June poop!

Fragrant poop from my June tests. As usual, no pics, no years, no noses for the shame corner - you don't want details, do you?

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Sì by Giorgio Armani

The opening is the quintessential basics of chain-store chic: fruity-floral galaxolide (that beloved, generic, tasty shampoo feel), a bold aldehydes-driven roundness, creamy musky notes (milky ketones), a light green touch a totally anonym floral bouquet, glossy as a stock archive image of a bunch of flowers. Pleasantly, uselessly dull.

4/10
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Onyx Pearl by Agonist

Onyx Pearl opens with a cozy, transparent, artificial bouquet of woody/velvety aromachemicals, among which probably Iso E, cashmeran, ambroxan, a salty metallic note which may be due to some aldehydes, some synthetic amber, counter-balanced – not that well, to me – by a central note delivering quite a weird and nondescript smell, really dry and rubbery, somehow sticky and terpenic too, sweet-ish and cloying, halfway agarwood and pineapple, if that makes some sense. If that's leather, it's a leather sub-genre I did not knew and I don't really need to explore further, as I find "that" note, or accord, frankly unpleasant and disturbing, not in a good way. As soon as some dissonances vanish away, it all progressively simplifies into something a bit more enjoyable and interesting, that "thing" slowly becomes a more recognizable synthetic leather/suede note, still not exactly pleasant to me (again, a weird rubbery-sweet-salty concoction, just lighter than before), but you feel it's on its way to settle down to something nicer. Which in fact happens after a couple of hours, you basically remain with the plain, but aromatic, silky and sophisticated coziness o Iso E/cashmeran drydown, that kind of woody-suede feel. Overall I find this scent a bit messy and uninspired, which manages to become only barely pleasant thanks to the effortless - but kind of generic and cheap - elegance of the abovementioned aromachemicals. More than "uninspired" I actually don't get its point precisely. Perhaps it's my lack of sensitivity for "avant-garde" scents, but it's a "no" for me.

4,5-5/10

Vintage/Discontinued Galore #2 - Some picks!

Some other vintages I like.

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Cabochard by Grès (1959)

My review is for the vintage EDT. The opening is beyond classic, a dirty, animalic chypre comprising salty aldehydes, dark, gloomy, wet and almost rancid flowers, a subtle camphor-stale indolic aftertaste, a load of musk, a velvety balsamic breeze all over and a general, palpable funereal, austere, but at the same time vibrant, carnal, utterly sensual and self-confident personality. A humid base of herbs, woods, oak moss and leather like in the darkest male fougère complete the composition. The similarity to many fougères for man is quite bold, basically here's more about flowers, there's more woods and green notes, but the heart of oak moss, aldehydes and leather which gives that precise "austere" and dark personality is quite the same. That is why nowadays this can be clearly considered more a man scent, and even quite challenging for its boldness and its darkness – we're so used to "azure-aquatic-green-sport" bullshit. To be really honest, like some other chypres, this also smells a bit outdated to me, meaning that it is a powerful madeleine of a past era which strongly connotes the person wearing it – perfectly for nostalgic people or however to smell "like" that, but on the contrary, it lacks in the "timelessness" I personally value in scents. Other than that (which I'm not even sure if it's clear, however it's my personal opinion) it's a sure milestone for perfumery, superb from any point of view.

8,5-9/10

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Versace l'Homme by Versace (1984)

My review is based on the early version of 1984. Must say I completely blind bought this, and I was really happy once I sniffed it, as this quite comprises all the features I was looking for in a fougère scent. The opening is already great and captivating, a modern and "young" fougère, with citrus, neroli, carnation, jasmine, fresh herbs (basil!), spices (cloves, cardamom), perhaps a drip of castoreum, on a beautiful, dense, smoky base of tobacco, hay, soft smooth leather, oak moss, a few woods. Mandatory aldehydes, but quite light and transparent. Basically an "ordinary" fougère, but quite different from the more "adult" ones: it's more tasty, soapy, almost juicy, more bright and playful, more mellow, still totally elegant and refined, just more relaxed and as I said, "younger" in a way. Extremely cozy and pleasant, dense but light, with a great persistence and a great evolution. More modern than most of his other fellows back then. Masculine and versatile. Great!

