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Sycomore

post #1 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Sorry if I am not tagging this to the end of a dedicated Sycamore thread. I'm sure one exists, but I couldn't find it. I just wanted to give it a brief rave.

I've been wearing Chanel's Sycamore for the last week, and I am really loving it. I splurged on a decant, hoping to find something wearable, and I am happy to say that this one is a gem. The first hour for me is a beautiful smoky, vetiver accord, cooled somewhat by this soft, round almost buttery iris note. It warms up a bit as the sandalwood appears, and deepens as the day goes on.
I am a great fan of Vetiver Extrordinaire, but this one is bit different. It lacks the ozonic, aldahydic harshness (which I love) of VE, and trades it for a very round, deep (and I think masculine) softness. There is a sweet, almost nutty note which reminds me of burnt sugar and roasted nuts. It sounds strange, but it lends the whole composition a wonderful balance.

I don't think I can afford to splurge on a bottle, but if I come into some money soon, this may be on my short list of purchases.

-Slim
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post #2 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:36pm
Sycomore has been on my 'test list' for a while now and somehow it always gets pushed behind other decant purchases. I hope to put it back on the top again.
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post #3 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:47pm
Haven't tried this, but it sounds divine. So would you say it's quite masculine?
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post #4 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:55pm
I loved it at first sniff, it's simply gorgeous. I would be quite happily to smell it on man, woman, inanimate object, anything.
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post #5 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:55pm
Yes, it's a nutty vetiver - I get that facet of it also, but very subtle and delicate. I was wearing it a couple days ago and I realized that this one quietly replaced the Route de Vetiver, once a big favorite of mine, out of my regular rotation.

There is a persistent floral element to Sycomore also, but because of the way it's blended it's had to call this scent a floral vetiver. Even though it is. If you really pay attention to the way it develops on skin - you can make out the muguet (lily of the valley) and a tiny bit of something licorice-like.

3xasif, if I may quote helg my girlfriend from Perfume Shrine who wrote, "Officially marketed as feminine for women who do not like flowery compositions, yet cunningly poised between the two sexes, it has an hermaphrodite side that whispers of something mysteriously chic, chastetly beautiful and utterly unattainable; like Björn Andrésen, the youth Tadzio in Luchino Visconti's 1971 "Death in Venice" (the film adaptation of Thomas Mann's masterful novel)."
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post #6 of 23
10/1/09 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Yes, it's a nutty vetiver - I get that facet of it also, but very subtle and delicate. I was wearing it a couple days ago and I realized that this one quietly replaced the Route de Vetiver, once a big favorite of mine, out of my regular rotation.

There is a persistent floral element to Sycomore also, but because of the way it's blended it's had to call this scent a floral vetiver. Even though it is. If you really pay attention to the way it develops on skin - you can make out the muguet (lily of the valley) and a tiny bit of something licorice-like.

3xasif, if I may quote helg my girlfriend from Perfume Shrine who wrote, "Officially marketed as feminine for women who do not like flowery compositions, yet cunningly poised between the two sexes, it has an hermaphrodite side that whispers of something mysteriously chic, chastetly beautiful and utterly unattainable; like Björn Andrésen, the youth Tadzio in Luchino Visconti's 1971 "Death in Venice" (the film adaptation of Thomas Mann's masterful novel)."

*swoon*

Stunning.
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post #7 of 23
10/1/09 at 7:00pm
I've had the opportunity to wear Sycomore a number of times now, and it's become one of the vetivers I admire most, along with Givenchy Vetyver, (the old) Route du Vétiver, Etro's Vetiver, Sel de Vétiver and Encre Noire. In character I find it closest to the Givenchy: smooth, suave, and nutty, though smokier and graced with an incense note not present in the Givenchy.

As for 3axasif's question: To me Sycomore smells closer to the traditional masculine vetiver genre than anything conventionally feminine, but if you're comfortable wearing things like Dzongkha, Timbuktu, or Avignon you should have no trouble with it.
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post #8 of 23
10/1/09 at 7:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vibert View Post

I've had the opportunity to wear Sycomore a number of times now, and it's become one of the vetivers I admire most, along with Givenchy Vetyver, (the old) Route du Vétiver, Etro's Vetiver, Sel de Vétiver and Encre Noire. In character I find it closest to the Givenchy: smooth, suave, and nutty, though smokier and graced with an incense note not present in the Givenchy.

