A Time for Sharp Objects

(photo via swordscollection.blogspot.com)

For those that don't know, Yatagan is a type of Turkish sword as well as an excellent perfume. I would call it a unisex scent though it is obviously, and for good reason, targeted towards men. In the world of boring perfume releases, celebrity scents and vintage disappointments, there is nothing better than finding a "difficult" perfume in a sea of blandness.

Now, needless to say, I would rather write about Yatagan on a cool Fall day while wrapped in a cozy blanket, but sometimes, the time comes to poke our perfume rules with a sharp object such as Yatagan.

(photo via parfumuschicago)

Yatagan by Caron is a classic perfume from the 70s. Extreme wood notes mix with subtle undertones of herbs such as galbanum, patchouli, incense, Artemisia and mint. I definitely notice a strong pine/fir note, which I love, as well as dry oak. Castoreum gives this a strong and pungent character.

One reviewer on Fragrantica described this as the aroma of a bunch of wet leaves and pine needles left in a black plastic bag for a few weeks. For someone else, this might not be an enticing description, but for me, these are the types of images that draw me to a fragrance. There is nothing worse than a boring perfume, and thankfully, Yatagan will never be boring.

(photo: raritancancalphotos)

Having $30 to spend, I decided to buy Yatagan for my husband. Sharing scents is the best of both worlds: you get someone a nice gift and get to use it too! I warned him beforehand that this is a difficult but classic perfume, thinking he would not be familiar with it. As soon as he unwrapped it, his exclamation was "You got Yatagan!"

It turned out to be a scent from his youth, one that he had not had for many decades and happened to love. The dry woods and pine sap enveloped us both. There is no sweetness here, just smoke and forest. Just bitterness and strength.

Another Fragrantican described Yatagan perfectly: it is "a forest in the night and wet, wet mud, with an intense fog." Now that's a perfume worth owning.