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Tobacco Vanille : Warm and Inviting huggability
Hands down, TV is the greatest honeyed tobacco rendition ever.
It is also the finest Tom Ford moment when it comes to perfumery in general.
I use it very economically as it is amongst my most cherished perfume possessions, and holds a grail status in my humble perfume collection.
TV has an ethereally creamy, sweet and spicy profile that is extravagantly opulent and endlessly comforting.
Released in 2007, it's crazy that this stuff still kicks ass.
I'm still captivated by the fine balance its varied nuances strike. I love the fact that there is no struggle or competition between the tobacco and vanilla notes, that are in perfect harmony with one another and not concerned with outdoing each another.
With the first spray I'm embraced head on with a bitter dried tobacco leaf opening, as if I was lost in my dad's smoke pipe, with vanilla flavored tobacco, and immediately I'm caressed gently by the fruity and velvety creaminess of the rich vanilla. This combo is further augmented by a rich cacao note adding the necessary gravity to the fragrance, which then morphs beautifully into a beautiful base of dried fruits aroma.
HEAVENLY and BLISSFUL
I love that this lasts and lasts forever and has a monster sillage.
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION: Layering Tobacco Vanille with Givenchy Gentlemen Reserve Privee can cause people to embrace and hug you on the street.
It is also the finest Tom Ford moment when it comes to perfumery in general.
I use it very economically as it is amongst my most cherished perfume possessions, and holds a grail status in my humble perfume collection.
TV has an ethereally creamy, sweet and spicy profile that is extravagantly opulent and endlessly comforting.
Released in 2007, it's crazy that this stuff still kicks ass.
I'm still captivated by the fine balance its varied nuances strike. I love the fact that there is no struggle or competition between the tobacco and vanilla notes, that are in perfect harmony with one another and not concerned with outdoing each another.
With the first spray I'm embraced head on with a bitter dried tobacco leaf opening, as if I was lost in my dad's smoke pipe, with vanilla flavored tobacco, and immediately I'm caressed gently by the fruity and velvety creaminess of the rich vanilla. This combo is further augmented by a rich cacao note adding the necessary gravity to the fragrance, which then morphs beautifully into a beautiful base of dried fruits aroma.
HEAVENLY and BLISSFUL
I love that this lasts and lasts forever and has a monster sillage.
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION: Layering Tobacco Vanille with Givenchy Gentlemen Reserve Privee can cause people to embrace and hug you on the street.
Tart Mediterranean Lemons
Quite simply put, this is the most natural smelling, non-synthetic, invigorating and green leafy verbena in a bottle.
As I smell this I am reminded of the green leafy tips of lemon, oranges, and citrus zests, all slightly shaken by the swift breeze, on a spring morning in a lush, green garden.
It has a tart, sour grapefruit like wince inducing opening reminiscent of lemon sorbets that morphs beautifully and seamlessly into a sweet, creamy and fruity textured verbena.
Its longevity has much to be expected from and for a citrus heavy fragrance is too standard,(relatively better than the original 4711 Eau De Cologne), on my skin I don't get much beyond 4 hours mark, which is the only major letdown especially given that is not as affordable as 4711.
However if longevity is not your concern you are left with one of the most beautiful and natural renditions of verbena, that is at once verdant, lush, leafy and momentarily potent.
Add a little zesty zing to your stride when you wake up in the spring morning to go out for a walk in the lush green fields.
Verveine is a very easy fragrance to fall in love with, and as the opening dissipates you are still left with a sweet, creamy and blissfully fruity version of the Provencal fields with a little spiciness of geranium.
Overall Rating: 8 /10
As I smell this I am reminded of the green leafy tips of lemon, oranges, and citrus zests, all slightly shaken by the swift breeze, on a spring morning in a lush, green garden.
It has a tart, sour grapefruit like wince inducing opening reminiscent of lemon sorbets that morphs beautifully and seamlessly into a sweet, creamy and fruity textured verbena.
