Gaiac 10 (2008)
by Le Labo

A very, very light, minimalist, ozonic, wood and incense fragrance with light musk. Smells like a mix between Kyoto by Comme des Garcons and Tokyo by Kenzo. Pretty fitting if you ask me, considering Gaiac 10 is only available in Japan.

I can't help but agree that this fragrance fits the minimalist Japanese aesthetic very well (barely anyone wears strong perfume in Japan, if any at all). The problem here isn't that the fragrance is too minimalist or light - it's that it's just downright boring and cliched. There's absolutely no character to it, and the composition feels surprisingly synthetic for something with natural Gaiac oil.

I'm glad I didn't buy this blind or bust my balls trying to find a bottle. Regardless of its exclusivity or price, I still don't like it.

6/10

Le Labo Gaiac 10

If pink is the new black; is gaiac the new sandalwood? I've certainly noticed the use of it has increased in the last half of the year as it seems to be cropping up on note lists all over. Annick Menardo has created a gaiac centered scent for Le Labo's city exclusive line, in late 2008, called Gaiac 10. She is the nose behind Patchouli 24 and Bvlgari Black which are two of my favorite off-beat scents and I was curious to see where the creative process would take her in this case. I've said in other reviews that the essence of clean and fresh for me has been cedar but I think I'm going to have to revise that as gaiac is going to be another note that will conjure that combination for me as well. If the phrase clean and fresh just made you think this is boring, far from it. From the top the gaiac holds the stage and does what a clean note hasn't done for me in the past and also exude a depth. The reason for that I believe is that Ms. Menardo has paired the Gaiac with, according to the notes, four different muscs. These muscs add a depth to the bright intensity of this without overwhelming the sparkle of the gaiac. Truly a skillfully executed balancing act. With the gaiac holding my attention from the start this scent becomes more intense as it develops. As we move into the heart cedar comes into the mix to continue the themes begun at the top and double down on it. I get a hint of what seems like orange here but it isn't listed in the notes. As we head to the base the intensity builds as incense notes combine with the gaiac and cedar to finish this in spectacular fashion. This scent was created to be a city-exclusive for Tokyo and it feels like an Asian aesthetic is at work here. The top is the simplest part of this scent and things add to it and increase the complexity until you are left with a co-mingling of all that has come before. I would not classify this with Ms. Menardo's off-beat creations this is more a testament to how much beauty can be created from simplicity. I have to conclude with how sad I am that due to the marketing decision of Le Labo to charge exorbitant prices and to only be able to buy this in Tokyo many people will not have the opportunity to experience this perfume. I would love to be able to tell everyone who likes fresh and clean to try this scent because I think it elevates it to a new level. The sad part is I can't in good conscience ask people to jump through the hoops Le Labo has put in place.

The best woody/incense fragrance I've ever experienced by far, Gaiac 10 is very subtle and does not project much sillage, but its beauty is in the subtlety and complexity, not its volume. It is fairly linear and is primarily a balance between gaiac wood and olibanum, the entire composition being slightly musky. This is a parfum and just a touch of fragrance (it's definitely a little oily) lasted 12-16 hours. As the first reviewer alluded, this is really a skin scent, and this may not jive with people when they look at the price tag, but I know if I had a few hundred bucks to spend and this (and if I'm ever in Tokyo, the only place it's available), I most certainly would.

A minimalist wood fragrance. It's well done, but there's not a lot of oomph to it, though I think that's the point. Gaiac oil as a raw material has a smooth, flat character, and this is reflected in Gaiac 10.

Listed notes are: gaiac, cedar, musk and olibanum, so it smells a lot like your own skin, but as if sniffed through a filter of mild tree resins. Some people will find this fragrance extraordinary, while the majority will likely respond with indifference. Niche to the max.