Baladin (1994)
by Parfums de Nicolaï

While I can't count Baladin among the most distinctive releases in perfumery I surely can classify it as an honest and dignified masculine fragrance. A nice concoction of culinary herbs (mainly thyme) introduced by a very classic citrus-lavender opening. Birch tar and vetiver add some edge and a pleasant twist to this subtle composition.

Discreet, easy to wear but not banal. A perfect office fragrance that's still head and shoulders ahead of today's masculines. Reasonably priced and honestly crafted. Very nice.

28th July, 2011. (Last Edited: 5th August, 2011.)

Classic and modern at once this is a clean, sharp, herbal, leathery fougere with a spicy, woodsy outcome and a masculine stamp. Reminds to me a bit Cuoio Odori but a less leathery kind without the laundry feel of the last one. It starts with an edible green, lemony lavender, with notes of thyme, basil, oregano and others, which reminds a bit to me the opening of Blenheim Bouquet and Imprinting by Il Profvmo. The aromatic top is the prelude for a leathery-floral accord light and  classy. This middle part is very fast in my perception and the floral expression is just as a nuance of leather slightly perceivable. The transition to the base happens immediately in the way that the leather merges itself in the woodland smell .The base is indeed spicy and woodsy with notes of vetiver, terragon, pepper and birch, it goes on even retaining leathery nuances and a sort of disinfectant lemony kind of smell. The terragon-birch accord is herbal and leathery. The only one complaint is that the longevity is decidedly faint. Another wonderful scent.

23rd February, 2011. (Last Edited: 16th March, 2011.)

I really enjoy the culinary herbal elements in the topnotes but I'm not too enamored of the birch leather accord for its lack of presence. While I do appreciate Patricia di Nicolai's light-handed approach, BALADIN wears just a little too discreetly to be satisfying. There is certainly no shortage of well-crafted substitutes in the citrus leather/woods category, from the likes of Aramis to the ridiculously affordable Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur. Great start right off the blocks but fades to a forgettable finish.

10th February, 2011.

A weak but pleasant dry citrus herbal. It starts out somewhere between a pure EdC like Jean Marie Farina or Nicolai's Cologne Sologne, and a stronger lemon/herb scent like Wellington or Blenheim. It has quite a bit of cilantro, so Live Jazz lovers may want to check it out. In fact after some time, almost all I smell is cilantro, so that's almost a thumbs down for me, but not quite because I still find it more pleasant than Carre d'As.

17th January, 2011.

Parfums de Nicolai’s masculine fragrances show an appreciation for subtlety and a range of gender that most lines appear not to consider. New York is dramatic and lush; Vetyver is soft and refined; Patchouli Homme is a blockbuster, but relies on classically feminine notes to hit you. Baladin doesn’t fall into any typical fragrance genres, but is recognizable to the nose for the clarity of its composition and the use of identifiable notes. Citrus, culinary herbs, wood---notes you’d find in many men’s fragrances. So why is Baladin like no other men’s designer fragrance?

The top notes are citrus/herbal, including lemon, oregano, lavender, tarragon and pepper and add a bit of traditional herbal bouquet from the kitchen. But the raspy lavender also ties the lemon to the soon-to-appear vetiver and birch notes. Overall, Baladin is bracing rather than warm: the lavender and lemon, tart; the birch and tarragon, cool; the vetiver and pepper, dry and sharp. I’ve read from others’ comments that this is considered a leather and I imagine that birch wood can convey a birch tar feel, but I wouldn’t classify this as a leather, more an herbal-woody masculine.

Another example of Patricia de Nicolai giving men the benefit of the doubt and not equating masculine with faceless and drab.

29th November, 2010. (Last Edited: 1st October, 2011.)

The birch tar centered leather accord is apparent immediately. It is rounded out by some citrus, lavender, herbal, floral, vetiver and fruit notes. The herbal dryness accents the birch notes beautifully. It's a wonderful old school leather scent that is at once bold and discreet (Nicolai is the queen of contrasts IMO). Baladin imparts a definite elegance with few if any challenging notes. If you like a masculine leather masterfully blended with few frills, you will enjoy this one a lot.

27th February, 2010. (Last Edited: 3rd March, 2010.)