The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Tempus ludendi launched in 2011, with Chris Bartlett as its perfumer. The fragrance is built around an unusual balance: a fresh, aromatic opening with a notably grown-up base. Basil, Lavender, Mint, Citron, and Bergamot create an active, lucid entrance, combining leafy green notes, cool mint, soft herbal lavender, and bright citrus. Cloves, Rose, and French Orange Flower then bring floral warmth and spice before the composition settles into Sandalwood, Cedar, Tobacco, Cognac, Ambergris, and Vanilla. Nothing here is decorative. Every part shifts the scent from garden-fresh to composed and quietly smoky, with citrus and herbs giving way to smooth woods, warm spice, and a soft vanilla finish.
The unusual part lies in the handoff between top and base. Basil and Mint bring a green, clipped energy, while Citron and Bergamot sharpen it with citrus light. Lavender softens that brightness without becoming overtly herbal, and Cloves add a dry pinch of spice around Rose and French Orange Flower. Tobacco and Cognac introduce depth and warmth as the sharper opening gradually gives way. Sandalwood and Cedar give the drydown structure, Ambergris adds diffusive warmth, and Vanilla rounds the edges.
The evolution
The opening arrives with the briskness of cut herbs and citrus peel. Basil gives it a green edge, Mint keeps the air cool, while Lavender and Bergamot soften the impact with a clean herbal accord. As the first minutes pass, Cloves bring a sharper spice. Rose and French Orange Flower unfurl over that brightness, turning the composition floral without making it sweet or powdery. Then the balance shifts. Tobacco settles in with a dry, smoky depth, and Cognac lends warmth that feels more like polished wood than a boozy pour. Sandalwood and Cedar steady the base, while Ambergris and Vanilla leave a soft, lasting warmth against the skin. As the brightest citrus recedes, the fragrance gradually reads as warm woods, tobacco, and a trace of vanilla.
Cultural impact
Tempus ludendi brings together citrus-herbal freshness and a woody tobacco base in a composition that moves readily from aromatic opening notes to smoke, spice, and warmth. Basil, Mint, Lavender, Citron, and Bergamot establish the first impression, while Cloves, Rose, and French Orange Flower add spice and floral depth. The base settles into Sandalwood, Cedar, Tobacco, Cognac, Ambergris, and Vanilla, creating a textured contrast between bright top notes and a smooth, smoky drydown. Discovering the fragrance means following that transition closely as the initial brightness softens and the warmer notes become more prominent.
The House
Pell Wall PerfumesPell Wall Perfumes is a Shropshire-based fragrance house founded by perfumer Chris Bartlett. It combines ready-made fine fragrances with bespoke fragrance creation, consultation, and supplies for home perfumers. Its catalogue spans scents for men, women, and the home, including Equistem, Minted Mornings, Green Carnation, Jacinth, and 1953 Pour Homme. The business also develops coordinated fragrance products and offers practical guidance for anyone working with perfume materials.
The Creator
Chris BartlettBartlett favored natural materials and compositions that showcased ingredient quality over molecular novelty. His leather woody signature appeared throughout his work, from the animalic depths of Zoologist Beaver to the mineral-dusted warmth of Pell Wall scents.
