Esprit du Tigre Heeley 2006

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7.1 / 10 141 Ratings

A perfume by Heeley for women and men, released in 2006. The scent is spicy-fresh. It is still in production.

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Main accords

Spicy

Fresh

Green

Woody

Oriental

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Camphor

Peppermint

Heart Notes

Clove

Cardamom

Pepper

Base Notes

Vetiver

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Perfumer

James Heeley

Ratings

Scent

7.1141 Ratings

Longevity

6.5107 Ratings

Sillage

6.0103 Ratings

Bottle

7.3103 Ratings

Value for money

6.616 Ratings

Submitted by Andi136, last update on 08/07/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Piper Nigrum

Smyrna

Vetiver Cologne

Memoir Man

Sultan Vetiver

Geranium pour Monsieur

Reviews

5 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/08/2012

5
Sillage 5
Longevity 6
Scent

Sherapop
1239 Reviews

Sherapop

Very helpful Review 3

Not my cup of (camphor mint) tea...

I discovered in my queue a small sample of Heeley ESPRIT DU TIGRE (made smaller through evaporation) and decided that I'd give it a whirl before it ceases to exist, having dissipated forever into the vast cosmos.

The composition is fairly simple. I'd call it an aromatic woody, with a strong mint presence. The mint is so strong, in fact, that in undulating wafts I feel that I can taste it. The wood smells more like iso-E-super than vetiver to me. Perhaps that is present, too, but not listed among the notes since it's an aromachemical.

All in all, ESPRIT DU TIGRE is a pleasant wear, but not very exciting, and not something of which I'd really want a full bottle. This would probably work very well for guys looking for a light and refreshing high-quality woody cologne. The spices are not at all heavy, so don't be scared off by the clove, cardamom, and pepper listed among the notes. They are applied quite lightly in this composition, even in my sample, which is now at extrait concentration...

11/15/2021

7
Sillage 7
Longevity 6
Scent

Kurai
388 Reviews

Kurai

Helpful Review 5

Eye of the tiger

About 10 years ago, I came across this fragrance and it left me an immortal impression. It had a serious medicinal punch of camphor, similar to that of Tiger Balm and other rubbing oils. It immediately teleported me to a Bangkok kickboxing event. Imagine those gladiators all rubbed up in oil, in the mid of a damping hot and packed arena. Yeah, that's how I remember Esprit du Tigre.

With another recent order, I received a new sample. So I just had to give it another try today. It appears the scent has had quite an update. The medicinal character is replaced by a wearable vetiver scent with some rough edges. Camphor and cloves are clearly present and still make it spicy and warm, or even HOT, but nothing in the Tiger Balm area.

Oh well, I am perfectly fine with this revision. I'm on a journey looking forward, rather than being stuck in the past. Current Esprit du Tigre is an okay vetiver scent with a spicy twist. I find the camphor note particularly interesting. I learnt now that it can be brutally medicinal or, in smaller doses, give a subtle edge to woods and greens. Can't wait to explore this camphor effect further.

02/20/2015

LicoriceRain
57 Reviews

LicoriceRain

2

Too dry and bitter!

When I heard Esprit du Tigre was “medicinal”, I thought I might like it because I *love* other frags that have been described as “medicinal” (Black Vines by Kerosene, and CK One Shock for Him), and I have always liked the smell of Tigers Balm, Vicks Vaporub, Ben Gay, Mentholatum, etc. But this isn’t like those, it’s too dry and bitter. In fact, once I get past that initial blast, it reminds me of Bvlgari Aqva Amara, which means “bitter water”. For some reason, dry frags never seem to perform well on my skin, and this includes Mechant Loup by L’Artisan, which features a wonderful hazelnut note. If you want something bitter, I think Aqva Amara smells better than Esprit du Tigre, although not very original or groundbreaking.

10/18/2024

Mikuru
10 Reviews

Mikuru

1

Woody camphora

The opening can be pretty misleading, with its overtly aromatic freshness, probably due to the camphor. Later, the pyramid slowly unfolds and gives way to warm, spicy notes perfectly balanced with the herbaceous freshness of the black pepper base (surprisingly light here), although a vague woody hint remains (that, I think, works poorly with the top notes). I almost smelled flowers, although absent in the pyramid. Structured, evolving, I appreciate

07/23/2022

10
Pricing 10
Bottle 8
Sillage 7
Longevity 10
Scent

Lessthanzero
13 Reviews

Lessthanzero

1

Needlessly poetic review

The year is 1919. The setting is London; a members only club. There is a gymnasium. The ceiling of the cavernous room is double height, and bright white light pours in from clerestory windows. The walls are plaster, the floors oak, and here and there are rudimentary fitness tools and machines, all cast iron.

An athlete sits on a bench facing a pommel horse, its leather worn and patinated with sweat. The athlete wears a white cotton vest tucked into white cotton pants. The athlete wraps his hands with linen bandages. He is tired from training, and sweat drips from his brow on to the dusty floor.

His coach, smelling of fresh pipe smoke, approaches from the side. He reaches out and smears the athlete’s neck and shoulders with a greasy salve. The athlete’s head drops forward as the room fills with the smell of hot, icy camphor from Siam.