Sud Est (1995)
by Romeo Gigli

If you've tried Pino Silvestre and New West for Him, just think of a cross between them, though more towards New West. There is a strong pine-like note at first, but once that is gone it's a rather blended fragrance. Yes, there is clearly an herbal presence but it's not that clear. What bothers me most is that there is a "bright"quality which seems out of place and too strong. Is there any calone in this one? I seem to be especially sensitive to it. Not only don't I like this quality, but it seems to rob the fragrance of what might be a very interesting, super-dry quality. If you like fragrances with some calone, you might not even notice it here.

There is no animalic quality, like the castoreum in Yatagan (some have compared SE to it), nor do I find this particularly harsh. I just don't get enough dynamism here, and while it's nicely balanced, there's not enough note separation. However, unless you seek these things, it may not matter to you and you might really enjoy it. Longevity and projection/"sillage" seem to be at least very good. If you enjoy the "brightness" here, this might become a favorite of yours. I prefer fragrances like Green Jeans, Roadster, and the original Nino Cerruti fragrance for men, for example. I don't understand why some view this as super-dry, evocative of a barren, dusty plain, etc. For me, it has more of a culinary quality, actually.

28th August, 2011. (Last Edited: 10th November, 2011.)

After the unique and unusual Romeo di Gigli per Uomo I was looking forward to this one launching at Bloomingdale's back in 1995. But it was a let down a real weak offering that just played it too safe that it needed to copy the per Uomo bottle because it has no personality.

31st December, 2010.

I wasn't impressed with this highly praised Gigli scent. I find it pleasantly herbaceous with average sillage and a rather mild medicinal smell. Another case of high expectation that was not met.

23rd March, 2009.

This is a perfect example of a garrigue fragrance (herbs on a warm breeze). It is an aromatic and powerful scent. Many of the notes is distinct and identifiable: bergamot (Earl Grey tea), rosemary (minty freshness), basil (green and soapy), thyme (strongly aromatic), artemesia (dusky and sharp). Together the notes create a herbal mélange which I find appealing. I see the comparison to Yatagan, but I find this closer to (and better than) the thyme/basil Baime. Never sweet, always assertive. Cologny and old-school? Perhaps. This is not a problem for me, I appreciate it.

6th January, 2009.

It smells a lot like Yatagan. So if one doesn't like that aromatic rosemary YOWR!! of Yatagan, one probably won't go for Sud Est. The drydown is more floral than Yatagan, however. 10 hours later, and I can still totally smell the jasmine, and I *love* it. 'Such a shame it's discontinued.

19th August, 2008.

Because I liked Romeo Gigli, I took a chance and ordered Sud Est blind. They are not at all alike, and, at first I was totally smitten by Sud Est: Mediterranean herbs, aldehydes, and woods, what’s not to love? The notes, from opening to the end of the dry down are strongly aromatic – a fact I liked at first, but eventually changed my mind about. The dry herbal notes are not in a conglomerate herbal accord, each note holds its own, and I can determine the rosemary, the bay leaf, the thyme, the tarragon, and they present a strong aromatic experience. Eventually I came to have second thoughts about the strong aromatics of the fragrance. I began to notice that the feeling of just having applied the fragrance seem to last a long time, in fact, that old fashioned “cologny” feeling never left me while wearing it. To my chagrin Sud Est had made me Mr. Cologne guy. I think the cause of the problem is the basil – the basil is presented in such a way that it always seems to have that somewhat dated cologny edge to it. You know, I still love this fragrance – the dry herbal ambiances, but I’m careful about wearing it out in public. This has become, along with Kouros, my relaxing at home fragrance. Excellent fragrance but it has an old fashioned tang to it that I just don’t like sharing with the public.

30th August, 2006. (Last Edited: 9th March, 2008.)