Reviews by Sporenburg

    Showing 1 to 30 of 48.
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    Davidoff by Davidoff

    I am going to give a contrarian review of Davidoff. Not only contrary to the negative reviews, that's easy because Davidoff is really good, but also to the positive. When I found out about the first Davidoff scent I sighed and realistically prepared myself for the fact that I would never get to smell it. I did find a bottle and it turned out quite differently from what I had expected reading the preceding reviews (before the Basenotes powerhouse gang starting handing out thumbs up.) I imagined Davidoff as a harsh, loud, crude yet somehow loveable concoction. But fragrances never turn out the way you imagine. Sometimes they even turn out better.

    First off all, Davidoff isn't that strong. Sure, it is a powerhouse and very much from the 1980s but it is nowhere near the intensity of the four Big Hitters (namely Kouros, Van Cleef & Arples pour homme, Quorum and Lapidus pour homme) more in the range of the original Oscar De La Rent pour Lui (which also contrary to its fame isn't that loud on me.) I drop that reference because Davidoff shares a certain elegance and complexity with that magnificent scent. You are a man of taste –self-assured, affable, into the good things of life- when you know how to wear these scents. There just isn't anything off-putting about Davidoff, this is yet again another supposedly civet-loaded fragrance that fails to raise an eyebrow.

    The highlight for me, that strangely enough nobody has mentioned before, is the enchanting hay-like heart of Davidoff courtesy of the classic hay-vetiver interplay, seguing into a tobacco note, that brings back memories of sniffing my father's tins and envelopes filled with pipe tobacco as a child.

    I can understand why Davidoff discontinued its first scent. The times changed, their own Cool Water completely changed the game, people quit smoking and this is, as many a powerhouse, a smoker's perfume. But instead of reformulating Davidoff like has happened to most powerhouses (see for instance the sad case of Jacomo de Jacomo) maybe it was more admirable to just retire it.

    Too bad for me, I could easily wear this as a signature scent for the rest of my life.

    12nd June, 2011.

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    Trussardi Uomo by Trussardi

    The vintage formulation. One thing we forget when talking about powerhouses is that a lot of them were, and still are, quite avant-garde. Take the opening of Trussardi Uomo, how utterly brutal, somehow ugly yet admirably strange is this assault of dirt and spices. The olfactory equivalent of Swans tuning up. Unthinkable in today's perfumery (sadly) although even in the pre-aquatic age it must have scared away many a potential customer.

    The thing is, Trussardi isn't that outrageously strong after the opening. My theory is that a lot of powerhouses got their fame as sillage monsters because of ultra-strong and weird openings. That doesn’t mean that Trussardi has no projection but I would call it civilized. Its form resembles Yatagan quite a lot.

    Trussardi is, no surprise when you consider the origin of the house, about leather. You decided to wear your leather jacket again which you wore when you went clubbing in your younger years, you chain smoked and never bothered to get it cleaned. During the walk in the forest you have sex on a bed of pine needles and then you basically smell of Trussardi Uomo. You will also will smell a bit like the female version of Trussardi, another good thing because that is another brilliant and underrated perfume.

    Rough, sullen, pensive Italian glamour in a bottle.

    1st June, 2011.

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    Azzaro Intense pour Homme by Azzaro

    No need to introduce Azzaro Pour Homme, by many considered the best fragrance for men ever. I tend to agree most of the times. But some admirers are convinced that through the years it lost some of its power and depth. How much is an ongoing debate. I belong to the camp that thinks it has indeed lost something of its radiance, although I also am a firm believer in the notion that our memories tend to play some tricks on us (especially when it comes to the power of fragrances.)

    The solution should be Azzaro Intense Pour Homme, probably dated 2000, but I have read different release dates (some going back to the beginning of the 90s and one tv-ad really makes a good case for this to be true.) This Intense version must have failed commercially because so little is known of the fragrance (even this is the first review on Basenotes) and of course it is discontinued.

