Knize Sec
by Knize

Knize Sec is a bright citrus and frankincense composition that's marked by its transparency and by the sheer simplicity of its structure. Besides the central citrus and incense accord, Knize Sec's most notable feature is a conspicuous sage note, which in conjunction with the labdanum-rich amber in the scent's foundation lends a faintly urinous tang, the likes of which can also be found in certain rich fougeres. (Jules and Lauder for Men come to mind.) Some may object to it, but in my opinion it's just this somewhat off-kilter animalic tang that rescues Knize Sec from banality. Without it there would be little to distinguish it from any number of other transparent frankincense fragrances, Avignon and Heeley's Cardinal not least among them. Even so, Knize Sec is far from a groundbreaking scent, and it's playing in a very crowded field, which makes it hard for me to get too excited about it.

To me, Sec smells kind of like a soap scented with Yatagan: the dry, aromatic herbs of über-macho colognes like Yatagan matched with an equal amount of aldehydic soapiness. There's something a little "muted", "dull", "flat" or even "plasticky" about that soapy accord in the beginning, but it mellows and mingles more with the herbs as it develops. I can't quite decide what I think of Sec, it's kind of pleasant, kind of unpleasant, not very earth-shattering...

Fragrance notes: citrus, sage, Moroccan labdanum, and probably orris (iris) with jasmine
Like all Knize fragrances, Sec is stylish and very, very distinctive. It is often described as a floral leather and that is exactly how it seems to me: a deep floral heart with a leathery-incense drydown. The opening is marvelous and intrigues my green-seeking soul. It is quite herbaceous, fresh and lively. It quickly moves to a somewhat ‘fleshy’ floral and powder note, which I speculate comes from orris/iris and jasmine. I can see how some detect a champagne quality, since the citrus and somewhat yeasty notes combine to give a champagne-like character. The base is leathery, and I think that comes from the Moroccan labdanum which typically has warm ambery-leather note. The dry down is lightly pungent, with incense and leather notes. Floral-leather normally wouldn't interest me at all, but due to the panache and quality of Knize I find that I admire this scent. Long live Knize!

If the Knize Ten reminds you of a gentleman in the 1920s or 1930s...wearing a trenchcoat and a hat...walking down a rainy street of Vienna in the morning on his way to work----then Knize Sec will be that man getting out of work that evening, getting all liquored up and having a laugh with his friends. Knize Ten is an introverted scent....deep inside a heart of leather, tar, rubber, petrol.....Knize Sec is extroverted with champagne, incense, citrus, and fruits.

I remember reading somewhere many months ago, that there were champagne-like notes in here....and damn, they were right. There really is some champagne going on here....whenever i smell this, i feel as if a celebration is in order! Sec is so alive with colour.....the opening blast is a citrus laden, champagne filtered blast of fresh....with huge sillage, and big longetivity. I put some on my right arm in the morning...and it smells almost as if i put this stuff on 20 minutes ago.....even after changing into scrubs earlier, walking around outside, coming back in....changing clothes 3 times...so the quality is there.

After the light-me-a-smoke-cos-i'm-a-fookin-rock-and-roll-star-tonight opening, the drydown uses labdanum to create this lovely, floaty, incense background, and Sec really settles down into a relaxed, leisurely, and elegant incense and sweet woods fragrance with flashes of the citrus and champagne remnants lingering around. beautiful stuff.....artsy stuff.

I don't know what to compare this scent to. This one is not forgettable....it is very memorable. It's the kind of scents i can imagine making memories in....it may be extroverted, but it still has that Knize depth to it...where you cannot exactly pinpoint what is going on, or limit it by its notes....it has an abstractness i can't really find....and which makes me love it even more. It's going to be a STUNNING fragrance to wear in the spring.....and i can't wait to unleash it in the coming months...

another Knize which goes straight to my soul. Excellent.

I got a sample today. As I tried it on already the memory of Choc by Cardin came to me. Choc was discontinued quite a while ago.Haven't smelled it in decades as it seems. It was a strong, lovely, happy, fruity, spicy scent. Meant for girls.
At Knize the lady said there was some incense in the scent, and true enough the top notes evoke Messe de Minuit, something christmassy with cloves, oranges and church. I smell mango later on, and leaves, and the pungent but nice Knize base lurking at the back.
It's an inspiring scent.

An invigorating musky but somehow fresh scent with Knize's signature impeccable quality. Perhaps the least interesting of Knize scents, but very good nonetheless. The closest comparison would be Helmut Lang for Men, but less sweet and warm, and dryer and clearer. I may be giving in to the magic of marketing trickery what with the name of this one, but references to dry champagne dont' seem inappropriate.