Elysium

These days ZARA is offering us four new fragrances dedicated to the queen of flowers, the rose, which inaugurates a new chapter, Chapter No. 8. I like to call them the Four Roses, like the Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Four Roses”. Mystic Rose is the third fragrance I tried in the store, after "C'est la rose | Zara" and "Rose Temeraire | Zara", and it is the one that impressed me the most with its austere, dense, animal musk, earthy, and woody character. Reading the first reactions, I am pleased with how perfumes are so subjective. Given that I adore the rose, both as a flower and as a perfume, and I appreciate how it works in modern fragrances, unlike other people who have already tried and described it, Mystic Rose has a very masculine impulse. A dark, amber, mystical rose, with a woody background soiled by camphoraceous patchouli. There is no trace of sweetness or creaminess, which makes it very desired and coveted by lovers of purple roses, not cloying and not gourmand.

Mystic Rose announces itself with fresh, sour, slightly citrusy, slightly soapy, but mostly acidic accords. Not sweet at all, blueberry is bright, tart, and bitter, and perfectly balances all the sweetness that rose and other unknown ingredients can provide. I got the slightest bit of fruitiness from the blueberry, but not sweetly. The wild berries add a delicate mix of fruity, green, and woody notes. I let a few minutes pass, and the perfume changes, releasing humid, dewy notes of wet and musky earth. It shares the same feeling as the Middle East attars. The participation of amberwood is clearly perceived, with that facet that resembles patchouli, and which mixes in unison with the velvety petals of the rose, damask I would say. My feeling is that there is also pure patchouli oil besides the amberwood, modern and not saccharine. A purple, camphorous rose, sometimes soapy, but with no caramelized or gourmand trace. Although they are two totally different perfumes, the combination of blueberry berries and rose petals brings to mind the extraordinary "L'Ombre dans L'Eau (Eau de Toilette) | Diptyque" that unique sensation of acid and greenish rose.

When the perfume enters the central or heart phase, the presence of the rosy nuances is accentuated by a touch of geranium, which strengthens the rose without sweetening it too much. Now the fragrance takes on implications midway between the odour of cloves and turpentine. There is something that makes it herbaceous, woody, and terpy with camphoraceous and thymol notes. The rose is now vivid, real, and fresh, like a bouquet of freshly cut red roses in the early morning in which we can smell the flowers, the leaves, the cut stems, and the stiffness.

In the dry down, the spicy woods came off a bit smoky to me, with a clean sweet musky floral woody odour. The muskiness is that of animalic, green, and musty underwood, and not the white and laundry musk. Other than amberwood, the woodiness comes from cedarwood, which appears woodsy, balsamic, and earthy with just a touch of sweetness. The powerful presence of patchouli that I felt at the beginning now occupies a place in the second row, but remains clearly perceptible. What remains is a pink, woody, and earthy trail.

After studying it for a few days, my first impression is confirmed. Mystic Rose for me is the one that, of the four roses, meets my tastes the most. Dark, dirty, earthy, and woody, this rose is well suited to the evening and night events of the spring and autumn months. Like most rose essences, the performance is adequate. I would say between four and six hours of duration in which you can perceive the variations. I haven’t had the chance to test it on myself yet. The climate outside is still a bit harsh. As soon as the first warm days of spring appear, I will put it to the test. That said, from start to finish, it remains a genderless fragrance, with a virile impetus that could also appeal to a male audience. Mystic Rose is not a sweet scent, so those of you who dislike sweet scents can safely wear it. A rose well done!

My impressions are based on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 40330).

-Elysium

And leave me behind, like everything that is different… Those like me, who are regular visitors to ZARA, will have noticed that the Spanish brand has recently increased the number of launches of new perfumes and entire collections on the market. Before Christmas, we witnessed the releases of the series dedicated to tobacco (TOB/), water (EAU/), wood (WO/) and finally leather (LTH/), each composed of three distinct scents. And a few weeks ago, a new series dedicated to metals, Sensitive Metallics. In recent days, ZARA has added new pieces to the collections already released in the past, including one in Chapter No. 4 Oud, and two in Chapter No. 7 Vanilla, namely Angelic Vanilla and Sensual Vanilla. Even a brand new series named Infusion is now on the shelf. But it is precisely about Sensual Oud that I want to tell you something today. After seeing the description on the official website, I already knew that it would be an exceptional fragrance and a delightful combination of oud, patchouli, and rose that I would not despise. For this perfume, the master perfumer did not hold back in dosing the precious resin. I can say that I was wrong when I thought “Bohemian Oud | Zara” was the hardest of the collection because Sensual Oud dethroned it by taking first place on the podium.