    How do the two compare? Intense has indeed more volume but is not necessarily louder (and longevity is about the same.) The current Azzaro Pour Homme feels transparent compared to the Intense version which clearly is superior in the base, it feels full and opulent, displaying more character. On the other hand regular Azzaro possesses a better opening, that joyful citric-anise crispiness has been muted here, the anise replaced by fennel (probably to have one easy identifiable point of difference between both scents) giving it, an almost imperceptible fecal touch that I can only perceive on paper/cloth. I also can detect a slight sweetness in the heart that I can’t remember in the original.

    In short, if your love for Azzaro Pour Homme mainly concerns the development from heart to base, it is worth checking out, of course without paying the extravagant prices ($100+) one sees around. Comes in a nicely designed box.

    12nd April, 2011.

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    Lapidus pour Homme by Ted Lapidus

    Ladies and gentlemen: the 1980’s. In full effect.

    This I would like to call budget avant-garde. Lapidus Pour Homme sure is weird. First of all the opening: it has been suggested this is akin to opening a can of pineapple slices. Not so dramatic or crude. No doubt it is fruity but it is more about an idea of fruit. Also I would call Lapidus Pour Homme metallic at times, but not the grating metallic-amber vibe that 90% of current scents seem to push in everybody’s face but a damp metal overgrown with moss. Disgusting? Not so, since it’s counterbalanced by a very pleasing sweetness.

    Lapidus Pour Homme is super strong and the atomizer sprays a large amount resulting in true sillage. The “just one spray for me” crowd will faint just by being in the same room as a bottle of Lapidus Pour Homme. This is the quintessential powerhouse: extravert, adventurous and complex. Perfect for occasions when you want radiate a certain stylish, slightly vulgar “I don’t care” attitude. And because Ted Lapidus never has been a flashy house, specializing in well-made affordable scents, they never had to reformulate/weaken it. Consequently Lapidus Pour Homme remains a monument to this extravagant and brilliant period of male fragrance.

    7th April, 2011.

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    Oscar de la Renta pour Lui by Oscar de la Renta

    Oscar de la Renta Pour Lui (I am reviewing the original version) these days is a fairly obscure fragrance but also a perennial favorite of powerhouse fans. Yet one thing must be stressed: this is no vulgar macho scent. To quickly play the comparison game: it does at first and in a distant way resemble Van Cleef & Arples pour Homme (the same sort of indefinable gritty opening segueing into almost feminine soapiness) with at times a slight fougère echo.

    But Pour Lui does not possess the recognizable and extravagant character of VC&A, Naed Nitram was right again: it really is abstract and elusive. I find it very hard to get a handle on this scent; Pour Lui, without dramatics or special effects, just produces an extremely well-blended aura of timeless elegance. This may also be a result of its density; apparently Pour Lui is overloaded with ingredients, especially in the opening, thus creating something like an inverted pyramid. Tales of explosive strength are in my opinion exaggerated; Pour Lui gives off exactly the right civilized radiance whilst being a skin scent after the opening.

    An early ad pictures a bottle under a clear starry night and Pour Lui indeed possesses something of the slow, cold and unlimited beauty of the stars. Stargazers can probably wear this fragrance a lifetime without it giving away all its secrets.

    18th March, 2011.

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    Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    The smell of opening a box carrying new, expensive leather Shoes, with complementary shoe polish which somehow is already giving off its fragrance. Nice enough. The polish effect wears off after sometime so the leather and a slightly sweet, very typical Lutens base remains. Well made of course but a bit demanding in the opening phase and overall slightly on the feminine side. Leather lovers should of course investigate but it just doesn’t excite me as much as other Lutens greats do.

    10th February, 2011.

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    Borneo 1834 by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    A dark, calm mystery. Bornéo 1834 possesses a brilliant evocative name that should flood your mind with poetic associations. It basically is chocolate (civilized without tons of sugar, so we say cacao), camphor and patchouli and reminds me of being a child, wandering through museums dedicated to the orient.

