Bon Monsieur (2020)
by Rogue Perfumery

Bon Monsieur opens with a nose tingling combination of sharp bergamot citrus and aromatic lavender with green coniferous fir balsam in support before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart, the aromatic lavender remains in full force, eschewing its prior bergamot companion, with the coniferous green fir balsam growing in strength to become co-star, bolstered by significant tree moss from the base, and soft carnation and slightly minty geranium floral support. During the late dry-down the composition softens, as it becomes slightly less green with the fir balsam receding, unveiling soft, non-animalic musk, and a dry cedar and sandalwood tandem that joins with remnants of the moss in support through the finish. Projection is excellent to outstanding, and longevity excellent at well over 12 hours on skin.

I had high hopes for Bon Monsieur when it was announced. Rogue has produced so many winners that a "masculine" targeted perfume would likely be another, encouraging me to skip the sampling stage and move directly to buying a bottle blind. Now having received my bottle and wearing it multiple times I can definitely say Rogue has another stellar offering on its hands. Unfortunately, this one is an old school aromatic lavender and tree moss laden fougere that has more than a passing resemblance to the late 80s Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels that I already own, sans most of Tsar's sweetness and with greater performance. Tsar is no slouch, so comparisons (and dare I say improvements) over it are laudable, but Tsar, like most aromatic fougeres, always came close to winning me over but never *quite* got me to love, and Bon Monsieur similarly comes up just short. If one already owns vintage Tsar I personally don't think investing in Bon Monsieur needed, but if you love Tsar and don't own it, this one improves on the already successful classic aromatic fougere formula and should be a mandatory sample, if not a blind buy. The bottom line is the $156 per 75ml bottle Bon Monsieur may not have quite stolen *my* heart, but its quality is quite apparent and it may just steal yours, earning a "very good" 3.5 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation to lovers, but not owners of Tsar and similar aromatic lavender fougeres.

I would describe Bon Monsieur as a green aromatic floral scent. It opens up with some refreshing lemony bergamot with the presence of a number florals in particular geranium and lavender. Green, airy, clean, and invigorating right from the start. The opening notes dials down a bit revealing even more greenness in the heart. The geranium and lavender are greeted by some pines (fir balsam) and hints of lily of the valley. The musk becomes noticeable in the later stages of development and eventually the oak moss paired with wood notes (cedar and sandalwood) joins of what is remaining of the florals at the drydown. The scent has a very retro feel, specifically the late 1980s when Gucci Nobile and Van Cleef & Arpels Tsar were first released - I think of these two scents when I smell Bon Monsieur. Performance was decent overall with moderate silage early on before staying closer to the skin. Well done Manny!