Top Notes 
Grapefruit
Bitter orange
Basil
Heart Notes 
Violet
Freesia
Salt
Base Notes 
Ironwood
Haitian vetiver
Musk
Fresh21
95 Reviews
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Fresh21
Top Review
35
Off to the Island!
Mmh … with a current rating of 7.7, "Isle of Man" hardly suggests that one would be banished to the island when wearing this Frapin. But … let's see;)
The fragrance starts with a bright-spicy, slightly sweet note that vaguely reminds me of honey. The citrus is more soft and muted than zesty, fruity, or fresh.
Soon, this honey-like top note becomes a bit more floral and shifts back and forth, alternating with a dull green wood tone in the background that increasingly asserts itself as the fragrance develops. The scent evolves from a light differentiation to a growing concentration, culminating in a dense mix after 2-3 hours. And so it remains relatively constant, consisting of:
85-90% warm, soft, peat-like brown-green + 10-15% honey-floral-sweet, interwoven with a subtle spiciness.
This (flower) honey can only be the combination of blood orange, freesia, and violet, yet they are not detectable as such. Rather, this plush sweetness blends with a dull "fermented" wood tone that creates the masculinity of the fragrance and shapes its character from then on.
In a final act, after about four hours, it gains a bit more sweetness, which also has a slightly sour note. For now, a (quality) musk joins in, reminding me of Narciso for Him EDP, intensifying the fragrance further. However, I wouldn't describe it as animalistic, at most a bit human-like:)
Unfortunately, the musk now picks up more momentum and becomes increasingly stringent in tone. I find this development unnecessary and it feels like an extension of the scent, although this tone does fit the sweet-sourness of the Isle of Man. I would prefer half the amount of musk, or almost none at all, even if that meant it would be gone after about six hours. As it stands, the fragrance lingers for at least another two hours with a sweaty-sweet-muskiness, making its longevity quite decent at over 8 hours.
Essentially, this fragrance is well-crafted but does not suit my taste. The same goes for our dear Sebulon27, to whom I dedicate this comment - one of the good spirits in the background, already here for 6.5 years, more of a passive member with a zero in the souk. Nevertheless, he was (as the only owner of a rare iris scent) willing to fill me a sample and included FOUR more - among them this Frapin. We don't know each other, just exchanged a few lines, and yet are richly gifted by such kind souls. Many thanks again to Sebulon27, who also confirmed at my request, "of course you can mention me, I’m a hobby narcissist;)" ... Wonderful, we share the same humor.
But back to the fragrance:
Sprayed on the chest, it behaves as expected, less differentiated and diffuses through a shirt after about an hour with a noticeable sillage - as a dull sweetness with honey undertones based on the slightly spicy, sour-warm green wood tone, plus the stringent musk in the later dry down. Here, the longevity proves to be nearly infinite, with the sillage hardly diminishing (still around 70% after 12 hours, 30-40% after 24 hours!) Therefore, this Frapin is extremely economical, and one can and should apply it sparingly, as it feels a bit special to me. In other words, 100ml is enough for more than a year, and the Isle of Man lives up to its name fully. For I would not suggest banishment, but at least a recommendation;)
Off to the Island!
The fragrance starts with a bright-spicy, slightly sweet note that vaguely reminds me of honey. The citrus is more soft and muted than zesty, fruity, or fresh.
Soon, this honey-like top note becomes a bit more floral and shifts back and forth, alternating with a dull green wood tone in the background that increasingly asserts itself as the fragrance develops. The scent evolves from a light differentiation to a growing concentration, culminating in a dense mix after 2-3 hours. And so it remains relatively constant, consisting of:
85-90% warm, soft, peat-like brown-green + 10-15% honey-floral-sweet, interwoven with a subtle spiciness.
This (flower) honey can only be the combination of blood orange, freesia, and violet, yet they are not detectable as such. Rather, this plush sweetness blends with a dull "fermented" wood tone that creates the masculinity of the fragrance and shapes its character from then on.
In a final act, after about four hours, it gains a bit more sweetness, which also has a slightly sour note. For now, a (quality) musk joins in, reminding me of Narciso for Him EDP, intensifying the fragrance further. However, I wouldn't describe it as animalistic, at most a bit human-like:)
Unfortunately, the musk now picks up more momentum and becomes increasingly stringent in tone. I find this development unnecessary and it feels like an extension of the scent, although this tone does fit the sweet-sourness of the Isle of Man. I would prefer half the amount of musk, or almost none at all, even if that meant it would be gone after about six hours. As it stands, the fragrance lingers for at least another two hours with a sweaty-sweet-muskiness, making its longevity quite decent at over 8 hours.
Essentially, this fragrance is well-crafted but does not suit my taste. The same goes for our dear Sebulon27, to whom I dedicate this comment - one of the good spirits in the background, already here for 6.5 years, more of a passive member with a zero in the souk. Nevertheless, he was (as the only owner of a rare iris scent) willing to fill me a sample and included FOUR more - among them this Frapin. We don't know each other, just exchanged a few lines, and yet are richly gifted by such kind souls. Many thanks again to Sebulon27, who also confirmed at my request, "of course you can mention me, I’m a hobby narcissist;)" ... Wonderful, we share the same humor.
But back to the fragrance:
Sprayed on the chest, it behaves as expected, less differentiated and diffuses through a shirt after about an hour with a noticeable sillage - as a dull sweetness with honey undertones based on the slightly spicy, sour-warm green wood tone, plus the stringent musk in the later dry down. Here, the longevity proves to be nearly infinite, with the sillage hardly diminishing (still around 70% after 12 hours, 30-40% after 24 hours!) Therefore, this Frapin is extremely economical, and one can and should apply it sparingly, as it feels a bit special to me. In other words, 100ml is enough for more than a year, and the Isle of Man lives up to its name fully. For I would not suggest banishment, but at least a recommendation;)
Off to the Island!
29 Comments
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