    Perhaps slightly demanding as a skin fragrance, you do smell like a stowaway who has been hiding for months in the cargo of a ship returning from the Indies. Maybe Bornéo 1834 would work even better as an ambient scent. Even so, a truly great and artful scent.

    20th January, 2011.

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    L'Eau Serge Lutens by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    In his review of the awful Bleu de Chanel Kaern observes “Can you imagine L'Artisan, Lutens, Keiko Mercheri, etc knocking this out -- not a chance.” At the time I agreed of course, but we both obviously hadn’t smelled L’Eau Serge Lutens.

    I find this scent to be quite worrying. Not in itself because it is completely inoffensive. Breezy citrus, a wisp of mint, the tiniest drop of musk. Basically, the smell of household anti-bacterial soap or a slightly more refined take on your average fresh/loud designerfrags in ugly purple or silver bottles that are always discounted. One redeeming feature is the longevity which for this type of fragrance is truly outstanding (at least 10 hours.)

    What does worry me is that Lutens is actually following the downward spiral Guerlain and Chanel went on (and plenty of us on Basenotes were dismayed by/laughed at.) As for the reasons, one can only speculate. Lack of inspiration? Tired of complexity? Or a conceptual joke? Me, I like conceptual jokes, but not with such a price tag attached.

    13rd January, 2011.

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    Muscs Koublaï Khän by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

    What a con. This is my natural skin scent! Just kidding.

    Thanks to all the great preceding reviews Muscs Koublaï Khän comes loaded with associations. Quite predictably the first wearing put me thoroughly in the “what’s all this talk about crotch?” camp. I was expecting a mix of smells found in a stable (which I love) but MKK isn’t like that at all. It certainly does not outstink elegant weirdos like Kouros, Jules or Yatagan. I understand the reviewer who wrote that it smells of sunburned skin (skin warmed by summer sun to be more precise.) Actually, those who don’t find this to be dirty in general seem to make this skin association. This makes for a delicious scent although also a bit strange as if you are suddenly wearing someone else’s skin, almost feels like cheating. Funny that I use the word cheating because in another sense of the word a slight paranoid fear is building that my wife, until she gets used to me wearing this, will suddenly start sniffing around me and go “okay, who have you been with?”

    It is a sensual fragrance but also bookish, I certainly sympathize with those who wear this at home whilst reading a book. Because of its deepness and elusive complexity wearing Muscs Koublaï Khän produces innumerable impressions that will make one believe you can recover those famous stanzas of Kubla Khan that Coleridge forgot. Great longevity, sillage is civilized. Obviously, a masterpiece.

    2nd January, 2011.

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    Number 3 / Le 3me Homme / The Third Man by Caron

    Hard to add something new to the excellent reviews (pro and con.) Like most male offerings by Caron Le Troisième Homme can at first be really intimidating. The opening and heart possess a strength that competes with the more notorious powerhouses of the eighties and again makes you sigh: “is this really wearable?”

    Le Troisième Homme is less green than I expected reading the notes. Maybe the old bottle pictured above helped these green associations but it’s probably due to Caron’s excellent blending. The term symphonic has rightly been mentioned (it's also full of brilliant little details.) There’s no denying this is a sweet scent though. Those who have ambivalent or negative attitudes towards sweet fragrances and especially vanilla should be warned (then again I don’t normally like sweet fragrances but find myself craving Le Troisième Homme.)

    It does indeed at some time remind me of Égoïste, which probably was “inspired” by it and made acceptable for mass consumption. But I seldom waste a thought on the outplayed Égoïste whilst the complexities of Le Troisìeme Homme still puzzle and challenge many.

    Obviously not a scent for everyone, how many times have terms like beauty and elegance been thrown around when discussing it? But one probably knows instinctively if one is the sort of man (or woman) who is able to wear this. Hard to imagine Le Troisième Homme as a day-to-day fragrance though because it can be quite demanding and prone to saturation of the senses (probably a feeling that people confuse with boredom.) Even so, with a careful hand this is a wearable fragrance that will make you stand out. Longevity is great (around the 10-12 hour mark most of the times.)

