Review by drseid
Tzora opens with just the faintest whiff of fresh orange before quickly transitioning to a sharp sparkling bergamot and Peruvian pepper tandem that dominates the heart of the scent with a very subtle mossy green undertone. The Peruvian pepper is deftly implemented, never overpowering the other elements but rather meshing with the bergamot in perfect harmony. As the Peruvian pepper slowly recedes, a very fine cedar emerges to take its place, mingling with the still remaining bergamot through the dry-down, adding shimmering vetiver support. Projection is below average and longevity is outstanding at over 24 hours on skin. Tzora is a late entrant to the 2012 party, but it captivated me from the get-go and the longer I wear it the more I enjoy it. It is officially classified as a floral chypre, but I think it is more like a citric/woody scent with spicy and earthy support. Tzora is quite the textbook prototype of executing a composition using minimalist restraint in its implementation; with Geza Schoen showing off all his enormous talent here in what I feel is his best work to date. Terre d'Hermes fans in particular will most likely find Tzora quite appealing as while it is no Terre d'Hermes clone, it occupies a similar space and beats TdH at its own game (not an easy accomplishment). I confess after smelling Tzora I had to remove Terre d'Hermes from my Top 10, replacing it with Tzora. To bottom line it for everyone, Tzora is the one of the three finest new releases I have smelled in 2012, earning an extremely rare 5 star out of 5 rating from me. This one is an absolute masterpiece of the highest order and it would not surprise me if it stands the test of time.
