Gomma (1989)
by Etro

Subtle burnt rubber notes mix up beautifully with leather and florals to create a pleasant all day scent. Mid notes very close to Knize Ten (especially the leather ones), but less dry, and more flower oriented (violet). At some point you have the feeling it will evolve into something different and more interesting but it doesn’t. The base is powdery and retains the nice light rubber note to the end. Average longevity. Overall nice but not exciting.

nice enough: a sweet leather in the classical vein. I don't particularly get the "burnt rubber" note, although I wish I did... would probably make this a bit more exceptional if so.
There's a development into a talcum powder register which becomes progressively candy-ish, like a cinnamon boiled sweet rolled around in violet dusting powder. I'd prefer the leather stick around longer, myself.
A friend who is particularly sensitive to my scent "proclivities" asked if I was wearing that old lady Chanel (Cuir de Russie), although I find that to be the observation of someone less inclined to seek out nuance than a basenoter. Although if one is a fan of that jus, give Gomma a whirl. A bit less to splash out for than some of the other leathers in the stock shelves.
If the thumb could go in the direction of 3 o'clock, I'd give it that. It's a decent scent. The sweetness doesn't do it for me though.

A beautiful, non-citrus, fresh scent. A mostly artificial note at the top which is followed by a clove heart note.

The first time I tried Gomma, I got the burnt rubber note. It was "eh". Second try was the charm, I guess. Now I smell a strong similarity to Tabac Blond, which for me is perfect. Can't comment on similarity to Knize Ten. My only wish would be for Gomma to longer lasting.

To be candid, Gomma turned out much better than expected. The last Etro I tried was the singularly frightening "Anice" and moreover, the name "Gomma" sounded a bit like something like a creature from outerspace so I was unsure what my little vial might hold.

I am pleased to report that while Gomma is a bit odd, it is not unpleasant. In fact, I found the spiciness in its top notes to be quite intriguing and it had a lot in common with Aftelier's Tango in case you've smelled ever that (St. Lucia buns, "baked seashells", etc...). Leather then emerged from Gomma in an enjoyable, slightly old fashioned way and the dry-down was just fine. Overall, Gomma is not something I would personally want to wear but I am glad to have had the chance to smell it.

From what I've been able to glean on the internet, here are the notes: citrus fruits, artemisia, Mediterranean jasmine, leather, and amber.

Gomma starts with a dry, pungent, leathery opening with a faint smoky undertone and just a bit of lavender. It mellows quickly into a dry woody-leathery skin scent with an added astringent element that could account for the "rubber" some reviewers have perceived. Gomma is less complex than related fragrances such as Bois d'Ombrie or Etro's own Palais Jamais, but equally free of any prettifying floral or sweeter notes. Gomma should please anyone looking for a simple, unobtrusive, dry leather scent, but I don't find it all that exciting.