8,5-9/10

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Montana Parfum d'Homme by Montana (1989)

Montana Parfum d'Homme smells exactly like an elegant and self-conscious man should: cozy, bold, at the same time austere but friendly, chilled, with just a hint of exoticism, slightly dark too, and above all, "good". The opening is a beautiful, mellow, flawless blend of lavender, pine, cloves, juniper, red pepper, carnation, aldehydes, woods, leather, oakmoss and tobacco, some classic fougère accords but with an overall more sophisticated floral-exotic mood if compared to other rougher and more "shouty" powerhouses (this is not, in fact: it's a classier and more gentle fougère), mostly due to flowers and the tobacco note - which is brilliant: dusty but humid, exotic, tasty, "brown". Refined, relaxed and sophisticated, with the cozy, but enigmatic natural exoticness of tobacco, and the gentle manliness of some typical eau de cologne notes – flowers, bergamot. I keep recalling the evil characters of some Hitchcock's spy movies, or more broadly other noir movies, with those secret dinners in dusty, humid and warm exotic bars and restaurants – this is quite that smell: different eau de colognes melting together, flowers, sweat, well-cut suits, cigars... a blast of flavours and aromas, with the aldehydes and the woods even providing the setting – rusty tables and woody humid furniture. Like many other well-made fougères, this is perfect all year, everywhere, with every company, without smelling generic or crowdpleasing - just terribly "good". Also still quite cheap, I got my vintage "red-boxed" bottle (new) for some 25 EUR/75 ml. Strongly recommended.

8,5-9/10

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Nemo by Cacharel (1999)

This scent is unexpectedly hard to describe and "get". It's a sort of meditative, enigmatic fragrance built around a fascinating accord of mineral notes, slightly aquatic too, with contemporary and synthetic woody notes (Iso E, cedar, cashmeran), frankincense, violet/floral notes, perhaps bergamot and orange blossoms, nutmeg and other spices (mainly nutmeg, however), a hint of leafy notes, and a subtle white musks creaminess. It has a sort of overall slightly sticky and aquatic flawlessness which perfectly blends with the woody-incense notes, the spices and the floral sweetness, and makes the whole blend smell quite like nothing else. Plus the composition is really tight, dense, compact and harmonic, quite hard to "dissect". It has definitely a '90s vibe underneath, and honestly reminds me a bit of Le Male at some points, but all I can say is that this smells terribly good, pleasant, cozy, even captivating and haunting, in a really peculiar way. Don't know why exactly, but the blend of natural, almost "new age" notes (mineral, aquatic, incense, aromatic woods, addictive spices) with the bold synthetic feel - not plain or cheap, though - makes me think of 1990's virtual reality, that kind of exotic-natural, almost esoteric places and settings recreated with that fascinating, geometric aesthetics of primitive computer graphic of the Nineties – think of mid-90's videogames, animations, or again "new age" videos, or musical videoclips. That's a kind of heritage that has always intrigued me a lot – that lo-fi, post-modern, computer-driven "mysticism". A fascinating, and undoubtedly well-made scent. The only "con" is that it may get a bit cloying after a while (but more likely you'll crave for it, so not a problem). Delicate and sophisticated drydown. Happy to have blind-bought it for pennies.

8/10

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Moods Uomo by Krizia (1989)

Moods Uomo opens with a blast of aldehydes, a realistic, dark and dense leather accord, with juniper and carnation notes and a massive, sulphur-ish medicinal dose of pungent cloves, a camphor note and lavender. Herbal-mossy notes, somehow transfigured, vibrant but dark and immersed in a metallic-concrete kind of ambiance – earthy and rooty like roots and branches growing out a sidewalk. Utterly modern and for that time even almost avant-garde. Quite 1980's in fact, but not in terms of perfumery style, rather in more broad terms of the images and the suggestions that it brings – sophisticated hedonism, post-modernism, a sort of gloomy elegance, the general deep metropolitan, urban mood of pollution, translucent surfaces, an already-new way of interpreting leather, which tends more on a dark and androgynous territory. Krizia's visionary, chic and at the same time, "architectural" style at its best. As minutes pass some notes vanish and it focuses on a super dry, dusty leather-woody-mossy accord. A must for all leather fragrances lovers. Simple, beautiful packaging.

