Nevermore Frapin 2014

Frapin Nevermore builds atmospherically on two elements:
- First, on the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, in which the raven repeatedly utters "Nevermore."
- Second, on the appearance of the toaster: For decades, on Poe's birthday, a mysterious figure would appear at his gravestone, drink cognac to the poet's health, and lay down three roses along with an opened bottle of cognac at the grave.

About the scent:
A strong, densely woven top of pepper and dark floral notes reveals the nose. No freshness, certainly nothing citrusy here. Unusual. Soon there is space for the stunning heart of the perfume:
"There, all at once, scents filled the air, it seemed to me, like incense" (from The Raven) - The pyramid contains no incense, yet FN has something smoky, metallic-misty about it. A masculine, scratchy layer of scent envelops and coolly binds the three roses. The roses! What is going on here? Normally, I don't like rose scents in hand creams, etc. at all. But here, the thorns are left intact, it remains proud and noble. This makes this contradictory combination so special.
Very late in the base, the weave calms down and focuses on a milder rose, interwoven with spicy cedar and a broad amber/saffron carpet. And on this carpet lies, I only realized late, this cork from the bottle of a mature red wine. Magnificent.

I still haven't fully understood why Nevermore captivated me so much. But that was the real reason to buy it (after all, my first perfume in a higher price range) - this inexplicable fascination! With other perfumes, I eventually stop thinking and know: This is the one. With FN, during the trials, a steady "I belong to you, don't resist any longer" mood built up instead. Time and again, a robust yet delicate cloud wafted around my nose, and I caught myself smelling my forearm more often than with any other scents. And then I resisted Nevermore.

When to wear it? I still need to figure that out. Despite its rather strong sillage, I see it more for daytime than for evening outings. And if so, it's not a clubbing scent; it feels more at home in a restaurant. I think this scent wants to be noticed and not overshadow others. It lasts long! The combination of "man wears rose" is certainly something to get used to. At least for me as a wearer, but probably also for those around me. And yet, its inner angularity leans more towards the masculine; on a woman, it could come across as harsh. However, I am open to being pleasantly surprised by female wearers and commentators.

A few more words about the packaging:
The compact bottle with a wooden cap feels heavy (365g!) and substantial in the hand, a great sensation. And it came in an elegant box with embossing and a magnetic closure. Frapin Nevermore is an overall high-quality experience.