbati, displayed in Collect Pond Park, Lower Manhattan, with all its mystery and majestic presence. Medusa was voted as one of the top 10 fragrances for 2022 on Çafleurebon.

Vespertine presents a delightful and opulent arrangement of tuberoses and orange blossoms; their scent gently wafting in the summer breeze. The fragrance skillfully combines lightly creamy and fresh elements with touches of fruit. While I typically don’t gravitate towards white floral scents, subtle green facets and hints of nectarine and banana add lightness, fun, and whimsy.

Eliam Puent handcrafts, fills, and packages his own fragrances in his studio in Spain. All three creations (and Eaden, which I haven’t tried) can be purchased on the line’s website in 50 ml bottles and 12 ml travel vials.

I reviewed the fragrances from the discovery set, which was purchased by me.

Photos were taken by me and kindly provided by Eliam.

Interview with Eliam Puente

Eliam talked about his brand, memories, and path to perfumery, sharing his love and affinity for timeless classics and natural raw materials. We also share a love for chypres! I hope you’ll enjoy reading his interview as much as I enjoyed learning about his creative process.

Eliam, can you tell me about your fragrance house and the concepts behind it?

Eliam: House of Puente was born out of my need to create beautiful perfumes made with the best ingredients nature has to offer and blended to create sophisticated fragrances for those who seek something special. Each scent is created as an ode to the art of perfumery and to showcase the unmatched beauty of the natural ingredients they carry. My hope is that perfume lovers can FEEL the opulence and the beauty these natural essences have which is something I believe is lacking in most perfumes today.

What is your first or favorite childhood memory?

Eliam: My earliest childhood memory was when my mother used to give me a bottle of warm chocolate milk. I remember I would fall asleep drinking it and wake up as soon as it was empty.

What was your gateway to becoming a perfumer?

Eliam: I’ve always had the need to be creative. I grew up in the arts and always looked for new ways to express myself. Perfumery came as an accident though. I had purchased a bottle of Prada Infusion d’Homme and was intrigued by the word vetiver. Not knowing what vetiver was, I ordered a sample of vetiver oil along with a few other essential oils with hopes that I would use them to make my own aftershave. The aftershave never came to fruition, but the essences awoke a curiosity which eventually became an obsession and ultimately, a passion.

You have a passion for natural materials. How did you become interested in them?

Eliam: Once I started collecting essential oils, I found the essences to be richer, deeper, and more beautiful than most of the fragrances available in the market. For example, most modern fragrances that I had smelled with a jasmine note smelled nowhere near as beautiful or as intoxicating as the pure jasmine absolute I had acquired. The experience drove me to love and appreciate these precious olfactory gems above all others.

What are your favorite natural materials and why?

Eliam: If I had to just pick one, I would choose jasmine. It’s almost second nature for me to reach for one of the three jasmine extracts in my perfumer’s organ when creating a new scent. Besides jasmine, my absolute favorite essences are iris root, ylang ylang, tonka bean, and civet.

Your creations tip their hats to fragrances of bygone eras. What classic perfumes were you inspired by?

Eliam: It’s true. In fact, many customers have called my perfumes neo-vintage or neo-classical which I love. Because of my love of natural essences, it was natural for me to gravitate towards vintage fragrances since they were originally made with such heavy doses of the wonderful aromatics I mentioned. My favorite perfumes of yesteryear, and the ones that continue to inspire me today, are Chanel No 5, practically anything by Guerlain from the early 1900’s until the 80’s, Joy by Jean Patou, and Fracas among others.

Your creation, Medusa, is a clear ode to classic perfumery. What was the creative process behind it and why did you pick this name?

Eliam: I was inspired by the Chypre style perfumes of the past. I loved the rich, darkness they had so I wanted to create something equally as rich and dark. With Medusa, I wanted to showcase my all-time favorite note; the jasmine, along with a chypre like base that would contrast the overdose of these beautiful jasmine extracts. Then I added extracts of clove absolute and benzoin resin which gave the fragrance a spicy bite. This is when it all clicked, and the name was born. The sting of Medusa’s snakes along with her story of once being beautiful only to be turned into a monster is what captivated me. But even then, I didn’t feel it was Medusa just yet. It needed that animal wildness to bring the beast to life. This is when I closed my eyes and, while thinking “this is madness”, I poured a hefty dose of pure civet tincture into the perfume. That is when I saw Medusa. That’s when I knew she was complete.

If you had to pick a favorite out of your own fragrances, which one would it be and why?

Eliam: After all this talk about Medusa and my love for jasmine you’d probably think that I’d pick Medusa. But that is not the case. My personal favorite is Iris Doux. To me it’s the most elegant and classic of the three and encompasses what I want my perfumes to be all about… pure, luxurious, elegant, and classic.

What are your thoughts about modern perfumery? What does this industry need more of?

Eliam: I love both modern and classic perfumery. I don’t feel I’d be a real perfumer if I only chose one. I feel I can learn and grow from both and do so gladly. However, I feel that in a world where so many brands are claiming to be luxurious, there’s very little in many that really is luxurious. My hope is that with this new movement of customers wanting more natural ingredients in their products that the industry starts offering new fragrances made with more of these special essences that I find so beautiful.