8,5-9/10

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and finally... the king of all times masculines.

Vetiver by Guerlain (1959)

My review is based on a vintage '80s bottle of the first EDC formulation of this (the bottle in the picture is mine!), although ages ago I bought a couple of vintage EDT minis too and I still sniff them from times to times (and in fact I notice quite a little difference between these two). I do not know the actual formulation of this and to be honest, I am not much interested in it, as I guess how it could smell – not saying it's worse as I don't know it. However, the EDC is simply stunning: unmistakable opening, elegant, fresh, zesty, full of earthy-rooty richness and tasty woods. A milestone for perfumery in general, for masculine "class", for vetiver scents. A totally refined, noble, elegant, cozy freshness rich in citrus, lavender, aldehydes, with an irresistible heart of great, aromatic tobacco, vetiver and cedar. As minutes pass it progressively gets more dry and a darker woody-leather base emerges. Light spices like cumin and nutmeg "fill" the higher notes of vetiver. Refined, versatile, mellow, simple but unique, cozy, pure self-confidence in a bottle. Longevity is discreet but long-lasting. Timeless!

10/10

Two more picks from Costume National Scents

Here I reviewed Costume National best scent ever for me - here's another couple of very good ones.

Costume National 21

Year: 2007
Nose: IFF

The opening of 21 is not far from Scent Intense to some extent, you easily spot the same nose behind the two scents. An elusive and captivating potion of synthetics and naturals which smells completely new and futuristic to me, chic, modern, clean but not minimalist, rather dense and tasty. Basically it's a complex, yet incredibly harmonic and tight blend of milky white musks, violet, bergamot, perhaps aniseed, cedar and aromatic cozy woods (cashmeran), a patchouli note transfigured in a silky and dusty satin "synthesis" of it... Then vanillin, tonka, a tiny fruity heart halfway zesty, plummy and peachy (this is the main thing in common with Scent Intense, apart from the general style). Finally a light cumin spicy breeze arises, airy and thin. The contrasting interplay between the silky musks, the flowers, the spices and the dusty base notes is pure elegance and genius. Deeply aromatic and compact, some notes smell clear and sharp, some other incredibly blended one into another, the result is an utterly elegant, irresistible, milky, narcotic and dusty concoction, pure and pale but sexy and shady at the same time. A salty-mineral note of aldehydes gives the structure a contemporary metallic, almost iodine feel. Splendid materials and a talented nose for a refined, versatile, classy, sexy, incredibly good smelling, totally and genuinely "new", finally also decently-priced scent... What would you ask more?

8,5-9/10

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Scent

Year: 2002
Nose: Laurent Bruyere

A whiter, lighter, more delicate version of Scent Intense, with a more floral-linen soul and less darker contrasts, less warm-sticky ambery woods. Personally I prefer the Intense version (so basically my same review for that applies here too), as it sounds more interesting, fascinating and "stereo", but this may be a good lighter and more luminous alternative.