    They should have named it Caron Narcissus though; because every time I wear it I have a distinct feeling I like myself more than I did before.

    7th September, 2010. (Last Edited: 14th October, 2010.)

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    Jacomo de Jacomo by Jacomo

    After reading the reviews I was convinced Jacomo de Jacomo would be the product of Paris at the dark end of the 70s. Yet even though it is a dark scent it also is never gloomy or oppressing. One reason for this (and ultimately its weakness) is that Jacomo de Jacomo lacks strength. Which is a shame because Jacomo de Jacomo could have been the stuff of legend if it had some longevity and proper volume beyond the opening/heart.

    As it is, the beautiful proto-Comme des Garçons opening gives way to a discreet base that is quite acceptable and somehow a dead ringer for the same phase in Prada Amber Pour Homme (a good thing of course.) While it lasts (say 5 hours on a really good day) it is a fairly unique scent that does indeed smell of smoke. Not real smoke but memories of cigarette smoke moving through thin air in a club with your lover in proximity. Call me crazy but this feels like a clubbing fragrance and I have a feeling Jacomo know this too; notice how the white letters on the box give off a metallic/rainbow sheen. Very disco.

    Lovers/collectors of bottles will want to investigate because Jacomo de Jacomo comes in a very cool bottle which resembles a big lighter.

    4th September, 2010. (Last Edited: 14th October, 2010.)

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    Bleu de Chanel by Chanel

    I am going to be predictable: this isn't any good. I thought I was going to be smart but Cedriceccentric and Andrewthecologneguy already spelled out the obvious: Bleu de Chanel should have been named Allure Bleu. Now from a business point of view this looks like a smart idea. Allure and its depressing line of flankers have been a success for Chanel and "blue" scents, well, that's what men want these days, right? Let's put 1 + 1 together.

    From an aesthetic point of view the problem is that Allure homme was rather average to begin with. Acceptable perhaps as an inoffensive one-off but not as a base for a line of flankers (which I don't like in general.) Allure is immediately recognizable in the opening combined with some generic but extremely sweet aquatic fruity details. The fragrance is completely frontloaded like the airport scent that it is, which means that after two hours is seems to have disappeared.

    Not a deception since Chanel has not been to kind to men for some time now but certainly puzzling that such an esteemed house wants to be associated with something so unattractive as Bleu de Chanel.

    11th August, 2010. (Last Edited: 9th October, 2010.)

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    Caron Pour Un Homme by Caron

    I am on the fence with this one. I love lavender so the opening blast pushes my pleasure center. But in general I am wary of vanilla in fragrances if it is cast in a starring role as it is here. Even so this certainly is a beautiful vanilla: haunting, ancient, French. Actually, the fragrance as a whole triggers unspecified memories connected more to places than people wearing Caron pour un homme. It is without a doubt a great fragrance, obviously not of this time, but I don’t see myself wearing it at this stage in my life. Although I wish my house would smell like this.

    4th August, 2010.

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    Agua Brava by Antonio Puig

    I am going to give a typical "on the fence" review here. I like Agua Brava, it possesses a pleasurable old skool citric-pine opening blast that is very refreshing and morphs into a more woody-spicy base. But, if you have ever stayed/lived for some time in Spain during the last 40 years you'll be sick of it by now. It is basically the national fragrance, worn by every dad and uncle. It is simply impossible to have missed it. Agua Brava is pretty elegant but for me it is too loaded with memories and a certain type of man so that I only can wear it as an ironic gesture.

    People still love it (as witnessed here), it is easily available (supermarkets included) and good value for money but I prefer a slightly more modern take on Spanish grooming (with for instance Esencia Loewe).

    15th May, 2010.

