Côté Cour Benchaâbane

Of course, it could also be Marrakech. However, I have never been there and not to any other city in Morocco either. But that doesn't matter, because the atmosphere that Côté Cour spreads can, with a bit of luck and open senses, also be found in our latitudes.

When the term "summer scent" comes up, one thinks of citrus-fresh fragrances that one wants to use to dampen the heat, light colognes, or even perfumes that embody a beach holiday in a bottle. Whether with a hint of sunscreen and typical drinks, coconut or rum aromas, or even the Bacardi advertisement in the mind's eye - such scents remind us of the best weeks of the year - the holidays in the south. As a counterpoint, heavy orientals can also transport us to the desert magic with spices or animalistic notes in our more temperate regions.

None of this is what Côté Cour strives for, and yet I look forward to summer, because only then will this scent truly come into its own. However, for me, it is "Summer in the City." The heat of the day has already subsided, but the warmth allows the perfume to exude its friendly, carefree aura. We stroll through the city park, where the setting sun casts green-golden speckles on the scene, meander through the boulevards, look forward to a free spot in the street café, and let our souls dangle.

The vanilla that the hyacinth perceives as a theme in this scent is, thank goodness, just an accompaniment that rounds it out. For me, floral notes are significantly involved in the atmosphere. This sounds romantically kitschy, but these flowers are used so subtly that it feels as if, during a walk, one occasionally catches a whiff of a blooming orange tree or a distant jasmine bush, carried to us by a warm breeze. Fine animalistic notes give this scent a skinniness - warm skin, tenderness, relaxation. Whether this is musk, I cannot judge, as I have since given up trying to decipher these notes. A spicy hint, perhaps cinnamon or simply the scent of garden carnations, gives the perfume warmth and depth, and I fancy that sandalwood has also been used here. In the dry down, I even sense a bit of the atmosphere that sun-warmed walls radiate. The perfume has nothing to do with my usual olfactory preferences, and yet I feel comfortable with it and would love to add it to my collection.

Côté Cour is listed as a unisex scent, and I wasn't sure at first if I felt the same way. However, over time, I can easily imagine the scent on a man - not in a suit, but in a white loose linen shirt, in well-groomed casual clothing, and indeed in summer in the city.

The name of this fragrance "Hofseite" refers, in my opinion, to the special architectural style of Moroccan houses, which are built around a rectangular courtyard that typically contains plants, even trees, and often a water basin. The idea is that due to this construction, there is coolness despite the great heat. This architectural style is called Riad, Arabic for "garden."
Whether the fragrance's name refers to this courtyard form is to be assumed, but it is not necessarily clear to me. One could assume that lemon and orange trees often stand in these courtyards, and the scent starts off citrusy.
But the main theme is vanilla.
I wouldn't categorize the fragrance according to the classic division into top, heart, and base notes, as I do not perceive it that way.
As mentioned, the theme is vanilla, and it is immediately present, supported by citrus fruits, although I perceive more of the peels (lemon). In the background, I detect something herb-floral (magnolia?) and something light-woody. Occasionally, a hint of spice, cinnamon, flashes through, and I even briefly imagine a clove.
Both the vanilla and the zest are predominant throughout, but not in a fresh sense; rather, they are very dense, creamy, yes, buttery, slightly gourmand. Even whipped cream comes to mind. I would have expected more flowers given the name, but I can hardly smell them.
I rather think of Aura Sublime or the relative from Creed. Hints of lemon-vanilla cake, yet not nearly as sweet as the mentioned relatives. And denser, flatter, so rather flat-dense, not loose and vertical. There is also a certain severity that becomes rounder and softer only after hours. The vanilla does not flatter; it has almost a masculine strictness, I don't know how else to describe it, but
the vanilla that I like is certainly the Guerlain one for me.
With the softening of the fragrance, musk could be involved, although I do not explicitly smell it. Also benzoin and hedione (?)
By the way, I recommend reading about Hedione:
https://www.laborpraxis.vogel.de/der-duftstoff-hedion-beeinflusst-menschliches-verhalten-a-607657/

After 1-2 hours, the fragrance, as mentioned, becomes softer and also somewhat bitter, with a bit of woodiness emerging at times. And I like that much better. It has more edge, as they say here, and is less strict than before.

It is as if the hot day, which had a somewhat oppressive feel, is now cooling down in the evening light, becoming airier, and one climbs onto the roof to enjoy the sunset over the rooftops of Marrakech.

The longevity is quite remarkable; on my otherwise fragrance-absorbing skin, it is perceptible for several hours, and then still surely 2 more as a softer, skin-like scent with a slight projection. I cannot really assess the sillage.

For those who love vanilla, even if it is not overly sweet, this fragrance could be something, although I can't imagine it on a man very well.

I received the fragrance from Monsieur Benchaabane in Marrakech, unfortunately without any further information, it is said to be brand new. Unfortunately, I forgot to ask for details, but I will probably be there again in April, and hopefully learn more then.
If anyone wants to get to know the fragrance, feel free to contact me.