8/10

Chilum by AbdesSalaam Attar Profumo

Year: Unknown
Nose: Dominique Dubrana

The opening of Chilum hits you with a sudden, stormy, humid breeze that instantly transports you in a cloudy day in the Mediterranean countryside. Hay, tobacco, an elusive narcotic heart with a camphor/stale structure which I believe is halfway ginger and woods (however never smelled such a free, "rooty" note before), a bag of spices (cloves) and herbs – both aromatic dry herbs, and freshly-cut grass. A subtle animalic base which almost smells like civet, and a number of nuances, aromas, souvenirs: from saffron, to coffee, to aniseed ending in a light breeze scents with balmy notes and honey. Finally a delicate, luminous hint of citrus – or however something equally zesty and refreshing. You'll be surprised to realise this trip to the raw, inner, charming and quiet countryside on a sleepy afternoon following a thunderstorm is played on three simple components: tobacco, ginger, sandalwood. That's the power of natural materials when they're free to bring all the world the comprise. As I said the evocative power is really strong, the tobacco note is simply gorgeous, wet, stout, humid and aromatic like a bed of tobacco leaves left to dry under the sun. As minutes pass it also emerges better a central, really sharp and hard woody note, slightly salty too, with something "archaic" and antique in it, the sort of camphor-waxy-stale feel of a mysterious, old closet used to store scents, spices and secrets for centuries. That's the sandalwood, a real sandalwood note, which smells like none else – waxy, velvety, deep, finally really "woody", powdery, earthy, even soapy and floral... a properly said "realistic" all natural scent. The biggest talent of Dubrana is being able to keep the notes "alive", to treat components with a respectful, almost mystical attitude working to preserve all the suggestions and the stories they can hide in their nature – and which leads him to create more than simple "scents" that "smell" of something. They smell complex, but with the complexity of life: it's all about cooperating with nature and treating it like a real living thing, more than simply using it to obtain smelling molecules. However speaking of the fragrance itself, it's a terrific scent, elegant, versatile, deep, harmonic, and with a great longevity. Also with another peculiar feature of many natural scents: the coziness. It triggers memories of trips, gardens, countryside, which may be melancholic or nostalgic, but makes you "feel" connected to the scent, or better said, to yourself via the scent. Simple and beautiful!

9/10

Scent Intense EDP by Costume National

Year: 2002
Nose: Laurent Bruyere

This fragrance completely got me. I had the same instant "feeling" I had with Cuiron, both the first time I tried it years ago, and when I bought myself a bottle some weeks ago after years of memories. Same "wow" vibe, which reminds me of the difference between loving a scent being totally blown away by it, and just liking it – that's a healthy reminder thanks to which I regularly sell some fragrances I realise I just "like". I thought of Cuiron also for a sort of slight and broad similarity between the two – same era, same "concept", same synthetic approach. I still think Cuiron was and is probably more daring and more "revolutionary", but Scent Intense comes just a tiny step below. Well however, Scent Intense has basically a perfect balance of two winning features: it's done extremely well, and smells terribly good. That kind of good you keep coming back to smell it and run buying a backup bottle. On my skin it's not that dark, though: it opens with a white-luminous, juicy and fruity accord of tea and hibiscus, which has basically a lively and fruity smell too, with a hint of spices (cloves, perhaps), a subtle balsamic vein, and a cozy, mellow, grey-black synthetic amber-woody base (I guess cashmeran, that sort of restrained velvety aromatic base aroma). After a while it also emerges a slight smoky note, and on the drydown, the salty taste of aldehydes gets a prominent role. The result is a nondescript blend which manages to be just a bit dark, dusty, "black" like if a drop of trisamber was used here, but at the same incredibly bright, dense and tasty, with the translucent aspect provided by aldehydes. Utterly sophisticated as well. I must admit it's quite hard to describe the scent, the best I can think of is a tea-amber bone-structure, slightly powdery, surely fruity-floral, with a palpable dose of aldehydes which gives a metallic-salty feeling. All in quite a unique way, let's say "minimalist-avantgarde", with a brilliant, smart and creative use of synthetics: the amber accord is not a classic, dusty, embracing, warm amber, instead it's a sort of black cube of with an ambery fog inside: that's the visual feeling. The smell is somehow that, but it feels restrained and "encapsulated" in an artificial layout. All the scent is actually a sort of geometrical and rather simple structure of synthetic notes, which however manage to smell simply and *terrifically* good, cozy and pleasant. Which is an ultra rare thing: usually such "avantgarde" scents do smell interesting, challenging, smart, fascinating, but in my opinion, they rarely manage to smell at the same time "good" and cozy in a classic, "popular" meaning (as a scent is supposed to smell, in the end: pleasant). For example, I am also a huge fan of Slumberhouse, but I doubt I'll ever get compliments on the subway for Zahd or Vikt – the are unbelievable scents, but they surely don't smell "good"; while instead, Scent Intense is the perfect "good-smelling" scent which may actually get you lots of compliments from "normal people". We are still lucky this unbelievable gem is still on sale, and for quite a decent price. Also, perfect projection (it's one of those scents you can better smell "in the sillage" than on skin) and long persistence. Surely worth a try! To me it was actually worth the blind buy.

