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The most gourmand temptation since fragrances have existed
Before I start this review, I would like to state that my knowledge of the Indian dessert Kulfi is very limited. I never had the pleasure of testing the dessert, so I am not able to do so either
to determine the extent to which the heart note actually resembles the dessert Kulfi.
Anticipating this, I intend to divide my review into the following criteria and end with a small conclusion: Scent (top, heart and base notes), silage, projection, use, bottle, price, comparison
Scent:
Contrary to what one might think, Tom Ford's Noir Extreme is not the overly sweet gourmand you might think he is at first because of his pyramid of scents. Not that misunderstandings or misinterpretations arise here: Noir Extreme is still sweet, but at no time is it able to have an overwhelming effect - the classic problem of overspraying is completely ignored here.
On the contrary! The sweetness remains pleasantly classic in the background and blends harmoniously with the floral and citric components of the heart note, whereby - for my nose in particular - the rose must be emphasized here as being well noticeable.
But even the spice from the top note, which actually disappeared after a few minutes, seems to make it into the heart of the fragrance. But whether this is actually made from the contained, but volatile spices
such as saffron and nutmeg, or from the authoritative Kulfi note, is difficult to determine - but both seem possible.
And while the top note disappears after a few minutes, as already mentioned, the heart note with its mix of sweet, floral and spicy components adheres for approx. 1.5 - 2 hours before it is pleasantly rounded off into a gentle mixture of spicy sandalwood and soft vanilla - sweet indeed, but also very discreetly reserved and with 4 - 5 hours on my skin absolutely sufficient.
Sillage:
In short... the Sillage of Noir Extreme stands out! Not negatively, but also not at all positively to all those, who understand perfumes as aquatic, wooden or otherwise citric-fresh scents and avoid any sweet stuff - even if it's only for the nose.
The rest of the environment should rejoice in joyful anticipation of the familiar, but - thanks to the use of the Kulfi - nevertheless different composition. Noir Extreme is not a fragrance that can - appropriately applied - fill a room, but it seems to be always present, discreetly remaining in the background. Correctly used
there should probably not be anybody who is bothered by this smell.
Projection:
Apart from the top note, which disappears after only a few minutes, Noir Extreme projects its scent moderately.
However, this should not be misunderstood: Noir Extreme is by no means weak on the chest, but seems to follow the plan to lure other people to its place instead of letting them, like some other representatives, run into an olfactory wall at a distance of many meters.
Neither too weakly nor too strongly does Noir Extreme wander skilfully on discreetly meandering paths for most of its life.
Application:
At this point the spirits will probably part company. For my nose, Noir Extreme is a year-round fragrance, and its use should only be coupled with the appropriate number of sprays. As always: The warmer the less spraying, and who has no problem to attract attention simply ignores this advice. Also in the office this scent can be worn well because of its discreet sweetness and the beginning skin-near perception
Flacon:
The shape of the bottle is rather classically square. The corners are pleasantly rounded, the initials of Tom Ford are both discreetly represented on the dark sides and prominently on the lid, and the contents can be easily removed, especially when held against the light. Also the colour combination of his black/brown dark glass, as well as the golden writing and lid white is pleasing. In the same colour, the spray head is also kept inside, where it can perform its task as desired, but at no time can it reach the products from Dior or Chanel.
If there were any reason for complaint at all, it would probably be the lid itself.
To what extent the construction and design of a flacon should be included in the evaluation of a fragrance should be decided by each individual. Nevertheless, I can certainly understand that - especially in view of the price we are about to arrive at at any given moment - many people consider it to be of little value. The colour is harmonious and the grooved surface fits into the overall design concept of the actual glass flacon! Nevertheless, the lid looks quite "cheap" on the inside, especially because of its light weight and plastic surface.
Price:
How you want to look at the price depends very much on your own starting position: If you come from the corner of niche fragrances or private blends from Tom Ford, Noir Extreme is a quite acceptable price/performance ratio.
But if you look at the whole thing from the perspective of the ubiquitous designers, this fragrance is definitely at the top end of the price scale. The good durability and the quite unique or rarely or never to be found scent can justify the price, but this is not a cheap purchase at all!
Comparison:
As far as I know, Noir Extreme does not have a direct or close "clone", although I was never allowed to test the "Masculin 2 Gold Fever" by Bourjois which is mentioned here. It is definitely sweeter than the "Noir pour Femme" - from which it was visibly inspired, and not from the other "Noir's" from the men's fragrance line.
The mandarin of the top note cannot be compared at any point in time of duration with that of Chanel's "Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême" - rather it appears spicier than fresh.
And if you want to know how much the vanilla note of the base could disturb you, imagine a quality of Tom Ford's "Tobacco Vanilla" and a slightly subdued aura of Armani's "Code Absolu pour Homme".
Conclusion:
So for whom is Tom Ford Noir Extreme the right fragrance? Not at all for smart spenders, that much can be said. Although it's not a high-priced niche fragrance à la Parfums de Marly or Roja, it's also not a price category in which standard fragrances from Versace and Co. are to be found. In my eyes worth the price, but everyone has to decide this question for himself.
Even advocates of the aquatic, fresh or woody categories will not find what they are looking for in this fragrance. But whoever is not afraid of the price or otherwise can get a bargain and can win something from sweet-gourmand scents with unique or rare scents, will be happy with Noir Extreme!