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    Trussardi by Trussardi

    Mysterious and beautiful scent. The opening is weird and medicinal. It might put some off but I learned to love it very quickly. Others have described its progression and attraction far better than I can. All I can say is that Trussardi (Donna) is extremely elegant and particular, dry and soft. Also can be had for a bargain (which is strange considering Trussardi in general is outrageously expensive.)

    I normally follow the esteemed gentlemen who have praised this scent blindly and yes, the gender of scents is ambivalent and all about social convention, but this one is strictly worn by my wife.

    20th April, 2010.

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    Esencia Loewe by Loewe

    Quintessential Spanish scent. Relatively hard to find (although they carry it on Iberia flights and of course in its hometown Madrid you can find it everywhere.) Extremely elegant and rather introverted and controlled. The strange opening works like a slight aristocratic eccentricity (a little joke to keep the crowd away?)

    At first wear it seems to disappear rather quickly but its longevity is excellent. It doesn’t scream for attention and possesses weird sillage; Esencia just suddenly seems to breathe back into existence. It contains innumerable shades of green which places Esencia roughly in the same quadrant as Drakkar Noir and Quorum, yet lacking the strength issues of both. Actually, I am convinced that if Esencia had been more popular or widely known the reviews would be as polarizing as said fragrances.

    I agree with Naed Nitram that it evokes associations of a tavern although I must say I place its mustiness in a typical Spanish bar during a summer evening, a weird but common combination of wood, ripened food and well dressed/groomed men drinking wine, discussing life, women and futbol.

    A green classico.

    13rd March, 2010. (Last Edited: 9th August, 2010.)

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    Cuir de Russie by Le Jardin Retrouvé

    Another lesson in nostalgia. This one surprisingly evokes memories of bed linen and cabinets at my grandparents. Very soothing and mysterious. As with other LJR fragrances this possesses a soft elegance. Cuir de Russie is a clean fragrance in which the leather functions more as a contrast (in play with amber and a to my nose unidentifiable flowery component) than centerpiece. I gravitate to the idea that Cuir de Russie would give me more joy as a scented candle (which they indeed carry) than a fragrance I would wear with any regularity.

    12nd November, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2010.)

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    Eau de Sandalwood by Le Jardin Retrouvé

    Strange to see this house is so under-appreciated. It's been around for awhile, they give samples away (swiftly and for a very low posting fee), apparently they use natural ingredients (if you care about that sort of thing, I don't really) and their prices put their niche counterparts to shame. Ah yes, the scent? Beautiful and breezy take on sandalwood with a light soapy touch. Nostalgic, almost haunting, but without the usual strength issues one associates with something made in 1977 (so don't expect monster sillage.) Perhaps a touch too pretty for me.

    11th November, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2010.)

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    Eau de Vétyver by Le Jardin Retrouvé

    It is nearly impossible to follow up Naed Nitram's review, which is my favorite on Basenotes. So I'll keep it simple. This one is a classic vetiver with its precise interplay of citrus and tobacco. It isn't as in your face and somehow pungent as Guerlain's can be at times. As with other scents by LJR Eau de Vetyver is light, crystal clear, pure...dreamlike. Should be the perfect scent for spring and summer giving you the restrained air of a knowing gentleman.

    10th November, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2010.)

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    Van Cleef & Arpels pour Homme by Van Cleef & Arpels

    Complex, weird and poetic. Oh, you want more? Difficult scent to break down, especially the beautiful and unusual opening that shrouds what is to come. I find the heart to be a bit intimidating at first thanks to its exploding soapiness that almost veers into feminine territory but just pulls back in time and becomes intriguing bittersweet. Very seventies and somehow very reassuring (memories of childhood, that whole Proustian thing.) Yet calling it outdated is meaningless. Unless one means VC&A belongs to an era with better taste, in which case I have to agree (looking at the great fragrances released just in the year 1978 is quite humbling.)

