Quorum - List of ingredients includes real oakmoss

[vonMises]

I just bought another bottle of Quorum because my first bottle is only 80% full, and you never know when the next Apocolypse will occur.

I was curious to see if it contains actual oakmoss. Below is the complete list of ingredients, in order, from the box. I looked up Evernia prunastri and it is real oakmoss extract, and Evernia furfuracea is real treemoss extract.

It also contains coumarin, which lends a citrus/orangey note, and eugenol which is spicy like cloves. The citronellol and geraniol together add a certain piquancy sufficient to deter some insects.

The linalool is floral and spicy.

Behold, the chemistry that is the legendary Quorum:

Alchohol

Water

Limonene

Butylphenyl methylpropional

Eugenol

Linalool

Citronellol

Geraniol

Evernia furfuracea (treemoss) extract

Evernia prunastri (oakmoss) extract

Isoeugenol

Citral

Coumarin

Hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene

Carboxaldehyde

Hydroxycitronellal

Cinnamal

Benzyl benzoate

Benzyl alcohol

Made in Barcelona, Spain

[DustB]

Such amazing stuff. Do you know if it is one of those ingredients or a combination of them that gives it the dense tobacco element?

[shamu1]

I'm surprised to see so many synthetics listed in Quorum. A main reason I love Quorum so much is that it smells so natural. If there isn't actual oakmoss in Quorum, it sure smells like the real thing in there. Quorum for me is a leather and oakmoss bomb.

[Asmo]

Quorum is pure man. It's amazing stuff and I agree, it goes on smooth and doesn't smell harsh or synthetic at all.

[Strollyourlobster]

I almost threw the bottle across the room when I first got this stuff. It was about $10, I think.
After finding it completely hideous and unwearable for a good year or more I've begun to find Quorum fascinating in the same God-I-love-that/eek-what's-in-that-stuff way that Yatagan flips back and forth on me. At first it seemed to have this rotten plum note that has somehow disappeared, or resolved into other things. It doesn't seem merely hairy-chested and obvious to me, at least not at reasonably low dosages. The sillage is in fact very herbal/piney, with an airy quality that comes across very differently than many other masculine leather chypres that still seem quite dense and sweaty at a distance. In fact compared to Aramis, which I love, it's downright subtle.

[ruffin]

For me..Quorum opening brute & hash with strong animalic (civet smell) dry tobacco, pure oakmoss & monster of leather. Although a lots of synthetic ingredient but Quarom give a nature scent of powerhouse.....Quarom is in my top five powerhouse.

[vonMises]

I'm surprised to see so many synthetics listed in Quorum. A main reason I love Quorum so much is that it smells so natural. If there isn't actual oakmoss in Quorum, it sure smells like the real thing in there. Quorum for me is a leather and oakmoss bomb.

Such amazing stuff. Do you know if it is one of those ingredients or a combination of them that gives it the dense tobacco element?

I don't know enough about perfumery to know how a tobacco note is created without actual tobacco. But I am beginning to think that much of the art is suggestion, and maybe the combination and construction of the ingredients form a note that is merely reminiscent of a familiar note like tobacco.

Actually, most of the ingredients are derived from natural sources even though they have chemical (artificial-sounding) names. There are a couple of different alcohols in there, and even those, I believe, are derived from plant sources. This is based on only a few minutes of my research on each ingredient. Each compound (that I was able to find on wikipedia) is derived from a non-petroleum source, meaning they were derived from plants.

Also, many of the ingredients of Quorum are common allergens or are likely to cause adverse reactions in a medically significant number of people.

[vonMises]

I'm surprised to see so many synthetics listed in Quorum. A main reason I love Quorum so much is that it smells so natural. If there isn't actual oakmoss in Quorum, it sure smells like the real thing in there. Quorum for me is a leather and oakmoss bomb.

Quorum does contain actual, real oakmoss. Evernia prunastri is the chemical/scientific name for oakmoss. It also contains real tree moss. I looked all this up to see if the ingredients were real or synthetic. While there is some synthesis involved in deriving essential oils and essences, these are actually the natural (real) compounds.

[shamu1]

I've also wondered about how tobacco accords are created, von Mises. I have to believe it's an accord created by non-tobacco ingredients, to create the olfactory illusion of tobacco. I posted a couple of threads about this issue on the forum, and there has yet to be any clear answer.

