Treffpunkt 8 Uhr J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin 2012

The fragrance features, fruity mango and a fresh ginger accord, creating a gorgeous yet surprisingly refreshing top note.

But the true star of this fragrance is the vetiver heart. This modern woody scent is both pleasantly calming and somehow flowing and light. The top notes of ginger and mango blend beautifully with the vetiver, imparting a sporty freshness while further enhancing the vetiver's sophisticated character.

While mango is often thought of as "pop and cute," this fragrance mysteriously exudes a "comfortable, mature feel." As time passes, the vetiver heart gradually deepens in color, revealing a powerful core, a truly remarkable process.

The composition exudes a sense of calm and solidity within a sporty freshness. Its dignified coolness will instantly draw anyone wearing it to an active lifestyle. It's a sophisticated fragrance that evokes a sense of history while also fitting in with the modern era.

I typically enjoy perfume as an experience, not just the scent itself but the full package, ranging from the packaging and presentation, the actual scent obviously, and the story and inspiration behind its creation. And that is where this perfume - for me - stands out. I like the idea of a perfume that recalls the excitement and anticipation of a first date, and presents the development of associatEd feelings. And that is exactly what I get with the perfume. In an olfactory way it starts with the preparation and the gradual increase of the excitement (I guess the mango is at play here), as a build up to the pièce-de-résistance: the moment where you meet the object of your anticipation and probably desire. And then the date unfolds and grows until the time where it will remain a lingering memory of that evening of excitement and togetherness.

So from my side: highly recommended and big thumbs up. I so do love some of the perfumes Schwarzlose make...

Note: I bought the “collector’s item” version of this one, with 100 ml contained by a crystal bottle. It is nice, but not too different from the “normal” presentation from my perspective. Maybe the brand could amp up the special editions a notch or two to make them stand out more. That said, and I realize I am going against the flow a bit with the following comment: I actually do like the bottle and general presentation by Schwarzlose. For me, they fit the picture - just as much as Treffpunkt 8 Uhr inspired me to envision the story behind it.

Enjoy the journey, may it lead to many nice memories for you all! ????????

Somehow, hype and I just don't get along.
Whenever such a delicate little plant emerges, from the seed the germ, the first green, finally the magnificent blossom, and from it the tasty fruit, I stand by in awe and hesitation, participating but not partaking, observing the growth and becoming from a safe distance.
And then, one day, when courage has nudged me and curiosity has taken hold, when I want to join in on the hype that seems to have captivated everything and everyone - then the hype has passed, has said "Goodbye!" and packed its bags, has taken the train that has now left, still visible in the distance from the now empty platform.
And so it goes for me this time with "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" and its creator Schwarzlose Berlin.

Had I not known better, I wouldn't have believed it.
Not with "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr".
Not that this is a scent that had its first appearance at the turn of the last century.
In somewhat different garb, certainly, but surely not entirely different.
"Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" seems so young to me, so fresh and contemporary, that conception and birth in 2012 appear much more likely than once during the time of Kaiser Wilhelm.
And that is a phenomenon, because usually it happens the other way around: A young scent comes along in classic attire, reminding me of fragrance jewels from Guerlain, Dior, Balmain from a time long before I was born.
But that a scent has been so far ahead of its time as "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" seems to be, whether newly interpreted or not, that has not happened before, not for my nose and for me.

"Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" opens on my skin with an almost cologne-like bright freshness, very gentle though and not at all sharp or prickly - I wouldn't deny mango, but much more likely I think of lime or pink grapefruit alongside ginger, in any case, unsour citrus fruit.
Light and airy, it is like an early summer morning deep in the south, not sour and not sweet - and not the least bit trivial, because already here, dark gray smoke weaves in delicate wisps into the fruit, transparent, a little bitter, without being harsh and dreary.
Gently, almost tenderly, the smoke embraces the bright fruit, connects with it and releases it again, faceted and fascinated with playful lightness, far removed from any heaviness, as I have encountered in Lengling's "Sekushi" or smoky-leathery relatives like "Tuscan Leather".
At no time is "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" dense and sweet and heavy, never is it aggressive, never opulent - sage and the flowers hide from me, but that is not a problem at all, it doesn't have to be any different.
In its reduction, "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr" is fine, very fine on my skin - and becomes even finer over time, as the smoke slowly dissolves and only forms the base for the bright white-green that remains.
And remains.
And remains.
Far beyond any hype.