Its longevity has much to be expected from and for a citrus heavy fragrance is too standard,(relatively better than the original 4711 Eau De Cologne), on my skin I don't get much beyond 4 hours mark, which is the only major letdown especially given that is not as affordable as 4711.
However if longevity is not your concern you are left with one of the most beautiful and natural renditions of verbena, that is at once verdant, lush, leafy and momentarily potent.
Add a little zesty zing to your stride when you wake up in the spring morning to go out for a walk in the lush green fields.
Verveine is a very easy fragrance to fall in love with, and as the opening dissipates you are still left with a sweet, creamy and blissfully fruity version of the Provencal fields with a little spiciness of geranium.
Overall Rating: 8 /10
ECHT KOLNISCH WASSER : THE ESSENTIAL MIRACLE WATER or I AM THE ORIGINAL , WHAT ARE YOU ?
Echt Kolnisch Wasser by Maurer & Wirtz, is often touted as the original Eau De Cologne and represents the first recorded Big Bang in the universe of perfumes. It is to perfumes what Vivaldi was to Classical Music.
In order to do present the aforementioned laurels to EKW we would have to ignore the fact that the concept originally was first introduced by Johann Farina, who died when Wilhelm Muhlens was actually 4 years old.
I found the following interesting Wikipedia tidbit on 4711, however:
''According to legend, on 8 October 1792, a Carthusian monk made a wedding gift for the merchant Wilhelm Mülhens (1762–1841): the secret recipe of a so-called "aqua mirabilis", a "miracle water" for internal and external use. Mülhens then founded a small factory at Cologne's "Glockengasse" and established the first "Eau de Cologne" as a remedy.''
The last line is of particular importance as it highlights the therapeutic nature of the fragrance also I guess the old statements lauding the fragrance as being blissful and representing the aroma of European culture are derived from this very essence of the fragrance.
This is the classical pick me up and kick me awake fragrance, if the tea is not enough to do the trick for you.
I had largely avoided buying this fragrance for years ( part of my ignorance) but finally got around to buying it in view of it being such an iconic fragrance, and the fact that I honestly felt that my collection is soulless without it.
Luckily my purchase has not entirely disappointed me. There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
This is the definitive citrus fragrance, inventing a design that many of the following citrus heavy fragrances have repeatedly tweaked and have also succeeded immensely, even more so at the expense of the original perfume, as the later fragrances had a ready framework and a lot more accessible ingredients and synthetics to play with.
The fragrance itself comes down to the bright, zesty, sparkling, sun-kissed albeit short lived bergamot and lemon opening which morphs beautifully into the blissful, therapeutic and cool sweetness of Neroli, which is what lingers till the very end of this rather short lived euphoric experience.
This is an innocent fragrance with a very basic and nascent fragrance structure at its heart.
Sometimes simplicity is enough, and somehow it still feels that nothing is wasted.
It is an intimate fragrance and uncluttered as one can expect from the fragrance output in the earlier days of the perfume universe, at least the the pre-Jicky period.
Lastly, I have noticed a lot of negativity surrounding the longevity and sillage of the fragrance which I partially agree with, but since it is a citrus eau de cologne, this is expected.
Natural Citrus fragrances fizzle out quickly like small kids do from the school as soon as the bell rings.
I think with all the issues regarding longevity and sillage of EKW, the fragrance still lives up to its iconic status purely on the basis of its rich history, its originality and influence, the therapeutic nature of its fragrance and its immense value proposition ( I got 400 ML bottle for roughly USD 26 nothing comes closer to this bargain ).
EKW has been in production since the last 200 years and hopefully it's not going anywhere soon.
Very few fragrances in the history have the bravado to belong from the Jurassic period, stay original and untouched, affordable, and consistent in the quality of its fragrance, EKW does all this and more without breaking a sweat.
