Rumba by Balenciaga (1988)

To discover that Jean-Claude Ellena was co-nose for Rumba is akin to stumbling upon a photo of a chic movie star before she had a stylist, wearing some 80s getup with big shoulders, a profusion of ruffles, and huge 80s hair. She's beautiful, but she's also something of a hot mess.

Some may know that before Ellena had his Minimalist Phase (Bulgari's Eau Parfumée Au Thé Vert, Hermès's Un Jardin Sur Le Nil, etc.), he was in what could only be described as a Maximalist Phase.

Among his Maximalist creations: First by Van Cleef and Arpels (1976) with its huge floral bouquet, and the honeyed floral animalic Rumba, which starts out loud and fruity and dries down to a husky-throated woody-leather-musk affair.

A Rumba, derived from the Cuban-Spanish word rumbo meaning "party" or "spree," is a ballroom dance based on a folk dance in duple time of Cuban-Spanish-African origins. It’s heavy on the hip-swaying and passion, and Ellena does his best to translate this larger-than-life drama into perfume.

If you can get past the huge fruity-floral opening (usually my least favorite style, but maybe you love that sort of thing), you might find yourself liking parts of Rumba in spite of yourself. It has that Amarige/Poison like syrupy fruit-tuberose-honey opening that could put you into a diabetic coma, but then in a flash, Rumba gets incensey and a little rough.

Top notes: Peach, raspberry, green note, orange blossom

Heart notes: Tuberose, jasmine, rose, carnation, heliotrope, lily of the valley, honey

Base notes: Cedar, sandalwood, amber, tonka, vanilla, musk, styrax (Perfumer: Jean-Claude Ellena with Ron Winnegrad)

Rumba's dry down is in fact dry, and such a welcome counterpoint to its fruity treacle. Cedar, sandalwood, and styrax create an incense effect that's both mysterious and sexy.

Styrax is an interesting note often used to create leather scents. A gum-resin from the bark of a Styrax tree, it imparts a leathery, smoky, balsamic (powdery-ambery) effect that perfumer Olivier Polge in L'Herbier Parfumé says can give a chypre-like quality to perfumes. (Maybe this is why my Haarman & Reimer guide has categorized Rumba as a floral-chypre animalic, even though there is no bergamot or oakmoss — the usual chypre ingredients —  listed in the notes?)

I think I would love Rumba, and not just its dry down, if it had had the restraint (or good taste) that Diva and La Nuit both have, balancing honeyed-florals and leather in a way that bring out the best in both. I read a description somewhere of Rumba that stuck with me, that its drydown is like the inside of an old cathedral during mass, the smell of dripping beeswax candles combined with burning frankincense. If this aspect of the perfume were foregrounded and just slightly sweetened with the other notes, what a completely different dance Rumba would be. But then, it wouldn't be the 80s fragrance that it is...

Maybe this is the perfume that sent Jean-Claude Ellena fleeing into the arms of Perfume Minimalism, like a drunk to rehab after a weekend bender? Rumba is so diametrically opposed to Jean-Claude Ellena perfumes that came after  — in style, in name, in notes — that I have to ask the same question a commenter on Fragrantica does: "Mr. Ellena - Please tell me what possessed you to make this??"

 

 

 

Comments

[JoanElaine]

This a timely review as I just ordered some samples for my sister, and Rumba is among them. She's a fan of the fruity-floral and the big scents of the 80s, so I think she'll like it.

I didn't think I'd try it myself, but now that I'm aware of the leather and resin drydown, I'm hoping she'll spare me a couple of drops.

[Perfumaniac]

The drydown is amazing, JoanElaine, especially the first time it hits you.

[Anne]

Ah, the 80s. What were we thinking of?

It does surprise me to hear that JCE was making this kind of perfume this late. I had somehow assumed that First was his last of that kind. But that doesn't make sense, now I think of it. He had to be doing something in the 80s and big perfumes were in, so I guess he went where the briefs took him. Anyway, thanks fro the post.

[Elisa]

I got a sample of this and tried it twice but both times I had to wash it off after 5 minutes or so. I could tell the base was interesting under all the aldehydic fruity muck but the opening was so disgusting to me I just couldn't wait it out. Really, possibly the most vile top notes I've ever experienced. Oddly enough, I don't like Ellena's more minimalist creations all that much either, though I do love First and Rose Poivree.

[Perfumaniac]

This is the last perfume I would ever connect to JCE, Anne. The top notes really are unbearable. Give it a whiff if you haven't already, and then be prepared to scrub...

[Perfumaniac]

Hi Elisa, "aldehydic fruity muck" is right, but I've smelled some 80s fragrances whose top notes rivaled Rumba's in the yuck factor! I need to revisit First, and didn't realize JCE did Rose Poivrée. The unreformulated version is supposed to be amazing.

[Mals86]

(Ha! Elisa, did I send you that Rumba? I apologize.)

I struggle a bit through the opening, which I've described as "Carnival in Rio, right there on your skin, eek." It's so... big. And unrestrained. What it reminds me of is Carmen Miranda wearing an overdose of Bal a Versailles, all fruity voluptuousness.

But that drydown is so beautiful. I do love the hot-dust-and-candle-wax notes in there, and I love to put Rumba on in the early evening, while I'm doing something that distracts me from the whole party in Rio, and then when I'm ready for bed, there's that cozy warmth. Yum.

[Perfumaniac]

"Carmen Miranda wearing an overdose of Bal a Versailles" is hilarious. It would be hard to ignore a Party in Rio while you're getting ready for bed! (Party in Rio, by the way, would be a great name for a perfume!)

[Astrid]

Love it, love it. The pruney-sweet top notes don't last long; and segueway to a jasminish floral that lingers over that amazing incense & wax base. Despite the fruit, flowers and incense, this scent is somehow dense and transparant at the same time. It always struck me as a chypre, so I checked my backup bottle (stored next to a lifetime supply of Fendi - oh how I miss '80s fumes) and sure enough, there's evernia fururacia {?sp} treemoss listed in the ingredients. To my mind, it's a masterpiece - if it were being sold by a niche house today it'd cost a fortune.

[Perfumaniac]

Oh, a Rumba lover! I do love the "incense and wax" base, but can't get past the fruit. I knew it had to have its fans...

[Nancy Reed Imai]

It always smelled like Christmas to me, with the balsamic woody notes underpinning the fruits, vanilla, honey, and flowers. I wear it every year at holiday time because of that, and have had people comment on my "Christmas perfume".

[Iris]

Rumba is one of my top 10 and I love every stage of it , the explosive fruity opening included ! I always say this is not for shy women and forbidden at dinner time .

[Perfumaniac]

I love the base, Tess, and even better if someone loves it from top to bottom. I bet if I smelled it in public, I would be like Wow. What is THAT?

[SNelly]

Yes she, absolutely a She who must be obeyed! When I wore her my friends complained that I came on too strong!
She deserves all The attention that she can get And The hommage that is due to her.
Imagine a Carmen without the Habanera! Unheard of.

[SNelly]

PS Douse yourself with Rumba when meeting a rival in love. Victory garanteed!