Gomma EDC by Etro (1989)

Undoubtedly, the opening makes quite clear the close similarity to Knize Ten several other reviewers picked up. That is what I thought too almost instantly. But for me, call me heretic, and speaking as a fan of both Etro and Knize, Gomma (vintage eau de cologne in paisley box) is better. Actually much better. It carries that irresistible charme of several early Etro’s, a nondescript yet totally recognizable feel of smoky, rich, mystic exoticism, here played with a somber, powdery and sumptuously soapy mood perfectly rendered by a fantastic jasmine note, powerful and gloomy, a soapy feel which seems exuding from a baroque macabre still life. All perfectly blended with sour-green notes and this gigantic central leather accord which is much “rubbery” in fact, but not artificial: it’s dry, sour, pungent but also soft, smoky, warm, rounded by a mellow amber accord, and carrying quite a natural feel of organic rubber. One of the nicest leather accords I’ve ever experienced, which reveals its quality on the drydown – a heavenly, sinful, subtle harmony of amber and leather. Gomma is overall austere and quite classic, yet deceptively simple or “conventional”: to me it’s like if it had a sort of fractal structure, with the two main characters – leather and green-floral soapy notes – which can be “dissected” into further nuances and notes – amber, smoke, rubber, earthy notes. Knize is to me quite more “monolithic”, more powerful and in a way, more simple and reassuringly solid: still great, just different. Gomma instead has just something exotic and creepy, that I can’t describe better but it’s something other vintage Etro’s have (take Palais Jamais, for instance) and that is what makes them so special to me. Elegant and shady, a bit light if you want, I’d call it “discreet”.

8/10