    It reads as an intelligent macho scent (there is just something...horny yet bookish about it, just today I thought of Serge Gainsbourg as the perfect wearer, although he probably didn't care about perfumes). Yet because of its force, style and play between male and female it is also another fragrance that could have been named Le Dandy. Longevity is really good, in the 10+ hour range. Should be tested before purchase by most (although a certain kind of fraghead with experience in the Azzaro Pour Homme - Jules - Paco Rabanne Pour Homme triangle will know what to expect...and love this.) I'm off writing poems about the ghosts of dead children and some evil flowers.

    18th September, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2010.)

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    Emporio Armani Diamonds by Giorgio Armani

    Basically, the way American 15-year girls smelled in the 80's. This, one could say, is a good thing. But of course no self-respecting woman should wear this bubblegum water. The name is utter crap too.

    21st June, 2009.

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    Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche

    Its official name should be changed to The Much Maligned Noir. The French lesbians, the phallic ads (“La douce violence d’un parfum d’homme”), the bottle that looks like your average shampoo, the silly name, the gateway scent of 80s youth. Actually I quite understand why some don’t like it anymore; I won’t wear Fahrenheit or Cool Water because I wore them as a teenager (although I don’t disown them.) But…I never wore Drakkar Noir, so without the weight of memories it’s basically a new fragrance. And it is of course a pivotal scent and (together with the beautiful Azzaro and Paco Rabanne PH) a baseline with which other scents of the 70s and 80s are measured.

    It must have been very popular because it does indeed produce flashes of the eighties although I immediately smell it as a collection of (loud mouthed) rip-offs that Drakkar Noir has set in motion. The most flattering I know of, as some have commented before, Gucci Nobile (on paper a more unflattering example: one of the Axe’s at the end of the same decade.) But what I do find surprising is the fact that, contrary to its fame as 80’s powerhouse, Drakkar Noir is a quiet scent, probably the reason it got over applied by plebeian and youthful fools. “Soft violence” does indeed cover it as Drakkar Noir reminds me sometimes of an introverted, sweeter cousin of Quorum (from the same year.) When used correctly it possesses beautiful whispering sillage and after some use I have noticed that its longevity is longer than expected. So from the outside something of a prole but inside hides the soul of a fine gentleman.

    18th June, 2009. (Last Edited: 5th September, 2009.)

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    Narciso Rodriguez for Him by Narciso Rodriguez

    Typical product in "the current style" of the last 15 years or so, in other words: crap. An uninteresting take on androgyny, death by melon water, with a bunch of flowers and a cucumber to finish the job. The last in an endless line of depressing airport fragrances.

    22nd May, 2009.

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    Y by Yves Saint Laurent

    Another scent I know from childhood! I distinctly remember a friend of my parents wearing this, a typical haute bourgeois lady: smart, affable and stylish. In short, not a fragrance for young women (maybe with exception of the ones who know what they are doing.)

    Peach is pivotal in Y but with a slightly weird note giving it an intriguing unnatural aspect. The peach is also the main reason why I disagree with those who see in Y a potential unisex (it also has “that Perfume smell” of traditional female fragrances, although not as prominent as some but you’ll never mistake it for something that came out last week.) Sillage is good and longevity as with nearly all YSL scents is outstanding.

    Y possesses a modern spirit, not as it’s often misused on Basenotes (new, dictated by current fashions…and bogus) but as a promise of optimism, wide-eyed intelligence, sleekness. So it makes total sense as the first Yves Saint Laurent fragrance. Good office scent and apparently not well-known.

    21st May, 2009.

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    Envy by Gucci

    I bought this for my wife when it came out, mainly because I was curious what Gucci, in the middle of a creative rebirth, was doing in the area of fragrance. Well, they created a classic. Such a beautiful fragrance and one that for once deserves the description “modern” (most of the time a word mistaken with “current fashion”, and most new fragrances don't deserve to be called modern.) This truly is a stylish fragrance for women that, once and for all, ends the tradition of musty, female perfume. This is crisp, green, sharp but unmistakably female. Undeniably great (too bad the male version wasn’t any good.)

