![ColinM]()
ColinM
1
Dull but nice
Cuir6 by Pekij opens with a bold, dark, bitter, dry leather-tar accord with nuances of warm-boozy amber, black pepper, thick smoke, something herbal and slightly fruity, and a slight sort of salty, mineral-metallic note I guess due to musk which I am not sure whether it’s intended or accidental – anyway it fits Cuir nicely, reminding me a bit of Spent Musket Oil by D.S. & Durga with a drop of stale sea water. The evolution on my skin features this same core aroma just becoming increasingly warm and smooth, at the same time taming down progressively. The array of inspirations seems (again...) mostly revolving around lived-in leather, rough tar wood, oily-ambery blackness, moldy soil and that kind of imagery, decidedly leaning towards nature here (so think of “dark moldy woods”). More than “raw & synthetic” or particularly avantgarde, the smell for me is just more artisanal, in the same league of AbdesSalaam Attar and that type of genuine natural perfumery. It has a cozy feel of simplicity and “organic” clarity which I appreciate a lot, blended with a bit of “American indie” inspiration (fans of Sonoma, Kerosene, Slumberhouse would probably appreciate this: more or less the same mood, just a bit more simple and natural). Also a couple of Le Labo fragrances come to mind, Cuir and Patchouli above all.
Now, while I do enjoy the fact that Cuir6 smells undoubtedly pleasant and quite solid in its simplicity, that it isn’t just about cloves and tar as many other leather scents, and that also the usual leather aromachemicals aren’t excessively prominent... to be really honest, all considered it still smells to me as much nice as a bit dull. For two main reasons – first, roughly said, there’s really nothing new here. Leather aficionados may probably find some points of interest, but for other “mild” leather fans like me, this is a bit like with incense scents – just another one. A good one for sure, but still just another. And second, most of all because more than a proper fragrance, to me Cuir6 seems basically a (really) well-executed leather-moss accord in a bottle waiting to, say, “be used” for something a bit more appealing. At the same time, not being or raw bold enough to make some sort of creative statement out of this. And thus suffering in my opinion from the same main flaw of many fragrances of this type (AbdesSaalam and many indie brands) – despite smelling nice, it can turn out to be a bit flat and lacking in some interest in its texture. The kind of stuff that “wows” you at first, but after that, you will rarely reach for it. Or well, that’s my experience. Surely a promising work, but sadly nothing really special for me. Given the challenging price, I think leather lovers still have some more fulfilling (and way cheaper) alternatives to this.
6-6,5/10
