Custo Man Custo Barcelona 2009
3
Nuestra Señora del Azahar
Azahar means "orange blossom" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Azahar, saying "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia. The city of Seville is filled with the subtle fragrance of Azahar in springtime. You can roam around the town taking in the sweet-smelling blossom from the 40,000 trees that line the streets and squares spreading to all corners of the city with a high ornamental value that gives identity to Seville, both visual and olfactory. The smell of Azahar pervades the whole town when spring comes and the orange blossom, the contemporary Seville which has made the Sevillian orange trees and the scent of orange blossom its emblem.
That being said, when I met this guy, or better man, the very first time I was kind of astonished by the way it smelt. It was during a middle summer afternoon while strolling in a mall after a taught workday, I happened to Sephora, and this emerald jewel with a glittering silver cap was sitting alone on the sale shelf, 50% off for a huge 100ml bottle. At that time, my collection was not so broad, and I had no floriental cologne yet. Happily, the tester was there, and I sprayed a couple of spritz on my hand. Soon after, a robust and sumptuous orange blossom aroma filled the area around me. I wasn't sure I wanted to like it, so I left the shop and continued my walk. You know what? That smell was so invasive and addictive at the same time, the more I smelt my hand, the more I loved it. My expectation turned out to be totally wrong. Hence, on my way back, I entered the shop and bought it. And I didn't regret it, I am on my third bottle now, an ongoing 50ml and a 100ml backup.
Of course, Custo Man is an eccentric cologne, either you love it, or you hate it. It has been created by Francis Kurkdjian, one of the most renowned perfumers who created Fleur du Male (JPG) and then Custo Man, a fragrance very similar to the former according to the many reviews around the web, at least they share the same vibe. However, I can neither confirm nor deny that since I have never smelt JPG Fleur du Male. Notwithstanding, this is a fantastic fragrance. When feeling Custo Man, you get the impression of walking through a blooming flowerbed during midsummer somewhere in the Mediterranean, south of Italy, Sicily island.
The Custo Man outset is quite citrus but quickly turns into a marvellous sweet syrup. It starts with a powdery, soft citron and sweet flavouring. All of the citrus fruits are detectable, blended with a generous dose of neroli blossom that has a hint of sweet honey floral but with airy, brighter green and spicy facets. More, a touch of the unusual juniper flower, with the smell slightly spicy, softer and more delicate than the berry. The lemon in this is done beautifully and smells exceptionally natural. Just out of the bottle a few notes remind me of Boucheron pour Homme. Its output is sharp, but after a few minutes, the floral stand out above any other note, softening its development. It gives me the sensation of blossom with dew, fresh, humid, freshly cut, which emits a lot of smell.
In the heart, the neroli is compensated with an abundant dose of orange blossom that is overall a slightly sweeter and more orange citrus. The zestiness is reinforced by the green verbena leaf, lively and aromatic with hints of lemon, in ancient times it was considered a "love plant" from which to obtain loving filters, and a hint of black pepper helps to keep the heart spicier and not cloying. It's clean and fresh, and once the middle notes appear, it becomes a very unique citrus/pepper blend which smells fantastic.
The dry-down is a pleasant aura of the opening tonka bean and a little musk, which are easily detectable. There are nuances slightly leathery thanks to the presence of cistus labdanum, and more balsamic from the resinous benzoin.
It has excellent sillage and average longevity on me, and the best part is that nowadays it is not expensive. At the beginning of its development, it has a vital trail that softens after an hour, being moderate from there. Duration of several hours, projecting the first 2-3 quickly, which is enhanced with a little heat. I have always used it in the Spring and Summer seasons, and I wouldn't use it for Winter, clubbing or on dates though as it is not precisely a seductive smell, anyway, flowless for hot Summer nights out. I think this is an excellent alternative for those of us who love sweet fragrances.
Stay well; stay healthy.
-Elysium
That being said, when I met this guy, or better man, the very first time I was kind of astonished by the way it smelt. It was during a middle summer afternoon while strolling in a mall after a taught workday, I happened to Sephora, and this emerald jewel with a glittering silver cap was sitting alone on the sale shelf, 50% off for a huge 100ml bottle. At that time, my collection was not so broad, and I had no floriental cologne yet. Happily, the tester was there, and I sprayed a couple of spritz on my hand. Soon after, a robust and sumptuous orange blossom aroma filled the area around me. I wasn't sure I wanted to like it, so I left the shop and continued my walk. You know what? That smell was so invasive and addictive at the same time, the more I smelt my hand, the more I loved it. My expectation turned out to be totally wrong. Hence, on my way back, I entered the shop and bought it. And I didn't regret it, I am on my third bottle now, an ongoing 50ml and a 100ml backup.
Of course, Custo Man is an eccentric cologne, either you love it, or you hate it. It has been created by Francis Kurkdjian, one of the most renowned perfumers who created Fleur du Male (JPG) and then Custo Man, a fragrance very similar to the former according to the many reviews around the web, at least they share the same vibe. However, I can neither confirm nor deny that since I have never smelt JPG Fleur du Male. Notwithstanding, this is a fantastic fragrance. When feeling Custo Man, you get the impression of walking through a blooming flowerbed during midsummer somewhere in the Mediterranean, south of Italy, Sicily island.
The Custo Man outset is quite citrus but quickly turns into a marvellous sweet syrup. It starts with a powdery, soft citron and sweet flavouring. All of the citrus fruits are detectable, blended with a generous dose of neroli blossom that has a hint of sweet honey floral but with airy, brighter green and spicy facets. More, a touch of the unusual juniper flower, with the smell slightly spicy, softer and more delicate than the berry. The lemon in this is done beautifully and smells exceptionally natural. Just out of the bottle a few notes remind me of Boucheron pour Homme. Its output is sharp, but after a few minutes, the floral stand out above any other note, softening its development. It gives me the sensation of blossom with dew, fresh, humid, freshly cut, which emits a lot of smell.
In the heart, the neroli is compensated with an abundant dose of orange blossom that is overall a slightly sweeter and more orange citrus. The zestiness is reinforced by the green verbena leaf, lively and aromatic with hints of lemon, in ancient times it was considered a "love plant" from which to obtain loving filters, and a hint of black pepper helps to keep the heart spicier and not cloying. It's clean and fresh, and once the middle notes appear, it becomes a very unique citrus/pepper blend which smells fantastic.
The dry-down is a pleasant aura of the opening tonka bean and a little musk, which are easily detectable. There are nuances slightly leathery thanks to the presence of cistus labdanum, and more balsamic from the resinous benzoin.
It has excellent sillage and average longevity on me, and the best part is that nowadays it is not expensive. At the beginning of its development, it has a vital trail that softens after an hour, being moderate from there. Duration of several hours, projecting the first 2-3 quickly, which is enhanced with a little heat. I have always used it in the Spring and Summer seasons, and I wouldn't use it for Winter, clubbing or on dates though as it is not precisely a seductive smell, anyway, flowless for hot Summer nights out. I think this is an excellent alternative for those of us who love sweet fragrances.
Stay well; stay healthy.
-Elysium
Elysium