9/10

Cuir Pleine Fleur EDP by Heeley

Year: Unknown
Nose: James Heeley

One of my favourite fragrances ever since the very first moment I first smelled it, and one of my favourite leathers ever too. A marvelous, pastoral, mellow rendition of suede, with a lot of hay, a countryside landscape in a dense, crunchy, warm ochre colour, like in a Van Gogh painting. The "realm" is the recent wave of softer, more delicate leathers, like Cuir Ottoman (another all-time favourite of mine), centered on a silky, dense, rich suede note, which here is developed in Heeley's signature linearity with a remarkable balance between earthy/rural vibes, and a transparent, aerial, slightly shady and contemporary dimensionality. All sounds and smells with perfect clarity: a mossy vetiver/oak side, a delicate floral side, a crunchy green accord, a bunch of spices (notably pepper and clove), an incense breeze, an initially waxy base, and an overall warm, evening-like transparency, like a lazy afternoon in the countryside chilling with your back on a hay ball. I love this fragrance also because it does not shout and does not "wow" you at first, but it slowly captivates you, and most important, smells terribly good and versatile. Heeley's style is at its best here, the linearity and the clarity are perfectly executed, and as Darvant suggests below, I also detect a similarity with Iris de Nuit. A quite unique example of a lively, delicate leather scent that is not simply "light" and above all, not "dull", with a specific dense personality (which has its very nucleus in a tiny, but vivid heart of castoreum and rose). Sophisticated, subtly distinctive, highly safe and wearable – and also, decently priced.

9/10

Eucris EDT by Geo F Trumper

Year: 1912 (allegedly)
Nose: Unknown

Eucris opens with a beautiful, gloomy oak moss accord with leather notes, spices (cloves), pungent and poisonous herbal accords, with perhaps castoreum too (a subtle, sticky and animalic heart note) with a prominent and deep "barbershop fougère" vibe, really dry and shady. As a sweeter and more breezy counterpart, a classic fougère floral accord and dusty vanillin notes. The central note is a genius black, carnal, decadent note of blackcurrant, which delivers a really peculiar morbid and funereal bittersweet fruitiness, something like certain sides of Dalì pour homme. The graphic fits the scent perfectly: you think of laces, green ivy embracing old mansions, dusty ebony furniture, rust, dry pot-pourris, a total immersion in the Edwardian era, in a small, ambiguous barbershop in the suburbs of London. Halfway Jicky and many classic fougères with their super dry and strong leather/oakmoss accords – I think of the martial, austere drydowns of scents like Krizia Moods, Knize Ten, Quorum by Puig, Portos by Balenciaga - but with a palpable XIX century gothic feel which makes Eucris stand quite apart. I had a bit of a hard time in reviewing this scent because I was so used to it; I've never worn the fragrance, but it's years I use Eucris shaving cream, being a traditional wet shaving enthusiast, so it was fun to finally "dissect" this scent which has been under my nose for years now. Sophisticated, dark, austere but totally "wearable", utterly classy and elegant, probably not for everyone, but not challenging and not smelling "old" – or better yes, but more than old, charmingly "antique". Fragrance fans often look for older (rarer, and quite expensive) fragrances, like many discontinued fougères, to get "this" overall feeling and this mossy/herbal/leather-ness, while this one is available for a cheap price and zero "haunting" – and it's not the only one, if you like this type of scents you may find good offers among the ranges of Truefitt & Hill, Taylors of Old Bond Street and D.R. Harris, basically the slightly less known little brothers of Penhaligon's or Czech & Speake.

8,5-9/10

Mainstream Round-Up #2

Lazy Sunday, three - more or less depressing - mainstream picks.

