Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme (1999)
by Salvatore Ferragamo

Wow. I am overwhelmed at the uniqueness of this fragrance. Lots of fig here that later seems to blend into a cedar note. Clean and a little soapy afternote that lingers on the skin. This may be too different for some but I love it. It's fast becoming my favorite scent.
Can't afford to visit Italy this year but I think I may be wearing a bit of Italy every day. Nice!

I can see that this one might be an acquired taste, but one must appreciate the exquisitely crafted citrus-floral-vetiver cocktail that is Salvatore Ferragamo Pour Homme. I'll admit that I did not like this the first time I sprayed it on my skin, but it grew on me and I really enjoy having this one in my collection. I'm saving it for the summer and spring when the weather warms up.

Fresh out of the bottle, I get grapefruit, cyclamen, and fig leaf done in a very Mediterranean style. Its quite nice and there are very few scents as refreshing as this after a long shower. Next, one smells notes that are more typical of this genre - the classic aromatic fougere - which are geranium, caraway, and clove. Apparently there is cardamom, orris root, jasmine, and rose but I don't really notice these as such. Lastly, it dries down to a prominent vetiver, musk and sandalwood. I'll bet its the combo of the musk/vetiver with the fig that turns people's noses. Personally I think the musk is well done and the vetiver makes it a classy one for the summer. There are definitely some gems in the Ferragamo line; one just needs the patience to discover them!

To me, SFPH is not a "gourmand" fragrance at all, but rather a vetiver fragrance with some fig to round off the vetiver's sharp edges. Although I tend to prefer bold and bitter vetivers, I like this one because it replicates the overall feel of the many inexpensive light vetiver eaux de colognes you find in drug stores in France, but more concentrated and with far better longevity and greater radiance. I've always loved the Mediterranean feel of a classic vetiver eaux de colognes, but have always wished they were a bit more long-lasting. SFPH fulfills that wish. I also really like the smoky cedar in the drydown, which blends very well with the vetiver.

I am impressed that a designer firm like Ferragamo released something classic like this in 1999, rather than just cranking out yet another boring acquatic scent or Cool Water ripoff. This is really very good.

Fig? Wow, really?...
Can I have a glass of water, please!
Never smelled a fig? Try Salvatore Ferragamo pour Homme.
Don’t get me wrong. It is a very well made fragrance. It all depends if you like fig. If you do, you’ll be in heaven. Longevity and silage are both excellent, but mean really excellent.
Kinda funny, I am not too fond of smelling like a fig tree, but have smelled it on others. On some smells divine. On me, I’m just not into it. It doesn’t mean I cannot get over by my personal preference and admit is a superb example of a very well made gourmand/yes, gourmand/.
If it works on you, it’s a must!

My nose hasn't been trained to identify most individual notes in this or any other cologne. If everyone says that SFpH contains this note or that, then I completely take them at their word. Clove has a fairly powerful essence, though, and I don't smell it a bit in this cologne. That's for the better. I'm not very fond of clove. But all in all, it doesn't matter one fig (yes, pun intended) to me. What I know is this: I think this is cologne smells quite nice, particularly about 1-2 hours into the drydown. Classy, not too effeminate. On opening, it has a fruitiness but then develops into a creamy, warm sort of fragrance. Longevity is OK but not extraordinary - I am wearing SFpH as I type this and applied it about 6 hours ago. If I sniff my arm, I can still smell it - but from a foot away I'd need the nose of an anteater. I wouldn't say this is one of my favorite fragrances, but it's certainly good enough for a thumbs-up rating, particularly in light of the price.

Almost forgot: when I first sprayed SFpH, it reminded me of some other cologne I used to own. I finally remembered: the opening salvo smells a lot like Jivago 24K for Men.

I guess fragrance appreciation must be 100% relative, because I don't find this "synthetic," too sweet, too clove-oriented, or too "thin." If you want to know what a clove-oriented fragrance is, try Ava Luxe's Kretek. No comparison. I can barely detect clove in SFpH. A fragrance that is too sweet for me is Gucci Envy for men. Carven Homme is also fairly sweet. SFpH does not even register on my sweetness scale. I enjoy the opening because it is not too sweet, yet it's fruity. It's not really my type of fragrance because it's not sweet or spicy enough! Gucci Envy is also way too synthetic for me, but this is fine, a nice one to have in the monthly rotation. I got this in a swap for something I didn't like, and I'll be the first to admit I wouldn't spend money to buy a bottle of it, but I like it better than most fragrances I've sampled. And so I think it deserves a positive rating. Longevity and sillage are good if not great.