Sensual Oud is a demon full of warm spicy, leathery, woody, earthy, floral, and animalic accords, which immediately fills the air with a true camphorous, medicinal, and barnyard leathery oud, reminiscent of the scent associated with medicinal balms or liniments, slightly turpentine-like. Saffron is rough and arrogant, with strong leathery and animalistic hints, dirtied by a warm, bitter, and spicy clove; a bed of oud that will always remain present supports this prodigious mixture. There is little of the gentle flower and a lot of the rocky dried red pistils, with its characteristic tarred nuance, a little medicinal, astringent. The blend of these two spices is the closest thing to cough syrup, very sour but not citrus fruit, more in a camphoraceous way. The camphor-like smell is bold with a tame minty edge, though it is smooth and does not itch the nose, not to be confused with mothball odour or naphthalene. For admirers of light perfumes, Sensual Oud might be scary at first. It is powerful, brazen, like a punch in the stomach, more in your face. It is difficult to identify the bergamot, while underneath there is a strong oud sap, one of those that makes their edges feel more skanky and barny. Virile is the opening, and the perfume has a masculine momentum in the first stages of life. The projection is powerful, and the strong opening point is the saffron and oud pair.

The camphor nuances slightly fade after several minutes, revealing a glimpse of rose petals and patchouli leaves. The rose gains strength. It is dewy, dry, powdery, and at times decadent, without a single hint of gelatinous and mellifluous notes, thanks to the contribution of the dirty patchouli which dampens its gourmand edges without being too dominant. This combination is by no means unique, but together with saffron and oud, they offer something that continually changes and evolves around a sensual sphere. Even though I can recognize it, the rose remains in the background and never takes centre stage. This is not the prominent rose we find in “Perpetual Oud | Zara”. Meanwhile, in the backdrop, the medicinal and camphorous scents of the opening spices persist. The stage is all for them. Besides the rose, I sense another indolic white flower, which I bet is the night jasmine. There is also a woody and creamy facet, courtesy of a smidgen of precious blonde sandalwood. In the central phase, the chords alternate like a seesaw between the masculine and the feminine. Now the oud competes for the stage with a dirty and rosy patchouli.

As the scent settles in, landing on a soft, sensual, leathery, amber, musky base. The dry-down highlights the leathery aspects that take the place of the spicy and floral ones, combined with the majestic oud resin. Projection is still fairly strong, but the fragrance has now settled into something smooth and well-rounded, a wonderful blend of wood, floral, and amber sweetness. You can sense the smooth and savoury aspects of amber and the woody aspects of musk, much more tending towards powder and less towards soapy. Perhaps even a whisper of vanilla pushes forth. The trail that remains is mostly composed of leather and oud, sensual, camphoraceous, and musky.

There is no doubt that Sensual Oud is a polarizing perfume that captures the essence of forbidden desire, mysterious and deep. The spices provoke and tempt, the flowers and woods add a timeless charm, and the leather creates an intoxicating trail. Saffron oud camphor pod made from pure camphor creates a positive aura and connects to spirituality. It is a fragrance that requires cold weather to be appreciated, to be used in the evening and night events of late autumn and mid-winter. A fragrance that feels good both in contact with the body and on clothes, scarves and coats. For an intimate dinner, or a crazy night. Perhaps the duration is not amazing, yet enough for an event, but the projection is intense in the first hours after the application.

I’m basing my opinion on a bottle I’ve owned since February 2024 (BC 32220).

-Elysium

P.S. I heard through the grapevine that the perfume resembles, or rather is inspired by, "Oud Ispahan | Dior" and I think it's not just gossip. Any opinions on this?

Gold Oddity turns around a smooth suede-leathery tone that makes it intriguing, with an unconventional set of nuances that range between mineral, ozonic, and salty. I’ve read many reviews and watched some videos, but I can admit I didn’t grasp its true essence until I tried it on my skin. The first impression is that this piece is the best of the ZARA Sensitive Metallics collection, so full of contrasts and oppositions. Oddity is not an option since this perfume is truly amazing. With its beautiful cleanliness and soapy aroma, it's perfect for fragrance enthusiasts who crave a comforting experience.

The perfume, once sprayed, fills the air all around you. It’s gorgeous. It is slightly sharp and boozy from the alcohol, but in a few seconds, it reveals its raw mineral side. The chords of stones, concrete, stardust, and pebbles are extremely evident. I seem to smell the stones kissed by the sun and wet by the water, a little brackish and a little salty. There is certainly something metallic, perhaps molecular or perhaps because of the presence of the peel of the unsweetened mandarin, with that characteristic smell that distinguishes it from other small citrus fruits. More than from the peel, the metallic smell is what the green leaves release when they are rubbed or broken. There is a small gap during the opening where a very familiar smell appears. Do you know that odour you smell in the air when you iron a woollen item and protect it with a damp cloth? That cloud of hot steam brings with it the smell of cooked wool. It’s so intimate and familiar. The next one that comes up is the saffron flower, very spicy and slightly leathery, but soft. it is a flowery saffron without those overly dark or medicinal notes that this beautiful and precious flower can sometimes have. There may be other spices in the mix since I feel the sweaty notes of cumin, never dirty or disgusting, rather something dusty and mineral very close to warm curry powder, the mild variety, the less spicy one. Maybe it’s just the result of the notes mixing. Another aroma that I can smell close to my skin is that of dried grass, of a bunch of wildflowers dried by the sun.