I would think that if tobacco were actually in a perfume, wouldn't it it give you a bit of a head rush, kind of like when you chew tobacco or smoke? Former smoker here, by the way.

Personally, I can't detect a tobacco accord in Quorum, but I know I'm in the minority in that.

[vonMises]

I've also wondered about how tobacco accords are created, von Mises. I have to believe it's an accord created by non-tobacco ingredients, to create the olfactory illusion of tobacco. I posted a couple of threads about this issue on the forum, and there has yet to be any clear answer.

I would think that if tobacco were actually in a perfume, wouldn't it it give you a bit of a head rush, kind of like when you chew tobacco or smoke? Former smoker here, by the way.

Personally, I can't detect a tobacco accord in Quorum, but I know I'm in the minority in that.

I don't actually detect the tobacco, either, but even if there were real tobacco in it, it takes a couple of milligrams of the drug to create a toxicologic or pharmacologically significant reaction (like a head rush). There wouldn't be nearly a sufficient dose of tobacco in a few sprays of edt to cause such a reaction.

(I do get a sort of dark, leathery note from Quorum, which I suppose could be associated with tobacco. Also, the smell of leather itself is the result of chemicals added to animal hide in the curing process, so I would think an scent association with leather could be derived from similar chemicals.)

[DustB]

I find it a mostly tobacco fragrance. I don't say that to fight with or challenge the fine noses and obvious good spirits on this thread and forum who detect less of it or none of it, I mean that it has that rich tobacco smell that is more direct in Miller Harris's Feuilles de Tabac. If I were called upon to describe it in two ingredients I would say it's tobacco and aldehydes.

Not saying I'm right, I'm a total layman at this, but that's what I would say the juice is in two ingredients if I had to. I've been wrong before of course, but that's what it smells like for me.

[vonMises]

I find it a mostly tobacco fragrance. I don't say that to fight with or challenge the fine noses and obvious good spirits on this thread and forum who detect less of it or none of it, I mean that it has that rich tobacco smell that is more direct in Miller Harris's Feuilles de Tabac. If I were called upon to describe it in two ingredients I would say it's tobacco and aldehydes.

Not saying I'm right, I'm a total layman at this, but that's what I would say the juice is in two ingredients if I had to. I've been wrong before of course, but that's what it smells like for me.

Not being a smoker, and not liking tobacco smoke, I am not really familiar enough with tobacco be sure of what I am smelling with Quorum. I have tried to imagine the unfamiliar, strong note I get from Quorum is tobacco, but I am just not sure. I am also not familiar with the pure smell of aldehydes, being significantly less knowledgeable than many people here (including you, Dustb). Really all I can say is that the deep, rich effect of Quorum is unique and very enjoyable.

[zestycool]

Nice post .. love this stuff... have noticed that many of my fave scents have usually got oakmoss

[mrclmind]

Is the ingredient "Fragrance" or "Perfume" listed on the box?

[perfaddict]

Quorum does have a tobacco accord (mostly subsumed by the leather accord) without tobacco listed as an ingredient, the same way Pino Silvestre is all about the pine accord yet without actually having pine as an ingredient.

The listing of organic ingredients ought to serve as a good check for those prone to labelling frags as synthetic, or whatever. Any natural substance, especially in singular extract form, has identified organic structures and a scientific name (organic or trademark). The list above looks scarily synthetic but (for some frags) could be a list of what some happily call natural ingredients.

[SculptureOfSoul]

Tobacco is not required to be listed as an ingredient. So, they could be using real tobacco absolute or, more likely, some synthetic tobacco notes in the composition. Oakmoss is somewhat similar in 'thickness', feel, and density as tobacco absolute but smells different enough that it wouldn't be mistaken for tobacco on its own, I don't think. It is likely being utilized as part of the leather accord, however.

The only ingredients that need to be listed on the box are those that are known to be potential allergens. There are (almost always) many, many more chemicals in fragrances than those listed on the box!

Further, the listing of linalool, isoeugenol, coumarin, etc really tell you almost nothing. Coumarin, for instance, is very prominent in tonka bean absolute and gives it the almondy, slightly cherry-ish, and very sweet powdery heliotrope like note. It's also present in a much smaller quantity in lavender absolute. If you used say, 5% tonka in a formula the coumarin would be VERY noticeable, while if you used 5% lavender absolute it would be much less so, and if you used 1% lavender absolute it may not be detectable at all on its own, and yet in all of those situations you'd have to list 'coumarin' on the packaging. Linalool is in almost every citrus oil, lavender oil, etc. The same goes for iso-eugenol and the others. Sadly, it's almost useless trying to extrapolate anything about the formula from the ingredients listed.

