Aleksei Zalepin

Aleksei Zalepin

Feb. 16, 2026

5/5

5

A summer selection of fragrances with «Melted Water» - that's just a brilliant idea! In such unbearable heat, you're drawn to something refreshing, like snow. This perfume is perfect for such days. Jean-Claude Ellena created a truly versatile fragrance that can be worn any time of year. I first tried L'Eau d'Hiver in Florence when the temperature reached 35 degrees. It was then, in September 2019, that I fell in love with this scent and understood its essence. The perfumer created an amazingly long-lasting composition based on lily of the valley - aquatic and floral notes, but L'Eau d'Hiver is completely unlike Floraïku's lily-of-the-valley Sleeping on the Roof. The lily of the valley here is more symbolic; it imparts a sense of water and softens the bergamot. A warm accord of heliotrope and honey delicately contrasts with the floral-aquatic part, creating a feeling of coolness, even some frozen tenderness. This is where all the beauty of the fragrance lies. To be honest, L'Eau d'Hiver is not unique. It resembles a more complex version of Eau Parfumee au The Vert, released in 1992. In the Bvlgari composition, you can see how the perfumer worked with cold green tea and jasmine, and these notes are also present in L'Eau d'Hiver, but now they are more refined and accentuated. What happened in Florence in 2018? L'Eau d'Hiver turned out to be surprisingly long-lasting, and it was easier to breathe in it. People turned their heads after its long sillage, which seemed to grow longer with rising temperatures. This sillage resembled a melody you want to follow, immersing yourself in its hypnotic waves