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Caron's Yatagan - Too Much For A Woman?

post #1 of 11
11/2/05 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 
So I've been toying with the idea of purchasing a bottle of Yatagan for myself. I've been searching for a fragrance that's "edgy" and has real bite, a dark edge to it, and, after reading the reviews I've decided I might want to give Yatagan a try.
Guys, what do you think? Too "room-clobbering" for a woman to wear?
Let me just mention that I do adore patchouli scents, and own several "mens'" colognes as well - Vetiver/Guerlain, Creed Tabarome, Hermes Bel Ami, Dior Eau Savage, Costume National. As far as womens' fragrances, I love the chypres.
I live in Chicago, so sampling any rare Caron scent is next to impossible. I don't even know if Saks Fifth Ave or Nordstroms even carries it.
How much of a chance would I be taking buying Yatagan on-line without first sampling it on my skin? It seems like such a black-hearted fragrance and I am so intrigued...
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post #2 of 11
11/2/05 at 12:47pm
Not as blackhearted as most imply on this site. I think you might enjoy the dry woodiness of this one. It will probably be the first fragrance you have worn that contains a prominant worm wood note, which was a key ingrediant in the famous tabooed elixer (absinthe).
I find this fragrance comforting and it stays close to the skin if you dont over apply. And that is truly the key with this one.
I apply this one the same way I do Bandit EDP. One good spray on my chest is quite adequate.
If you havent tried Bandit, I highly recomend it. It is a womens fragrance but the EDP version could easily be considered unisex in light of the unisex fragrances marketed today. Nothing else smells even similar in my opinion. I love both and they are very unique scents that I believe will stand the test of time.
I suggest you buy the smaller spray version of one or both of these.
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post #3 of 11
11/2/05 at 1:05pm
There are plenty of heavy, dense, thick, and rich scents for women, woody, watery, and spicy all in the same mix. Think of Yatagan as of a family with those, maybe like Habanita, maybe Angelique Encens, maybe Bandit as Steve mentions. It doesn't smell like any of those, and it doesn't smell like the deep ambers that women wear either, but it is like those in its depth. You can smell that it is from the house that made Tabac Blond and Poivre when you smell it, and in that way I am certain it will work for a woman who likes its smell. It is closest to the older style of women's scents really, the ones with gravitas that are sixty plus years old now.

I've seen bottles of it at Saks so you can probably smell it at a counter there. Not at Nordstrom, at least not at any of mine.

I hope Tigruska will see this thread and post to it. She started off thinking it was too manly for a woman but I sort of think something changed her mind. I might be wrong, but you're asking a question she's thought over already and might be able to help on.

I think it would be alive and fantastic on a woman. A bargain next to the Caron extraits. Wear it if you like it of course.
--Chris
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post #4 of 11
11/2/05 at 1:31pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the enlightening replies! Interesting - Habanita was always an all-time fave of mine. I do own Bandit, by the way, and alternate between wearing that with Cabochard. From a few the earlier reviews, I sort of got the impression that Yatagan smelled more like a jock strap in a mens' locker room. LOL From the way you've both described it, however, I'm thinking strongly about purchasing a small bottle.
Good to hear that Saks carries it. I usually frequent that dept store so as to wind up not being disappointed. They seem to be one of the few places in Chicago who have sales associates that are actually old enough to have worn the classics the first time around.
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post #5 of 11
11/2/05 at 1:35pm
If you can't find it anywhere to sample it, PM me and I'll send you one.

Cheers,

#
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post #6 of 11
11/2/05 at 2:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RitaMae

...From a few earlier reviews, I sort of got the impression that Yatagan smelled more like a jock strap in a mens' locker room. LOL From the way you've both described it, however, I'm thinking strongly about purchasing a small bottle.....

I started out with the same false ideas and was somewhat disappointed when testing Y. at the counter. . . It is a very nice, comforting scent, just as Steve says. Would be nice under my sweater, I guess. I just had too 'dark hearted' expectations. (Love the way, you people characterized this!) I may still buy Y. later, but rather try other Carons, like Anarchiste, first.
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post #7 of 11
11/2/05 at 7:28pm
I think Yatagan would be a worthwhile experiment, given some of the others you've tried and apparently enjoy. While "heavy", I don't consider Yatagan to be a traditional "masculine" fragrance. As a point of contrast, I would not recommend something like Azzaro pour homme, Fendi pour homme, Creed Bois du Portugal, or the like for a woman. To me, in a way I can't adequately describe, each of these have a more traditional "male" impression.

As mentioned by others, Yatagan would be more similar to Bandit or Donna Karan Black Cashmere. Heavy scents, without the "gold chain" image of masculine.

I enjoy the rare occasion when I run into a woman daring enough to venture into these types of fragrances!

Cheers,
Jim
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post #8 of 11
11/3/05 at 6:14am
I have to admit that if there was one scent that I think a woman might not be able to pull off, it would be Yatagan. Yet I know women on the board (notably our loverly moderator Tigs) wears it. It didn't work for my fiancee, but that isn't to say it won't work on another woman.

I do think that Yatagan is a full-throttle masculine fragrance with the castoreum and pine, and one that I am not entirely comfortable wearing. Yet it is such an interesting fragrance that I cannot bear to trade it.

I agree with smellitnow's opinion of Bandit EDP. Fantastic stuff. It might not be for everyone, but it is a masterpiece. Leather, florals and spice.
K
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post #9 of 11
11/3/05 at 7:05pm
Im sick, for sure: deep darkness holds my heart,
Im bored with the people and the stories,
And dream of treasures of the kingdoms, glories,
And yataghans, all covered with blood...

I call Yatagan The Sexy Beast. I love it madly -- thick, rich green pine aroma, dirty, earthy patchouli, raw leather, spicy thyme-like aroma, bitter geranium, oakmoss, and about a thousand other ingredients all blend together to make Yatagan unique and (I cannot stress this enough) very sexy. But I do NOT wear it.
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post #10 of 11
11/3/05 at 9:26pm
If you can get past Yatagan's opening onslaught, you're in for a treat. It really blooms into a rather soft and smooth fragrance that an assertive woman could wear, imo. But, warning: there isn't a SMIDGEN of sweetness in this one.
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post #11 of 11
11/3/05 at 9:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DustB

I hope Tigruska will see this thread and post to it. She started off thinking it was too manly for a woman but I sort of think something changed her mind. I might be wrong, but you're asking a question she's thought over already and might be able to help on.

A bit late but here I am! [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]

It's a long time since I've worn Yatagan and haven't worn it to work, but though it has a powerful presence, it's not overpowering. Of course it's not at all "feminine", it's pretty butch, but so are many other leather scents, including leather scents marketed for women. So go ahead and try it, and if you love it, wear it with pride! 8-)

PS Rita, I wear Bel Ami, too!
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