A Classic, must have, just for the sake of that gorgeous Molanus Bottle, the first thing that caught my eye.
Overall Grade: 7.4 / 10
In order to do present the aforementioned laurels to EKW we would have to ignore the fact that the concept originally was first introduced by Johann Farina, who died when Wilhelm Muhlens was actually 4 years old.
I found the following interesting Wikipedia tidbit on 4711, however:
''According to legend, on 8 October 1792, a Carthusian monk made a wedding gift for the merchant Wilhelm Mülhens (1762–1841): the secret recipe of a so-called "aqua mirabilis", a "miracle water" for internal and external use. Mülhens then founded a small factory at Cologne's "Glockengasse" and established the first "Eau de Cologne" as a remedy.''
The last line is of particular importance as it highlights the therapeutic nature of the fragrance also I guess the old statements lauding the fragrance as being blissful and representing the aroma of European culture are derived from this very essence of the fragrance.
This is the classical pick me up and kick me awake fragrance, if the tea is not enough to do the trick for you.
I had largely avoided buying this fragrance for years ( part of my ignorance) but finally got around to buying it in view of it being such an iconic fragrance, and the fact that I honestly felt that my collection is soulless without it.
Luckily my purchase has not entirely disappointed me. There is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
This is the definitive citrus fragrance, inventing a design that many of the following citrus heavy fragrances have repeatedly tweaked and have also succeeded immensely, even more so at the expense of the original perfume, as the later fragrances had a ready framework and a lot more accessible ingredients and synthetics to play with.
The fragrance itself comes down to the bright, zesty, sparkling, sun-kissed albeit short lived bergamot and lemon opening which morphs beautifully into the blissful, therapeutic and cool sweetness of Neroli, which is what lingers till the very end of this rather short lived euphoric experience.
This is an innocent fragrance with a very basic and nascent fragrance structure at its heart.
Sometimes simplicity is enough, and somehow it still feels that nothing is wasted.
It is an intimate fragrance and uncluttered as one can expect from the fragrance output in the earlier days of the perfume universe, at least the the pre-Jicky period.
Lastly, I have noticed a lot of negativity surrounding the longevity and sillage of the fragrance which I partially agree with, but since it is a citrus eau de cologne, this is expected.
Natural Citrus fragrances fizzle out quickly like small kids do from the school as soon as the bell rings.
I think with all the issues regarding longevity and sillage of EKW, the fragrance still lives up to its iconic status purely on the basis of its rich history, its originality and influence, the therapeutic nature of its fragrance and its immense value proposition ( I got 400 ML bottle for roughly USD 26 nothing comes closer to this bargain ).
EKW has been in production since the last 200 years and hopefully it's not going anywhere soon.
Very few fragrances in the history have the bravado to belong from the Jurassic period, stay original and untouched, affordable, and consistent in the quality of its fragrance, EKW does all this and more without breaking a sweat.
A Classic, must have, just for the sake of that gorgeous Molanus Bottle, the first thing that caught my eye.
Overall Grade: 7.4 / 10
Guerlain L'Homme Ideal EDT : An Exercise in Ingratiating the Mass
I'm a fan of Guerlain fragrances and an avid collector of the same.
The level of respect and admiration I have for this fragrance house is still unmatched.
This is the most recent fragrance I have in my collection relative to the other Guerlain fragrances.
Released in 2014, this fragrance was created by Thierry Wasser.
The fragrance is supposed to evoke the idea of the Ideal Man, a concept as mythic as the Great American Novel, but somehow it was decided as part of the grandeur of Guerlain to bottle the fragrance of the Ideal Man, and make this idea as tangible, pleasing and accessible as possible.
The fragrance opens on my skin with the heavy and pronounced fruity, almond and cherry concoction like notes, which also gives it a boozy, and slightly syrupy feel, this almost tart like note is balanced by the sweetness of tonka bean, and it is the relentless interplay between these notes that I feel the most on myself.