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Luna Rossa by Prada (2013)

Balsamic-minty opening with a hint of ozonic notes, aldehydes, aromatic woody notes (cedar, cashmeran), all drowned in a gallon of the new "contemporary elegance" X-factor – the Iso E Super. I also detect some violet/honeysuckle notes, with bergamot too. It then evolves on the woody path, notably with cedar and sandalwood notes, with an incense-ambery base, artificial but pleasant – always keeping it clean, breezy and minty. Despite being utterly cheap and unworthy whatever price tag "per se", it's still better than other mainstream scents. I would define this a clean, crisp, trendy office/club crowpleasing safe scent, classy and cozy but unobtrusive, for men who want to smell nice but don't want to make it become a statement. Plus it basically smells like the reformulated version of Geranium pour Monsieur by Malle, here's the "niche" factor too – and by the way Malle is worse, since it's more expensive and extremely more pretentious. Among the Christmas presents a bimbo girlfriend with a magazines-driven fragrance knowledge may stumble upon, this isn't among the worst ones.

5,5-6/10

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Chrome by Azzaro (1996)

Azzaro Chrome opens with a cloying blend of nutmeg, cardamom, tonka, flowers, oakmoss, sandalwood and white musks, and a prominent, sickening, melt-rubber like note which I guess should be a clumsy, surreal, ethyl-douchebag rendition of pineapple. Soapy and metallic accords complete the whatever this is. Once it loses that cloying and dense note, it turns into a breezy, still generic and cheap ozonic-metallic scent. Nauseating at first, then pointless.

4/10

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Armani Code Ice by Giorgio Armani (2014)

Armani Code Ice opens with a bomb of aldehydes, Iso E, cashmeran, calone, ginger, vanillin, a subtle ambrettolide-like note and a slight citrus accord. Super cheap and unworthy the price tag, whatever it is: but somehow - ironically - fascinating, as it has a metallic, translucent feel with the Iso E/cedar-like accord which gives a contemporary, ethereal, sophisticated "woody-incense" vibe, delivering the infamous "pencil sharpener" feel several fragrances with this composition often give – and I'm talking niche too, for example Let me play the lion by LesNez. All supported by a plushy, polyurethane-ish feel of cozy, completely artificial woods given by cashmeran. A bit anonymous, but that may turn into an "avant-garde" feel. Overall this is the olfactory depiction of the places the average Armani Code wearer probably goes to – modern gyms, trendy clubs, contemporary shops. Still with a hint of cheapness, so I'm not talking about the coolest, poshest gym in town, rather some Virgin Club ones – still nice, crisp and modern, just not the top class. As minutes pass it warms a bit, opening on the ambrette base and finally evolving on a woody-rubbery, almost sulfur-ish and burnt-tires-like base (safraleine, norlimbanol and the likes). Again: not that different from many overpriced niche scent which pretend to "revisit" dark woods accords using those materials. Overall I'd say, if you're into completely synthetic scents, you may consciously (and again, ironically) appreciate this.

5,5-6/10

La Parfumerie Moderne!

I've had the honour and pleasure to test the entire new line of La Parfumerie Moderne, here is my reviews for the three scents. The name of the house fits the scents perfectly, they all manage to smell both nostalgic and modern at the same time, with a sort of overall linear and "rationalist" approach, which quite fits the visual concept of the line. I must admit I am Marc-Antoine Corticchiato's number one fan, so this all may sound "suspiciously enthusiastic" but trust my objectivity – this line is a true gem (and I am not a promotional, sponsors-driven blog, I just want to support what I like). Good niche lines are sadly so rare nowadays, don't miss this one!

All scents have been launched in 2014 and are composed by Marc-Antoine Corticchiato.


