Antico Caruso
by Profumum

I definitely get that barbershop vibe that other folks have mentioned from the almond and sandalwood notes that dominate this simplistic fragrance ... That said, the scent is super-linear and somewhat annoying after a short period of time. That, and of course the price is ridiculous for this kind of fragrance. Quite frankly, if you are looking for a barbershop scent of superior quality and complexity for 20% of the price, just look for Rive Gauche pour Homme from YSL. This one is not a bad scent, but nothing out of the ordinary and below average, IMO.

30th September, 2011. (Last Edited: 13rd October, 2011.)

Classy and elegant, yet modern and trendy. It has some similarities with Le Male, but this one is much more refined and classy. Very high quality scent, with great sillage and longevity. Works very well with both jeans and suit & tie.

20th March, 2011.

Maybe this is Le Male for grownups.

I eschewed initially after a brief in store test. The opening notes do conjure up Le Male- the first time you smell it - but in many wearings over time, I don't get that vibe any more. It morphs into a fantastic almond/sandalwood scent that conjures up very opulent soap. It is fairly linear, but the quality is so good I don't care.

As to the "barbershop" thing- well, maybe European barbershop. It doesn't have the North American barbershop vibe to me.

The price is horrendous, and I certainly wish they sold it in 50ml bottles. But if this kind of scent appeals to you, it's worth it. It is top quality juice for sure.

I haven't tried all the Profumum scents, but this one makes it pretty clear they're working with high quality materials. Longevity is fantastic.

20th June, 2010. (Last Edited: 27th November, 2011.)

Super sweet, super powdery, with fruits. That's about it. Floid makes a better Italian barbershop scent and it comes in a 400ml bottle. Nothing special and not worth the outrageous price.

8th January, 2010.

This is not a very complex scent. I get a rustic herbal accord in the opening – rough, soapy, probably a little arrogant… I get no citrus. The herbs quickly move into an herbal / almond accord that is pleasant. As the herbal notes disappear, the almond note becomes stronger and sweeter. I find Antico Caruso turns out to be almost a simple solo note fragrance: Almond, simple but quite enjoyable. I suppose that if the quality of the note is good, it doesn’t matter that the composition is uncomplicated. The lack of complexity works for me. The drydown is a plain, somewhat sweet almond note with a background of subtle but rich sandalwood. Both the almond note and the sandalwood note are of high quality, and I’m struck and surprised by the elegance of everything happening in Antico Caruso. It reeks of class and good breeding. …very good sillage and longevity.

31st October, 2009.

This is like a reduced version of Le Male by Gaultier.

It has the same benzoin smell, but not as strong as LM. No sticky sweetness. The almond/maybe vanilla it is rather dry, woody dry, probably due to the sandalwood. In opposite to LM, Antico Caruso is a discreet scent.

Longevity is short, compared to LM..

Remember the sailor in the Le Male advertisement? For an Antico Caruso ad, a distinguished elderly gentlemen would be more appropiate.

I rather take the sailor.

4th October, 2009.