Reviews of Greyland
by Montale

When I first tried this, a couple of years ago, I absolutely hated it and my perception of it certainly hasn't changed…

The first notes I’m met with are black pepper, spices and elemi, which overwhelm the composition for the first few minutes (there is also a citrus or cardamom accord in the opening but this is very fleeting). Once the initial notes subside, the woods (especially the cedar), incense and leather are allowed to emerge and bloom. Shortly afterwards, the incense and leather dominate the woods but, at some point, the tables are turned leaving nothing more than a faint woody musk.

Some reviews have mentioned sandalwood but I can hardly detect any during its development. As for the cumin, I can definitely smell this but it’s more of a supporting note to my nose (and therefore not too imposing or heavy). In addition, I can also sense a lavender accord that conjures shades of grey with each sniff (and also the possible source of inspiration for its name) – a Gris Clair light is a nice description of what Greyland could have been if it was done correctly. Its longevity is not one of its strongest points and its sillage is about average.

After more time spent with Greyland, it comes across as a scent that’s very masculine, dark and serious. However, it’s also quite morbid and flat. Everytime I smell it (especially during the drydown) it reminds me of all the things I don’t want to reminded of when living in a city – cloudy grey skies, pollution and urban decay, concrete landscapes, pylons and filthy underground / metro stations, emotional isolation and urban disenchantment… There’s a lack of warmth, colour and humanity in Greyland that would simply depress the heck out of me.

No, thanks!

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[Original submission date: 23 October 2008]

very intense and right at u.associated with pepper. this is strong. i didnt wait for the complete drydown. just a scent i dont wanna smell like or be remembered by

Notes: Ingwer notes, pepper, elemi, cardamom, woods of teak, kayak, cedars, Aromatic Cystus Albidus from the coast of Southern France, grey musk, the finest sandalwood, leather

Greyland is a spicy woody fragrance to the extreme. Upon contact with skin, Greyland immediately releases a smelly cloud of woods, cedar, and cumin. Especially cumin. Greyland is cumin-ed out to the max. The overriding accord driving Greyland is a salty spicy woody smell with loads of cumin, which inturn makes it a bit "smelly". I kept waiting for the musk and sandalwood base to appear and tame this cumin-ized accord, but it never happened. Cumin won it all, and conquered Greyland. Longevity is average.

Greyland smells like "Jean Pascal by Jean Pascal" without all the citrus-lavender notes taken out and the salty spicy wood notes bumped up in concentration. I like Jean Pascal because of its great mix of spicy woody fresh and faintly animalic smell. Greyland on the other hand smells like the spicy-salty part of Jean Pascal...and feels overdone and unbalanced. Theres only so much cumin a person can take. Grab a bottle of Jean Pascal and drive past Greyland without stopping.