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Désarmant

Désarmant opens with a fresh slap of aldehydes, flowers (carnation, rose, ylang, styrax, the unique tea-leafy note of osmanthus, which Marc-Antoine already brilliantly explored in Osmanthus Interdite), with a hint of orange and perhaps white musks. Slight patchouli note on the very base. A spring scent, extremely graceful and realistic, a walk in a warm floral garden. Tight, compact and really harmonic, you hardly manage to distinguish and separate the notes – they all blend one into another, the result is just this heavenly and dense floral emporium. The floral notes are not peculiar themselves, but it's peculiar how they smell here, I rarely get in touch with such bright, luminous, aerial notes, at the same time vibrant and deep, but restrained and controlled enough by the contemporary, slightly metallic aldehydes "roundness", which perfectly shapes them avoiding any earthy-natural-botanical rawness effect. It emerges soon a counter-accord of darker and more balsamic notes, with a dry and severe benzoin note which almost resembles to oak moss, and a bunch of light spices, notably cloves and cardamom, with an undertone of tonka. The fascinating thing about this scent it's how it manages to be bright, without being light – on the contrary, it's substantially and extremely dense, with a materic density (not an artificial, fixatives-driven density, I mean actual, aromatic, tasty density). It progressively gets denser, thicker, darker, almost entering the "fougère" territory, but at the same time keeping a bright floral/soapy side, aerial and slightly salty (aldehydes). After a while it also emerges a splendid note, soft but dry, almost leathery, probably caused by the evolution of benzoin (or may be an actual leather note), however it's a velvety, mellow, cozy and slightly gloomy-carnal base note with an aftertaste of coffee, which blends terrifically good with the floral-soapy side. Meanwhile the flowers notes don't disappear, or better said, they seem to do it for a while, but they'll discreetly return on the drydown. Although less noticeable, I detect also some slight, perfectly shaped hay note, one of Corticchiato's signature notes. Sophisticated, deeply French for both its inspiration (to me, this is like chilling on a wood bench in a "jardin Provençal") and for the composition style – smells basically like a contemporary take on floral chypres. The evolution is brilliant, a bright and luminous opening which develops then a shady side, ending in a dark and dry pre-drydown, which finally "re-opens" a mellow and sensual floral bouquet, with carnal, dusty, shady and slightly gloomy floral notes. Although the notes are quite "common", and the inspiration is quite classic, it has a bold and quite unique personality, which I can't come to describe better - a "contemporary chypre", if you want. Bold persistence, great materials, great composition.

8,5/10

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No Sport

No Sport (lovely name) opens with a terrific geranium note on a soft, velvety, refined sandalwood-suede base, aerial and dusty, with a dense fruity-edible heart provided by red pepper. Extremely contemporary and silky, with a beautiful base of balsamic-mossy and balmy notes (patchouli too?), at the same time soapy and floral with a hint of carnal rose. A vibrant, crisp and extremely sophisticated blend, quite nondescript too, as it basically smells like a fresh, renovated, more rarefied and contemporary take on some classic fougère accords. Extremely clear and crisp, for some extents it reminds me of that "new wave" of contemporary niche scents which revisit the fougère heritage - fragrances à la Roja Dove (Fetish pour Homme) or Jul et Mad (Amour de Palazzo), just with less leather, but with a similar crisp and ultra-modern sophisticated elegance. Back again also Corticchiato's signature hay-mossy accord, a dense note with a slightly more restrained and light personality if compared to most Parfum d'Empire scents, but still detectable – a nice "home feeling" for fans of this great nose. After a while the suede accord gets also a spicy accord of saffron and cloves, and it slowly morphs into a terrific suede-tobacco note, mellow and satin-like, but also dense and slightly humid, with that sort of wet-woody-fruity aroma of tobacco leaves. This would have easily been my favourite scent of the line, except for... the red pepper note, which to my nose, is slightly too much "there", and for too much long. If you like this note instead, then it's deal. Apart from that personal "con", this is a terrific scent, utterly refined and pleasant. As for Désarmant, materials and composition are out of question – top notch quality.

