Knize Ten (1924)
by Knize

The reason this gets a neutral rather than a thumbs down is that it is in-offensive, in fact it smells clean but not really something I particularly like.
This is a cross between barbershop and an astringent soapy vibe.
In fact it is a more potent masculine version of Amouage Myths Man which comes across as distressingly metrosexual considering you get both men and womens' versions!

Fragrance: 6.5/10
Projection: 7.5/10
Longevity: 7.5/10

Despite all the notes, here's what I get. A dirty, oily, leather.. think Fahrenheit. With an animallic quality about it, but still very wearable. It stays quite linear and just fades down like that. Until around 3 hour mark, I get a ton of lavender. Quite unexpected, but that's what it is for me. The final base then bring in notes of vanilla and amber, and pretty much stays this way for many hours to come.

I really do like this fragrance, and this is coming from someone who usually doesn't gravitate toward leather scents. I love Fahrenheit, it is my signature fragrance, and this reminds me of it. Though they are nothing alike, they share the same leather note. It's dirty, oily, animallic kind of leather. Nicole Miller Men has this same leather note i speak of as well.

Not sure why anyone would wear this? It’s dirty and not in a good way. Like an ashtray combined with a leather taxi seat combined with unwashed trousers. I heard it once described as like the inside of a New York taxi at the end of a long shift which is 100% right on the money. Not for me.

Knize Ten is truly a delicious scent — I get Russian leather and tobacco. In fact, this is the bottled essence of what I imagine the Romanov Grand Dukes of the late 19th to early 20th century smelling like. Queen Marie of Romania remembered the Romanov Grand Dukes as imposing, "like tall trees," who smelled "deliciously of Russian leather, cigarettes and the best sort of scent.” This quote sums up Knize Ten for me.

I won't give a negative review because I just received my first bottle and am trying to get a feel for it. So many reviews here, so many expectations. I was expecting the rubber, the leather the diesel. Instead, I get flowers. Lots and lots of floral and almost sickly sweet with a bit of leather underneath. The leather comes out more after 5 or 10 minutes but then quickly goes to powder. It's late November and the weather is chilly and wet here in Madrid so it seems to be the right climate for sporting this fragrance but it just doesn't seem to kick in correctly.

My lady wears Cuir de Russie from time to time and that scent actually comes off as much more masculine than this. It may be more appropriate for her than me!

UPDATE:

So I've been wearing this now for a few days. And it is growing on me. And sticking to me! It lasts a long long time. I really like the leather and tobacco. Is it perfect? No. But it is an important fragrance historically and that in of itself is reason enough for me to at least try it.