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Apicius
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Some Shine for Doc Martens Boots
Was it a brilliant idea or rather lack of inspiration? The name Volo AZ 686 was allegedly born at the airport, when the responsible person was waiting for a flight, and looking at the destination board. Yes, Volo AZ 686 is a flight number!
I wouldn't agree that it was not possible to find a less arbitrary name for this fragrance. Personally, I do get some pictures smelling this.
Volo AZ 686 is a very special perfume – strong, pungent, heady and not for the faint-hearted. Forget about the notes released by Profvmvm Roma – they are just background but describe in no way the character of it. It basically seems to consist of one characteristic note: shoe polish! At least, I have no better name for it.
Think about a small shoe shop some 30 years ago. It is still run by the owner, and instead of fancy displays, there are cupboards stuffed with shoe boxes from the floor to the roof. I remember such a place in my home town. You could not pick a pair of shoes by yourself, you'd have to tell the clerk what you wanted, and then he would pick a few of the numerous boxes for you. Even thirty years ago, such was hopelessly outdated. As if to enhance the feeling of alienation that you got there, they had a mynah, and whenever this bird started talking with its strange tenor voice, you inevitably looked behind you back. Am I really the only customer in this shop?
Once you finally decided which pair of shoes fit best, you were asked if you need some boot polish along with your purchase. Shoe cream those days was a strong, pungent and resinous wax. Smearing it on your shoes was a very distinct scent sensation. It was not the scent of leather itself, yet it added a pungent twist to it: dark, waxy, resinous. For some people, cleaning their boots with a good blob of it was surely part of the joy.
I do not know how that shoeshine note made it into perfumery, but I can confirm that I have smelled it in a small number of niche perfumes so far. It is the overwhelming base note in Humiencki & Graef's Blask which was advertised as an oud fragrance with any oud in it. This at least should give you an idea of the power that this note has. I think it is also present in Pierre Guillaume's Bois de Copaïba. I once met this perfumer on a fair, and among the many of his fragrances, he showed me the one with the shoeshine note. Not a bad idea as this note lets people exlaim a loud “Wow”!
Such is the case with Volo AZ 686, and I have to admit I bought it at a time when I was still exploring the world of perfumery, and was fascinated by anything unusual and strong.
Today, I most certainly would not buy such a fragrance, but still there is a perfume where I think this note is used in a more discreet way: Ajaccio Violets by Geo. F. Trumper.
For none of these perfumes the leading note was denominated as such – and after all, I am only guessing. I would say that there is a floral side note, but not necessarily gardenia. Coconut? Not really distinguishable. Vanilla? Yes, it keeps sticking on your skin once you rubbed off everything else.
Volo AZ 686 is totally beautific but still I think it is wearable which I have done on some rare occasions. Of course, it is nothing for the warmer seasons. A spritz on the wrist is enough – applied to the neck may be too much. And it is a good idea to wear clothes that are washable.
If you follow these precautions, then Volo AZ 686 or the other perfumes mentioned can surely broaden any perfume lover's horizon. Whether you'd really like to wear it may depend on your attitude towards shoes.
BoBoChamp