Although not in price, Noir Extreme is a fragrance that, when used in a suitably adapted bottle, could easily enter the private blends sector without criticism or changes.
to determine the extent to which the heart note actually resembles the dessert Kulfi.
Anticipating this, I intend to divide my review into the following criteria and end with a small conclusion: Scent (top, heart and base notes), silage, projection, use, bottle, price, comparison
Scent:
Contrary to what one might think, Tom Ford's Noir Extreme is not the overly sweet gourmand you might think he is at first because of his pyramid of scents. Not that misunderstandings or misinterpretations arise here: Noir Extreme is still sweet, but at no time is it able to have an overwhelming effect - the classic problem of overspraying is completely ignored here.
On the contrary! The sweetness remains pleasantly classic in the background and blends harmoniously with the floral and citric components of the heart note, whereby - for my nose in particular - the rose must be emphasized here as being well noticeable.
But even the spice from the top note, which actually disappeared after a few minutes, seems to make it into the heart of the fragrance. But whether this is actually made from the contained, but volatile spices
such as saffron and nutmeg, or from the authoritative Kulfi note, is difficult to determine - but both seem possible.
And while the top note disappears after a few minutes, as already mentioned, the heart note with its mix of sweet, floral and spicy components adheres for approx. 1.5 - 2 hours before it is pleasantly rounded off into a gentle mixture of spicy sandalwood and soft vanilla - sweet indeed, but also very discreetly reserved and with 4 - 5 hours on my skin absolutely sufficient.
Sillage:
In short... the Sillage of Noir Extreme stands out! Not negatively, but also not at all positively to all those, who understand perfumes as aquatic, wooden or otherwise citric-fresh scents and avoid any sweet stuff - even if it's only for the nose.
The rest of the environment should rejoice in joyful anticipation of the familiar, but - thanks to the use of the Kulfi - nevertheless different composition. Noir Extreme is not a fragrance that can - appropriately applied - fill a room, but it seems to be always present, discreetly remaining in the background. Correctly used
there should probably not be anybody who is bothered by this smell.
Projection:
Apart from the top note, which disappears after only a few minutes, Noir Extreme projects its scent moderately.
However, this should not be misunderstood: Noir Extreme is by no means weak on the chest, but seems to follow the plan to lure other people to its place instead of letting them, like some other representatives, run into an olfactory wall at a distance of many meters.
Neither too weakly nor too strongly does Noir Extreme wander skilfully on discreetly meandering paths for most of its life.
Application:
At this point the spirits will probably part company. For my nose, Noir Extreme is a year-round fragrance, and its use should only be coupled with the appropriate number of sprays. As always: The warmer the less spraying, and who has no problem to attract attention simply ignores this advice. Also in the office this scent can be worn well because of its discreet sweetness and the beginning skin-near perception
Flacon:
The shape of the bottle is rather classically square. The corners are pleasantly rounded, the initials of Tom Ford are both discreetly represented on the dark sides and prominently on the lid, and the contents can be easily removed, especially when held against the light. Also the colour combination of his black/brown dark glass, as well as the golden writing and lid white is pleasing. In the same colour, the spray head is also kept inside, where it can perform its task as desired, but at no time can it reach the products from Dior or Chanel.
If there were any reason for complaint at all, it would probably be the lid itself.
To what extent the construction and design of a flacon should be included in the evaluation of a fragrance should be decided by each individual. Nevertheless, I can certainly understand that - especially in view of the price we are about to arrive at at any given moment - many people consider it to be of little value. The colour is harmonious and the grooved surface fits into the overall design concept of the actual glass flacon! Nevertheless, the lid looks quite "cheap" on the inside, especially because of its light weight and plastic surface.
Price:
How you want to look at the price depends very much on your own starting position: If you come from the corner of niche fragrances or private blends from Tom Ford, Noir Extreme is a quite acceptable price/performance ratio.
But if you look at the whole thing from the perspective of the ubiquitous designers, this fragrance is definitely at the top end of the price scale. The good durability and the quite unique or rarely or never to be found scent can justify the price, but this is not a cheap purchase at all!
Comparison:
As far as I know, Noir Extreme does not have a direct or close "clone", although I was never allowed to test the "Masculin 2 Gold Fever" by Bourjois which is mentioned here. It is definitely sweeter than the "Noir pour Femme" - from which it was visibly inspired, and not from the other "Noir's" from the men's fragrance line.
The mandarin of the top note cannot be compared at any point in time of duration with that of Chanel's "Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême" - rather it appears spicier than fresh.
And if you want to know how much the vanilla note of the base could disturb you, imagine a quality of Tom Ford's "Tobacco Vanilla" and a slightly subdued aura of Armani's "Code Absolu pour Homme".
Conclusion:
So for whom is Tom Ford Noir Extreme the right fragrance? Not at all for smart spenders, that much can be said. Although it's not a high-priced niche fragrance à la Parfums de Marly or Roja, it's also not a price category in which standard fragrances from Versace and Co. are to be found. In my eyes worth the price, but everyone has to decide this question for himself.
Even advocates of the aquatic, fresh or woody categories will not find what they are looking for in this fragrance. But whoever is not afraid of the price or otherwise can get a bargain and can win something from sweet-gourmand scents with unique or rare scents, will be happy with Noir Extreme!
Although not in price, Noir Extreme is a fragrance that, when used in a suitably adapted bottle, could easily enter the private blends sector without criticism or changes.
