Aramis (1965)
by Aramis

June, 2009

Because it’s cheap, plentiful, and been around forever, a scent like Aramis is easy to take for granted. I hadn’t given it a serious wearing for decades before writing this review, and I’d entirely forgotten just how good it is. My mistake.

Aramis has a distinctive set of tart citrus and herbaceous top notes. They will be a bit sour for some tastes, but they do a fine job of snapping the nose to attention before they meld into an earthy leather, moss, and patchouli accord that serves as Aramis’s foundation. The structure would seem utterly conventional in the “men’s club” leather chypre mode were it not for a conspicuous and beautiful sweet jasmine note that’s as startlingly incongruous in this context as a potted orchid in the Dallas Cowboys locker room. In a word: brilliant!

The juxtaposition of the delicate white flower and the castoreum-seasoned leather generates sparks that propel Aramis through a long developmental trajectory, during which the leather becomes progressively more animalic, the patchouli “dirtier,” and the moss more prominent. When, after a few hours’ wear, the jasmine finally retires, what remains through the drydown is mostly moss, patchouli, and a labdanum-heavy off-dry amber. Aramis projects well off of the skin and provides plenty of sillage, so that it can be detected a few feet away and remains hanging in the air for some time after the wearer leaves the room. While both traits are desirable in the abstract, they can be problematic in situations (the office, business meetings,) where understatement and discretion are in order. My advice is to apply sparingly and enjoy an enduring classic of masculine perfumery. Any ladies out there who enjoy Bandit or Tabac Blond would do well to give Aramis a shot too!

October, 2009

Since "rediscovering" Aramis last year, I've only grown more and more impressed with its beauty and quality. Upgraded to five-star status in my wardrobe.

I like it a lot. On me, it smells like a lighter, friskier, and all-around more enjoyable version of Hermes Bel Ami. They share startling citrus topnotes, a barely noticeable floral background, and a deep leathery base. However, where Bel Ami gets nauseatingly heavy with a fog of vanilla and oppressive leathery chemicals, Aramis keeps its humor as it dries into a nice light patchouli/sandalwood accord that compliments and freshens the leather notes. Very nice and very wearable. Big thumbs up; I'll be getting a bottle soon.

I find this leather chypre to be extremely sour and unpleasant smelling. Probably the least likable chypre I have tried to date.

Sex in a bottle that takes a little getting used to. Raw, animalic and even a touch fecal at first spritz, I'm not sure I'm too comfortable wearing Aramis out of the house before the drydown starts. But what a powerful aphrodisiac in bed! Spray this stuff whatever direction you want your woman's nose to travel. Catch my drift? No question about the masculinity of this fragrance, with good longevity.

What can I say?
IMHO, this has the finest example of a masculine bergamot opening - quite strong, but perfectly pitched and clear as a bell. Lucky for us, the bergamot sticks around for a good few hours and pierces through the cloves making sure nothing gets too heavy or peppery. The leather begins to emerge faily quickly in this resulting in a wonderful perfumed sweetness floating above a beautiful, moist moss which just goes on and on. The sandalwood lends everything a smooth, warm and civilised air and blends with the moss beautifully. Sweet frag, but completely inedible and utterly masculine.
There is nothing out of place in this frag - it's all there and in just the right amount. It typifies exactly what I think a good masculine scent should be. It's never cloying or loud, but it's always there. The projection is immense as is the longevity. Were I not such a clean boy, i'm sure it could last well over 24 hours, but i've never found out for sure. On cloth it can last days, but I prefer to spray it on skin to mute it's strength a little.

Overlooked it may be, but I don't mind as that leaves more for me. A masterpiece of perfumery and a damn near faultless autumn/winter cologne.

I wore this one in senior year of high school, later in college, after that, I picked up a bottle in Toronto in 1990 in the middle of one of their worst heat waves and now as I turn a very sexy 50 (trophy husband for my 40 year old wife?) I just picked up another bottle. Not trying to smell "young" these days... simply great.

Why talk so causally about this scent more commonly referrred to as "formal scent?" With light application, this is one of the most natural scents ever created IMO, a peppery leather brightened by a citusy/faint floral fine soap. And patchouli the way it should be. My signature workhorse.