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Is Antaeus a "cigar-box woody" ?

post #1 of 17
1/31/09 at 12:38pm
Thread Starter 
That is what LT called it in his guide book. I sampled it again last night, and for me it's floral with a hard green note in the background. Where is the cigar or the wood?
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post #2 of 17
1/31/09 at 1:06pm
Did you wear it or sample it? Antaeus is one of those fragrances that, when worn, creates an aroma around the wearer that is quite different from when you just sample it on your skin or on paper. Antaeus can be pretty overpowering, especially if smelled up close. It's wonderful to enjoy it with a couple sprays on the neck, the effect of which is woody and masculine - maybe that's what LT referring to. I personally get a lot of lavender with herbal and woody notes. Besides lavender I don't get any distinct 'florals'.

I wouldn't always rely on those little two-word titles in the Guide. I've seen others that make me scratch my head as they don't seem to really describe the fragrance. Mont Blanc Individuel is referred to as "green citrus" or something like that, in reality it's very fruity and not like either words used to describe it (IMHO). There's a few more examples, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.
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post #3 of 17
1/31/09 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 
I guess the dry, leathery herbal quality strikes me as "floral." It may be that the blending is such that it came across as a harsh floral blur to me. I put a couple of dabs on my arm, so that I can use my hand to create a waft whenever I want. I do this after I make sure it's not going to nauseate me by sampling first just above the ankle. The comments in the BN directory about how powerful this is are confusing, unless it is being sprayed 10 times or so. I found it unpleasant, but only mildly so, and certainly not a "power frag." I also don't see the connection to Yatagan, which has been commented upon in the directory as well, because there the notes are obvious, and yet they don't keep coming at you, but you get wafts every now and then. With Antaeus, there's a solid block of the dry herbal/leather that just lies there doing nothing, and as I said, I don't find it especially pleasant. I guess LT was referring to an empty cigar box, though I never got any strong wood quality from Antaeus.
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post #4 of 17
1/31/09 at 2:06pm
If cigar box is in there it's buried beneath nasty 80s powerhouse woods. If you want cigar box go with CdG Sequoia for a clean one and Czeck and Speake Cuba for a funky one.
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post #5 of 17
1/31/09 at 5:33pm
If a Cigar in an Expensive wood cigar box is all you want:
Black Walnut by Banana Republic
Dry, masculine, and better than I expected.
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post #6 of 17
1/31/09 at 7:29pm
Thread Starter 
I guess to me Cuba Red is clearly a cigar-box (made out of cedar) woody, but it might be an el cheapo cigar-box woody (I'm not an expert on cigar boxes). LOL.
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post #7 of 17
2/1/09 at 11:01am
It took me a really long time to 'get' Antaeus. I bought a mini to first try it, and it wasn't until the 3rd or 4th wear that I began to appreciate that it is both bold and subtle.... the initial impression is of something very strong, but as it settles there's a lot of subtlety in the herbal/lavender/coumarin interaction (or at least I think it's coumarin). Dabbing and wafting isn't the same as wearing when it comes to Antaeus. It really must be worn to be appreciated.
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post #8 of 17
2/1/09 at 12:01pm
I think Antaeus is a muscular woody scent that has a hint of the yatagan accord that makes a subtle appearance. It isn't like yatagan at all except for that periodic smell that is way in the background and doesn't hang around for the life of the fragrance.

I think it's a bold scent yet not pushy. I also think the woods in it are fantastic. Just my opinion.
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post #9 of 17
2/1/09 at 12:35pm
Thread Starter 
For me, Yatagan is "wet" whereas Antaeus is "dry," for those who care. LOL.
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post #10 of 17
2/1/09 at 12:46pm
I certainly love the wood in Antaeus, but it takes a while to fully appreciate it. If it is a wood, it is certainly something smooth and classy. Maybe some Teak or Mahogany. It is a wonderful blend of power and finesse. A steel fist in a velvet glove
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post #11 of 17
2/1/09 at 2:57pm
I definitely get florals and beeswax even from the recent formulation. There's much more going on than woods and tobacco. Odd stuff, this.
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post #12 of 17
2/1/09 at 3:26pm
Ah, Antaeus. I actually bought this blind last year after reading a lot of positive comments on Basenotes and I don't regret it for an instant.

Obsession for Men - my long standing favourite of around twenty years - may have to remain my most loved scent and Alain Delon's Iquitos is also a frag quite new to me which is has that something extra but Antaeus is the classiest of the lot and immediately became my first choice for all special occasions.

All personal taste of course, as the other frag which caught my attention through Basenotes was Guerlain Vetiver, which I ended up being far less impressed with.
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post #13 of 17
2/1/09 at 11:48pm
Antaeus and Yatagan??? I may be wrong, but i always thought Yatagan was a leather. And, IMHO, maybe LT was referring to the original Antaeus, beside which the current reformulation is so watered down. Again, IMHO, if i want cigar-box i would go for Cuba and many others. If the cigar-box wasn't mentioned here it would be the last association i would make with Antaeus. For a wood hit, mmmm, okay, but there are many more woody scents out there.

Antaeus is a frag i really wanted (and still want) to love.
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post #14 of 17
2/2/09 at 2:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by perfaddict View Post

...maybe LT was referring to the original Antaeus, beside which the current reformulation is so watered down...

Antaeus is a frag i really wanted (and still want) to love.

So you'd get a higher concentration if you were going to buy a new bottle these days?

maybe an EdP? does it even come in that form...
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post #15 of 17
2/2/09 at 3:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ++++ View Post

So you'd get a higher concentration if you were going to buy a new bottle these days?

maybe an EdP? does it even come in that form...

Definitely!!! But i haven't heard about an EDP or concentrated edition.

All this mention of Antaeus has made me chose it for my evening wrist-wearing today
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post #16 of 17
2/2/09 at 6:08am
interesting thanks
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post #17 of 17
2/2/09 at 12:42pm
Antaeus is baby-powder with leather on me.
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Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Male Fragrance Discussion › MFD Archive › Is Antaeus a "cigar-box woody" ?