Yuzu Fou (2008)
by Parfum d'Empire

I get a lot of sourness, but to be a good citrus, a fragrance must be more than sour. I don’t like the pairing with mint either. Disappointing.

4th February, 2012.

Parfum d'Empire YUZU FOU is a pretty wild and assertive presentation of yuzu, I'd have to say. I smell more rind than juice in this composition and am reminded very much of a number of citrus colognes, especially geared toward men, which feature such notes as agrumes and petit grain. (This one appears to contain kumquat.) The citrus oil really shines through here and makes for a very aromatic composition indeed. To me, YUZU FOU seems quite linear, with no real development, and that makes it quite a bit less wacky than it might have been. Consistency is such that it does not and cannot really surprise.

Because of the oily citrus rind, YUZU FOU seems a bit heavy-handed for a hot weather scent, though the summery aspect of citrus makes it not that appealing for cooler weather either. This might be a rare case of a fragrance which I believe would benefit from dilution, since it a smaller spritz will still yield a concentrated spot of oil on the skin. All in all, I think it's safe to say that I'm not crazy about YUZU FOU. Désolée.

2nd July, 2011. (Last Edited: 11th July, 2011.)

I owe this one a positive rating, for a number of reasons:

(1) this is (at last..!!) a green fragrance that doesn't try to get you with sharp and pungent notes at the opening

(2) it's not at all an obvious or boring scent (it does seem to evolve quite a bit on me, and can smell quite a broad spectrum of notes, ranging from verbena to light vetiver)

but (3) most importantly because never could I expect such a green scent to survive so long and through such perils as a chlorine-heavy swimming pool and an afternoon under the sun..

I'm genuinely impressed.

14th June, 2011. (Last Edited: 18th June, 2011.)

This is Eau Sauvage in flip-flops, sipping a mojito. With flashy bigarade orange and verbena up top, and more cumin than oakmoss in the base, it’s a vitalized, hairy-chested take on its Dior inspiration, and all the more engaging because of it.

27th May, 2011.

Wonderful mix of citrus and green notes that lasts and lasts.It is also a fragrance that is more than the sum of it's parts. Calling it a citrus is like calling a Lamborghini a 'sports car'. Terrific.

6th October, 2010.

Smells like a more potent modern retake on Eau Sauvage with a dose of tropical fruit thrown in. Excellent animal citrus The great thing is its just as good as E S though I wonder whether I need both.

20th August, 2010.