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Fragrant art for the narrow/fitting purse
Before I start with my review for "Moustache" by Rochas, it is important to clarify that I have no knowledge whatsoever of the fragrance "Le Vestiaire - Tuxedo" by Yves Saint Laurent - which is repeatedly used as a comparison in the few existing online reviews (allegedly approx. 80-90% similarity)!
So...this small detail out of the way, I have now fixed the following five criteria before my evaluation: Scent, silage, performance, bottle, application and price
Scent:
Opening with a good pinch of pink pepper, the fragrance does not convey the tangerine as prominently and sweetly as Chanel's "Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême", but I think I can at least imagine that it tames and tames the scent of pepper a little. Other scents, which also carry the pink pepper in the top note, seem much stronger to me. All in all, the top note lasts only a few minutes, but then merges relatively unnoticed into the heart note and should therefore not disturb anyone.
As I already wrote in my statement, the heart note - to my mind - is very similar to the heart note of Givenchy's "Gentlemen Only" from 2013, both of which are made mostly of cedar, but have completely different accompanying fabrics around them. While Givenchy's vetiver gives the fragrance a rather pungent wood note, the rose used in "Moustache" makes it rounder and softer. It's as if you were smelling the same piece of wood, but with "Moustache" you smell it from a greater distance, which makes the impression less oppressive but more coherent. The scent of cedar is still part of the base note for a while, but the heart note leaves the skin after about 1.5 - 2 hours.
Contrary to initial expectations, the sweetness of the fragrance is subtly restrained even in the base note with its patchouli and the vanilla-like scent of the benzoin it contains. Yes, "Moustache" certainly ends in several sweetish variants, but at no point does it seem overloaded with this sweetness, as the remaining cedar - even if only faintly perceptible - restrains it at all times. And in this way the scent remains without any further development before it finally leaves the skin after another 2-3 hours or so.
Sillage:
As far as the silage is concerned, the fragrance plays this strength out wonderfully, especially in the heart note and in the transition to the base. The pleasant woody note, combined with a slow onset of sweetness, ensures that one leaves a sufficient and perceptible, but never oppressive scent trail. Only the pepper in the top note might cause a short twitching of the nose for some, but for all the others it should be long gone because of its short presence. In the base note, and thus at the end of its life, "Moustache" becomes a very tight "skin-scent", so it is hardly noticeable except for the person wearing it and very close other people.
Performance:
On the subject of endurance, opinions seem to be very divided. While "Moustache" on my skin disappears after about 5 hours, it should still - at least according to the online reviews" - easily last 8 hours or longer with some other person. Not bad at all, in my opinion this would be the point where the greatest potential for improvement would be found, especially since this fragrance is an eau de parfum concentration.
Flacon:
Here, "Moustache" or Rochas plays along with the greats of the fragrance indestry without any problems or even outstrips them. The flacon looks valuable and stable, has a well-functioning spray head and a high-quality (at least in terms of weight) metal cap. Despite, or perhaps because of, the ribbed surface of the glass, the bottle (in all sizes) sits securely in the hand. The look (in my eyes nice to look at) is, however, as always a matter of taste, as a certain reminiscence of times gone by - the original "Moustache EDT" dates back to 1949 - cannot be denied
Possible applications:
Thanks to the rather moderate sweetness of this fragrance and the generally rather reserved projection (the topic "spraying over" is not considered here), "Moustache" can be used wonderfully in leisure time, as well as in the office or similar locations. It can also be used in different seasons (which I don't believe in anyway - you will never complain about a good scent because of the weather). If at all applies: the warmer, the less sprays should be used because of the sweetness.
There should also be no limit to the age of the person wearing the perfume (and yes, I think this categorization is nonsense, too). Only the younger candidates among us should be aware before a potential blind purchase that "Moustache" is none - I repeat: none! - Fragrance of the category "Bleu" à la "Sauvage", "Bleu de Chanel" or e.g. "Dylan Blue".
Price:
If there's one thing you can't blame "Moustache" for, it's probably its excellent pricing policy or the grandiose relationship between high-quality fragrance, bottle size and price.
Just like e.g. "Bentley for Men Intense" or "Encre Noire" you get a high quality fragrance with a more than great price tag, which makes you wonder how much extra charge the company name alone might cost some other brands.
Just for orientation: I was able to secure the 75 ml bottle at a price of just under 28 €.
Conclusion:
So who is "Moustache" the right scent for? In any case, you shouldn't expect a loud market crier who also casts a spell over the environment with his uniqueness. Even a fragrance that covers most of the
It is (probably) not to be found here. Moustache" is much more a discreet - in some moments very quiet - perfume, slightly reminiscent of old times, which compared to its Eau de Toilette from 1949 (or the new version "Moustache Original 1949" from 2018), however, has been extensively changed or adapted to today's noses in order not to appear old-fashioned.
So...this small detail out of the way, I have now fixed the following five criteria before my evaluation: Scent, silage, performance, bottle, application and price
Scent:
Opening with a good pinch of pink pepper, the fragrance does not convey the tangerine as prominently and sweetly as Chanel's "Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême", but I think I can at least imagine that it tames and tames the scent of pepper a little. Other scents, which also carry the pink pepper in the top note, seem much stronger to me. All in all, the top note lasts only a few minutes, but then merges relatively unnoticed into the heart note and should therefore not disturb anyone.
