1972

Let's orchestrate the opening fireworks to celebrate the holistic man with Stravinsky's "Le sacre du printemps" (The Sacrifice of Spring). Forget the lyrical foreplay. Use it right away with the rhythmically hammering, wildly aggressive "Augures printaniers", the harbingers of spring:

Animal citrus leather hits the skin with bitter flower seasoning.

Stravinsky spoke about his spring sacrifice of the "all-encompassing panic awakening of universal power". They are not sweet, but martially hammered "harbingers" for the sacrifice of the virgin.

Quorum was created by a certain Sebastian Gomez, who is represented on parfumo.de with two perfumes and otherwise untraceable. His two creations date back to the 80s of the last century. Let us assume that this man of the past was of Spanish origin and make the arch from the wild Russian to the proud Spaniard. For me, this quorum does indeed have something of the proud Spaniard's cliché, without him - is it due to Artemisia and cumin? - i can't think this scent.

Aristotle classified man as zóon politikón or Latinized homo politicus. Man as a social, political being disciplines his animal aspects in the polis community, democracy emerges, archaic rites are repressed. From such an ancient image of man emerges the modern man, whose civilization is regulated by democratic procedures, such as the "quorum". Its purpose is to prevent the formation of an unrepresentative majority by a number of votes cast. A desired change in the status quo is only implemented if the required quorum has been reached.

To title a fragrance so objectively that it is archaically trumpeting against postmodernism may seem strange. In the early 80s a masculine fragrance was a matter of course, so a dramatic headline did not occur to anyone. Since then many philosophical-anthropological self-evidences have been questioned, overturned and are already history. I would like to imagine Sebastian Gomez and the eponym of the Quorum lodged a last reactionary objection for the archaic man. As we know today, the necessary quorum has not been achieved. One proclaimed the homo sociologicus, the sociological being. No sacrifice is made, the virgin lives, the bull was not impaled, but tamed and soaped.

Let's follow Stravinsky's spring offerings one last time with the "Rondes printanières" in the heart note and base. Dark, even gloomy and worn they walk along. It's a male dance. May the virgins dance in ballet, the man does not dance. With Rilke the picture can be rounded off: It's "a dance of power around a center, in which, stunned, there is a great will." Rilke, too, knew that the fate of homo inermis was for the civilized being. The defenceless human, a deficient being, defenceless, abandoned by instinct.

The great will of the holistic man is largely history, which Gomez' Quorum looks at us from wild eyes. Still animalistic, though cultivated, tamed, but not tamed. The base of the Quorum is warm with amber, leather, moss and tobacco and solemn with a hint of incense.

Karl Lagerfeld was always a striking grand seigneur with decided views. So what's with "Aunt Rosa"? More about this later.

Let's first get straight to the fragrance, which I astonishingly tasted for the first time:

Alcoholised sage with traces of tarragon, no lemon, sparing green to start with and first powdery hints. The heart note is not long in coming: sweet creamy roses reminiscent of a lady in her small, elegant villa from distant times. Significantly for me, this lady was called Aunt Rosa. I put up with feminine reminiscences of this kind. And who does not like pleasant associations from the past?
Like already some predecessors also the appearance of actually absent Lavendels appears to me. It continues to be quite flowery and creamy. A little bit of bitter, a little bit more quiet, also patchouli, everything closely connected. Can a smoker perceive the tobacco content? I certainly can't. In the transition to the base, the blossom sweetness increases once more to merge into balsamic softness on mossy ground.

Obviously the Lagerfeld Classic is not a classic masculine fragrance for me. I don't perceive spicy, herbaceous, striking. I want to wear it when I'm in a soft and dreamy mood, unless that 'Crème De Rose' in the arms of an amber patchouli dreamy mood is the last thing that creates that mood in me.

Without having searched for it, I find in this little sample of L'Eau Boisée a Terre d'Hermès that is bearable for me. Friends of the latter may alienate my pleasure. I must point out that at the time Terre d'Hermès was shortlisted until a traumatic experience put an end to it. Just this much: Dear friends of Terre d'Hermès, please don't bathe in it before going to the theatre. I think until today I have to dream about it sometimes at night. Where I smell it, attraction and displeasure fight in me.

There are many critical voices here about Guerlain's L'Eau Boisée. L'Eau Boisée was uninspired, boring, weak. However, it inspires me to make this comment - not least because so many different, often contradictory opinions appear here. From "too harmless in its overall effect" to "very pungent ... and cause headaches". With Driver, on the other hand, I can say: "Yatagan is right. This Guerlain is very pleasing." Leimbacher discovers a family closeness to Guerlain Homme which I do not see. Homme for me comes across as far more modern, almost synthetic and androgynous. Tom14's curious experience: "I have seldom tried a fragrance that drives me from the first to the last second with such sharp aggressiveness into a corner that I am completely defenceless" A blatant case of skin chemical incompatibility, as he admits.

In order to enable the reader to classify my description of the course of events, I send ahead not to disdain the traditionally masculine, powerful representatives. But I also love classic elegance and a citric start.

L'Eau Boisée starts off with an intense citrus-fresh welcome. In the top note it becomes harsher, with a light woodiness. Then the vetiver reigns temporarily. Finally, a base of woody musk warmth prevails, while vetiver and citric notes balance each other out. All this never difficult, but bright and light. The rum remains absent from the start and may support the alchemy unnoticed. Perhaps the commonness of the ingredients of citrus, rose geranium, vetiver and woods creates this Terre d'Hermès effect. But where the almost toxic intrusiveness of the Terre d'Hermès in the theatre floor once traumatised me, the light, friendly Boisée attracts me.

Durability and intensity initially raise question marks. With this impression of understatement Tom14's curious experience "Stubborn is no expression at all" may not be connected at all. During the first test the evening before, there were repeated concerns that the Guerlain might break down. But far from it, while falling asleep a floating chord of vetiver, citrus and wood remains present; the following morning I still perceive it. Once you have gained confidence in L'Eau Boisée, you can rely on its discreet presence.
A pleasantly unagitated, brighter Terre d'Hermès that replaces its din with friendly elegance.

The original bottle looks a bit better than in the pictures. Then he should show if he can do more, because the ratings so far are quite modest.

The fresh and fruity beginning recommends it as a daily companion right from the start. The little crown does not stand for festive occasions, but recommends it as "King for the Day". Interestingly enough, the journey then goes into leather for my senses. The basis is a modern, male-woody foundation, whereby in addition to the freshness, the discreet leathery character remains throughout. Paradoxically, it is a fresh, woody leather fragrance without the heavy abundance of classic leather fragrances for contemporary noses.

Unobtrusive, yet always present, the wearer is surrounded by a discreetly solid everyday manliness. By the way, the "K" is also a seasonal all-rounder, because I can't think of a season with which it wouldn't harmonize. The durability is with me quite with up to nine hours, even if the projection the puff goes out certainly earlier.

In this modernist, some people might find exactly the brightly awake companion they were looking for, and so the "K" will occasionally accompany me through the working day in a tidy, unagitated manner.