20|20 J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin 2019

The fragrance blends a vibrant rose with the stimulating accent of pink pepper. Layering rose-like geranium further accentuates its refined elegance. Patchouli and amber in the base notes lend deep richness and depth, powerfully anchoring the entire composition.

It evokes a sense of independent beauty.

Yes, I am not sitting neatly in the bright sunshine of June, enjoying the gentle floral scent. No! After a peppery night, in a fit of drunken recklessness, I undertook a sprint in a dangerous, alcohol-induced tilt.

The tilt is the result of one of those wild Berlin nights. Loud, crowded, cigarettes, people, alcohol, and dirt. I've had enough, I want to go outside, I want the silence, let me go home in peace. Maybe I’ll catch the first ray of sunshine. So I stagger now, towards the joys of the morning, overwhelmed by pure zest for life, the sunrise, the light tickles my eyes and from afar the rose scent tickles my nose. Roses, YES!
I take off running, through the park, in a sprint, I fly up to this lush rosebush.

Ah yes, the tilt.
I am not flying. I fall right in. Right into the bush. Now I lie here, smeared and covered in dark earth, the thorns hurt, the woody flower stems exude their scent, especially where I broke them with my drunken carcass. Just like their blossoms!
Oh! The blüüüüüüten! Mmmhhhh!
Especially the ones I violently mashed into the ground during my fall with my body. Dying, torn and devastated, just like me, smeared into the humus of this park, just like me, they exude a perfect scent. The scent mingles with the fresh roses that I spared, delicate, alive, fresh from the morning dew, crystal clear and innocent, they stare down at me mockingly and scent me!

I am currently testing the 20|20. A beautiful scent with strong depth and respectable presence.

Without a doubt, one of the few fragrances from the Schwarzlose line that clings to my skin (the second was Rosa Centifolia (2022)), performs, and radiates. In the opening, you can already sense its power and pride; yes, it is a proud fragrance. I smell smokiness, but I have detected this in all the fragrances of the line to varying degrees; it may rather be a leathery, smoky DNA that seems typical for the Schwarzlose creations.

After about 45 minutes, something brighter emerges, possibly a flower. It's hard to say, as this note represents more of a dark flower, veiled in the overall smoke. Yes, it could be a smoky rose; the smoke somehow persists and doesn't budge an inch. I also get a nice, earthy note, but this beautifully supports the rose, which becomes brighter over time. Somehow, these fragrances are very artistically crafted; they create these nuances in such harmonized timings, these scents seem finely tuned so that one note within a temporal framework brings the next note to the forefront. Yes, very beautiful.

But the fragrance is well-woven; I cannot pick out the other notes. Even the pepper, which is very prominent in Rausch, I cannot consciously perceive.

The scent remains consistently profound, enveloping, and simultaneously almost aggressively performing, and precisely because of these demanding notes, I find it quite masculine. I own (and also enjoy wearing :)) a single masculine fragrance, and that is the Bespoke Eau de Parfum. This one is just as in-your-face powerful but forest green fresh, so I can relate to it well.

The 20|20 is a smoky powerhouse that comes across as darker and demanding. To me, there is nothing fresh about it, almost nothing lively. A beautiful scent that I would prefer to smell on a man; on myself, I find it absolutely unsexy. Perhaps also due to its dryness...

While all other fragrances from the Schwarzlose line seem absolutely unisex to me, I perceive this one as strongly masculine. I find it all the more interesting that a Parfumo below would rather see it on a lady. How incredibly wonderful is our nose; it seems to always create its own version of a fragrance.

For me, the 20|20 is more like the big brother of the Leder 6, because after smelling this one, the Leder 6 almost seemed feminine to me :)

I also find it somewhat more mature, so this fragrance would likely appeal more to gentlemen over 30. That's just my feeling; my 20-year-old daughter bought a bottle of 20|20 for herself, so I could be completely off base :)

In my opinion, as with all fragrances from this line, this scent is not a candidate for a blind buy. So definitely test it beforehand; I wish you lots of fun doing so :)

If we travel 100 years back in time, we find ourselves in the 1920s. A decade that is portrayed as having sprung from a golden age. Times when culture in art, music, and technology experienced a boost, like a long-suppressed passion finally allowed to unfold again. A rebellion, provocative & rebellious behaviors from previously quiet, inconspicuous beings seemingly took on unimaginable forms, the "Roaring Twenties," so to speak. We can only speculate how golden and contradictory that decade truly was and what deprivations the majority of the population had to endure day by day. Glamour, leisure, and prosperity were likely reserved for a small minority. What scents accompanied the fine society of that time, which materials were in demand, what food met the critical noses and palates of the era? Perhaps one or two witnesses of the time can still tell us about it - but one thing is certain: The times before we were born always hold secrets and spark curiosity.

J. F. Schwarzlose, a Berlin perfume house, has made an initial attempt with the nose of Veronique Nyberg to breathe new life into old and forgotten fragrances.

I was very curious about 20I20. I prepared myself for a knockout scent, for a loudmouth that never gets enough, for a narcotic narcissist who loves quality and is willing to pay the price necessary. To polish itself up and let the world know it is noteworthy.

The scent meets my expectations accordingly. At first, it is very rebellious, strides forward powerfully, showing no intention of holding back. Rose & Benzoin unite for a shrill opening, akin to a rebellion, unrestrained, without regard. After this act is accomplished, it becomes tamer, more insightful, more contemplative, yet the energy is not lacking. Patchouli & Amber soothe the spirit. 20I20 becomes gentler, more harmonious, elegant, and mature in the dry down. It has learned that sometimes a great outcry is not needed to be seen. And that being seen does not always have to be the goal.

My interpretation of the fragrance:

The top notes represent the contradictions of the decade.
The heart finds reconciliation with the fact that the world does not change overnight and can experience progress. There is tolerance.
The base brings the realization that one’s opinion must be formulated with care, due to its fragility.

Postscript: If you find this scent too rosy and too prickly, I can recommend Oud Palao by Diptyque!