[DustB]

Thank you Perfaddict, SoS, and thank you for your very kind words, VonMises. I appreciate what you guys are telling me. Now I wish I'd let this thread decide my SotD instead of that Santal Noble thread.
Very best.

[vonMises]

Is the ingredient "Fragrance" or "Perfume" listed on the box?

It states, "Parfum (Fragrance)".

[joxer96]

It states, "Parfum (Fragrance)".

That's where you'll find the many, many more ingredients that make up Quorum. SculptureOfSoul is absolutely correct.

[seasoldiermarine]

Good to know some of My favorite Frags (Quorum included) still use natural Oakmoss and Treemoss

[Sugandaraja]

Adding to the chorus of agreement with SoS - that's the allergens being listed. That being said, it does show that there is real oakmoss and treemoss in it.

I've worn Quorum a number of times, and while I agree with Shamu that it smells very natural, I highly doubt it is, given how long it lasts and its comparatively strong sillage, qualities that I just haven't experienced to that degree in natural fragrances.

[shamu1]

I have a question for all of you, and I don't think it's too off the oakmoss topic: do you all consider Quorum to be a fougere or a chypre? Oakmoss is an important component of both fougere and chypre accords, and I'm really on the fence on which category Quorum fits under. I've always considered it an aromatic fougere because I always put it in the same category as Paco Rabanne and Azzaro PH, though Quorum is much stronger, but that oakmoss is so strong, it makes me wonder if it's really a chypre.

[Sugandaraja]

Oakmoss is often a strong presence in a fougere, but it's not a necessary ingredient. As one member here described it:

Chypre = bergamot + oakmoss ( but often with labdanum, patchouli, vetiver )

Fougere = lavender + tonka ( but often with oakmoss, geranium, vetiver )

With the dense, complex fragrances of the '80s there's often a large overlap between men's orientals, chypre, and fougeres due to a tendency to everything represented in the same composition ( for example, lavender, bergamot, tonka, and oakmoss all in the same fragrance ). So it's likely that Quorum has elements of a number of "types" of fragrances in its composition.

As another example, I've often thought Patou pour Homme leaned as much towards the fougere category as the oriental. Looking at its pyramid, there is as much to say "fougere" or even "chypre" as there is "oriental".

Categories like these are rather vague definitions that point you in a general direction, but won't guarantee you exactly what you'll find once you're there.

[perfaddict]

... So it's likely that Quorum has elements of a number of "types" of fragrances in its composition.
...
Categories like these are rather vague definitions that point you in a general direction, but won't guarantee you exactly what you'll find once you're there.

A notable powerfrag specialist has described these as fougypres.

[seasoldiermarine]

I always thought of Quorum as a Fougere experiment that went wrong. Which is part of it's charm

[vonMises]

I always thought of Quorum as a Fougere experiment that went wrong. Which is part of it's charm

I think of it as a Spanish interpretation of a French fougere, with extra emphasis on interpretation, culturally and elementally.

[shamu1]

I think of it as a Spanish interpretation of a French fougere, with extra emphasis on interpretation, culturally and elementally.

I think this is a good way of describing Quorum. I get the harsh dryness during the opening, which is a feature I usually associate with fougeres, but it's as if Puig decided to crank up the volume of the oakmoss to 11. I agree that oakmoss may not be an essential note in a fougere composition, but it sure as hell is an essential note in Quorum.

I posted a thread about this subject a few months ago in the Powerhouse Fragrance Users Group to get the powerhouse maniacs' views on this, and a couple of members called Quorum a "aromatic chypre". I think that fits Quorum well too, and again I think the chypre idea comes from the big oakmoss presence.

[seasoldiermarine]

vonMises, very good analogy of Quorum

[Bossa Nova]

Do you know if it is one of those ingredients or a combination of them that gives it the dense tobacco element?

According to another website's pyramid for Quorum, there is in fact tobacco listed in Quorum's base, along with leather, amber and oakmoss.

[Hasupk@gmail.com]

Quorum is definitely a fougre on me and very good at it as well
I personally think that it is, hands down, the best fragrance bargain out there.
8 bucks a bottle for a fragrance that set (one of) the standards of what it means to smell "Masculine"
you really can't go wrong