Top Notes 
Heart Notes 
Base Notes 
07/16/2023
Elysium
815 Reviews
Elysium
1
Getting Shaved by A Barber In Istanbul
When you visit a new country, you should discover the local experiences. Going to the barbershop is one of them. Authenticity guaranteed! I figure out a holiday in Turkey, and it is impossible not to go to the barber. Over there, the vast majority of men have moustaches or beards. Regular visits to the barber are an institution. They are on every street corner. Barber shops are easily identifiable: towels often dry on a sidewalk drying rack. So, if you have yet to learn what a barbershop-like cologne is, this is it. Victor Original is sour, citrusy, aromatic, fresh, and musky—an old-school masterpiece. This citrusy and aromatic smell fills the place when you enter the barbershop. A Hesperides lover’s dream comes true.
I don’t know if Kelemata was the original distributor when the perfume was released in 1972, but now the brand handles the distribution. Victor Original is part of a wide range, and among them are Victor Sport with marine and woody accords, Acqua di Selva with woody accords, Fresco, and Fresco Absolute with watery and airy notes, my favourite. As we can guess from the notes, the original has citrus, aromatic, flowery and musky facets. It is a classic genre, updated to modern times, green, barbershop-like. I don’t know the original version of this gem, even if I have a vague memory of the aroma of it; I was about eight years old, but I perfectly remember a life detail related to that period, deeply ingrained in the memories of my childhood. The modern packaging maintains the same shape as the original. Still, the sprayer is screw-on, useful, but also beautiful to look at.
Basically, the frame here is an earthy-musky texture rich in herbaceous, hay and woody-amber undertones, which is brilliantly paired with a traditional aromatic fougère bone structure infused with lavender and a touch of spicy, grassy citrus. All this then surrounds the actual star of Victor Original, the patchouli-vetiver accord I mentioned above, which is brilliantly enhanced by earthy, musky, smoky and sweet undertones; the moisture of the hay, and a delicate but perfectly perceptible touch of warm, sweet-dusty-musky floral notes with a last hint of vanilla. It may seem ancient to many people, but its ancient flavour is the novelty.
Since there are several recipes on the web, I will stick to what I feel by following the olfactory pyramid shown on the official Kelémata page. Lemon, petitgrain, and rosemary are the opening notes. Without a doubt’s shadow, the outgoing perfume has citric notes of lemon peel and petitgrain. Strong, robust, and unsettling is the opening, and I do not recommend it to swim in it. The fruit is sour and vivid, while the citrus plant’s leaves and woods appear greenish, fresh, and dewy. The aromatic notes of rosemary, which keep the green aspect alive by adding freshness and resinousness round the harsh corners.
We enter the heart holding a bouquet of white jasmine flowers and blue ears of lavender. None of this makes the perfume chypre. They veer into something flowery and herbaceous. The jasmine is subdued, and the lavender is dry, more like hay than medicinal blue flowers. Don’t worry… If it sounds herbal, it is, but only slightly. There is a strong greenish, semi-sweet component, thanks to the white flowers’ union with the basil’s fragrant leaves. Now the sharp edges of the citrus fruits are hardly felt anymore, and in their place is this sweet and powdery accord.
The dry-down is announced by an earthy, fresh, green, slightly smoky vetiver, like the one I find in Cacharel pour L'Homme Eau de Toilette. It exalted its musky facets courtesy of animal and plant musks. And then, a slightly salty tone of amber appears at the bottom to form a salty greenish trail. There is nothing marine, just a touch of ambergris mixed with oakmoss. Victor Original was born around the same time and is rumoured to look like Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Toilette and Monsieur Givenchy Eau de Toilette. I don’t have them in mind, so I can neither confirm nor deny. Of course, it’s much cheaper!
In summary, Victor Original is still very good. Still, unfortunately, the reformulation has made it less durable, a little diluted, and very discreet. He feels very good during the first hour but gradually fades until he seriously disappears after a few hours. I wear this classic citrus aromatic well during the less cold months, from early spring to late autumn. So, if you like herbal citrus colognes and are looking for a sophisticated and elegant office scent, consider this one.
I'm basing my opinion on a bottle I've owned since July 2018.
- Elysium
I don’t know if Kelemata was the original distributor when the perfume was released in 1972, but now the brand handles the distribution. Victor Original is part of a wide range, and among them are Victor Sport with marine and woody accords, Acqua di Selva with woody accords, Fresco, and Fresco Absolute with watery and airy notes, my favourite. As we can guess from the notes, the original has citrus, aromatic, flowery and musky facets. It is a classic genre, updated to modern times, green, barbershop-like. I don’t know the original version of this gem, even if I have a vague memory of the aroma of it; I was about eight years old, but I perfectly remember a life detail related to that period, deeply ingrained in the memories of my childhood. The modern packaging maintains the same shape as the original. Still, the sprayer is screw-on, useful, but also beautiful to look at.
Basically, the frame here is an earthy-musky texture rich in herbaceous, hay and woody-amber undertones, which is brilliantly paired with a traditional aromatic fougère bone structure infused with lavender and a touch of spicy, grassy citrus. All this then surrounds the actual star of Victor Original, the patchouli-vetiver accord I mentioned above, which is brilliantly enhanced by earthy, musky, smoky and sweet undertones; the moisture of the hay, and a delicate but perfectly perceptible touch of warm, sweet-dusty-musky floral notes with a last hint of vanilla. It may seem ancient to many people, but its ancient flavour is the novelty.
Since there are several recipes on the web, I will stick to what I feel by following the olfactory pyramid shown on the official Kelémata page. Lemon, petitgrain, and rosemary are the opening notes. Without a doubt’s shadow, the outgoing perfume has citric notes of lemon peel and petitgrain. Strong, robust, and unsettling is the opening, and I do not recommend it to swim in it. The fruit is sour and vivid, while the citrus plant’s leaves and woods appear greenish, fresh, and dewy. The aromatic notes of rosemary, which keep the green aspect alive by adding freshness and resinousness round the harsh corners.
We enter the heart holding a bouquet of white jasmine flowers and blue ears of lavender. None of this makes the perfume chypre. They veer into something flowery and herbaceous. The jasmine is subdued, and the lavender is dry, more like hay than medicinal blue flowers. Don’t worry… If it sounds herbal, it is, but only slightly. There is a strong greenish, semi-sweet component, thanks to the white flowers’ union with the basil’s fragrant leaves. Now the sharp edges of the citrus fruits are hardly felt anymore, and in their place is this sweet and powdery accord.
The dry-down is announced by an earthy, fresh, green, slightly smoky vetiver, like the one I find in Cacharel pour L'Homme Eau de Toilette. It exalted its musky facets courtesy of animal and plant musks. And then, a slightly salty tone of amber appears at the bottom to form a salty greenish trail. There is nothing marine, just a touch of ambergris mixed with oakmoss. Victor Original was born around the same time and is rumoured to look like Givenchy Gentleman Eau de Toilette and Monsieur Givenchy Eau de Toilette. I don’t have them in mind, so I can neither confirm nor deny. Of course, it’s much cheaper!
In summary, Victor Original is still very good. Still, unfortunately, the reformulation has made it less durable, a little diluted, and very discreet. He feels very good during the first hour but gradually fades until he seriously disappears after a few hours. I wear this classic citrus aromatic well during the less cold months, from early spring to late autumn. So, if you like herbal citrus colognes and are looking for a sophisticated and elegant office scent, consider this one.
I'm basing my opinion on a bottle I've owned since July 2018.
- Elysium
Elysium
