After all the tepid new arrivals in 2023 (with a few exceptions), I was surprised by an unusually potent creation by Julien Rasquinet.
This fragrance is released under the Electimuss brand, which evokes ancient Roman imagery.
I am also struck by the very masculine orientation of this composition.
Electimuss was founded by Michael Boadi, just like Boadicea the Victorious before it.
Until now, the fragrances of both brands have tended to stand out for their extremely feminine character, without completely dispensing with synthetics, in keeping with contemporary tastes. High-priced in any case.
But this time Julien Rasquinet was to provide an overdue counterpoint. And his sensitive eyes tell me that he will master his task.
I have taken the liberty of playing the appropriate composer in the background while writing these lines.
Ottorino Respighi struck the right note with his Feste Romane.
Gladiator Oud now.
Hiss!
At last!
There it is again, the long-suppressed masculinity!
Cumin and saffron really spur on the athletic body.
That's how he smells, the athlete.
He is ready for the competition, knows his opponent.
This initial chord captivates with a very physical note. But sweat would be an incomplete description. Rather, it is the smell of the arduous athletic exercises, the mastery of one's own body, the numerous biochemical processes in the muscles, veins and glands.
No fear sweat, which can be acidic, no, a warm and spicy sweat.
The eagle wood is not long in coming, it will also remain dominant throughout the fragrance.
High quality, no question about it.
But this is not about the usual oud notes. This striking wood will take an extremely unusual direction.
Sun-drenched, bright and almost Mediterranean dusty, the Martian field now spreads out.
This barren immortelle, so battered by harsh nature, has become resilient over time. It defies the drought, the barren soil, the hot stones, but retains its microcosm of fragrance impressions.
Here it resembles that variety on sandy soil, the sea breeze blows its aroma over long distances.
Anyone who has ever been lucky enough to have rubbed this immortelle between their fingers knows the variety of aromas it contains.
The gladiator moves around an arena surrounded by immortelle bushes.
But now a fresh and dusty hay note accompanies him.
And it is precisely this that makes the fragrance so unique.
The fact that hay in particular can lift such a powerful eagle wood with all the other heavyweights of the base deserves applause!
Sure, you can imagine the battle arena now with hay laid out.
Just as well, the lightness of the dried grass can also stand for the masterful body movements.
The strong legs coordinate the necessary support, while the twisting torso evades the opponent's attacks, followed by the targeted counterattacks of the arms.
Everything has to be just right and the end result looks easy and choreographed to the spectator, who is unaware of the tension and concentration of the athlete.
And that leads me to the other components of the heart note, honey and rose geranium.
These floral-sweet counterparts hardly smell at all on the back of the hand, but are stronger near the glands on the neck and armpits.
Geraniol is often used as an intensifier of rose because it smells similar. However, rose geranium has different aspects to its nobler sister in spirit. It comes across as green and herbaceous, even slightly repellent.
And that is precisely what makes its use here so exciting. Away from the otherwise generic rose to oud, towards a combative blossom.
The honey rounds off the fragrance in a sophisticated way without being sweet and sticky. The golden preciousness was used in a similar way in Kouros or Boss No.1.
These two notes portray the heart of the sportsman, noble and virtuous, far removed from destructive violence and devastating loss of control.
Sounds a bit like a contradiction, since the name is supposed to be a gladiator.
Far removed from the images of bombastic films with their consuming historical depictions, gladiatorial games were very orderly fights carried out according to rules. And yes, you could very often leave the arena alive as the loser. However, this is not intended to relativize the cruelty as popular amusement.
I am more concerned with the description of the modern gladiator.
Does it still exist today?
Well, if you look at the current martial arts with all its subspecies, you can say that the basic idea has never been extinguished, the conditions and rules have.
At this point, a dear friend knows very well what I mean by this.
For me, he embodies today's gladiator.
Masterful and full of discipline, he has come a long way in the art of fighting, which no longer comes from Rome, but from East Asia.
He also knows that today's test of strength still means mastery of mind and body, but not the destruction of the opponent. There is a gentlemen's agreement.
And it is precisely this now more noble attitude that the honey-rose geranium accord embodies for me.
As for the other notes in the base, they perfectly complement the eaglewood. Earthy and slightly smoky, they frame the woody aspects.
The further the fragrance progresses, the stronger and darker the base.
As for the ambergris, it should be mentioned that a certain mineral note blends with the hay and the immortelle, hence my association with a sea breeze.
It's funny, towards the end of these lines I also hear the lively Pini di Villa Borghese by Ottorino Resphigi.
A light-flooded Allegretto Vivace.
So fitting for the fragrance, full of masculine power and yet exhilaratingly light. And above all sublime!
The triumphal procession of the victorious gladiator!
Ave Gladiator, viventes te salutant!
For U.
Top Notes 
Cumin
Saffron
Heart Notes 
Hay absolute
Honey
Balkans immortelle absolute
Egyptian geranium
Base Notes 
Indonesian patchouli
Ambergris
Oud
Atlas cedar
Haitian vetiver
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