Relax Davidoff 1990 Eau de Toilette

Relax opens with tonka bean sweetened spearmint supported by grassy tarragon spice before transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart, the mint remains, now supporting an emergent prominent mossy green oakmoss that takes the fore, with additional aromatic patchouli and thyme-like bay leaf spice support. During the late dry-down, the composition morphs to a relatively dry, slightly powdery vanilla and amber focus as the mint and spice vacate, leaving remnants of the patchouli in support through the finish. Projection is below average, and longevity on the low side of average at around 7 hours on skin.

Relax is the kind of composition that can easily be overlooked. On the positive side it smells relatively good with its rare, sweet mint focus not too unlike the Edouard Flechier composed Jean Luc Amsler Homme that came out a full decade later. That said, unlike the latter that in many ways is superior smelling by adding an interesting cucumber note to the mix, Relax starts out near equally impressive, but has a very ho-hum late dry-down with equally disappointing performance metrics. Maybe in 1990 when it was the only choice of the two to be had I might have found Relax more compelling, but nowadays it just seems to be a "good enough" release from thirty years ago that didn't distinguish itself enough then, and even less-so now. The bottom line is the long-since discontinued $300 per 75ml bottle on the aftermarket Relax is a "good" 3 stars out of 5 rated effort, but it comes nowhere near close to distinguishing itself from its 90's peers (and Jean Luc Amsler Homme) to justify a recommendation to seek it out at any price (let alone the crazy cost it currently commands).

While clearing out my inherited property, I discovered a vintage fragrance titled Relax. Contrary to my initial expectation of a light scent, the composition proved to be quite robust. The fragrance opens with a prominent tarragon note reminiscent of a spirit, which transitions into an intense iris accord, ultimately settling into a base characterized by benzoin and resins, evocative of the Amouage aesthetic.

Anyone who remembers the bottle from Relax knows that there was always a small faun, Pan, or satyr on the back of the bottle and the packaging. Why that was or is remains a mystery of Davidoff. On the other hand, one can draw various comparisons to a faun when one knows or gets to know the scent. A faun could, if it existed, smell like this! The faun, or Faunus, is the protector of the forests and nature. When looking at old pictures or statues, this forest spirit or deity of antiquity is usually depicted as very relaxed, chilled, or laid-back. And relaxed is exactly what Relax by Davidoff truly is!

Relax
After a relatively short, cool introduction of freshly crushed mint and ethereal lavender and anise, Relax quickly gets to the point and shows what it has to offer. What always characterized Relax in those days was a maximum dose of heliotrope, which was often compared to woodruff in this context. At the time, in the late 80s and early 90s, this was highly unusual for a men's fragrance. Once the heliotrope comes into play, Relax becomes sweeter but never too sweet. The marzipan-like heliotrope is complemented by spicy-floral accents. Notes of masculine, herbaceous geranium and pungent, spicy clove weave through the scent like a fabric of spicy-wild greens. A humid-warm and earthy patchouli grounds the fragrance further and makes Relax darker and deeper. Warm, mossy nuances and golden-brown, spicy tones of tonka and creamy-sweet benzoin ultimately give Relax an incredibly beautiful, attractive, and deep-green warmth and aura. Associations of mysterious and relaxing forests, jungles, or oases quickly come to mind!

Conclusion
I find myself reaching for Relax almost every Sunday when I want things to be cozy and snug since I got it back. It has something incredibly calming and delivers on its promise. Relax radiates a very pleasant aura of sweet-green, spicy-earthy, and soft-warm warmth. The scent is incredibly chilling and also very attractive and seductive. Relax is immensely cuddly and almost warm-hearted, maintaining a calm, soft-harmonious pace. There are no hard edges or corners. Everything is smooth and very fluidly crafted. Its longevity is very good, accompanying one almost all day for many hours. The sillage is normal to strong depending on the dosage and always well perceivable. Those who still own this emerald-green oasis from Davidoff can consider themselves very lucky. Unfortunately, it is no longer available. Many men (and certainly women) still mourn its loss today, which I can understand very well. A fragrance that would still be contemporary, successful, and more than wearable today if it still existed. Fortunately, I managed to get a bottle and now do what a faun does best. Retreat into my emerald-green oasis and,....relax!..;)

When man has found peace, he acts.
- Francesco Petrarca -

Many mourn a fragrance that has been discontinued. It's like with everything in life. A personality dies, and suddenly everyone behaves as if they were best friends, as if this was the most important person. Hypocrites!

With fragrances, it's similar, no, exactly the same.

Relax by Davidoff must have been a super little scent. Anyway, one day I got a decant because I was tempted by the comments.

When I received it, I thought to myself, "Is this supposed to be the best Davidoff fragrance?"
Nothing special about this scent, just your average 0815 like Cool Water or Boss Bottled, well, it is a bit better.
But it is far from being truly stunning. It just smells too linear, too boring over time, not playful enough, even to say, sleep-inducing. I do like woodruff and with vanilla on top, I also enjoy that. But wanting to smell it for 7 hours along with a piercing, somewhat annoying note (no, it hasn't gone off, it doesn't smell off) really isn't necessary.

Enough negativity, it's not that bad, it's just nothing special; I would place it in the solid midfield.

I can absolutely understand why it was discontinued and Cool Water wasn't!
Insider tip: go buy woodruff pudding with vanilla sauce at Kaufland and slather yourself with it, it has the same effect and you'll save a ton of money!

Actually, Relax would be a candidate for a smooth review, perhaps for the 1000th comment... I hold it in such high regard and it is rightly mourned. I am extremely glad to have it now as a 75 ml perfume in my collection - months ago, the mini version I bought on a whim blew me away. I need to test both the large and small versions again in direct comparison, but somehow the mini seems more intense to me. However, it could just be the enthusiasm in my memory from 3 months ago, as I had rarely smelled something so balsamic and beautiful, and now I knew what to expect and my expectations were correspondingly high.

What makes the scent so special, I can't say exactly; it lies somewhere between Zino and Cool Water in a humid, paradisiacal rainforest. It is balsamic, spicy, green, powdery, thick, sweaty, and sweet. A somewhat different but similar interpretation of the Epic Man theme. Lemon, lavender, and mint create a interplay that frees the mind from all burdens and is incredibly relaxing. Exactly fitting to the name and better than a long hot foam rose bath followed by a massage. The scent is laid-back but still masculine and very warm. Cozy, cool, and full of contrasts. A dream of a fragrance that I would trade without hesitation against all the new releases of the last 5 years. And one shouldn't expect such a thing from Davidoff anymore! The scent is rough yet liqueur-like, also reminiscent of a green version of Rochas Lui. Vanilla, benzoin, and moss with a hint of leather clearly form the last part of this extinct masterpiece. A blend that you must test; it is hard to describe. Another scent that reminded me a bit of Relax was Bogner's Deep Forest.

The bottle is a typical Davidoff and inconspicuous, almost ugly. The famous Pan on the box is, however, a nice gimmick/insider. The sillage is definitely there, but in my opinion, it is rated a bit too high. For me, the scent remains a relaxation fragrance for leisure, not a scent for going out. It has a good longevity of at least 9 hours, perhaps even double digits.

For me, the best Davidoff fragrance, which even makes Cool Water and Zino look old. There is nothing comparable, no substitute - just sorrow, melancholy, and even despair. Those who own an untainted specimen can, of course, mourn in deep relaxation and enjoy this scent from time to time. But sorrow must also be present, as it is one of the lost pearls of fragrance history. No ifs and buts.

Relax & enjoy!