There is a chaotic dissonance to these accords that have been blended somewhat dismally.
However, the one nuance that I admire the most is a very vague and subtle hint / homage to the inimitable Guerlain Heritage ( 1992 ), the one connection which still binds the fragrance to the umbilical cord of all things Guerlain.
The longevity is nothing much to boast about either it is fairly decent and sincerely somewhere in the middle.
The Ideal Man therefore smells almondy, sugary, syrupy and boozy and I wish this review might end here, but sadly it doesn't.
There is a sad linearity to the fragrance with very little complexity whatsoever. It is undoubtedly one of the most cautiously safe and risk aversive fragrance in the Guerlain catalogue.
It is as though one can sense a certain fear that its hands might get burnt if it touched the fire of creativity and innovativeness.
This is certainly not the worst fragrance in the catalogue from any stretch of imagination, and not even a bad one, since it has been released to please the mass, however the biggest dent to its repute is that it is not a fragrance which speaks Guerlain to me.
It is just too straight forward and surprisingly mediocre, even despite such dissonant accords.
Frankly I'm a little concerned as to the future of Guerlain as a perfume making giant , in light of the paradigm shift this fragrance has brought by consciously deciding to divert its ways from the roots of Guerlain's rich and artistic legacy in service of making something which is accessible, easy to digest and eager to please the modern palette of redundant regurgitations of modern fragrances.
But what exactly is the rich legacy of Guerlain? This is a very subjective question and an epic topic to play with given the space of few words, but summarily speaking it is not just the Guerlinade accord ( which is the first thing a newbie Guerlain fragrance admirer is introduced to ), it is the idea of stirring emotions through perfumes.
Guerlain was always known to concoct works of art and bottle them. Works akin to Mahler's Fifth, Debussy's Claire De Lune and Stravinsky's Rites of Spring.
Masterpieces that had the power to move the heart and the mind.
This is the music I listen to when smelling Jicky, Mouchoir De Monsieur, Apres L'Ondee, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Shalimar, Vol De Nuit, Vetiver, Chamade, Habit Rouge, Nahema, Derby, Heritage, Samsara and the list just goes on and on.
The workers and the designers at Guerlain understand this conundrum perfectly well
and don't even play with the idea of making something akin to the glories of the past let alone surpass them, but then again these fragrances were not meant to be surpassed, they were instead supposed to be the roadmap to the future, the shoulders on which the modern generation could stand and explore the very nuances and cerebral subtleties which made the house inimitable and timeless in the first place.
GHI looks more like a direct dictation from LVMH to respond to the ever increasing pressure and demands of the modern palette and deadlines rather than a creative inspiration that truly changes the game in the perfume landscape for the better.
There is still a lot to gain from the legendary Guerlain creations, and one particular lesson is to get back to the very roots of chasing artistic excellence in perfumery and not to sacrifice the same in service of mass consumerism.
Overall Grade : B
The level of respect and admiration I have for this fragrance house is still unmatched.
This is the most recent fragrance I have in my collection relative to the other Guerlain fragrances.
Released in 2014, this fragrance was created by Thierry Wasser.
The fragrance is supposed to evoke the idea of the Ideal Man, a concept as mythic as the Great American Novel, but somehow it was decided as part of the grandeur of Guerlain to bottle the fragrance of the Ideal Man, and make this idea as tangible, pleasing and accessible as possible.
The fragrance opens on my skin with the heavy and pronounced fruity, almond and cherry concoction like notes, which also gives it a boozy, and slightly syrupy feel, this almost tart like note is balanced by the sweetness of tonka bean, and it is the relentless interplay between these notes that I feel the most on myself.
There is a chaotic dissonance to these accords that have been blended somewhat dismally.
However, the one nuance that I admire the most is a very vague and subtle hint / homage to the inimitable Guerlain Heritage ( 1992 ), the one connection which still binds the fragrance to the umbilical cord of all things Guerlain.