“I have a meeting with Lukas at eight.” Such sentences are generally not unusual for parents - however, I was surprised that my son wanted to meet with a classmate at this hour at barely twelve years old, weekend or not. Did my wife really allow him this? Not even the undeniably cutest and most charming (when needed, at least) of all sons could have convinced his mom.

Well, the solution to the riddle was, of course, that the meeting was to take place in the manner of the advancing 21st century, namely on the computer, connected via Skype or a similar service, and designed as a joint gaming session. Great. The days when kids his age would roam around somewhere are simply over.

Or is it meant to be at eight in the morning? ‘Meeting point 8 o’clock’ seems closer to the office than to an evening out, as it is a transparent vetiver scent, for which the other mentioned ingredients are merely embellishments.

Vetiver nuttiness opens up, long before any thought of fruit even arises. Freshness is provided by a presumably chemistry-supported, watery base. The gradually emerging fruit is also more watery than fruity, although I perceive it a bit more distinctly on the second test day. That it is now mango - well, okay. I would have guessed canned peach.

The vetiver gradually develops a smoky note over the course of the morning. I admit to a floral hint directly on the skin. Rather, I sense a touch of artificial wood. I would have to completely imagine the sage.

And even the afternoon progression does not scratch the dominance of the sweet grass - nevertheless, it adds (laboratorily) a little more: I smell the -ylacetate sourness, even quite intensely, but tastefully integrated into a fitting context and therefore less aggressive than, for example, in Geza Schön’s corresponding solo ‘Molecule 03.’ I like it much better here.

Conclusion: ‘Meeting point 8 o’clock’ convinces as a relatively slim vetiver scent. Those who like such things should definitely also test ‘II-III (homage to) Hemingway’ from Masque. There, the theme of vetiver might be explored with a bit more heart.

I thank Serenissima for the sample.

With a perfume that bears the quirky brand name "Schwarzlose" and the even quirkier product name "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr," I can't resist and become attentive.

Initially, I suspected that it must be a very old brand that still relies on eccentric names from days gone by. And indeed, J.F. Schwarzlose is a former Berlin traditional brand, founded in 1856 and already became the royal supplier to the Berlin court in 1870. Moreover, they soon took over an even older perfume brand, Treu & Nuglisch, founded in 1820. Thus, Schwarzlose is among the oldest German fragrance houses.

There was a golden age particularly in the 1920s until the Second World War, according to the information on the homepage. The original brand was discontinued in 1976. The current company Schwarzlose is therefore a re-establishment from 2012, striving to revive and reinterpret the old tradition.

In the niche perfume market, it is currently trendy to refer to long traditions. We will probably soon witness the relaunch of a perfume from Roman or Chinese antiquity. However, whether these supposedly ancient scents are truly original compositions is still uncertain. Schwarzlose is at least honest in this regard: They speak of reinterpretations of old classics, which likely brings them quite close to the truth. The same applies to many other traditional houses that (unfortunately) adjust their classics from time to time to fit the fashions and current preferences in order to adapt to the ever-changing market. A development that one can lament, yet at times was and is necessary to replace allergenic substances that are medically questionable by today's standards.

As for how Treffpunkt 8 Uhr smelled in its original version, I could have perhaps asked my aunt from Berlin, who passed away two years ago at the age of 98 and experienced the "roaring twenties" in Berlin as a young girl. Unfortunately, the new version of Treffpunkt 8 Uhr came onto the market two years too late for that. We will probably never know more.