    16th May, 2009.

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    YSL pour Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

    As many have noted this has a lovely opening, instant wakefulness at morning. The first time I sprayed it on that citric burst made me very happy with my purchase. But it's followed by an awkward moment of transition in the heart which might be associated with the "old people smell" (although of course it isn't really like that), reminds me a bit of the love/hate opening of Azzaro PH (although that's far richer.) Edgy and the fragrance needs this moment. At first I didn't like the transition at all but there's something about it that is quite fascinating, even horny, maybe a better case of the bathroom-that-can't-be-fully-cleaned than is claimed for Jules, Kouros, etc. and it did grow on me. It probably is a good case of the sickly dandy scent that Naed_Nitram once invoked with Moustache (which makes some of the old YSL pour Homme ads with jubilant Square Jaws celebrating a business deal, "comme un parfum de victoire", extremely funny.)

    The drydown as a result of another surprising turn is breezy and pleasurable vetiver ("such beautiful...soap" says the lady after a hug.) Also last longer than I expected at first wear.

    The more I use YSL pour Homme the more I regard it as a flawless fragrance. I admire its simplicity, its clear predictability (citric burst...dirty weirdness...cool elegance) that somehow never bores. It is modern yet nostalgic and just plainly turns you into a knowledgeable gentleman: aloof, amiable, witty. Not one for the masses.

    16th April, 2009. (Last Edited: 28th May, 2010.)

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    Kouros by Yves Saint Laurent

    Got a bottle for my birthday. Went to buy it with my mother (pretty clever move because I was a bit afraid she would accidentally buy Kouros Sport or something). “Ah there it is!” And I watched in terror as she grabbed the tester. “Nooo, she’ll turn into the Great White Devil himself” or at least say something like “what is this piss?” But no, “Mmm, fresh!” I don’t know if I was actually disappointed with that comment (“So Basenotes went off the rails again and Kouros is quite acceptable.”) At home I finally tried it on paper since I already was wearing something else and I have to admit that on paper it is a dead ringer for Paco Rabanne Pour Homme. Another Calandre – Rive Gauche case? On skin it’s a different story, what they do have in common is the soapy blast which in Kouros stays for a long time. Rabanne famously goes into dank green territory, whereas Kouros is more woody-sweet.

    Now maybe, Bourdon is a blunt conceptualist and thought: “I’ll make something that smells of piss and the stuff that masks it. Brilliant!” But I don’t buy it (although I love Rex’s theory on why Kouros is so big in Europe and the scent quite successfully does play on opposites, it is for instance both soft and powerful, macho and feminine, dirty and clean.) Besides I’m not familiar with urinal cakes that smell this way (they’re not exactly my area of expertise as they seemingly are for others but the ones I know of are far sharper and pine-like.) There is at times a hint of something animalic but the honey and soap is far stronger to me. Staying power is unparalleled, it truly works all day; sillage in general is something I have a hard time commenting on as most fragrances stay close to me but it is undeniable that it possesses quite some.

    Over the years I don’t have any regrets regarding fragrances but one: that I didn’t run into Kouros when I was 20. Another victim of wrong connotations (it always made me think of Greek kitsch or hairy and obnoxious men.) This is indeed a classic that I strangely haven’t smelled on others here in The Netherlands, Home of Mellon Water. I have a premonition it will stay in my wardrobe for quite some time.

    16th April, 2009.

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    Dolce & Gabbana pour Homme by Dolce & Gabbana

    Somehow like (almost) everything the Kings of Eurotrash do this isn’t any good. On release Pour Homme was immediately hailed as a classic by people in the know so I had to at least give it a chance. There is something in this fragrance that really pushes me the wrong way and overseeing the notes I can’t identify the culprit (the basenotes for instance look like personal favorites) but on me it smelled like burnt chocolate. Really annoying and obviously unwearable.

