04/07/2013
Apicius
222 Reviews
Apicius
Helpful Review
5
A Special Approach To Sadness
Not only niche but also avant garde – that's what the fragrances of this German based brand are. Skarb is already out for five years, and it somehow appears to me like a blueprint to the more recent L'Eau Froide by Serge Lutens and Amazinggreen by Comme des Garçons.
Skarb is not so entirely greenish like these two – yet, the somehow similar main note is an example for green and brownish tartness. It is described as absinthe, barley and lovage by H & G, but for me, there are also links to carrot seed or maybe even fennel. More than that, if gives me the impression of a still green, juicy and extremely bitter walnut fresh from the tree. Since this main note does not change, I suppose it is rather a single new molecule than an accord. There is almost no development, except for a short coniferous top note – pretty much Acqua di Selva.
Skarb is the Polish word for treasure, and since H & G always dedicate their fragrances to a certain mood or emotion, one can wonder if this is comprehensible or not. The face of the fragrance at the H & G website is a sad young man with a tear in his eye – expressing melancholy. Indeed, the bitterness that I perceive as a green walnut note does have the quality of bitter and salty tears, and so this assignment by H & G is not completely arbitrary.
With its quality of sadness, Skarb can be preferably worn on rainy days. It will conserve and express any gloomy mood, not uplift. I guess most people would prefer something nice and friendly on rainy or sad days, but those who take a journey into melancholy once in a while might find a companion here.
The longevity of Skarb is outstanding, plus the basic green walnut note is somewhat strange. It goes into extremes, and the way that bitterness is handled here excels the other more popular way – puristic woodiness.
This altogether requires the most possible discreetness when applying, and so, Skarb is not for beginners. I own a bottle of it, but I would not say that an experimental fragrance like Skarb can be something you “like”. I appreciate it, and I respect the courage to release fragrances that appeal to negative emotions. Some of the H & G fragrances – including Skarb – go far beyond the usual and so can be a bit demanding. Skarb is hardly wearable on an everyday basis. It should be regarded as a work of art rather than a basic commodity.
Skarb is not so entirely greenish like these two – yet, the somehow similar main note is an example for green and brownish tartness. It is described as absinthe, barley and lovage by H & G, but for me, there are also links to carrot seed or maybe even fennel. More than that, if gives me the impression of a still green, juicy and extremely bitter walnut fresh from the tree. Since this main note does not change, I suppose it is rather a single new molecule than an accord. There is almost no development, except for a short coniferous top note – pretty much Acqua di Selva.
Skarb is the Polish word for treasure, and since H & G always dedicate their fragrances to a certain mood or emotion, one can wonder if this is comprehensible or not. The face of the fragrance at the H & G website is a sad young man with a tear in his eye – expressing melancholy. Indeed, the bitterness that I perceive as a green walnut note does have the quality of bitter and salty tears, and so this assignment by H & G is not completely arbitrary.
With its quality of sadness, Skarb can be preferably worn on rainy days. It will conserve and express any gloomy mood, not uplift. I guess most people would prefer something nice and friendly on rainy or sad days, but those who take a journey into melancholy once in a while might find a companion here.
The longevity of Skarb is outstanding, plus the basic green walnut note is somewhat strange. It goes into extremes, and the way that bitterness is handled here excels the other more popular way – puristic woodiness.
This altogether requires the most possible discreetness when applying, and so, Skarb is not for beginners. I own a bottle of it, but I would not say that an experimental fragrance like Skarb can be something you “like”. I appreciate it, and I respect the courage to release fragrances that appeal to negative emotions. Some of the H & G fragrances – including Skarb – go far beyond the usual and so can be a bit demanding. Skarb is hardly wearable on an everyday basis. It should be regarded as a work of art rather than a basic commodity.
