SAMPLE .. Parera, Cocaina en Flor, 'Cocaine in Bloom', DECANTED SAMPLE from Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1933, Badalona, Catalonia, Spain ..

oan Parera Casanovas founded the Perfumería Parera in 1912 and began creating fragrances in the back room of the family business. He was already familiar with the company during its best years between 1920 and 1930, when it implemented the production of his creations in carafes for bottling or in self-designed flacons. In the founding year, Joan Parera developed his most successful men's fragrance: Varón Dandy. Parera was transformed into a corporation in the early 40s.

He developed Cocaina en Flor in 1933; the fragrance became one of the world's best-selling and most popular perfumes of its time, similar to Yves St. Laurent's Opium in the 80s. Cocaina de Flor was a bestseller from Europe to South America and around the globe.

When I recently discovered one of the pretty flacons online, I immediately seized the opportunity and brought it home. After the first test right after receiving it, I had to admit that the women of the 30s were right. Cocaina en Flor - which translates to "Cocaine in Bloom" - is a scent that can be addictive.

The initial dab releases hesperidic notes, but once the liquid has spread on the skin, the hesperidic notes disappear, making way for a floral scent that seems out of this world. I can't think of any perfume that I could associate with such a magical floral scent.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on the pyramid or the ingredients, so I am going by my instincts in determining the scent. I would definitely suspect jasmine, ylang-ylang, and perhaps another light, soft flower. I would also say sandalwood, as well as musk, oakmoss, and possibly a bit of rose might be included, but certainly many other components that I can't identify, which contribute to the volume and finesse of the fragrance.

I have not encountered a more beautiful floral scent so far, and I now know many, many floral fragrances. It is very, very unfortunate that such a wonderful scent no longer exists today. The dry, yet very warm and dark base tells me that I have one of the most beautiful floral chypres in front of me that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I will treasure this little flacon like my own eye; Cocaina en Flor is definitely my new No. 1!

The sillage is elegant and rather subtle, but by no means weak. The longevity is good. I never thought that I would bring something so wonderful into my home and my collection with this small, simple, but pretty flacon with the old-fashioned label. Cocaina en Flor is truly a gem!

Cocaína en flor" .. the star perfume in Spain before the Civil War. what is the reason behind its curious name. In that era, it was legal to purchase cocaine at the pharmacy; it was sold as a medication primarily to relieve coughs.

In the 1930's, when Spain was abuzz with a blend of modernity and political tension, a perfume captured the imagination of the most sophisticated women .. “Cocaína en flor” .. Cocaine in Bloom. The name was provocative even by today’s standards, and itcarried a different resonance back then, in an era when cocaine was legal and could be purchased without a prescription at any pharmacy.

According to historian Ana Velasco, author of the book *La moda española de 1898 a 1936, this perfume was advertised as “an intoxicating scent,” with a nuance of elegance and boldness that paired perfectly with the new image of the modern woman.

“Cocaine in Bloom” did not actually contain cocaine, yet its name was a powerful marketing tool. It evoked a world of luxury, of forbidden pleasure, and, at the same time, of pharmaceutical modernity. It was the perfumed echo of a historical moment when medicine, aesthetics, and fashion went hand in hand, without too many questions asked.

Today, this perfume is not merely a historical curiosity .. it is a symbol. It represents a Spain that flirted with modernity while never ceasing to look in the rearview mirror. It was a society in transformation, where the legal availability of cocaine in pharmacies coexisted with advertisements for radioactive helmets designed to wave hair, and with a cult of the body compressed within steel corsets.

In the very midst of the 1930's, while Spain was sliding toward Civil War and Mexico was consolidating its post-revolutionary identity, a perfume with a scandalous name was conquering the dressing tables of sophisticated ladies .. “Cocaína en Flor.” This scent was presented as “the mysterious perfume”.. an elixir that, according to its advertisements, bestowed “a new and strange delight that captivates, attracts, and bewitches.”

“Cocaine in flower”, perfume of love
“Cocaine in flower”, your aroma is burning,
It is a persistent perfume
It is a pleasing mystery.
“Cocaine in Bloom,” a dream of love
“Cocaine in Bloom” is intoxicating,
In life's longing
It will always triumph, with “Cocaine in Bloom.”

While there are no notes remaining on the Internet for this gorgeous perfume, I think it would look something like this ..

Top notes are Neroli, Orange Blossom, Petitgrain, and Honeysuckle
Heart notes are Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Violet, and Osmanthus
Base notes are Sandalwood, Musk, Oak Moss, Tonka Bean, and Sweet Woods

Offered here is an opportunity to try a sample from this rare bottle of the Cocaina en Flor in the Lotion or Tonic Elixir format. I have never come across one before. It is such a beautiful warm intoxicating scent .. absolutely stunning!