Epimedes

From the opening of Ormonde Man I get a jolt of a very realistic coriander, followed after a minute or two by pepper that becomes dominant in the spicy mix. Luckily, the fragrance never smells like an Indian food store, as these notes dissipate quickly and don't contribute much in the later development. Within five-ten minutes, Iso E Super firmly takes over, with some green and coniferous notes blended in (I guess that would be the 'black hemlock' and 'fir'). There is slight sweetness throughout, and I think I can smell some relatively shy musk underneath, but don't get even a semblance of 'oud' here. The scent produces an aura of abstract transluscent greenery for many hours, owing to its high-quality synthetic base. Use with caution if you think you might be sensitive to the synthetics used in the formula, as subtle they are not; they are also pretty resistant to washing off. Overall, Ormonde Man is a confident and polished performer that lacks any weird, out of character elements. Nothing dated here, just a well executed example of a clean and coherent modern design. Not surprisingly, Ormonde Man wins many positive reviews and I agree it can be quite a versatile wear.

Do you know how a new TV show starts with an exciting pilot episode and then runs out of ideas in one season? That's pretty much how I feel here. Memoir Man opens up as a radiant green scent, moving from a sharp, freshly cut grass introduction to a darker cold green absinthe, and finally to an aromatic herbal blend. It is all very dynamic, with an impressive complexity from the incense and woods peeking through. Then, the scent transforms into a slightly bitter, incense-amber-herbs combination which I simply don't find very interesting. In the end, it's mainly incense, vanilla, sandalwood left. I get bored by the drydown, which I find unoriginal despite being high quality; besides, it lasts forever and becomes somewhat bothersome. Another problem: the green palette so vibrant and fresh on a blotter becomes muted and dull when I am wearing Memoir Man. Maybe it's the olfactory fatigue, but even with a light application on my skin, the scent looses a lot of its lustre. What a pity. Memoir Man is not bad, especially if the drydown is to your liking. Unfortunately, this offering from Amouage appears to me more like a project where the bland ending is no match for a brilliant start.

I couldn't decide what the opening of Tam Dao reminded me of until I found a review that gave me the answer: crushed dill! An odd note for sure, but very short-lived. For the most part, Tam Dao rides on the carrier wave of a white-musk molecule that my nose also detects in L'Artisan's Passage d'Enfer, among others. Cedar is definitely present, and sandalwood as well. Both are mellowed down by the white musk base that creates a waxy-smooth effect and binds the whole composition together. Progression is minimal over time, but the scent lasts on my skin for many hours. Despite the linearity, I find Tam Dao well-balanced, inoffensive and rather calming.

I have only a tiny sample of this gem … and no idea how to procure more. Since releasing O Alquimista a few years ago, its creator Konstantin Mihov has seemingly moved away from perfumery; his website is all about photography these days. Maybe this talented man will come back to mixing perfume one day, who knows? I certainly hope so.

O Alquimista is a fragrance built around tobacco absolute which has been captured, tamed and groomed to an absolute perfection (pun intended). The tobacco leaves here are mellow and thanks to the ingenious blending have a delicious, honeyed quality. What I also immediately notice is an unusual resinous quality in the scent. It may appear like we are moving in the amber direction, but the amber never reaches a dominating position.

Interestingly, Konstantin mentions in an interview on Perfume Shrine that he used propolis in this composition. Propolis is a natural product that I am familiar with; essentially, it is a mix of tree resins that are harvested by honey bees. The scent of propolis captures the resinous quality of its plant source and has a distinctive waxy aspect with perhaps a hint of honey. (Or it could be the other way around: honey, while still in the hive, absorbs scents imparted by the beeswax and propolis; this ephemeral aroma unfortunately is lost when honey is processed or stored for more than a few days). I know that some people don't like the smell of pure propolis, but that in itself is a quality shared by many perfume ingredients anyway. Well, an inclusion of propolis in this composition was a masterstroke, in my opinion. I believe it is this unusual component that explains the smooth and waxy undertone that I find so attractive in O Alquimista.

All in all, this fragrance is not terribly complicated, but that does not diminish its quality; every piece here falls into the right place. O Alquimista is one of those well-crafted compositions in which you don't want to zoom in on every minute detail. My curiosity, of course, made me check what information the Internet had to offer about the note breakdown. After reading the list, I started to notice rose absolute and plum, which coexist with tobacco and resins in one happy union. Atlas cedarwood is also listed, but is pretty invisible to me.

O Alquimista is a contemplative, introspective scent, devoid of pointless flowery frills or aggravating animalic elements. I find it close in tonality to Vera Profumo's Onda with its restrained, almost ascetic kind of elegance. The perfume is named after a novel by Paulo Coelho and follows in the book's path of insight and simplicity.

In a nutshell: this is an outstanding fragrance. To me, a sign of real class in perfumery is when individual notes are difficult to pick apart. Here, the list is impressive, but nothing in the composition seems out of place, all ingredients come together as a beautiful organic whole. In this sense, it is truly “retro”, or if you wish, a true classic style. Think about a classical old music recording, masterfully restored to its past glory...

I would classify this perfume as a highly evolved leather fougère, although it really straddles genres. The leather here is soft and enveloping and has delightful soapy overtones. The base (as listed) is decisively in the men's domain: pine, moss, musk, sandalwood, patchouli and rosewood oil. But fear not – you are not going to meet an old brute walking out of a barbershop. This fellow is intelligent, sharp-looking, and a gentleman by its manners.

Grand Cuir starts out with a brief, bustling introduction in which citrus, birch tar and the flowers that provide that soapy feeling all announce their presence in a quick progression. Then it settles to a subdued scent that wears light and elegant and never attempts to overpower you. Two or three sprays under my shirt easily carry me through the day. What's more, I am fully aware of this beauty the entire time; the scent somehow manages to avoid the olfactory fatigue despite the multitude of ingredients.

I think I will stop here; there are excellent reviews out there which I cannot hope to match. All I can say is that I haven't smelled another new masculine leather that satisfying and compelling in many years.