Eau du Fier (2000)
by Annick Goutal

Eau du Fier is an uncompromising scent for those who love smoky birch tar in a dry, non-animalic setting.

I have been thinking about why I love this scent, in the context of Off Scenter's review below. What is remarkable to me is the top and mid-note lineup of this fragrance: bitter orange, mint, osmanthus, clove, tea. All of these are easily discernable in the development of the scent.

What Eau du Fier is not: sweet (vanilla, tonka, amber) and animalic. The result is often perceived as synthetic (rubbery, etc) by those who do not love the coolness of the blend. But for those who are looking for birch tar in an absolutely unique context, this scent satisfies.

In many ways, this can be seen as the bass version of something like Lutens Daim Blond, which also combines apricot (osmanthus) and suede leather (in fact, I have tried layering the two, which extends each scent by an octave in each direction).

Along with Sables, one of the best Goutal fragrances.

7th July, 2011. (Last Edited: 8th August, 2011.)

This is a transcendental scent.

13rd February, 2011.

I waited a long time to get my hands on a sample of Eau du Fier, and I put it on with much anticipation. The scent opens with an intense burst of orange juice, (like concentrate from a can,) joined quickly by a very literal smoke note. And that's about it.

These two notes are so isolated that I hesitate to call them an accord. Instead, they play like two completely independent tunes, juxtaposed in the manner of Charles Ives. The gesture is bold, but I don't think it's altogether convincing, especially since it churns over a very thin foundation. In fact, the whole scent feels to me like an olfactory stunt - at least until the orange note fades out. After that I'm left with a very smoky leather drydown with a major barbecue vibe.

Novel and arresting? Absolutely. A satisfying fragrance? About that I'm not so sure.

12nd December, 2009.

Smells like smoked BBQ chicken. It comes off as really salty and nasty on my skin.

27th October, 2008.

Along with Sables, this is the only Annick Goutal scent which I find interesting.

Very good. I love the smell of smoke, and this one delivers that in big time.
The smoke of Eau du Fier is kind of sweet and sticky. Like if you took a cupful of smoky tea and add spoonful of flowery honey and another one of some kind of jam, cherry or maybe apricot...

Highly interesting blend, and very sadly now discontinued. Shame, indeed. We need more bold scents like this.

15th October, 2006.

Tea, indeed, and then some, rounded off by a faint flowery/dry accord. To my nose, this is pure Lapsang Souchong, although I'm willing to agree it can bring to mind rubber or ski wax. But that only makes it all the more interesting. Eau du Fier definitely stands out. A very fine scent overall. For more burnt rubber, try Series 1 - Leaves - Tea by Comme des Garcons

21st August, 2006.