As I already wrote in my statement, the heart note - to my mind - is very similar to the heart note of Givenchy's "Gentlemen Only" from 2013, both of which are made mostly of cedar, but have completely different accompanying fabrics around them. While Givenchy's vetiver gives the fragrance a rather pungent wood note, the rose used in "Moustache" makes it rounder and softer. It's as if you were smelling the same piece of wood, but with "Moustache" you smell it from a greater distance, which makes the impression less oppressive but more coherent. The scent of cedar is still part of the base note for a while, but the heart note leaves the skin after about 1.5 - 2 hours.
Contrary to initial expectations, the sweetness of the fragrance is subtly restrained even in the base note with its patchouli and the vanilla-like scent of the benzoin it contains. Yes, "Moustache" certainly ends in several sweetish variants, but at no point does it seem overloaded with this sweetness, as the remaining cedar - even if only faintly perceptible - restrains it at all times. And in this way the scent remains without any further development before it finally leaves the skin after another 2-3 hours or so.
Sillage:
As far as the silage is concerned, the fragrance plays this strength out wonderfully, especially in the heart note and in the transition to the base. The pleasant woody note, combined with a slow onset of sweetness, ensures that one leaves a sufficient and perceptible, but never oppressive scent trail. Only the pepper in the top note might cause a short twitching of the nose for some, but for all the others it should be long gone because of its short presence. In the base note, and thus at the end of its life, "Moustache" becomes a very tight "skin-scent", so it is hardly noticeable except for the person wearing it and very close other people.
Performance:
On the subject of endurance, opinions seem to be very divided. While "Moustache" on my skin disappears after about 5 hours, it should still - at least according to the online reviews" - easily last 8 hours or longer with some other person. Not bad at all, in my opinion this would be the point where the greatest potential for improvement would be found, especially since this fragrance is an eau de parfum concentration.
Flacon:
Here, "Moustache" or Rochas plays along with the greats of the fragrance indestry without any problems or even outstrips them. The flacon looks valuable and stable, has a well-functioning spray head and a high-quality (at least in terms of weight) metal cap. Despite, or perhaps because of, the ribbed surface of the glass, the bottle (in all sizes) sits securely in the hand. The look (in my eyes nice to look at) is, however, as always a matter of taste, as a certain reminiscence of times gone by - the original "Moustache EDT" dates back to 1949 - cannot be denied
Possible applications:
Thanks to the rather moderate sweetness of this fragrance and the generally rather reserved projection (the topic "spraying over" is not considered here), "Moustache" can be used wonderfully in leisure time, as well as in the office or similar locations. It can also be used in different seasons (which I don't believe in anyway - you will never complain about a good scent because of the weather). If at all applies: the warmer, the less sprays should be used because of the sweetness.
There should also be no limit to the age of the person wearing the perfume (and yes, I think this categorization is nonsense, too). Only the younger candidates among us should be aware before a potential blind purchase that "Moustache" is none - I repeat: none! - Fragrance of the category "Bleu" à la "Sauvage", "Bleu de Chanel" or e.g. "Dylan Blue".
Price:
If there's one thing you can't blame "Moustache" for, it's probably its excellent pricing policy or the grandiose relationship between high-quality fragrance, bottle size and price.
Just like e.g. "Bentley for Men Intense" or "Encre Noire" you get a high quality fragrance with a more than great price tag, which makes you wonder how much extra charge the company name alone might cost some other brands.
Just for orientation: I was able to secure the 75 ml bottle at a price of just under 28 €.
Conclusion:
So who is "Moustache" the right scent for? In any case, you shouldn't expect a loud market crier who also casts a spell over the environment with his uniqueness. Even a fragrance that covers most of the
It is (probably) not to be found here. Moustache" is much more a discreet - in some moments very quiet - perfume, slightly reminiscent of old times, which compared to its Eau de Toilette from 1949 (or the new version "Moustache Original 1949" from 2018), however, has been extensively changed or adapted to today's noses in order not to appear old-fashioned.
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A sweet/creamy(!) joy(?)
So there he is! Flanker Numero 12 in the men's fragrance range (if you don't count the shave lotions, the limited editions and the multiple interpretations of the "Summer pour Homme" editions)! However, before I start with my evaluation and opinion on this fragrance, I think it is appropriate to mention that the following lines are written by someone who was an avowed fan of the original (and some of its successors) Armani Code - due to its reformulation and durability only "was" - and therefore
cannot and will not write about this fragrance in an unbiased way.
But where do I start? How to describe a fragrance that can both inspire and disappoint? Which with its appearance does not enrich a well-known perfume line uselessly, but at the same time hardly sets any new - or at least unexpected - accents ?
"Flacon":
So let's make it a little easier for us in advance and start with the description of the bottle! Tall (depending on the size ordered) and, thanks to its slender form, taking up little floor space in the middle of the collection, Giorgio Armani provides well-known pieces in new colour arrangements. Still inspired by the silhouette of a suit, a champagne-like colour was used for the actual glass body - some people might associate the colour with the term "cream colours".
The flacon lid, on the other hand, has the annoying property of "snapping in" only when it is aligned reasonably accurately. A little warning from our experience with the "Code Profumo", which has the same locking system: while the lid may initially hold firmly and securely, over time the locking system loses its grip and should no longer be lifted exclusively by the lid.