The longevity is nothing much to boast about either it is fairly decent and sincerely somewhere in the middle.
The Ideal Man therefore smells almondy, sugary, syrupy and boozy and I wish this review might end here, but sadly it doesn't.
There is a sad linearity to the fragrance with very little complexity whatsoever. It is undoubtedly one of the most cautiously safe and risk aversive fragrance in the Guerlain catalogue.
It is as though one can sense a certain fear that its hands might get burnt if it touched the fire of creativity and innovativeness.
This is certainly not the worst fragrance in the catalogue from any stretch of imagination, and not even a bad one, since it has been released to please the mass, however the biggest dent to its repute is that it is not a fragrance which speaks Guerlain to me.
It is just too straight forward and surprisingly mediocre, even despite such dissonant accords.
Frankly I'm a little concerned as to the future of Guerlain as a perfume making giant , in light of the paradigm shift this fragrance has brought by consciously deciding to divert its ways from the roots of Guerlain's rich and artistic legacy in service of making something which is accessible, easy to digest and eager to please the modern palette of redundant regurgitations of modern fragrances.
But what exactly is the rich legacy of Guerlain? This is a very subjective question and an epic topic to play with given the space of few words, but summarily speaking it is not just the Guerlinade accord ( which is the first thing a newbie Guerlain fragrance admirer is introduced to ), it is the idea of stirring emotions through perfumes.
Guerlain was always known to concoct works of art and bottle them. Works akin to Mahler's Fifth, Debussy's Claire De Lune and Stravinsky's Rites of Spring.
Masterpieces that had the power to move the heart and the mind.
This is the music I listen to when smelling Jicky, Mouchoir De Monsieur, Apres L'Ondee, L'Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Shalimar, Vol De Nuit, Vetiver, Chamade, Habit Rouge, Nahema, Derby, Heritage, Samsara and the list just goes on and on.
The workers and the designers at Guerlain understand this conundrum perfectly well
and don't even play with the idea of making something akin to the glories of the past let alone surpass them, but then again these fragrances were not meant to be surpassed, they were instead supposed to be the roadmap to the future, the shoulders on which the modern generation could stand and explore the very nuances and cerebral subtleties which made the house inimitable and timeless in the first place.
GHI looks more like a direct dictation from LVMH to respond to the ever increasing pressure and demands of the modern palette and deadlines rather than a creative inspiration that truly changes the game in the perfume landscape for the better.
There is still a lot to gain from the legendary Guerlain creations, and one particular lesson is to get back to the very roots of chasing artistic excellence in perfumery and not to sacrifice the same in service of mass consumerism.
Overall Grade : B
Iconic Fragrance # 2 : Pour Un Homme De Caron - The Granddaddy - A Match made in Heaven
Year of Release: 1934
Perfumer: Ernest Daltroff
Overall Perfume Notes : Lavender, Vanilla and Amber
Type: Fresh / Sweet / Gourmand / Creamy / Fougere
Season: Spring - Summer ; well actually all year round
Occassion: Daily / Leisure / Business
Audience: Masculine
Let's start off by saying that this is as simple and brilliant as it can get in the world of perfumery.
The simplest of the notes i.e. Lavender and Vanilla combined seamlessely together, each transitioning into another smoothly without any competition. A match made in heaven, where each note understands its respective strengths and weaknesses and neither puts forth a wrong foot. Pure genius.
As for its history alot has been said about this fragrance and I firmly believe that it is high time to acknowledge the fact that this gem is the precursor to all fragrances masculine, the grand daddy, the first true EDT, which came forth from the galore of colognes and handkerchief scents.
The first fragrance that truly opened and divided the market of perfumes into masculine and feminine fragrances as we know today.
It was 86 years ago, Ernest Daltroff, the founder of the House of Caron, decided to venture into unchartered territory to create a fragrance solely meant for men and to carve a niche in a market that was otherwise filled with unisex scents and colognes.
