Out of all of the Arquiste fragrances, Flor y Canto has my favorite inspiration. So, I’m going to take this straight from the site:

August, 1400, Tenochtitlan, Mexico

“On the most fragrant festival in the Aztec calendar, the rhythm of drums palpitates as a wealth of flowers is offered on temple altars. Billowing clouds of Copal act as a backdrop to the intoxicating breath of Tuberose, Magnolia, Plumeria and the intensely yellow aroma of the sacred Marigold, cempoalxochitl.”

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to visit Xochimilco and do all of the wonderful tourist things. I’d rub my fingers over the glossy pages of an elementary school library book that featured the colorful flowers, altars and trajineras and wish I was there.

Flor y Canto opens as a huge, heady tuberose with fresh, plump peaches. It’s a sweet floral with ambrosia-like nectar. But, it’s not sweet. There’s a greenness and dewiness reminiscent of fresh florals and ozone. Eventually bitter tagetes/marigold comes into the picture. At this time I can’t think of any other bitter tuberose perfumes. Flor y Canto becomes a “green white floral”. Sweet incense notes are listed but I don’t pick them up in this composition. If you’re looking for those, you’ll be disappointed. The scent just seems to mellow with time and I do get a waxy, sweeter and fruitier plumeria. It never loses its lushness.

The only fault of Flor y Canto that I can think of is that it’s literal. Some people like this, especially when literal or “real life” can smell as great as this. I do find that I have tendency to be attracted to abstract florals. I sometimes wonder what Flor y Canto would be like with a little more fantasy, but that isn’t the point of the perfume. Flor y Canto attempted to capture an environmental fragrance of a certain point of time. And it does just that.

Notes listed include Mexican tuberose, magnolia, plumeria, marigold, copal, benzoin and Mexican vanilla bean. Launch date 2012. PERFUMER – Rodrigo Flores-Roux

Give Flor y Canto a try if you love tuberose. Or if you like perfumes like Diptyque Do Son, By Kilian Beyond Love, Tommi Sooni Tarantella, Calvin Klein Eternity for Women and/or Saffron James Nani. Flor y Canto is a floral so many will associate it with the feminine. I absolutely love this one in the summer. It does very well in the heat.

I do love that this should by the notes listed be a heavy floral but it isn’t. It’s sheer enough to celebrate in. It won’t weigh you down.  I find that projection and longevity are average.

The 1.9 oz bottle retails for $165 at Beautyhabit. Samples are available for purchase.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Green, bitter tuberose. One to try if you are looking for a festive and carefree tuberose.

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*Disclaimer – Sample provided by PR. I am not financially compensated for this review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from Fragrantica. Mexican Floating Garden from The Washington Post.