Cabaret Homme (2004)
by Grès

Good rosy, aromatic (brisk and crisp) herbal fougere opening but is very light and bearable. Reminds me of Casran by Chopard but not as "chemical". I'm not a fan of rose scents but this is nice. Good work cologne.

Cabaret is a very well executed, finely balanced woody rose scent that's as comfortable on a man as on a woman. Cabaret Homme is a "fresh" fougère so banal, drab, and dreary that I without its label couldn't possibly distinguish it from any of its ubiquitous brethren. Grès would have done better to bottle the original Cabaret under this name and let the men enjoy the good stuff, too.

A fresh, spicy fougère suitable for sporty, daytime, or casual wear. It also makes a good workplace scent. While this is nothing earth-shaking or terribly innovative, it is a good, somewhat quiet, and fairly suave scent. Freshness from pineapple in the top, with rosemary, coriander, juniper berries, and basil for herbal and spicy notes; there are delicate florals in the heart, sporting lavender to pick up the herbal top, lily of the valley for subtlety, and a touch of jasmine for depth; oriental base notes of woods, amber, and more spice (clove and absinthe) complement the oakmoss and tonka bean which, with the lavender, give the fougère triad. Smooth, suave, acceptably (or deceptively?) well-mannered.

A fresh fougere with a bit of spice that doesn't really live up to the nifty packaging. Boasting a much more invigorating, if perhaps too old-school for some, Homme de Gres on the roster, Gres is apparently trying to capture a younger crowd with Cabaret. A child of compromise, Cabaret is an okay modern office/casual scent, but is too meek and undistinguishable to be anything more than passable.

I was pleasantly suprised with this one. Cabaret is similar to Xeryus Rouge to me, although not as sweet. (thank goodness) It is crisp, but not too sharp or overpowering.

Crisp and warm and formal. I like the women's version by Grès even better, so much so that it far outshines the classic Cabotine in my book.