Mr. Daltroff kept simplicity the benchmark for this particular fragrance and based the scent on lavender, his favorite note, which would also later on become the definitive masculine note of the past century in citrus based fragrances and aromatic fougeres.
But the perfume was missing a beating heart.
Which leads us to the love interest of his life i.e. Felicie Wanpouille, who would later marry him and become not only a facilitator but also the heart of the perfume, quite literally.
Ms. Felicie fancied Vanilla, as her most favorite note, she loved the sweet, creamy, warm and gourmandish aspects of the flower.
As a result of this likeness, Vanilla became the heart and the quintessential factor of this unique fragrance.
The cooling and fresh aspect of lavender coupled with the sweetness and warmth of vanilla.
Two contrasting personalites which gave birth to Pour Un Homme De Caron.
Simple, yet powerfully effective, in fact so unique that comparisons are hard to come by.
After constantly visiting and re-visiting this fragrance, I am yet to discover something quite truly like it, ( even though it has been suggested that Kilian's A Taste of Heaven comes close, I still take that as an honest tribute to this classic).
As for the fragrance itself, I classify the fragrance along the lines of aromatic oriental more so than aromatic fougere.
On my skin this fragrance opens with a sharp and bitter lavender accord, which is very medicinal in its texture. The closest I can get to a comparison is that of moist grass.
I have known people to be offended by this opening and I can understand why, but this feeling lingers only a couple of minutes on my skin after which I get one of the best lavender renditons ever, rich, aromatic and smooth.
It won't be un understatement if I say that this accord gives me mental relief and utmost comfort. Aromatherapy at its very best.
This feeling is there for the right amount of time and is not overpowering, and shortly transforms into a rich, creamy, slightly sweet and beautiful vanilla accord, quite reminiscent of Shalimar by Guerlain but much more amped down for masculine tastes.
I don't really appreciate gourmandish elements in a fragrance, but this fragrance has become an uncanny exception to that rule.
20 - 25 minutes since application, it is a vanilla rundown till its very drydown on my skin, with just the ambery, milky sweetness lingering on my skin.
This is a true wonder in the world of perfumery its perfect amalgamation of two contrasting elements, and a very linear progresiion, despite myths about its many notes and complexity.
I believe that by delving into these aspects, we are truly robbing this masterpiece of its greatness, which beyond its own rich history, is loved much more and has endured owing to its simplicity and minimalist style.
I was also pretty impressed by its flacon, straightforward, elegant with the light green elixir embodied in it.
In conclusion, Caron ended up creating a perfume that has tested time with its sophisticated elegance and continues to bewilder people with its versatility, whether used on a daily basis, in office, or at leisure times.
Tom Ford has gone onto say that this is his favorite scent. It is a very big endorsment coming from the owner of private blend collection.
Now as for the weaknesses, I believe that the longevity and sillage is moderate and not extremely long lasting, in my experience with this fragrance the aura of the smell lingers not more than 5 - 6 hours and projection after the first 30 minutes is pretty close to a skin scent. But I can live with that, and re-apply it again, as it is also light on the wallet. 125 ML cost me around USD 40 - 45.
This is a classic and genre defining fragrance, a fragrance which quite literally taught men to smell really well.
All in all a collectors dream and the greatest rendition of lavender and vanilla ever created.
Rating : A-
Perfumer: Ernest Daltroff
Overall Perfume Notes : Lavender, Vanilla and Amber
Type: Fresh / Sweet / Gourmand / Creamy / Fougere
Season: Spring - Summer ; well actually all year round
Occassion: Daily / Leisure / Business
Audience: Masculine
Let's start off by saying that this is as simple and brilliant as it can get in the world of perfumery.
The simplest of the notes i.e. Lavender and Vanilla combined seamlessely together, each transitioning into another smoothly without any competition. A match made in heaven, where each note understands its respective strengths and weaknesses and neither puts forth a wrong foot. Pure genius.