So, the only option left is to test the current interpretation of this classic and indulge in the idea that it comes close to the original from the legendary time of the 1920s in Germany. Admittedly, one can easily get lost on the homepage of the current brand, especially with the photos of old brand advertisements showcasing all the classics, such as 1A - 33, the once most famous scent of the house, which I unfortunately have not yet been able to test. In fact, one can truly trace a venerable tradition of the Schwarzlose company seamlessly through the old brand advertising, which is truly impressive. It is actually surprising that no one thought of reviving this traditional house sooner. All the more wonderful that it has now succeeded.

In contrast to back then, when the Schwarzlose company had the brilliant idea of offering perfumes in vending machines (there are also photos of this quirky idea on the homepage), today's products are rather expensive luxury perfumes. Quite a pity. I am waiting for the revival of a brand for the broader market. This could also be a niche that promises economic success.

Back to "Treffpunkt 8 Uhr." Rarely has a scent cost me so much hard work before I liked it. I am currently not at home over the extended New Year's weekend and found, just before I got into the car, a sample delivery in my mailbox. Among them was Schwarzlose's Treffpunkt 8 Uhr. On a whim, I took the four samples with me, consciously forgoing other scents from my collection to immerse myself in these new four fragrances. While the three other scents from different brands were rather disappointing, I immediately got stuck on Treffpunkt 8 Uhr. Although I didn't like it at first, I repeatedly caught myself spraying a little on my wrist to test the scent anew. While my rating initially fluctuated around 50 to 60%, I have now raised it to 80%. Although I am still not entirely sure if it will remain at this fairly high rating, the perfume has slowly enchanted me. Love at second sight, so to speak.

The homepage also speaks of contrasting scent notes but remains silent about the ingredients. So, one can only trust their own nose and refer to the ingredients listed here on Parfumo.

And indeed, one can perceive floral notes without the perfume developing into a typical women's fragrance. The categorization as a unisex scent is certainly accurate and convincing. Since I am not an experienced women's fragrance connoisseur but rather an expert in men's scents, I cannot say for sure if the floral note I perceive is autumn crocus, as mentioned above. It could also be geranium or another, somewhat harsher, less sweet floral note. The effect is somewhat strict, which makes the perfume quite appealing to me as a scent that is also meant for men.

I find the mentions of vetiver and sage convincing. I can clearly perceive the former, and thus a component that is actually typical for men's fragrances remains prominent in the base note.

The ginger could be responsible for a certain spicy sharpness that remains present throughout the entire scent development, but is always pleasantly subtle and never intrusive. A pepper accent could also be conceivable here. In the base note, I also seem to detect a moss component, which would have been quite typical for a perfume of that time. Surely, it is now a substitute for oak moss to avoid the allergenic effects of this wonderful fragrance ingredient.

In the fragrance pyramid above, we also read about mango blossoms. In my opinion, it is even the fruit itself that shines through the scent impression, a fruity note that is very pleasant and wonderfully rounds off the fragrance.

This description already makes it clear that Treffpunkt 8 Uhr is not a scent that strives for harmony at all costs. Rather, scent accents are intertwined that create strong contrasts, making the exploration of this fragrance quite challenging. It is actually a bold decision, perhaps indeed due to the fact that the original scent from the 1920s also depicted these contrasts; certainly evoked by other, more common scent notes of that time, but perhaps already here through the contrast of a certain spicy sharpness and softer, albeit harsher floral scents. Who knows?

In any case, getting to know and now also loving this scent has cost me a hard piece of work. Not necessarily a compliment for a perfume. On the other hand, it is often precisely those scents that do not immediately please us because they do not want to be pleasing and popular that we then cling to for a lifetime.

I will continue to give Schwarzlose's Treffpunkt 8 Uhr a chance, perhaps even acquire a bottle, because the hard work must have paid off somehow.