Slowly, the leathery notes emerge. It is not a bursting, raw, rough, smoked, or inked leather that smells of animals. Instead, here we are talking about suede, elegant, smooth, and sophisticated. At times I smell something greenish and dewy, which makes me think of violet leaves, represented here by its alpha-isomethyl ionone synthesis. There is a beautiful dynamic in this perfume, which alternates the airy, ozonic, and watery nuances of violet, with the floral and fruity ones, and then ends with something herbaceous, all supported by soft leather. The mineral essence prominent in the opening now takes the lead in the composition but never ventures into the aquatic territory.

Once past the opening and heart phases, the fragrance takes on bitter woody tones, as if there were a pinch of cleaned-up modern patchouli, not as dense as real patchouli. It is reminiscent of patchouli, but has spicy and earthy reflections, without overpowering the other accords which feel great as a background. And a pinch of ambroxan couldn’t be missing, with its salty and lasting touch.

Gold Oddity is a novelty among ZARA perfumes. It has never been launched in the past, and it also seems unique among the perfumes in circulation, closer to something niche, refined, particular and mixed interestingly. It’s a type of perfume I’ve never smelled. A leathery genre that remains airy without ever approaching the animal world, as happens in perfumes such as "Ombré Leather (2018) (Eau de Parfum) | Tom Ford", Memo series and so on. It is a very transparent leather scent. I rarely take out my leather perfumes on a summer day. However, I can’t wait to happily wear it on a summer evening. Ideal for spring, autumn and winter, safe for work, leisure and night out. The mineral, spicy, and leathery nuances project well and last for many hours, which is not bad for a ZARA fragrance. This fragrance will not appeal to everyone; it’s certainly not a scent you’ll smell on every other person.

I'm writing my thoughts based on a bottle I've owned since February 2024 (BC 33340).

-Elysium

You might wonder to what extent Azzaro Silver Black and Azzaro Onyx are a single perfume. Until the end of the research, the two fragrances do not seem similar at all. Also, on many sites, Silver Black and Onyx have notes that are completely distinct from each other, as if they were two separate perfumes. The truth is that Silver Black and Onyx are the same perfumes. Onyx is the name given only for the US market, while Silver Black is more commonly called for the world market. In the end, I opted to purchase the Silver Black, which I will describe here.

January is coming to an end, a foggy winter day, a bit of coolness in the air, but the clouds and fog hide the sun which appears pale, and I have decided that I have neglected this bottle for too long. Silver Black is a woody aromatic and musky fragrance, a spin-off of the original Azzaro Pour Homme with its iconic signature “fougère aromatic woody”, with which it shares some similarities, but not too many. This flanker is mainly aromatic and has a more minty opening, less dusty thanks to the greenish crisp lime and apple. But the first thing I immediately understand is a sort of soft mint accord mixed with a balm. It has a dry and aromatic aroma, which is very similar to that of whole lavender, of which both the flowers and the leaves have been used. The spiciness is fresh, balsamic, relaxing, and invigorating. In the background, I smell a light anise accord, which is not overpowering but lasts a lifetime. The bergamot, which is almost always present in all men’s colognes, is subdued, so tamed that I won’t classify the opening as citrusy, even if there is the bitter lime keeping it company.

The more Silver Black sits on the skin, the more intense its balsamic side becomes. While sweaty cumin is nothing more than a mouthful, the dominance of fresh, earthy spices like green cardamom, resinous juniper, and pungent coriander is plain in your face. Exactly in that order, as far as my nose can tell. There’s a sort of greenness to it and what I get is more refreshing and slightly woody than the original. Intriguing to know, on the skin I smell tons of cypress, while on the paper strip medicinal lavender predominates. I don’t know why, but sometimes I smell dried flowers.

Finally, the perfume reaches its last phase, which reveals the creamy notes of sandalwood, and the more herbaceous and earthy notes of patchouli and vetiver. But more dominant is the musky and slightly animalistic accord of the musk, very mossy and rarely soapy or too laundry. It is more similar to the green moss of the undergrowth, humid, mouldy, and earthy, with a little saltiness that reminds me of ambergris.