As for its history alot has been said about this fragrance and I firmly believe that it is high time to acknowledge the fact that this gem is the precursor to all fragrances masculine, the grand daddy, the first true EDT, which came forth from the galore of colognes and handkerchief scents.
The first fragrance that truly opened and divided the market of perfumes into masculine and feminine fragrances as we know today.
It was 86 years ago, Ernest Daltroff, the founder of the House of Caron, decided to venture into unchartered territory to create a fragrance solely meant for men and to carve a niche in a market that was otherwise filled with unisex scents and colognes.
Mr. Daltroff kept simplicity the benchmark for this particular fragrance and based the scent on lavender, his favorite note, which would also later on become the definitive masculine note of the past century in citrus based fragrances and aromatic fougeres.
But the perfume was missing a beating heart.
Which leads us to the love interest of his life i.e. Felicie Wanpouille, who would later marry him and become not only a facilitator but also the heart of the perfume, quite literally.
Ms. Felicie fancied Vanilla, as her most favorite note, she loved the sweet, creamy, warm and gourmandish aspects of the flower.
As a result of this likeness, Vanilla became the heart and the quintessential factor of this unique fragrance.
The cooling and fresh aspect of lavender coupled with the sweetness and warmth of vanilla.
Two contrasting personalites which gave birth to Pour Un Homme De Caron.
Simple, yet powerfully effective, in fact so unique that comparisons are hard to come by.
After constantly visiting and re-visiting this fragrance, I am yet to discover something quite truly like it, ( even though it has been suggested that Kilian's A Taste of Heaven comes close, I still take that as an honest tribute to this classic).
As for the fragrance itself, I classify the fragrance along the lines of aromatic oriental more so than aromatic fougere.
On my skin this fragrance opens with a sharp and bitter lavender accord, which is very medicinal in its texture. The closest I can get to a comparison is that of moist grass.
I have known people to be offended by this opening and I can understand why, but this feeling lingers only a couple of minutes on my skin after which I get one of the best lavender renditons ever, rich, aromatic and smooth.
It won't be un understatement if I say that this accord gives me mental relief and utmost comfort. Aromatherapy at its very best.
This feeling is there for the right amount of time and is not overpowering, and shortly transforms into a rich, creamy, slightly sweet and beautiful vanilla accord, quite reminiscent of Shalimar by Guerlain but much more amped down for masculine tastes.
I don't really appreciate gourmandish elements in a fragrance, but this fragrance has become an uncanny exception to that rule.
20 - 25 minutes since application, it is a vanilla rundown till its very drydown on my skin, with just the ambery, milky sweetness lingering on my skin.
This is a true wonder in the world of perfumery its perfect amalgamation of two contrasting elements, and a very linear progresiion, despite myths about its many notes and complexity.
I believe that by delving into these aspects, we are truly robbing this masterpiece of its greatness, which beyond its own rich history, is loved much more and has endured owing to its simplicity and minimalist style.
I was also pretty impressed by its flacon, straightforward, elegant with the light green elixir embodied in it.
In conclusion, Caron ended up creating a perfume that has tested time with its sophisticated elegance and continues to bewilder people with its versatility, whether used on a daily basis, in office, or at leisure times.
Tom Ford has gone onto say that this is his favorite scent. It is a very big endorsment coming from the owner of private blend collection.
Now as for the weaknesses, I believe that the longevity and sillage is moderate and not extremely long lasting, in my experience with this fragrance the aura of the smell lingers not more than 5 - 6 hours and projection after the first 30 minutes is pretty close to a skin scent. But I can live with that, and re-apply it again, as it is also light on the wallet. 125 ML cost me around USD 40 - 45.
This is a classic and genre defining fragrance, a fragrance which quite literally taught men to smell really well.
All in all a collectors dream and the greatest rendition of lavender and vanilla ever created.
Rating : A-
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