Nasomatto Absinthe (2007)
by Nasomatto

Nasomatto Absinth

Notes: absinthe, herbs, vetiver (from luckyscent.com)

Upon first application of Absinthe, the most apparent notes are artemesia, vanilla, leather, patchouli, dirt, spruce, tea and smoke. In fact, it could be a more herbal, less ambery cousin of Parfum d'Empire Ambre Russe. As the fragrance develops, the soft vanilla and smoky leather open out a bit, reducing the relative density. It is quite stunning in this phase as I perceive small doses of the artemesia, and it acts as an aromatic backdrop for the sweetened leather and tea notes. The smoke could be vetiver--there is a green vegetal quality that is incense-like without being resinous. As the fragrance slowly develops, it becomes sweeter and more balsamic, with a faint smoky sharpness to keep it from becoming too cloying. There is a dusty quality that also emerges, a puckery astringent edge that adds to the illusion of leather, tea and perhaps a bit of tobacco. Absinth more or less stays in this place for the remainder, the drydown becoming increasingly smoky, dry and woody with the persistent tea/leather tannins mixed in. Overall the balance is excellent--Absinth is deftly composed of sweet, dry, bitter, aromatic and astringent qualities in very pleasing proportions. The deep drydown loses most of the sweetness, tending toward the dry, tannic smoky leather and a desiccated wood blend that has been a constant undertone throughout.

Although I enjoy this fragrance very much, I find I have mixed feelings about it. It has many fine qualities, and there is nothing inherently lacking, but somehow it still does not take me to the heights of satisfaction that I get with some classic scents. Perhaps fragrances like Absinth should not be directly compared to classic scents. Perhaps it is in a league of new-style fragrance and must be judged with its contemporaries. What I am getting at is this--Absinth really does not live up to classic leather fragrances such as Chanel Cuir de Russie or Guerlain Djedi. However, it has other characteristics that those classics don't have--a newer template done in modern materials. The perfumer uses the materials for what they are, and the product is completely different in spirit. In a way, it is like comparing a Renaissance oil painting to a modern acrylic tableau. Each has its own unique craft and artistry that can be enjoyed without denigration of one or the other.

This is probably my least favourite Nasomatto release (discounting Narcotic Venus, for obvious reasons).

The opening is slightly minty but the drydown is quite banal, with the absinthe not as strong as expected. The vetiver aids the rest of what’s left of the composition, during the drydown, but one can’t help feeling how lame its performance is. Also, its longevity is probably the worst out of all the offerings from this house.

[Original submission date: 01 August 2008]

Fuzzy wormwood. Reminds me of M7 Fresh minus the "Fruit Loops" accord (though that's really a stretch to even compare.) After a while, absinthe gets to smell musty like a wet basement after hard rain. good quality. Not so good wearability for me.

I agree with hypnotic, tart apple dipped in caramel, creamy and perfect for cool weather. This is a hard hitter at first, potent stuff. I have a hard time associating this with absinthe at all. From the way it's described this seems nothing like absinthe. Polar opposite to L'Artisan's version-the two couldn't be farther apart. This is warm, rustic and earthy. L'Artisan's was crisp and cool, a walk through the pines. If you want this to last longer apply to your clothing. I really like it, actually. I think it's very unisex if you can handle a certain amount of sweetness. It's an interesting scent, I agree it's the smell of Fall harvest. I get no mint at all. The only thing that counts against it is that I think Absinth is the wrong name for it, it's misleading.

This stuff comes on STRONG. I am immediately hit with a powerfully resinous vetiver / absinthe (wormwood), and there are some powerful dry aromatic herbs in the mixture, too. I had thought I liked things as resinous as they can get, but I might have to take that back -- this one goes almost too far. The wormwood is rather diminutive and the vetiver is a beautiful, strong, rawish note. I don’t think it’s the wormwood or the vetiver that causes my indecisive response: The aggressiveness is primarily accomplished by the herbs. This opening and heart are tolerable to me but are definitely on the edge of being too potent… I don’t find Absinth highly wearable for the first forty-five minutes, but after that is a different story: After the original accords are spent, there comes a magnificent drydown that has the absenthe, vetiver, herbal smoothness, fullness, and depth of an extraordinary skin scent, but it also has projection and sillage that moves it above the skin scent category. Absinth is a rather linear fragrance with strong sillage at first, and eventually followed by a discreet sillage for the drydown. It doesn’t have the best longevity on my skin – about two and one-half to three hours, but I love it for its natural, rich accords provided in the drydown: I’d say that it is a hesitant thumbs up.

I don’t smell any wormwood in here. The company gives absolutely no information on notes, only saying that this perfume intends to “invoke degrees of hysteria” and “stimulate irresponsible behavior.” Call me crazy, but this is almost gourmand to me--creamy and fruity. I smell a tart apple dipped in milky caramel and rolled in crushed peanuts. Come to think of it, that is enough to drive me to hysteria. It’s fall, and it’s “Happy Apple” time