In conclusion, I find Silver Black to be a fresh, aromatic and balsamic fragrance, which has almost nothing in common with the original. When I wear it I don’t find a particular moment in its evolution that makes me think of Azzaro pour Homme. But this is an advantage for me, I don’t consider it a disappointment, it’s just my observation. Semi-versatile, I find it suitable for the colder months. Late autumn, winter and early spring are the best times to wear it, both day and evening. Both projection and longevity are moderate or just below average, certainly lower than those of the progenitor. It’s a type that many people might like, with a simple barber accent, perhaps closer to the atmosphere you get when walking into a herbalist’s shop, and suitable for a blind purchase if that’s your thing.

I’m basing my thoughts on a bottle I’ve owned since xxx (BC 0521390, PD 2015-05-18).

-Elysium

Azzaro pour Homme was one of my first perfumes as an adult man in the early 80s. When it came out in 1978, I was still too young to wear it, a teenager, but in the mid-80s, I met a university friend who wore it as a signature. I gradually fell in love with it and decided to buy and use it. In those days, a few sprays were enough for the perfume to anchor itself to the skin and clothes. It remained for days on scarves and coats. After this masterpiece, "Acteur (Eau de Toilette) | Azzaro" was launched, which I have always ignored for no particular reason, remaining faithful to the original until the release of the explosive and disruptive Chrome, a metallic ozonic capable of piercing your heart like a steel sword. I missed the releases of "Azzaro pour Homme Silver Black / Azzaro pour Homme Onyx (Eau de Toilette) | Azzaro", Elixir, and "Azzaro pour Homme Night Time | Azzaro", instead appreciating the light summer version of "Azzaro pour Homme L'Eau | Azzaro". In 2015, the thrill of "Azzaro pour Homme Intense | Azzaro" immediately captivated me with its boozy liqueur accord, the latest Azzaro perfume purchased in-store by Duglas, and then moved on to online purchases from Notino and similar web stores. And it is precisely on these sites that I found several of the flankers mentioned, including Elixir.

Azzaro Elixir is an oriental fragrance with a bold and long-lasting scent. It has that fougére step of the original plus an oriental red sweetness, that reddish mark. In the first moment, despite the abundant sweetness, the mintiness of the cardamom and the unmistakable sweaty spiciness of the cumin that distinguishes the original are at the forefront. The sour accords of citrus fruits are perceived, the big spoon lemon embracing the little spoon mandarin, however very tamed and immediately followed by a creamy and dry lavender, which reveals the aromatic fougère aspect; the delicacy of coumarins immediately stands out in the background. Elixir is sweeter and denser than the original but never too strident or cloying. It has that hot and sweet mystery. However, the presence of anise, a trademark of Pour Homme, is missing. It, therefore, results in a warmer and sweeter opening, less virile while remaining very masculine, a trait that distinguishes the original. On the strip of paper, the sweet and sour notes of the blackcurrant stand out together with those of the fruit, which I imagine being those of the pear. Unlike apple, I struggle to recognize pear note in fragrances.

The more the perfume evolves, settling on the skin, the more the sweetness becomes among drier, herbaceous, and woody accords. In this central phase, I recognize sweet floral aspects, candied roses, with significant spicy and aromatic splashes. Soapy and powdery aspects emerge mixed with the sweetness of tonka, and the presence of geranium is felt. In some ways, it reminds me of sweet and warm oriental perfumes like "IL (Eau de Toilette) | Lancetti" and "Hot Water (Eau de Toilette) | Davidoff". The intense red of the bottle unites them in character without being a copy of each other. That minty and balsamic undertone of cardamom remains very perceptibly. The similarity with the original becomes more assertive and more explicit as the perfume settles and grows.

The Elixir turns amber in the drydown, a tad waxy, with base notes that include coumarin, tonka, oakmoss, and all the other ingredients that make up the fougère accord. The vanilla shines; it is sublime, powdery, and spicy but never too gourmand or nauseating. Once again, there is that glistening and resinous touch of benzoin, well-dosed and never sticky or obnoxious. It takes on a dusty, waxy, semi-smoky edge in the last sillage, courtesy of a dusty, semi-leathery cistus.

Elixir is a versatile, fresh, spicy, and warm perfume, suitable for the cold season and all autumn and winter months. I wouldn’t wear it during the summer heat or whenever it’s sweltering, the fragrance tends to disturb me. Best in autumn to early spring. Regarding projection, Elixir is solid but not super loud or intrusive. You’ll know you’re wearing it. Maybe others will have to get a little closer to get it. It also has good longevity. I spent many hours with it, I would say, average. If you’re tempted to buy it blind, don’t assume it’s a variant of the original. Elixir is a perfume in itself, which here and there vaguely recalls Pour Homme, but overall, it has its character with its facets. Is it miserably underrated? Yes, it is, in my opinion.

I’m writing my impressions based on a bottle I’ve owned since August 2017.

-Elysium