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Notes12/25/2020
Drseid
819 Reviews
Drseid
2
Skipping The Club...
Ho Hang opens with a slightly sharp nose tingling lemon and bitter orange tandem, with supporting basil spice before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart geranium derived sweaty lemon infused rosewood takes the fore, with the basil support remaining, adding a touch of oakmoss and aromatic patchouli to the mix. During the late dry-down as the geranium and basil vacate, the composition shifts gears, turning into a slightly powdery vanilla driven affair, with just a touch of benzoin derived sweetness and mild cedar wood support through the finish. Projection is average, as is longevity at around 8 hours on skin.
Ho Hang Club was a "like" but not "love" for me, so when I blind bought the earlier released Ho Hang (sans Club) I didn't know what to expect. Would it be similar to Ho Hang Club? The answer thankfully is "no." In truth, Ho Hang is a far superior composition. The sweaty lemon accord in the heart is the defining aspect of the perfume, reminding me immediately of the same accord found in YSL pour Homme which was also released in the early 70s, just prior to Ho Hang... Once I found out one of the perfumers behind this marvel was Raymond Chaillan the comparison made perfect sense, as Chaillan (also behind greats like Monsieur Carven, Givenchy III, Opium and so many others) was the nose behind YSL pour Homme as well. The least appealing part of the composition's development is the rather bland woody-vanilla finish, but it certainly smells good, and considering the invigorating open and sublime middle any minor gripes can easily be forgiven. The bottom line is the approximately $300 per 100ml bottle on the aftermarket Ho Hang may not be the finest perfume created by Mr. Chaillon, but it runs with the best of them, earning an "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation to lovers of 70s compositions like YSL pour Homme.
Ho Hang Club was a "like" but not "love" for me, so when I blind bought the earlier released Ho Hang (sans Club) I didn't know what to expect. Would it be similar to Ho Hang Club? The answer thankfully is "no." In truth, Ho Hang is a far superior composition. The sweaty lemon accord in the heart is the defining aspect of the perfume, reminding me immediately of the same accord found in YSL pour Homme which was also released in the early 70s, just prior to Ho Hang... Once I found out one of the perfumers behind this marvel was Raymond Chaillan the comparison made perfect sense, as Chaillan (also behind greats like Monsieur Carven, Givenchy III, Opium and so many others) was the nose behind YSL pour Homme as well. The least appealing part of the composition's development is the rather bland woody-vanilla finish, but it certainly smells good, and considering the invigorating open and sublime middle any minor gripes can easily be forgiven. The bottom line is the approximately $300 per 100ml bottle on the aftermarket Ho Hang may not be the finest perfume created by Mr. Chaillon, but it runs with the best of them, earning an "excellent" 4 stars out of 5 rating and a strong recommendation to lovers of 70s compositions like YSL pour Homme.