"Head note":
Even if I can confirm the fragrance ingredients tangerine and apple noted here, I would like to add that in my opinion they can hardly be distinguished from each other! The top note smells sweet and fresh in the first few minutes and is even able to keep the Tonka bean, which later becomes omnipresent, away for a short time. Smell like a basket full of sliced fruit: of course you can smell the fruity one, but at no time are you able to refer explicitly to a dominant variety - nothing stands out, but fits together in wonderful harmony.
"heart note":
The heart note could best be described as a soft opening of the base note without any of the actual main actors. In a pleasant transition, the fruity of the top note loses its fruity character and gives the tonka bean and nutmeg the space they need. For a period of one to one and a half hours, you are enveloped in a pleasant sweet (tonka bean) and slightly spicy (nutmeg) fragrance.
As far as the carrot seeds contained in it are concerned, I can only say that this scent - which is hard to imagine anyway - is by no means offensive or otherwise striking! Rather, I would argue that the carrot seeds together with the nutmeg do their part to regulate the actual sweetness of the tonka bean a little in the more set range.
"Base note":
This is where the actual Giorgio Armani DNA, consisting of tonka bean and vanilla (together with a light touch of leather) comes to light. At the latest now every fragrance lover who does not like sweet scents should get out of here! However, over many hours this range of notes is my
in humble opinion, the greatest strength of Code Absolu. The sweetness of the tonka bean, still a little dimmed, combined with the wonderfully creamy - and by no means candy-like, exaggerated - vanilla result in a pleasantly "warm" and appealing fragrance.
"Scenario/deployment":
Unlike some other reviewers, I am by no means of the opinion that Code Absolu (the same would apply to "Code Profumo") is a pure autumn and/or winter scent. Admittedly, it plays its strengths - especially because of its enormously long durability - of course, especially in these seasons, but can be worn in spring and summer (here, however, really mininmal use) under appropriate consideration (number of spray bursts applied).
The same also applies to the activities spread over the day: While it should be used sparingly at work (also because of consideration for the employees), it is allowed in the evening in the bar, club, disco, etc... be quiet a few more sprays.
"How to smell":
Admittedly, this section headline is of course a bit bold, but I would like to go back to the claim, which has just been made in online reviews, that this fragrance is more for the younger (U30) among us perfume-wearers. By no means and by no means, I would like to claim! The cross-references to the club scent in connection with keywords like "Versace Eros" or the "Stronger with You" series is misleading in my opinion, as the Armani Code series has always left a calmer, more sedate - and I would almost like to say "calmer", "more relaxed" - impression. It goes without saying that even after using Code Absolu, you will still smell of a wide variety of sweet scents, but at no time will you feel as if you are shouting out the scent.
Of course, Code Absolu is a suitable candidate for the so-called "overspray", but this should not really have any influence on a fragrance evaluation, as this can really happen with any fragrance of any scent. Too much of a good thing is just too much, even if you are familiar with sweet scents
this threshold should be exceeded more easily and quickly.
"Durability":
As some might have guessed, I am more than enthusiastic about the durability of the fragrance. Even though sweet scents usually "always" last longer than their aquatic and wooden counterparts, Armani Code Absolu definitely plays in the top league here.
This is one of the few fragrances that - at least in my case - can easily last for an eight-hour working day and beyond and are also easily recognizable at any time - mind you, with moderate use of one or two sprays!
"Addition":
I would like to mention that I can't and don't want to go d'accord with the often heard opinion that this fragrance is "obsolete" if one should already own the Profumo variant. Surely one is to be advised against the purchase, should one want to possess only a "sweetish" smell in his collection/rotation! But if you are
an enthusiastic follower of this fragrance, Profumo and Absolu are, in my opinion, sufficiently different to be able to wear both alternately, as the sweetness of the tonka bean, the omission of vanilla and the use of cardamom in particular make a significant difference.
cannot and will not write about this fragrance in an unbiased way.
But where do I start? How to describe a fragrance that can both inspire and disappoint? Which with its appearance does not enrich a well-known perfume line uselessly, but at the same time hardly sets any new - or at least unexpected - accents ?
"Flacon":
So let's make it a little easier for us in advance and start with the description of the bottle! Tall (depending on the size ordered) and, thanks to its slender form, taking up little floor space in the middle of the collection, Giorgio Armani provides well-known pieces in new colour arrangements. Still inspired by the silhouette of a suit, a champagne-like colour was used for the actual glass body - some people might associate the colour with the term "cream colours".
The flacon lid, on the other hand, has the annoying property of "snapping in" only when it is aligned reasonably accurately. A little warning from our experience with the "Code Profumo", which has the same locking system: while the lid may initially hold firmly and securely, over time the locking system loses its grip and should no longer be lifted exclusively by the lid.
"Head note":
Even if I can confirm the fragrance ingredients tangerine and apple noted here, I would like to add that in my opinion they can hardly be distinguished from each other! The top note smells sweet and fresh in the first few minutes and is even able to keep the Tonka bean, which later becomes omnipresent, away for a short time. Smell like a basket full of sliced fruit: of course you can smell the fruity one, but at no time are you able to refer explicitly to a dominant variety - nothing stands out, but fits together in wonderful harmony.
