Deauville pour Homme (1999)
by Michel Germain

First there’s a soon-to-become-powdery lavender opening that I find enticing even though I usually don’t care for either lavender or powder. The opening holds for a good long time before it moves into a soft spicy / herbal center level that is more texturally spicy than individually-identifiably spicy. The heart level is enjoyable and comfortable if not dramatic, and it doesn’t last very long. It soon moves into a soft tobacco and amber drydown – well done and elegant. I suppose the orris and oakmoss were the chief contributors to the slight powdery condition of the opening. All the accords of Deauville are beautifully full and proportioned even though they are soft and discreet.

Excellent scent… Scents perform so differently for different people: I am unsure about the Arpege Pour Homme or Bulgari Man comparisons because I dislike both of those, but I totally enjoy Deauville Pour Homme.

4th March, 2011.

All the reviews so far are very on-point is describing this scent. I say Swanky's review is 110%. I got the Arpege link as well. I wasn't going to review this but I just tried the new Bulgari Man and it is a rip off of this, though the Bulgari is A LOT smoother. The Bulgari got a neutral rating, so does this. The combo might work well in cool to cold weather maybe, but in hot weather it was simply too much. It also is not lovable for me, just 'OK'.

21st October, 2010.

This one is a great value. I, too, found a large bottle at T.J. Maxx for $9.99, after smelling in Bloomingdale's in San Francisco a few years back. It smells good immediately, powdery at first but slowly morphing into a clean lavender/spice scent. For those who myopically can't handle any scent dating from before their year of birth, this is a fine choice from the new school. Very similar to Lanvin's Arpege Pour Homme in my book, so one wouldn't need both. The longevity is fine as well, although it does wear fairly close to the skin. I also like the name: it reminds me of Jean-Pierre Melville's great film "Bob le flambeur."

8th May, 2010. (Last Edited: 23rd September, 2011.)

Whoa, what a sleeper this one is! This was sold at Bloomingdale's for awhile beginning in 1999. Every time I passed their fragrance counter, I never once sampled this hidden beauty. Then, this past Christmas of 2009, I saw bottles and bottles of it for sale at Marshall's -- for just $9.99 a bottle!! Shocked by the price and knowing that I had never sampled it and knowing nothing of what it smelled like, I bought it blind on the spot (I hate doing this). I also was wondering if the reason for my seeing this juice at Marshall's was a result of Bloomies moving it out to make room for something else (I later went by Bloomies and yes, indeed, it had been removed from their cases). In any case, I took it home and opened her up. I was taken aback by its subtlety and smoothness. It oozed class! Its initial understatedness had me at first a bit concerned about whether this baby would go for a long ride or not, but she did not disappoint at all. I was so impressed by the play and wonder of this once overlooked gem that I went back to the same Marshall's and bought FOUR more bottles of this stuff. I kid you not! I parted with one bottle to give to a friend -- he loves it -- and I have the others. I've had nothing but COMPLIMENTS on this wonderful fragrance by others. Makes for a great casual/daytime/office-wear fragrance. I love the art deco-styled bottle, too.

14th February, 2010.

Opens very generic fresh and sweet. Leaves you with a taste of peppery lavender and a slight clean bit of a smooth oakmoss. Mild tobacco and amber dry down. Overall: ok sillage, ok longevity, two factors than make for a ho-hum fragrance but good for the workplace in situations where your fragrance is tertiary.

18th November, 2009.

This is a nice fragrance, and I am surprised that there are not more positive reviews. The topnotes are very flavorful, almost gourmand, before everything shifts to a spicy tobacco, lavender, and herbal accord.

Overall, the fragrance is interesting, complex, and similar to a few other old favorites. I'd guess that those who enjoy Arpege pour Homme will also like Deauville and give it a thumbs up, too!

28th February, 2009.