8/10

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Cuir X

Here comes perhaps my personal favourite from the line, or better say, the one I instantly felt "mine" from the very first sniff. Objectively speaking – say, quality-wise – my favourite one is Désarmant, while Cuir X is the one I'll actually buy soon (this doesn't mean it is not equally great quality-wise). It opens with a vibrant, soft, velvety accord of suede and flowers, so bright and juicy it almost smells fruity too – and it partially is, as there's a bergamot/orange note, with a tiny hint of spices. Fairly close to Cuir Ottoman at the very beginning, which just for the record I'm wearing on my other wrist. The fruity, slightly boozy and plummy rendition of suede is quite similar, although here it is just more linear, thin and translucent, transfigured in the more contemporary, almost "minimalist" approach of this line. Because of the satin-like, mellow, contemporary, refined, "clean and crisp" leather concept, Cuiron comes to mind too, in a way that Cuir X may be basically located halfway Cuiron and Cuir Ottoman. Less synthetic and avant-garde than Cuiron (but with quite a similar fruity-plummy side), less rich and oriental than Cuir Ottoman (but with quite a similar suede rendition, and also again, a fizzy floral-fruity note). On the base, amber and a balsamic-mossy note with a hay aftertaste too, beautifully encapsulated in the general rational simplicity of the composition. After a while it also emerges a woody note, perhaps cedar, and a iris-labdanum accord. The labdanum provides a fruity aroma and perfectly blends with the amber accord providing a sort of edible-floral note, while the iris slowly gets a prominent position – a linear, cold, fresh and thin iris note (à la L'homme de Coeur by Divine, no waxy/powdery/lipstick orris root note). The evolution is beautiful, perfect, no burnt rubber "tricks" as many contemporary leather scents tend to do, instead it all remains sophisticated, discreet, refined and terribly pleasant. A must for all "new wave of suede/leather scents" lovers, of which in my opinion Corticchiato is one of the best "masters" out there, if the not the best one (if you liked Cuir Ottoman, you'll love this). The persistence is delicate but long-lasting. Irresistible!

8,5/10

L'Art de la Guerre EDP by Jovoy

Year: 2014
Nose: Vanina Muracciole

L'Art de la Guerre opens with a beautiful, dusty, boozy accord of tobacco, patchouli, amber with fresh bergamot notes. Shady, meditative and sophisticated, with a gloomy, earthy and almost threatening natural-organic soul. The central note which is brilliantly encapsulated in the blend is a superb rhubarb rendition, which basically is halfway floral and fruity with crunchy, bittersweet nuances and an overall gloomy, edible, earthy, camphor and almost waxy feel. This waxy-earthy feel brilliantly links with the musky/powdery and mossy side of the scent, giving life to a sort of unique and "new" chypre, the rhubarb acting as a sort of disguised "replacement" for the animalic-powdery structure of classic chypres. One of the best Jovoy's so far in my opinion, if not the best one: it has an amazing, unique, sophisticated aromatic carnality with some really peculiar silky, but also stale-camphor shades, and a base dustiness of amber and patchouli. The rhubarb note (is that the new sensation for 2014?) gives it quite a unique personality, and for me it's one of the best "uses" of this note among the ones I've tried so far. It also eventually emerges a subtle, perfectly executed leather/suede note, with oak moss and a rooty-creamy note of violet and perhaps ginger. The overal pot-pourri is quite a fascinating rendition of "rootiness", an almost mystical depiction of the gloomy power of nature, not in a (more "predictable") green-floral way, rather focusing on dust, soil, roots, with even a hint of edible "vegetable" feel (the nondescript aroma of rhubarb). There is also a similarity to some '80s fougères at some points, especially to the drydown of the more mossy/leathery ones (first reference that came to my mind, among many others: Quorum by Puig). Which to me, speaking as a fan of that heritage, is of course a pleasant tribute to smell – I say "tribute" in a positive way, because it is a matter of some iconic notes of that class of scents (oak moss, tobacco, leather) which are perfectly blended in something different and new - bright and silky floral notes, a modern composition style, the rhubarb accord. On the drydown it all becomes more gentle, still dark, just more mellow and quieter, also adding a sort of licorice-like note, which I guess it's all the rooty-earthy potion just getting softer and therefore sweeter. Bold persistence. A genius hint of fresh-aromatic fruity/floral note (bergamot, apple) gives the scent a persistent silky breeze which perfectly blends with the overall gloominess. Brilliant!

8,5-9/10