"heart note":
The heart note could best be described as a soft opening of the base note without any of the actual main actors. In a pleasant transition, the fruity of the top note loses its fruity character and gives the tonka bean and nutmeg the space they need. For a period of one to one and a half hours, you are enveloped in a pleasant sweet (tonka bean) and slightly spicy (nutmeg) fragrance.
As far as the carrot seeds contained in it are concerned, I can only say that this scent - which is hard to imagine anyway - is by no means offensive or otherwise striking! Rather, I would argue that the carrot seeds together with the nutmeg do their part to regulate the actual sweetness of the tonka bean a little in the more set range.
"Base note":
This is where the actual Giorgio Armani DNA, consisting of tonka bean and vanilla (together with a light touch of leather) comes to light. At the latest now every fragrance lover who does not like sweet scents should get out of here! However, over many hours this range of notes is my
in humble opinion, the greatest strength of Code Absolu. The sweetness of the tonka bean, still a little dimmed, combined with the wonderfully creamy - and by no means candy-like, exaggerated - vanilla result in a pleasantly "warm" and appealing fragrance.
"Scenario/deployment":
Unlike some other reviewers, I am by no means of the opinion that Code Absolu (the same would apply to "Code Profumo") is a pure autumn and/or winter scent. Admittedly, it plays its strengths - especially because of its enormously long durability - of course, especially in these seasons, but can be worn in spring and summer (here, however, really mininmal use) under appropriate consideration (number of spray bursts applied).
The same also applies to the activities spread over the day: While it should be used sparingly at work (also because of consideration for the employees), it is allowed in the evening in the bar, club, disco, etc... be quiet a few more sprays.
"How to smell":
Admittedly, this section headline is of course a bit bold, but I would like to go back to the claim, which has just been made in online reviews, that this fragrance is more for the younger (U30) among us perfume-wearers. By no means and by no means, I would like to claim! The cross-references to the club scent in connection with keywords like "Versace Eros" or the "Stronger with You" series is misleading in my opinion, as the Armani Code series has always left a calmer, more sedate - and I would almost like to say "calmer", "more relaxed" - impression. It goes without saying that even after using Code Absolu, you will still smell of a wide variety of sweet scents, but at no time will you feel as if you are shouting out the scent.
Of course, Code Absolu is a suitable candidate for the so-called "overspray", but this should not really have any influence on a fragrance evaluation, as this can really happen with any fragrance of any scent. Too much of a good thing is just too much, even if you are familiar with sweet scents
this threshold should be exceeded more easily and quickly.
"Durability":
As some might have guessed, I am more than enthusiastic about the durability of the fragrance. Even though sweet scents usually "always" last longer than their aquatic and wooden counterparts, Armani Code Absolu definitely plays in the top league here.
This is one of the few fragrances that - at least in my case - can easily last for an eight-hour working day and beyond and are also easily recognizable at any time - mind you, with moderate use of one or two sprays!
"Addition":
I would like to mention that I can't and don't want to go d'accord with the often heard opinion that this fragrance is "obsolete" if one should already own the Profumo variant. Surely one is to be advised against the purchase, should one want to possess only a "sweetish" smell in his collection/rotation! But if you are
an enthusiastic follower of this fragrance, Profumo and Absolu are, in my opinion, sufficiently different to be able to wear both alternately, as the sweetness of the tonka bean, the omission of vanilla and the use of cardamom in particular make a significant difference.
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Thanks to the top note...
So there it is! Jean-Claude Ellena's masterpiece! In other words, it's been a long time, one might say, and above all, it should not surprise anyone - who is a bit preoccupied with Mr. Ellena's life - that a fragrance like Terre d'Hermès was born in 2006. He had previously made a name for himself with men's fragrances such as "L'Eau du Navigateur (1982)", "Déclaration (1998)" and "Rocabar (1998)" - all fragrances that can be described as "spicy-woody" and are soaked with ingredients such as vetiver, cedar, cypress, benzoin and oakmoss.
So that a fragrance like Terre d'Hermès had to rise from the shadow of the master sooner or later was merely a question of time - not of "if"!
But I digress...
For although there are well over a hundred comments and just as many over 1,000 evaluations, I too would like to give vent to my scented heart, but in doing so I will refrain as far as possible from the vile stringing together of well-trodden paths such as: 1st fragrance, 2nd sillage, 3rd duration, 4th cost, 5th, 6th - others have and will formulate this better than yours truly. Instead, I would like to approach some keywords and try to justify them according to my taste, which in my humble estimation are used far too inflationary in the description of this fragrance, be it in tests, online reviews, YouTube comments or even in topic-related forums like this one.
Catchwords and keywords that would be: "rotting", "old men's fragrance", "Iso E Super", "bottle", "silage and top note"
* rotting**br />
Anyone who has ever read or seen tests on Terre d'Hermès will inevitably have heard (or seen eyes when reading) the words "rotting orange" or simply "red". Since the way we perceive scents for ourselves fortunately varies greatly, it cannot be completely ruled out that some people may find the ascending orange note actually rotten - as I said: "some people". To the rest I say, "This is bullshit"! Imagine a ripe, almost overripe fruit, whose skin is opened more or less gently and whose juice, which has been bound up to now, is sprayed over the surface of the fruit. This still slightly sweet, yet already slightly tickling in the nose, almost minimally pungent fragrance is what you have to face in the top note!
So that a fragrance like Terre d'Hermès had to rise from the shadow of the master sooner or later was merely a question of time - not of "if"!