    31st March, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th November, 2009.)

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    Yatagan by Caron

    Undoubtedly someone has thought of this before: but one of the pleasures of the 70s-80s powerhouses for me is to wear the fragrances against psychological type. I have read it repeatedly on Basenotes, something like "you need brass balls to wear this." That's when I'm getting interested these days (if it's called outdated, even better.) As an introvert the perfect scent for me is Prada Amber -soft and intimate- but it also becomes a predictable choice. The thing is the extrovert power boost of something like Quorum is totally against psychological expectations and works like a charm.

    Enter Yatagan. First impression: "I know this!" A very confusing moment until I realize it doesn't remind me of a fragrance but of a landscape. Many below have had similar associations and it does indeed remind me of Mediterranean forests in summer heat (pine and brown, dry earth.) I adore that smell, but do I want to smell like it? That's the big question with Yatagan, the opening is an inhuman smell which is so rich that it almost gave me an indigestion. On paper.

    When, with some trepidation, I finally sprayed it on my skin a far subtler fragrance unfolded. Now don't get me wrong I love reading these Basenotes pages on heavy controversial fragrances full of sweaty, horny horses bathing in urine, but Yatagan to my surprise is quite wearable and classy. Heavy, of course! Unusual? Indeed. Celery? No way! The pine isn't that pronounced on skin but stays far into the heart while finally transforming into something warm, slightly sweet and masculine (and with a weird burning accent which should be associated with flaming erotic power.) Also because it is weird, complex and from the seventies one expects this to have nuclear radiance, it doesn't.Yatagan wears quite close to the skin and also has longevity in the middle range (this, as JaimeB suggests, used to be different back in the days.)

    After the paper test I was convinced my bottle would last a lifetime but as I consider it a red-brown cousin of personal favorite Quorum, I imagine it forming a triangle with signature Azzaro PH which I will repeat for quite some years. I really can't see why European men under the Nantes - Paris line shouldn't love this. In short: total classic.

    28th March, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th April, 2010.)

    rating

    Jules by Christian Dior

    Got a 10 ml from Ebay. I am really getting into the idea of the animalistic/rude/sweaty fragrance and Jules is the real first step on a path that will eventually lead me to fork out the 110 e’s for Muscs Koublaï Khän.

    Jules starts off rather mysteriously and classy, definitely a scent from a bygone era. Very, very French somehow and at times it seems to foreshadow Fahrenheit. Weird at first but pleasant and it gets better with the spicy middle. All those associations of woods, dead leaves are quite understandable. It’s definitely an autumn scent, melancholic and poetic, and should work well with brown clothes. I can understand where those with the urinous angle come from, there’s just a hint of something “off”, a sweet/sour note that basically is very pleasant but doesn’t resemble any real toilet I know of. The only problem with Jules is the longevity which at times can be a bit average.

    Edit 2010: thanks to a fellow Basenoter I am now in possession of a full 100 ml bottle of Jules. So I replicated the test Pollux did below and the latest bottle does have one very harsh note in the opening which I never detected in the older (smaller) bottle. It disappears rather quickly and the rest of the development is, as far as I can tell, the same, which leads me to conclude that the small splash bottle was indeed older (as pictured, the new bottle is different).

    Jules is still out there (although it seems to be kept in the specific territories of France and Belgium.) Makes me wonder what Dior are on about? Was it only popular in French speaking countries to begin with and is that enough to keep it production? Obviously (and thankfully) it is too “out of time” to relaunch with a new campaign…maybe when a future international celebrity named Jules gets a tie-in. Until then, it’s a lonely walk in the woods.

    One last thought. While some misguided fool invoked the name of Turin as a blunt stick to beat the lovers of Jules with, it did remind me of his suggestion of Jules as a great masculine for women. I agree. What fine and mysterious women they would turn out to be!

    17th March, 2009. (Last Edited: 24th February, 2010.)

    Showing 1 to 30 of 48.

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