Vierges & Toreros (2007)
by Etat Libre d'Orange

August 2007:

Vierges & Toreros starts out as a very sharp, smoky leather, sparked with just a touch of bitter citrus. Sweet white flower notes emerge very slowly - even tentatively - from the background. The tuberose does not really present itself as a distinct note. It is blended with what might be jasmine or orange blossoms in a single, seamless accord that drifts mysteriously behind the leather.

The white floral notes never actually dominate the fragrance, because as soon as they grow conspicuous a very strong blend of dry woods takes firm hold of the base. The floral notes move in and out of focus while the woods, smoke, and leather take on a rustic, campfire sort of character. Very late in the drydown the woods sort themselves out into something very much like cedar, which in combination with the remaining leather reminds me of a cedar chest filled with boots and shoes.

It's an outstanding leather scent, but not as dramatic or original as I'd hoped for from the maker's description. Vierges & Toreros should appeal to those who enjoy Oud Cuir d'Arabie, Tabac Blond, and Lonestar Memories, but it doesn't displace any of them. Anybody looking for a "masculine" take on tuberose should try Mona di Orio's complex, raunchy, and intoxicating Nuit Noire, or just suck it in and risk the blatant green tuberose of Ropion's Carnal Flower from Frederic Malle.

August 2009:

As much as I love the concept of tuberose and leather, I've grown weary of Vierges & Toreros. Why? It's the drydown. The development ends on a scratchy synthetic cedar base note that's at once unpleasantly harsh and oppressively potent. So while I enjoy wearing Vierges & Toreros for the first hour or two, what follows is tedium, and then exasperation.

Vierges & Toreros is another dry, harsh and mineralic leather scent by Etat Libre d'Orange. The tuberose does add a slight edge to the whole composition but only just. Personally, I’d recommend Aoud Cuir d'Arabie or Lonestar Memories over this.

This house is great for those who have a strong interest in leather scents but not for those looking for something else (especially with a significant degree of substance).

[Original submission date: 10 December 2008]

A castoreum note melded to a flat, synthetic so-called tuberose note. There's something smoky and bitter I can't identify, too. The entire fragrance smells unnatural and not in a fun way.

Not horrible, but a combination of boring and unpleasant gives this a thumbs down.

Like most others of this house, the sillage and longevity are quite good.

Etat Libre D’Orange Vierges et Toreros

Tuberose! Say it out loud and many men run the other way as this single note would be one that would be described as feminine by many of those men as they look back over their shoulder trying to get away. It is why when Team Antoine, Lie and Maisondieu, undertook the goal of making a “tuberose for men” in 2007 the result was sure to be interesting. Pair that with Etat Libre D’Orange known for their demure marketing, naming this Virgins and Toreros, and you’ve doubled down on interesting. Right from the top the tuberose makes its appearance but this isn’t a lush floral, this is an edgy tuberose and just to butch it up a bit it is paired with a full compliment of tough guy spices, pepper being the most prominent. The heart is where this one really shows off its masculinity as a full leather accord struts into the mix. This is the leather of a well-worn-leather jacket. The base mixes in some vetiver and patchouli to round things out but this is most of the time a leather and tuberose scent. I think Team Antoine did a fine job here using tuberose in a way to make it palatable to most floral-aversive men. It only dominates the scent for a short while and with the spices to keep it from getting too powdery it is quite nice. The leather is the predominant note of the scent and that keeps it from becoming the gateway floral to something more gender challenging like Frederic Malle’s Carnal Flower. I like this one quite a bit.

Isn’t it strange how some fragrances require three or four wearings in order for the wearer to begin to get consistent results with it. It’s as if the olfactory nerves do a trial and error search of the brain neurons until the best path to the neurons are found. This is one of those fragrances that took more than a few detours through my brain neuron / synapses paths. With this fragrance – virgin and bullfighters – the first try I got only the virgin. Not that I’m complaining about that circumstance – nothing wrong with virgins – actually the scent was quite pleasant: The virgin is a very pretty accord … almost too pretty. It is a beautifully constructed and presented accord that seemed very traditional and it even showed off little bits of edginess in its otherwise traditional way. It presented tuberose and musky woods with a touch of sweet from vanilla and amber, I would guess… Very classic and quite different from what I thought Etat Libre D’Orange was about.

My second wearing brought in the bullfighters (or, more correctly, the bulls). Those dang ol’ leather molecules sure found their way to the proper neurons. I could smell the leather immediately upon spraying, and I was relieved that it was a leather note that I could handle: a light, smoky variety that managed to be on the border of endearing. The smoke is quite strong at first: I could smell it even before the leather... I caught it immediately upon opening the vial. The leather / smoke accord is smooth and suede-like, and one of the few leathers that I actually enjoy.

The combination of leather and tuberose makes for an intriguing fragrance. Vierges et Toreros has very good sillage, especially in the beginning with its smoke note. The sillage quickly reduces to become more restrained, and, almost with the heart notes, turns into a skin scent that has poor longevity. On my skin it lasts less than two hours. In spite of its poor lasting ability, I'm going with a thumbs up.

Many years ago there was a product on the market in Australia that was sold as a pet odor deodorizer. One or two drops from the small blue dropper bottle would fill the room. I forget the name but it had a floral musky odor that was unforgettable. Imagine my suprise when I sprayed Vierges et Toreros and the first thing that I thought of was that horrid musky liquid. I persisted and lasted this one out... twice. No good, the association with the pet deodorizer is just too strong.

This is potent sweet floral over a musk and leather base. Last forever and projects loudly off the skin. This fragrance is just not for me.