Statement Aigner 1994 Eau de Toilette

It's time for me to champion the Etienne Aigner fragrances ...

Unfortunately, the fragrance division is disconnected and detached from the company, which stands for fine leather and bags in Germany like hardly any other and has remained understated, still maintaining its modest headquarters in the backyard of a Munich residential area. The rights to the fragrances have been passed back and forth between various corporations a few times, and large advertising campaigns are a thing of the past. Perhaps this is the reason why the fragrances play a subordinate role at the major perfumery chains, and we tend to know them more from the advertising flyers of cheap drugstore chains or the discount tables of large department stores. However, the fragrances are much better than their reputation.

A true classic has now become Statement. A simple clear glass bottle with a stylized banderole, proudly displaying the name, while the company emblem is still placed in a rather minimalist and discreet manner. The massive silver cap promises solidity, while the amber-colored liquid conveys naturalness and classic elegance.

From the very first sniff, one recognizes the numerous fragrance nuances that characterize a classic men's scent. Green and herb-fresh notes form the beginning, without ever coming across as too citrusy. Quickly, fruity and slightly floral, but also masculine-herbaceous accents follow, and the fragrance develops a wonderful breadth. Later, the familiar classics of moss, leather, musk, and cedar form a solid and soft foundation on which the fragrance can further evolve. Styrax and amber add slight airy-resinous accents.

In contrast to some modern fragrances, this may sound like a lot, perhaps too much. But this variety forms the basis for a very long-lasting, varied, and pleasant progression of the fragrance, which thus will hardly become boring in the long run. On the contrary, depending on the season and temperature, the fragrance develops a little differently each time - exciting if you enjoy that sort of thing! The longevity increases through the variety to a respectable 16 hours, the projection is intense but still moderate, not at all intrusive or overpowering.

Statement has all the elements of a classic men's fragrance: intense, spicy, distinctive, masculine, pleasant. Perhaps a bit old-school, but that’s what makes it a modern classic.