But I digress...
For although there are well over a hundred comments and just as many over 1,000 evaluations, I too would like to give vent to my scented heart, but in doing so I will refrain as far as possible from the vile stringing together of well-trodden paths such as: 1st fragrance, 2nd sillage, 3rd duration, 4th cost, 5th, 6th - others have and will formulate this better than yours truly. Instead, I would like to approach some keywords and try to justify them according to my taste, which in my humble estimation are used far too inflationary in the description of this fragrance, be it in tests, online reviews, YouTube comments or even in topic-related forums like this one.
Catchwords and keywords that would be: "rotting", "old men's fragrance", "Iso E Super", "bottle", "silage and top note"
* rotting**br />
Anyone who has ever read or seen tests on Terre d'Hermès will inevitably have heard (or seen eyes when reading) the words "rotting orange" or simply "red". Since the way we perceive scents for ourselves fortunately varies greatly, it cannot be completely ruled out that some people may find the ascending orange note actually rotten - as I said: "some people". To the rest I say, "This is bullshit"! Imagine a ripe, almost overripe fruit, whose skin is opened more or less gently and whose juice, which has been bound up to now, is sprayed over the surface of the fruit. This still slightly sweet, yet already slightly tickling in the nose, almost minimally pungent fragrance is what you have to face in the top note!
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When a fragrance of time gives emotions...
...then it must be one with whom one connects something in one way or another, preferably of course something positive through and through. But perhaps just a feeling, a memory, a weak shadow on the structure of one's own thoughts - far away in the background and beyond the tangible, but always close enough at the right time to point the finger at it to be able to name it. In this or a similar way I would describe Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver (EDP), someone would ask me to equate this fragrance with a feeling.
"Clean, somehow clean and clean."
Probably these would be the words of a tester who would have been offered a scent like Vetiver by Guerlain (but also from 1959 and thus exactly 50 years older than the scent described here) for comparison before or perhaps at the same time. Unlike most (mostly or mainly) vetiver-based fragrances, the perfumer Harry Frémont has used grapefruit and iris to create the famous trick of removing the "hardness", the "scratchiness" or, as many would say, the "mouffliness" from the sweet grass that originated in Asia
Not that a classic like Guerlain's can be described as "musty", but in a time of synthetic and sweet scents, it is often precisely this characteristic that brands the scents as "old-school" or - and this is the real outrage - "old-man's scent" with too much vetiver. Harry Frémont, on the other hand, manages to bind the - yes, probably the tester is not wrong at all - cleanest variant of vetiver in this fragrance.
Seemingly teasing, the early morning walk through a path covered in fog away from the asphalted roads seems to be a teasing experience. The air seems to stand still and yet to have preserved the fine smell of the surrounding meadows and grasses in the tiny water droplets of the fog.
"Well, I can imagine him for the job! But otherwise...well..."
In fact and not without reason Grey Vetiver is advertised in the forums as well as in the corresponding videos on YouTube as a "clean man" and as an "office" scent and thus indirectly tries to bring to the man.
Just because all (or at least almost all) protruding splinters and edges have been taken from the leading vetiver, it doesn't seem to get to anyone. Nothing gets caught, nowhere seems a nose to be turned up or even a disparaging comment to be made. Vetiver scents on your own skin seem to be either loved or hated - in the air or on others, on the other hand, everyone seems to be able to at least come to terms with them.
But what about the orange blossom and the grapefruit? Nothing!, here should be the honest answer.
Although they are immediately and wonderfully harmoniously embedded in the fragrance every time they are sprayed again, their actual presence is only of very short duration. Already after a few minutes up to a quarter of an hour they clear the way for the herbs, the woods and the clarifying iris in combination with the nutmeg, which in turn seem to be only the trailblazers for the grass giving the name. Few commutes to and from work should be short enough (no post-spraying during the working day taken into account) to reduce the
To present the so wonderfully introductory fragrances to colleagues. Nevertheless, they should not be missing in any case, let alone ignored in the description of the fragrance. Only in common harmony with the vetiver do they leave this fragrance a story, a start and an end - no disdainful being. Those who experience the heart and top notes enjoy them, whereas the base notes at least give a hint of the past.
"Pretty unemotional and cool."
True. Grey Vetiver is definitely not a fragrance for the club, disco or similar venues! Not because he seems to lack the necessary strength and endurance for such races, no, but because he doesn't want to shine with his presence in such places anyway or show any other presence. Straight-lined and quite a bit undercooled, it does not seem to originate from this time on many days. A naive observer would probably not guess the right year - oh iwo, probably not even the right decade - if he had to fix this scent on a timeline without any other indication.
A fragrance that seems to originate from an era in which the suit, the Oxfords, Budapest and tie in the
most professions were not only good tone, but fixed guidelines, yes, clear instructions. A time in which an opinion was not immediately commented, tweeted or hashed - and not only because the
were not yet available according to technical possibilities. Grey Vetiver seems to come almost entirely from a quieter time, in which restraint, reserve and thoughtfulness were preferred to indignation, outcry and branding. An epoch with as many - albeit sometimes completely different - injustices and mistakes as today, but also with as many qualities that seem to fall victim to the ravages of time unnecessarily.
"Somehow I only smell it so briefly."
