Atao by Lostmarc'h

I have already posted a review of the lovely Lann Ael by the same house, Lostmarch. This small Breton fragrance house is intriguing and charming. Atao, which means always in Breton, is their mens scent, a sleek citrus with lots of rosemary spiked through the usual lemon, lime and bergamot mix. Normally not my thing at all, but I love its clarity and piercing coolness. The bottle is overprinted with an image of a sailing boat and actually this scent could be described as classic wood cutting though water and air, sun burning down on faded decks. The crack of sails above, sea spray in the air and that warm joy of connecting to the elements as you lie back and close your eyes, fingers dangling in the sudden shock of cold sea.

The open is overwhelming and astringently harsh. I end up startled by the open, then it mellows out and becomes quite nice, but theres something nagging and plant like about it that's annoying after a couple hours. The superior scent that I found is Bergamote 22 which balances the citrus more on the base. In short, if you are on the fence with Atao, try Bergamote 22 instead.

First of all this is not a feminine fragrance, if anything it's masculine, and less likely a unisex leaning towards masculine.

This is nearly a cut and paste of Comme des Garcons - Series 8 Energy C Lemon. Opens quite calmly with clean and soft lemon. Over the next two hours fragrant wood and a trace of spiciness appear and they remain until the end along with the lemon. Never becoming tart Atao is a pleasant lemon fragrance that Id be more than happy to smell on others but not myself. Nice but very boring.

just got it yesterday...man!!!no regrets...it trides, shoots straight and speaks the truth....crisp grapefruit/orange/lemon notes on top. then it flows to a good spicy woods...medium sillage...stay close to skin....i notice a hint of paco xs.