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01/16/2021
Drseid
819 Reviews
Drseid
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1
Kerleo's First...
Emotion opens with an effervescent aldehydic rose before gradually transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart the rose remains as star, now turning airy and slightly soapy, as supporting moderately powdery iris joins slightly sweet lily of the valley and green jasmine white florals, with moderately animalic musk and near ashy oakmoss rising from the base. During the late dry-down the rose vacates, as the remnants of the iris become more creamy than powdery, now supported by a subtle woody amber accord through the finish. Projection is average, as is longevity at around 8 hours on skin.
Emotion was a blind buy that intrigued this writer due to its perfumer being the legendary Jean Kerleo (of Patou pour Homme and Patou pour Homme Prive fame, among so many other masterpieces). Emotion appears to be either his first composition, or if not, then one of his first; though unlike his others it gets almost no discussion. So, is Emotion inferior to Keleo's greats that get all the talk? Having worn the perfume several times now it is clear that Kerleo very much was on his game, even in 1960 with Emotion. The aldehydic rose open smells heavenly, with the rose so natural, and the aldehydes kept just enough in check that they enhance the rose, ultimately adding a fine soapy aspect that one might expect to smell with high end toiletries at a five star old school hotel. The composition also uses iris to tremendous effect, where it starts off powdery, but as time passes turns creamy, with the transition so seamless it completely sneaks up on you. Finally, Kerleo proves that a woody amber base can actually smell refined and completely appealing, unlike what almost has become the ubiquitous cop out in so many perfumes today. If there was anything I would improve on it would solely be the middling performance metrics, but this is really barely worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things. The bottom line is the $40 per 60ml bottle on the aftermarket Emotion is an "outstanding" 4.5 stars out of 5 rated first effort by Jean Kerleo that merits much more visibility than it has received, earning as strong a recommendation to classic perfume enthusiasts as I can muster.
Emotion was a blind buy that intrigued this writer due to its perfumer being the legendary Jean Kerleo (of Patou pour Homme and Patou pour Homme Prive fame, among so many other masterpieces). Emotion appears to be either his first composition, or if not, then one of his first; though unlike his others it gets almost no discussion. So, is Emotion inferior to Keleo's greats that get all the talk? Having worn the perfume several times now it is clear that Kerleo very much was on his game, even in 1960 with Emotion. The aldehydic rose open smells heavenly, with the rose so natural, and the aldehydes kept just enough in check that they enhance the rose, ultimately adding a fine soapy aspect that one might expect to smell with high end toiletries at a five star old school hotel. The composition also uses iris to tremendous effect, where it starts off powdery, but as time passes turns creamy, with the transition so seamless it completely sneaks up on you. Finally, Kerleo proves that a woody amber base can actually smell refined and completely appealing, unlike what almost has become the ubiquitous cop out in so many perfumes today. If there was anything I would improve on it would solely be the middling performance metrics, but this is really barely worth mentioning in the grand scheme of things. The bottom line is the $40 per 60ml bottle on the aftermarket Emotion is an "outstanding" 4.5 stars out of 5 rated first effort by Jean Kerleo that merits much more visibility than it has received, earning as strong a recommendation to classic perfume enthusiasts as I can muster.