Either way, a tester could describe the fragrance because of its shelf life. And in no way would the tester be wrong. Grey Vetiver is one of those fragrances that doesn't seem to care much about impressing a large environment with its Sillage. Relatively quickly at arm's length, the fragrance nevertheless knows how to hold its own and can rightly continue to bear the name "Eau de Parfum". Even if your own nose doesn't seem to perceive him anymore because of the environment or oversaturation, he still sticks, knows how to please and gets a rare compliment even when you think you've already flown away the scent.
"But I think the bottle's pretty!"
Of course. The art deco style reduced to the absolute minimum, the milky glass with its grooved surface, the cool metal plate on the front and the almost lonely silver ring on the neck of the bottle - they all radiate with bravura what Grey Vetiver tries to be: an unagitated, reserved but by no means reserved scent that seems to have almost fallen out of time
In a time in which the loud, the colourful, the excited and polarising seems to set the direction and we will miss some - only almost - past virtues, it should be completely lost to us.
"Clean, somehow clean and clean."
Probably these would be the words of a tester who would have been offered a scent like Vetiver by Guerlain (but also from 1959 and thus exactly 50 years older than the scent described here) for comparison before or perhaps at the same time. Unlike most (mostly or mainly) vetiver-based fragrances, the perfumer Harry Frémont has used grapefruit and iris to create the famous trick of removing the "hardness", the "scratchiness" or, as many would say, the "mouffliness" from the sweet grass that originated in Asia
Not that a classic like Guerlain's can be described as "musty", but in a time of synthetic and sweet scents, it is often precisely this characteristic that brands the scents as "old-school" or - and this is the real outrage - "old-man's scent" with too much vetiver. Harry Frémont, on the other hand, manages to bind the - yes, probably the tester is not wrong at all - cleanest variant of vetiver in this fragrance.
Seemingly teasing, the early morning walk through a path covered in fog away from the asphalted roads seems to be a teasing experience. The air seems to stand still and yet to have preserved the fine smell of the surrounding meadows and grasses in the tiny water droplets of the fog.
"Well, I can imagine him for the job! But otherwise...well..."
In fact and not without reason Grey Vetiver is advertised in the forums as well as in the corresponding videos on YouTube as a "clean man" and as an "office" scent and thus indirectly tries to bring to the man.
Just because all (or at least almost all) protruding splinters and edges have been taken from the leading vetiver, it doesn't seem to get to anyone. Nothing gets caught, nowhere seems a nose to be turned up or even a disparaging comment to be made. Vetiver scents on your own skin seem to be either loved or hated - in the air or on others, on the other hand, everyone seems to be able to at least come to terms with them.
But what about the orange blossom and the grapefruit? Nothing!, here should be the honest answer.
Although they are immediately and wonderfully harmoniously embedded in the fragrance every time they are sprayed again, their actual presence is only of very short duration. Already after a few minutes up to a quarter of an hour they clear the way for the herbs, the woods and the clarifying iris in combination with the nutmeg, which in turn seem to be only the trailblazers for the grass giving the name. Few commutes to and from work should be short enough (no post-spraying during the working day taken into account) to reduce the
To present the so wonderfully introductory fragrances to colleagues. Nevertheless, they should not be missing in any case, let alone ignored in the description of the fragrance. Only in common harmony with the vetiver do they leave this fragrance a story, a start and an end - no disdainful being. Those who experience the heart and top notes enjoy them, whereas the base notes at least give a hint of the past.
"Pretty unemotional and cool."
True. Grey Vetiver is definitely not a fragrance for the club, disco or similar venues! Not because he seems to lack the necessary strength and endurance for such races, no, but because he doesn't want to shine with his presence in such places anyway or show any other presence. Straight-lined and quite a bit undercooled, it does not seem to originate from this time on many days. A naive observer would probably not guess the right year - oh iwo, probably not even the right decade - if he had to fix this scent on a timeline without any other indication.
A fragrance that seems to originate from an era in which the suit, the Oxfords, Budapest and tie in the
most professions were not only good tone, but fixed guidelines, yes, clear instructions. A time in which an opinion was not immediately commented, tweeted or hashed - and not only because the
were not yet available according to technical possibilities. Grey Vetiver seems to come almost entirely from a quieter time, in which restraint, reserve and thoughtfulness were preferred to indignation, outcry and branding. An epoch with as many - albeit sometimes completely different - injustices and mistakes as today, but also with as many qualities that seem to fall victim to the ravages of time unnecessarily.
"Somehow I only smell it so briefly."
Either way, a tester could describe the fragrance because of its shelf life. And in no way would the tester be wrong. Grey Vetiver is one of those fragrances that doesn't seem to care much about impressing a large environment with its Sillage. Relatively quickly at arm's length, the fragrance nevertheless knows how to hold its own and can rightly continue to bear the name "Eau de Parfum". Even if your own nose doesn't seem to perceive him anymore because of the environment or oversaturation, he still sticks, knows how to please and gets a rare compliment even when you think you've already flown away the scent.
"But I think the bottle's pretty!"
Of course. The art deco style reduced to the absolute minimum, the milky glass with its grooved surface, the cool metal plate on the front and the almost lonely silver ring on the neck of the bottle - they all radiate with bravura what Grey Vetiver tries to be: an unagitated, reserved but by no means reserved scent that seems to have almost fallen out of time
In a time in which the loud, the colourful, the excited and polarising seems to set the direction and we will miss some - only almost - past virtues, it should be completely lost to us.
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