As for 3axasif's question: To me Sycomore smells closer to the traditional masculine vetiver genre than anything conventionally feminine, but if you're comfortable wearing things like Dzongkha, Timbuktu, or Avignon you should have no trouble with it.

Hm, sounds like it could be a pass. I am feeling pretty girly scent-wise these days, perhaps I'll stick my Bel Respiro obsession for my Chanel Exclusif green fix
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post #9 of 23
10/1/09 at 7:24pm
I remember trying sycomore and concluding it was a sweeter EN
I perfer the dryness of EN but I do agree it can get boring quick
I am not sure though if I can justify having both
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post #10 of 23
10/1/09 at 11:20pm
I agree, it's one of the best of the nutty, more earthy vetivers, but after trying it a few times I resolved that for the price, Encre Noir was perfectly sufficient, although the greatest I've experienced so far is the Givenchy.
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post #11 of 23
10/2/09 at 1:15am
Beware of the tricky marijuana note in Sycomore! Someone might think you are smoking a joint right now while wearing this scent........
I got such comments! But I still love Sycomore.
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post #12 of 23
10/2/09 at 5:09am
The Chanel Les Exclusifs are insanely good! I'm trying to get my head around which one to get next.

I'd add to the masculine vs. feminine comments that this would seem the most balanced of any vetiver I know. There are delicate florals to be found if you pay attention, and the pungent, classically masculine vetiver is softened with the dusty smoke. Give it a go, if only once!
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post #13 of 23
10/2/09 at 7:13am
Sycomore and Coromandel are the ones I want to sample from the Chanel Exclusives.
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post #14 of 23
10/2/09 at 7:20am
A great vetiver - its by far worthy of Chanel and in the league of Malle, MPG, Lalique, etc. as one of *the* definitive quality vetivers.

About the marketing; I've been to two different Chanel boutiques that displayed Sycomore with the masculines and not with the other Exclusifs. So while the generally unisex Exclusifs are all feminine-marketed there is some recognition - at least at the retail level - that Sycomore is squarely a masuline scent. Put another way: I can't see many non-perfumista ladies picking Sycomore as their perfume because it doesn't have the slightest of feminine trappings.
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post #15 of 23
10/2/09 at 8:07am
Quote:
Sycomore and Coromandel are the ones I want to sample from the Chanel Exclusives.

same here!
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post #16 of 23
10/2/09 at 8:39am
It's damn good stuff - highly recommended!
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post #17 of 23
10/2/09 at 4:40pm
I have been waiting for someone to offer a split of this. I just can't justify the huge bottle, even though I really like this one.
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post #18 of 23
10/3/09 at 8:07am
I really love it too. I'd say it deserves to be in the very uppermost tier of vetivers. As has been said many times before, it reminds me of a more refined, smoother Encre Noir. Beautiful and smoky.
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post #19 of 23
10/5/09 at 1:09am
I must agree with all the praise for Sycomore. It was one of the scents which got me interested in the world of fragrance. I don't quite wear it myself. I find it more on the feminine side (I get a little "woman's makeup/handbag" kinda vibe). Lucky me, its one of my gf's favorites and I get to enjoy it wafting my way often.

For an EDT it has great longevity and sillage. A spritz on card stock lasts for days.

Its funny that its mentioned to be so pricey when actually its just that it only comes in a BIG bottle. There are plenty of mediocre designer scents which seem to average out more $ per ml.

IMO, the vetiver and pink peppercorn take most of the spot light with supporting notes adding to its depth and richness. I have smelled quite a few vetiver centered frags since discovering Sycomore and haven't come across anything quite like it.

a big
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post #20 of 23
10/5/09 at 10:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by petruccijc View Post

It's damn good stuff - highly recommended!


Dittos
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post #21 of 23
10/5/09 at 11:42am
In my opinion, it is far too similar to Encre Noir for most of its first few hours. A little less inky, but that's me trying hard to find a difference.

Thankfully, this is not one of the fancy scents that I feel compelled to own. Coromandel, on the other hand....
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post #22 of 23
10/5/09 at 12:35pm
Maybe the upcoming Encre Noire Pour Elle will be similar to Sycomore...

The only thing Encre Noire and Sycomore have in common is vetiver. The inkiness of EN is the power of suggestion. To me Encre Noire smells like an old wooden chest in someone's attic.
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post #23 of 23
10/5/09 at 6:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by richard d View Post

Dittos

Ditto the Dittos!
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