Baladin (1994)
by Parfums de Nicolaï

Old school, but not necessarily in a bad way. Baladin exits the bottle with conventional citrus and lavender top notes, followed almost immediately by soft, fruity leather. The sweet fruit and leather accord at Baladin's heart reminds me of Daim Blond and Cuir Ottoman, though a bit darker and more smoky. A potent but very smooth aromatic/herbal accord gradually moves in from behind the leather to darken the scent and sharpen its edge. The leather seems to vanish altogether after just a few hours to leave a spicy, woody drydown touched with a hint of dry herbs.

I think of Baladin as a well-made scent, but not one that is terribly distinctive. It would make a good, safe, and appealing office scent, but I doubt it's something that will turn a lot of heads.

I was given a bottle of Baladin.

As has been said tarragon and thyme give a leather accord.
I reach for it when nothing else appeals.

Imagine a sober, sombre Dickensian lawyer, dressed all in dark grey, with somewhat grim, determined features. Returning home, he enters the kitchen and consults with cook concerning this evening's menu. Moving into the drawing room, the smell of kitchen herbs now clings to his aura of musty, respectable grey. His wife and children greet him admiringly, somewhat in awe of his definite air of herbal gravity. Retiring to the bathroom, he washes himself with a refined lemon soap (the trace of citrus, unusually, entering towards the end rather than the beginning of the fragrance).
What should we call this complex gentleman? Is it Mr. Ebenezer Gilkes? No, it's Mr. Matthias Baladin.

I liked this quite a bit, but not on me. It reminded me a lot of Jo Malone's Lime, Basil & Mandarin, though this one has a great leather note and the herbs don't smell as stale. I think of this one as very masculine; I ended up giving my sample to a guy friend, and I hope he appreciates the artistry.

I've tried to like this one and have finally given up for now. It's not a bad scent, but too herbal and sharp for my taste. Neither does it seem to develop much on my skin. I can't find any leather in this one, despite what I keep hearing.

Love this fragrance! together with New York,this one is fighting for becoming my nr1 favorite! Lemon and leather, a wonferfully ,masterly crafted combination. A good scent if you like leather in scents, but not too much.